In recent times, many things we rely on are becoming more expensive such as gas, electricity, and fuel along with higher interest rates. Finding ways to save money will be on many people’s minds. Therefore, in this blog we will be discussing how you can be more eco-friendly with your fuel, and to drive more safely.
Remove Excess Weight
Removing excess weight when it is not needed will result in your car being lighter, so your engine won’t have to work as hard to move forward, resulting in less fuel usage.
Think of how it is when you have a car carrying 5 people – or a full boot – compared to when you are just on your own with an empty boot. You’ll notice that it is far easier to accelerate and decelerate. If you have a modern car, you may also notice on the dashboard that the MPG (Miles Per Gallon) is higher when your car is empty. So, less is more!
Maintain Your Vehicle
Regularly maintaining your vehicle will also help towards better fuel economy. Things that will generally affect the performance of the car are spark plugs, oil quality, and filters. Here at Tivoli, we can change some or all of those for you, so you can get the most out of your car. It’s also important to have the best tyres possible with, adequate tread as well, to ensure safer driving.
Driving Smoothly
Your driving style will result in how safe a driver you are and how eco-friendly you can be. Generally, if you drive more smoothly you’ll be safer on the road – and use less fuel which will save you money
Driving smoothly includes actions like not accelerating and braking hard, whilst keeping a good distance from the car in front of you. If you keep a good distance then you will find you use your brakes less often.
Be sure to be in the right gear at all times as well. If you are driving between 50-70mph, you won’t want to be in 2nd or 3rd gear for example! The lower the gear with the higher the speed, the more fuel you’ll use up since you are pushing your engine more.
Use Cruise Control
On long flat roads, cruise control will generally save you fuel as it keeps your car at a constant speed in the most efficient way possible. If you don’t use cruise control your speed may fluctuate, meaning you’ll have to press down on the accelerator again. For example, on a 70MPH limit road, you could be going between 65 and 70mph. Cruise control will keep you stable at what you set it at – in this case, 70mph.
There are many other ways to be more eco-friendly with your vehicle and to drive safely, and we are always happy to offer suggestions when you pop into our garage.
Tivoli Auto Services
We are an independent garage based in Hastings, St. Leonards. If you have any issues or requirements with your car or need a new service and MOT, bring your car down to us and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help.
Contact us today at 01424 442277 to get your car booked in. We are here to give any advice to help you get the most out of your vehicle.