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With the constant rise in inflation, and endless trips you are required to have to ensure that you fulfil all your daily tasks, the amount of money you will end up spending on fuel could leave your pockets empty.
While bringing down the cost of fuel is often beyond your control, you might be ecstatic to discover that there are several hacks that you can try that will not only save you money – but you will also see that your petrol lasts much longer.
This can become useful in today’s economy, wouldn’t you agree?
Below are hacks recommended by a list of reputable sources that you can try to ensure your fuel lasts longer.
Check Tyre pressure
It is important to ensure that your tyre pressure is checked every 2 – 3 weeks. Automotive company, Mobil, states that under-inflated tyres have a high level of resistance when driving on the road. This causes an increase in friction with each kilometre travelled and ultimately leads to your vehicle experiencing more fuel consumption.
Switch off Air conditioner
The car manufacturing company KIA explains that having your car’s air conditioner on for a long period while driving is known to burn up a lot of fuel. This is similar when it comes to driving at high speed with your windows rolled down. This is due to the increase in wind resistance which requires more work from your car.
“The best time to open the windows is when driving at a lower speed, and your car’s air conditioning is most effective when you’re driving on the motorway,” explains Kia.
Empty the load in your boot
Like an under-inflated tyre, having several heavy objects in the boot of your vehicle is known to add extra weight, resulting in your car having to work twice as hard to get from point A to point B. This therefore increases fuel consumption yet again, explains Mobil.
Keep your car maintained
KIA believes that having regular maintenance on your car can be a useful benefit to ensuring that every component is in optimal condition and saves you fuel.
Avoid driving too fast or slow
We might all be familiar with the idea that driving slower might save us fuel. However, this is not entirely the case. Mobil recommends driving at a moderate speed instead.
“You’ll burn up to 15% more fuel at 100 km/h and 25% more at 110 km/h. That might tempt you to drive slowly, but if you drive slower than 50 km/h, your engine will drop to a lower gear, thus using up more fuel. In conclusion, a steady 50 – 90 km/h on the highway is best to achieve optimal fuel economy,” explains the above-mentioned source.
Also see: Five tips to keep your car’s interior smelling good