Petrol saving tips

• Ensure that your tyres are correctly inflated to the manufacturer's specifications. Aside from reducing fuel efficiency, inadequately-inflated tyres tend to overheat, which jeopardizes safety and causes tyres to wear out prematurely.
  
• Keep your car in optimal condition through engine maintenance and regular services. Make sure that spark plugs and filters are changed according to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. All of these factors can influence your car's efficiency.
  
• Driving at a moderate speed ensures better fuel economy. On average, a car uses about 15% more fuel at 100 km/h, and 25% more fuel at 110 km/h than it does at 90 km/h. However, don't think that the slower you drive, the less fuel your car will use. Interestingly, the fuel consumption of an average car increases dramatically at speeds below 50 km/h. If your car sounds like it is strained or revving, the chances are that it is chewing petrol.
  
• Avoid stop-start driving. Sudden braking and accelerating will impact on the car's fuel consumption. Don't tailgate and try to avoid stop-start driving as much as you can by accelerating and decelerating slowly.
  
• Do not let your engine idle more than a minute, as it consumes much more fuel than restarting the engine. Prevent fuel wastage through idling by stopping the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for an extended period.
  
• Use your air-con sparingly. Air conditioners can use about 10% extra fuel when operating. However, at speeds of over 80 km/h, your air-con is better for fuel economy than an open window.

"A lot of us are not particularly savvy about petrol-efficiency. A closer look at our driving habits could reveal opportunities for reducing consumption, and thereby reducing costs. You may not have to resort to living off dry bread and black tea in order to keep your car on the road if you make a few changes," he concludes.