Top Fuel Saving Tips for The New Year

After the indulgence of the Christmas and New Year festivities, you may be considering reducing your spending in the weeks and months following - perhaps beyond, if your New Year's resolution is to get saving. One way you can do this is by reducing the amount you spend on fuel for your car. 

Whilst there’s not a lot we can do about petrol and diesel prices, there are a few ways in which we can adjust our driving style, and general attitude to motoring, to make our fuel go further. 

Bear the below tips in mind while you’re out and about this year, and see if you find yourself pulling up to the pumps a little less frequently… 

Plan ahead 

One of the most obvious ways to reduce your fuel consumption is to simply travel around less - and removing the risk of wrong turns is one way to do that. Planning ahead to not only avoid confusion on new routes but also congestion on ones you use regularly can save you wasting time, and precious fuel. 

Avoid harsh acceleration or braking 

The smoother your driving style the better when it comes to saving fuel, as sudden braking or harsh acceleration can force your car to consume more petrol or diesel. 

Well-planned stops and starts are generally good practices to preserve the lifespan of your car’s components, and they help keep you and other road users safe.

Don’t overload the car

The heavier your car, the harder it has to work to get going and, yes, that means it uses more fuel. Get rid of any excess clutter, and only carry items such as buggies around if you’ll need to use them that day. Lightening up the car will mean less of a burden on your fuel consumption - trust us.  

Keep your tyres topped up 

Drag caused by underinflated tyres can have a similar effect on your fuel consumption as overloading your vehicle; it makes the car work harder, using more fuel to get going. Make sure you know your car’s optimum PSI, and regularly check that your tyre pressures match, topping up where necessary. 

Cut down on the air con 

Did you know that using the air con also uses more fuel? There are some suggestions that it could increase consumption by 10%! Only cooling off when it’s absolutely necessary is one way to keep off the fuel forecourts for a little while longer, as the system uses energy from the petrol or diesel tank.

Shift gear

The longer your car stays in lower gears, the more fuel it's using. Change up as soon as it’s appropriate to do so (and as long as it keeps you within the legal speed limit) to give your fuel system a good opportunity to work efficiently. 

Don’t skip the service 

Regular maintenance keeps important parts of your car in good working order, such as spark plugs, the air filter, and the engine oil levels. If these elements are worn or low, fuel efficiency may be compromised, so not only might you incur avoidable repair costs, you’ll be paying more for fuel too. 

Close the windows if you can

It's simple aerodynamics; open windows cause drag. Close your windows at speed to make life easier for your car, and for your pocket. 

Keep idling to a minimum

Keeping the car running at traffic lights, the school gates or at level crossings will use up fuel unnecessarily. If you can, turn your engine off, and avoid ‘idling’, utilising the stop/start button in your car if it comes fitted with one. 

Consider an electric or hybrid model 

Looking to cut out visits to the pumps to more of an extreme? The future is electric, with more and more models released with electric or hybrid variants, or even as pure electric vehicles. We’re excited to have some hybrid and electric models to choose from here at Carlingo, and opting fo one of them as your next car could see you harness the power of a battery either to make your fuel go further, or replace it completely.

Keen to get your money’s worth? 

Every car on display here at Carlingo is fantastic value for money, with time and effort going into not only preparing the car to the highest standard but ensuring you’re paying the best price for it too. 

If you’ve resolved to be sensible with your money this year but are still in need of an upgraded used car, start and end your search at Carlingo in Harrogate.