Tips to help extend the life of your fuel

Fuel is one of those things that seems to run out as quickly as you top it up. If you find that your fuel consumption has increased recently and you don't know why, or if you really need to save some money but can't give up on your car, these tips can help you reduce your fuel consumption and save money on the cost of refueling the car.

Don't be mistaken

Sounds incredibly obvious, but most people don't associate getting lost or taking a detour with fuel consumption. If your journey is longer than it should be, you will inevitably use up more fuel. If you are a person who gets lost all the time, investing in satellite navigation or GPS can save you money in the long run. It may seem like a big expense, but the accumulated savings that you make without getting lost will pay for the purchase of the device and save you money in the future.

Driving style

Changing your driving technique can significantly reduce fuel consumption. Smoother driving, less harsh braking, and constant use of higher gears can have a huge positive impact on the amount of money you have to spend on gas.

It's all about letting the engine work for you so that you use as little fuel as possible to accelerate or brake. Among other things, you can brake using the engine, which means that you fully release the gas pedal (and still stay in gear). When you do this, the engine will no longer receive fuel until you accelerate or decelerate again.

The same is true when driving in the highest possible gear, thereby allowing the engine to drive the car rather than boosting combustion on its own.

You can also make this easier by keeping your distance from the person in front of you by releasing the accelerator well before the turn, or picking up speed quickly (perhaps skipping a gear) and maintaining the same speed. Many new cars are equipped with cruise control, which keeps fuel consumption to a minimum.

Simple things like backing into a parking space will save you from having to put a lot of strain on your engine when it's cold and save you a significant amount of money in the long run on fuel.

Don't overweight your car

Do you have a lot of unnecessary heavy items weighing down your car? If your trunk is full of stuff just because you never took the time to put it away, you might be surprised to find that it could cost you money. The heavier the car, the more fuel it needs to move.

Carrying heavy items when you don't need them can increase your fuel bills, even if you don't know it. If you regularly give people a lift, this can also increase the amount of fuel you use. If you rationalize taking other people with you on the basis that "you're going there anyway," just remember that it will cost you more fuel if you take another passenger in your car. Perhaps you should keep this in mind the next time someone offers you gas money for taking them somewhere.

Pump up your tires

Approximately half of the cars on UK roads today have tires with insufficient pressure. If your tires don't have enough air, it actually increases the car's drag on the road, increasing the amount of fuel it needs to move forward.

50p for using a pneumatic machine at a gas station may now seem like a much better investment. Learn how much air pressure your specific make and model of car needs to get the best performance from your driving guide. Driving with the correct tire pressure will save you money on gas instantly.

Close windows if you are using air conditioning

Think about how you keep your car cool. Summer weather can have a huge impact on your car's fuel economy, as turning on air conditioner and open windows can cause you to use more gasoline.

The study showed that in some models, when using air conditioning while driving, 25% more fuel is consumed than when driving without it. This will soon have a significant impact on fuel consumption. Driving with the windows open is more economical, but only up to 60 mph. Beyond this threshold, the resistance caused by open windows will end up costing you more than turning on the air conditioner.

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