10 Tips for Saving on Fuel Costs

  • As we become more and more concerned with rising fuel prices and carbon emissions in the modern age, it is becoming increasingly important to pay close attention to our vehicle’s fuel consumption. The good news is that we don’t always have to upgrade to a new car model to improve our fuel efficiency levels – it can be as simple as applying a few key changes to our driving habits and the maintenance of our vehicles. Improving your cars fuel efficiency and looking after maintenance will leave you more money for other motoring costs like car leases.
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  • 1. Drive Smoothly
    An obvious one, but something which a lot of drivers rarely adhere to, is driving smoothly. Stopping and starting your care suddenly wastes more fuel and puts wear onto your car and should be avoided at all costs. Accelerating is the big one for fuel consumption, so avoid erratic increases in speed by keeping a safe distance from other cars at all times.
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  • 2. Minimise vehicle use
    Trips under 5km generally don’t allow the engine to warm up properly, which leads to inefficient fuel outputs. Your engine uses the most fuel when it starts up before it reaches optimal temperature, so avoid trips that won’t allow you to achieve this. Riding your bike or doing all your errands in one trip will assist you to address this tip.
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  • 3. Drive in the right gear
    One for manual drivers, it’s bad for fuel consumption if you let your car rev high in low gears. Change gears as soon as the car reaches comfortable revs and don’t let it get too high up hills or on corners. Automatic cars can also benefit by smoothly accelerating to avoid quick gear changes and high revs.
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  • 4. Minimise wind drag
    Having your window open or items on your roof racks causes wind drag on your vehicle, slowing it down and using more fuel. This isn’t a massive drainer, but should be avoided if possible.
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  • 5. Avoid idling
    Idling is unnecessary and wastes fuel. Most cars don’t need to warm up before driving, so doing this simply drains fuel as the car struggles to reach optimum temperature. Idling at traffic lights or lengthy stops should be avoided if possible – if you know you are going to be stopped for an extended period, turn your vehicle off.
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  • 6. Speeding
    Your car uses a lot more fuel over 90km/h so avoid hitting high speeds when driving. Using cruise control will assist you to achieve this, and will ensure you aren’t excessively accelerating and slowing down at high speeds.
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  • 7. Look after your tires
    Ensure your tires are at the manufacturer recommended pressure and that they are properly aligned to avoid lethargic driving patterns. This will also have positive effects on your tyres use life and car handling
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  • 8. Travel light
    Excessive amounts of luggage will lead to more weight in the car and more weight equates to higher fuel consumption.
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  • 9. Use the air-con sparingly
    Air conditioning uses about 10 per cent extra fuel when operating, so avoid it especially at low speeds. On the other hand, using the air con at speeds over 80km/h is more fuel efficient than having the window open.
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  • 10. Keep your vehicle in good condition
    Regular services and maintenance is vital for good fuel efficiency. A well tuned vehicle is the best way to go about lower your fuel consumption!
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  • If you are looking to improve your fuel consumption, follow these steps and you’ll go a long way to saving. Another way to save on car costs is by using ALP’s car lease calculator. We offer Australia’s best car lease packages through allowing our customers to calculate their financial outlay online. Use our car lease calculator to determine your finances today!
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  • We can also tailor a novated lease package that works for you. Use our novated lease calculator tool to easily work out your monthly repayments. We are also the fleet management Melbourne experts. Give us a call today!
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