People often complain about fuel consumption of their cars. However, aside from rising gas prices, other factors can significantly influence your fuel economy. For example, irregular car service, poor maintenance, radiator leak, careless driving, worn tires and many other factors can greatly affect your monthly fuel expense.
Routine maintenance is very important and can help prevent many costly repairs such as engine failure or radiator leak. According to experts, your vehicle could burn up to 30% more fuel if regular service is not performed. Aside from all magical spark plugs, fuel line magnets or special fuel additives suggested to improve the fuel economy, here are some proven ways worth your time and money which will improve your fuel economy.
Keep your tires properly inflated
Did you know that keeping your tires properly inflated can increase car fuel economy by 3%? Checking your tire pressures should be a part of your daily routine maintenance. If the tire pressure is low, the rolling resistance of the tires will be increased, cutting down the fuel efficiency. The conclusion is simple, check your tires regularly.
Be a responsible driver – Driving fast significantly increases the amount of fuel your car uses. The faster you drive, the more fuel your car will spend. There are speed limits and every driver needs to stick to them. The law regulated speed limits are not intended to increase safety on the roads, but to improve fuel economy of all vehicles. So, be a steady driver, stick to the speed limits and drive reasonable.
Keep your radiator in top-condition
One of the ways to improve the fuel economy of your car is to keep your radiator clean and in top-condition. If you’re not willing to pay expensive radiator repairs, check radiator hoses, perform radiator pressure test and preventive services often. You can add some additives directly to radiator hoses that can improve the surface tension of the radiator and even help radiator stop leak. Sometimes no matter how careful you are, a malfunction can occur. In that case, it is best to consult with professionals regarding the best radiator repairs. These professionals have the expertise to match all radiator repairs. They can check radiator hoses, conduct radiator pressure test and all other services and to stop radiator leak. If you suspect a radiator leak, make sure you entrust reputable radiator repairs Melbourne shop with all your radiator repairs. Clean radiator saves a lot of fuel and protects your car from overheating.
Watch this video to learn how a radiator pressure test could’ve discovered bad cooling hose and saved money.
Don’t carry unnecessary weight
By cutting down unnecessary weight, you will improve the fuel economy by about 2%. If you have heavy items in the trunk of your car which you do not use on a daily basis, do not drive them around since your car will waste more fuel. The lighter your car is, the lower the fuel consumption and the higher the fuel efficiency.
Minimize your idle time
If you’re stuck in a traffic or are waiting for someone, don’t let your car idle for more than a minute. In fact, running your car in idle means sitting in your car, not going anywhere and burning money. It is better to turn off the engine and restart it when you’re ready to go again. The new engines consume less fuel when turned off and started again then idling for an extended period of time. Also, it is recommended not to warm up the engine before driving off in the winter time because this habit can damage your engine and waste fuel.
Plan direct routes
To avoid traffic and city driving, plan your trip ahead of time. Driving on direct routes means you will have to stop less and thus save a lot of fuel. Take the route that has less lights and stop signs.
Drive less
This is the simplest way to improve the fuel economy. Use your car only when necessary. Don’t drive your car when you go on a short trip. Instead, buy a bike or walk more and you’ll save more fuel.
