September 13 2023,
Modern vehicles are more fuel-efficient than ever, but with gas prices continually rising, it's smart to look for savings. There's plenty you can do to lower your fuel bills, including a few simple habits like changing the way you drive. Here's what to do in six easy steps.
1) Avoid Running the Engine Cold
On a freezing winter morning, it's tempting to leave the engine running for a few minutes to warm the vehicle's interior before driving away. However, modern engines are much more efficient than older variants, which means you only need to let the engine run for about 20 seconds to get it ready for driving. Moreover, engines work much more efficiently when they've heated up to their optimal temperature, and this only happens once you start to drive. Avoiding those few minutes of running a cold engine each morning can add up to welcome fuel savings over the course of a winter.
2) Drive Smoothly
Accelerating uses up a lot of fuel, and the hard-earned momentum is lost when you brake. To use less gas overall, drive as smoothly as possible without sharp acceleration followed by hard braking. If your vehicle has a cruise-control feature, use it as much as you can to easily keep speeds as consistent as possible.
3) Keep to Highway Speed Limits
Most modern vehicles are designed to achieve the best fuel efficiency when maintaining a steady highway speed of between 80 and 100 km/h. Drive any faster than that, and fuel consumption quickly increases. While your journey might take less time, it will consume more fuel overall.
4) Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling uses up a surprising amount of fuel, with a typical engine wasting around a quarter of a litre every 10 minutes. In the past, vehicles used a lot of fuel during ignition, so idling for many minutes at a time was common practice. Today's models start much more efficiently, so if you're likely to be stopped for a minute or more, turning off the engine will put you ahead in fuel savings.
5) Avoid Rush Hour
Whenever possible, avoid driving during rush hour or at other busy times of day, as stop-start driving in heavy traffic is the least fuel-efficient activity. Of course, you may not have a choice for your daily commutes, but if you can run your errands in lighter traffic, it will result in a clear improvement to the gas economy.
6) Reduce Unneeded Weight
When did you last clear out your trunk? Every unnecessary item stowed in your vehicle decreases its fuel efficiency, so travel as light as you can at all times. The benefits will build up over time!
Save Even More Fuel With a Dilawri Service
Even after adopting all these driving habits, the key to great fuel economy is a well-maintained vehicle that's running smoothly and efficiently. To ensure your vehicle is properly set up for the lowest fuel consumption, Dilawri’s team of expert technicians are ready to help. Book an appointment at your nearest Dilawri franchised dealership's Service Centre today!
