Save on fuel with these 10 tips

In South Africa, there have been four consecutive monthly petrol hikes this year. Up almost R2 per litre from R14,80 late last year, petrol now sets you back R16.68 per litre.

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Here’s how you can drive smarter to save drops and cents.

1. Smooth driving

Slow and steady wins the race! Accelerate slowly and anticipate your stops to avoid braking frequently. Not only are you keeping your car in good condition, but you’re saving fuel by not chasing green lights.

2. Speed

Keeping to the speed limit has perks. Not only will you avoid fines, but you’ll also place less of a strain on the engine. Dropping your speed from 110km/hour to 90km/hour could drop your fuel usage by as much as 25%.

3. Aircon or no aircon?

Switch your air-conditioning off when driving around town and only opt to activate it during long trips to optimise your fuel efficiency.

4. Is your boot weighing you down?

The heavier your car, the more fuel it will consume. Some experts say that for every 50kg of additional load, your fuel consumption increases by 2%. So remove all those unnecessary things from your boot.

5. Plan your journey

Think ahead to where you need to go and the route you’re likely to take. Even if it is just heading to the office and back home, consider shorter, less congested routes. And if you have errands to run, plan the order of stores so you don’t end up duplicating routes.

6. Join forces

While lift clubs might sound like a novelty in an age of Uber, they are a great way to bring down monthly fuel bills. And this puts less strain on your car.

7. Your wheels

Remember to check your tyre pressure on a monthly basis and your wheel alignment at least twice a year as both can result in higher fuel consumption if they’re not optimised.

8. General maintenance

Service your car regularly as it ensures it’s as fuel efficient as possible. Things like cleaning (or replacing) the air filter and monitoring if the car is idling at the right level all help out.

9. Reduce your warm up time

As we head into winter, it might be tempting to idle your car a bit to warm up, but it just wastes fuel.

10. Shop around for diesel

Because the price of diesel is not regulated in South Africa, it is worthwhile shopping around for the best price.