There’s something special about buying a new car. In the flush of those first few weeks ownership, the temptation is to just go out and drive for no good reason. After all that scrimping and saving, the wheeling and dealing of part-exchange or private sale of the outgoing motor, why shouldn’t a person use up a bit of fuel just for the pleasure of driving: All perfectly natural.
In the real world though, the one where you stand by the car in the petrol station and wonder why the pump gauge reads over £40 and rising for a modest hatchback, reality strikes. Driving a car is an expensive business and it makes sense to conserve that precious fluid when and where we can and the way to do that is by driving properly, taking care and ensuring that car servicing and MOT are taken seriously. Here’s few tips from us to make driving a car enjoyable, safe in the knowledge that money is being saved:
Take It Easy
Everyone of us bar one is not Lewis Hamilton. The roads around our homes are not a race track. By and large, our environment is not conducive to sporting motoring, what with speed limits, road furniture and traffic. Thus, it just makes sense to adopt economical and environmental driving techniques that focus on a relaxed approach to acceleration.
Smooth driving is the key; using the brakes unnecessarily wastes fuel, so try to anticipate what’s happening as far ahead up the road as possible. This ensures best use of the car’s energy achieved through a safer, lower-risk style of driving.
The Right Gear
There is a point where acceleration and momentum meet and most cars are at their most efficient around 50mph, give or take. This speed guarantees efficient use of fuel. If a car is fitted with dashboard feature that show real time miles per gallon it is possible to see the effect in the read-out. For every five miles an hour over sixty a car is driven, it will lose around six percent of its fuel economy. Getting into a high gear as soon as possible means not putting a strain on the engine. This in turn helps economy.
Tyres
This piece of motoring advice crops up all the time but is always worth repeating. Keep tyres properly inflated and make regular checks on their condition. Even a slight reduction in pressure will lead to greater resistance on the road and that means a bigger spend on fuel and, over time, on tyres too.
Don’t Be Idle
Most modern cars today have a Stop-Start feature to save fuel and cut emissions when the car is stationary. Some systems work differently to others so it pays to get familiar with the right procedure when coming to rest at traffic lights and the like. With or without Stop/Start, don’t let an engine idle unnecessarily. When sitting in a queue or parked up waiting for someone, switch the engine off.
The Good Driver
A good driver will make use of all these ideas, most of the time. Nobody says it isn’t allowed to crack on a bit when the mood takes but smooth driving will result in better fuel economy and also, crucially, a reduction in risk through better anticipation of hazards. Fuel-efficient driving goes hand in hand with improving driving skills and boosting road safety It also helps reduces emissions, pollution and driver stress. Driving doesn’t have to be fast to be fun.
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