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We all have our different set of expectations from our cars. Even if the cars are the same, most of us drive quite differently from each others. That’s what we call it driving habits. But incorrect driving habits can reduce your car’s fuel efficiency, which ultimately forces you to spend more time and money at the gas station than you would like to. Here are some fuel saving tips that will bring you more smiles per kilometre (per litre).

Avoid Half Clutching: Most of us do half clutching on a regular basis without even realising. Half clutching is pressing the clutch half while negotiating with a bad traffic situation. While in some of the situations, it can’t be avoided, but in many cases it can be. Keeping the car in the right gear lets you take your foot off the clutch pedal. If you are pressing the clutch just to avoid engine knocking, gear down, as it will automatically reduce the load on the gearbox and saves you precious fuel.

Avoid Carrying Extra Weight: Consider for a moment that you are running. Then imagine that you are running with a heavy backpack strapped to your back. No matter how much effort you put in, the excess baggage will inevitably slow you down. Even Usain Bolt would stumble. Same logic applies to your car as well. If excess luggage can be avoided then do so and this can easily be done by doing some simple planning before you start a journey. This way the car’s engine doesn’t work overtime and feel strained. This way your car will live to take care of you another day, instead of stalling when you need it the most.

Don’t Zigzag: Let me be honest with you, I have never managed to save more than a few minutes by zigzagging though the traffic. Most of us behave as if the world will come to an end if we do not overtake the car in front of us in the next twenty seconds. This increases your fuel consumption as the car is forced to increase pace only for it suddenly come to halt. At start-stopdriving conditions, it is wise to drive smoothly and not unnecessarily push the car. If there is nothing you can do about the situation, just stay calm and stick to your lane.

Set the Air Conditioner Temperature to a Comfortable Level: According to many tests done worldwide, the fuel efficiency of a car drops by 5-10% when the air conditioner is switched on. The reason is simple, the belt that engages the compressor (which is used to compress the coolant and make it cold) will only run with the engine started. This is the same belt that is responsible for running the alternator and charging your battery. So when you turn the AC of your car on, the load on the engine increases which results in lesser fuel efficiency. The colder you want your car to be more tiresome the engine will get. Hence, the drop in fuel efficiency.

Drive in the Highest Gear Possible: While driving, if you think you can shift to a higher gear, do it. It might sound weird to you but I have managed to make my Honda Brio deliver a mind boggling fuel efficiency of 25+ km/l. The reason was straight and simple. On the highway,I ensure the car is cruising at 55km/h in fifth gear. Don’t go too slow or else your car will start to stall or knock. Find that fine balance and keep cruising till it’s time for you to gear up again. Nothing delivers more kilometres than a happy and calm engine.

Take the Uninterrupted Lane: Take the lane that is not too populated. It might not be the fastest lane, but it will always keep you moving, which will eventually reduce the use of clutch and brakes hence yielding better fuel efficiency. Chances are you will reach at the same time or maybe a few minutes quicker than the guy in the fast lane.

Drive Smoothly: Change gears as infrequently as possible. Try to maintain a steady pace than to suddenly accelerate or decelerate. The main idea is to let the engine work as calmly as possible. Continuously increasing or decreasing your speed and gears will overwork the engine which will inevitably lead to higher consumption of fuel.

Avoid Leaving in Peak Hours: Leaving half an hour in advance or late will not only save you the anxiety, but some bucks too. Peak hours are known for their bad traffic scenes and that’s when everyone is out on the roads. There is a good chance that if you leave your office half an hour later, you will still reach home at the same time you would have if you had left half an hour sooner.

Avoid Idling for Long: It is impossible to avoid traffic jams in this country. If you live in a city where you leave home and work at peak hours, you must be used to it by now. Then there are traffic lights that take forever to turn green. Not to forget the traffic jams that have no reason for being there in the first place, but they are there. So whenever you find yourself struggling with a traffic situation where you know you are going to be stationary for a while, switch off the engine.

Plan Your Way: Try to gauge the situation beforehand. If you are planning to take that right turn, shift to the right lane before the turn. This will help you avoid panicking and avoid last minute chaos. This also means less abuse of the gas pedal, brakes and clutch. Being in the right lane even if you do not plan to take a turn, will also help you easily sail through the mayhem.

Ten Tips to Driving More Efficiently

We all have our different set of expectations from our cars. Even if the cars are the same, most of us drive quite differently from each others. That’s what we call it driving habits.

How many of you have asked someone unknown about his/her car’s fuel efficiency? No no, don’t get me wrong here. There’s nothing wrong about it. After all we live in a nation where ‘smiles per litre’ go hand in hand with ‘miles per litre’, but there are many ways you can adopt so that your car runs more for every drop it drinks of the black gold. Don’t worry, these things will not turn you into a number munching gorilla, but will save you some money which you can invest in the finer things of life.
1. Right Tyre Air Pressure: One of the most underrated aspects of driving. Not having the right tyre pressure is as damaging as wearing Crocs while trying to scale Mount Everest. Make sure that all the five tyres have the right tyre pressure. Having the perfect air pressure increases the rolling ability of the car and the engine doesn’t need to push itself much hence saving fuel. Over-inflated tyres might not make enough grip in an emergency, and under-inflated tyres reduce the life of the tyre. Just keep it right so that your petrol and tyres last much longer.
2. Clean Air Filter: Can you think of running a marathon with a blocked nose? I can’t. How can anyone last long without having a proper supply of clean air? Your car works on the same logic. The engine cannot burn the fuel properly with an inadequate supply of oxygen. Hence the improper burning of the air-fuel mixture results in poor fuel efficiency. If you live in a neighbourhood where your car is parked out in open or if your car usually travels through roads that are covered with dust, clean your air filter on a regular basis.
3. Avoid Redlining: Like you, your car’s engine doesn’t like to stress. So make it a habit to change the gear without the engine begging for it. Unless you are involved in an ego war with that kid in his dad’s new car or in a bad mood, you don’t need to redline before engaging the clutch and changing the gear. Redlining consumes much more fuel than you can imagine and, in some cases, double than what your car consumes usually. Changing the gear between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm is ideal for most of the cars, but more than the numbers, try to find out when your car is breathing easy, and when it is getting overworked. And when you think it is, just change the gear.
4. Avoid Idling for Long: It is impossible to avoid traffic jams in this country. If you live in a city where you leave home and work at peak hours, you must be used to it by now. Then there are traffic lights that take forever to turn green, don’t forget the traffic jams that have no reason for their existence, but they are there. So whenever you find yourself struggling with a traffic situation where you know you are going to be stationary for a while, switch off the engine.
5. Get the Vehicle Serviced on Time: No prizes for guessing why. Regularly changing the engine oil reduces the friction happening inside your car’s engine, and doesn’t let the parts wear and tear fast. This, goes without saying, reduces the extra load on the engine. The pistons move freely, so does the camshaft and other important parts. Air filter is cleaned (or changed) too, regularly, which makes it easy for the car to breathe and function properly. Other fluids like gear oil and clutch oil are topped-up too which makes the car function effortlessly.

Five ways to reduce your fuel costs

How many of you have asked someone unknown about his/her car’s fuel efficiency? No no, don’t get me wrong here. There’s nothing wrong about it.

Fuel Efficiency Tips

Ten Tips to Driving More Efficiently

Five ways to reduce your fuel costs

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