Concerned about the cost of running your car with the VAT increase? Today we have a guest post that is full of tips for getting more from your fuel.

The joy of the open road…The freedom to choose your route and destination…The satisfaction of navigating that nearly organic ocean we call traffic.

These are just some of the pleasures of owning a car. The price for these joys has traditionally been considered a minor one – keeping your baby fueled up. In today’s economy, that price is not so minor. Many people find the cost increasingly difficult to manage and the joys outweighed by the stress. Following are 10 simple things you can do to improve your car’s mpg and take the edge off that stress:

1) A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss. Your vehicle burns fuel as long as the engine is running – whether the vehicle is moving or not. Those who leave their car running while they run in to a store or their home “just for a minute” are throwing money away.

2) Slow and Steady Wins the Race (Except When it Doesn’t). Cruise control is a marvelous convenience and can save a bundle in fuel costs; however certain terrain fools the cruise control into wasting your fuel. When you hit a large hill and your cruising speed decreases, you understand that the 40 degree incline you are climbing is responsible. Your cruise control does not understand this. It will floor the accelerator if necessary to try and maintain its set speed. This wastes fuel and could even damage your car. To save money, control your own cruising speed in hilly terrain.

3) You Don’t Sprint in a Marathon. Use the appropriate gear for your commute. Automatic transmission vehicles tend to either be described as “X speed with overdrive” or “X speed with sport gear”. The gear setting with overdrive should always be used when available for maximum fuel efficiency. Overdrive simply means your transmission has an extra, larger gear that allows your car to maintain a high cruising speed with less effort from the engine. Sport setting on the other end of the spectrum should not be used by those concerned with reducing fuel costs. What sport setting does is makes your car more inclined to use a lower gear or delay changing into a higher one. This results in improved acceleration but a far, far higher fuel bill as your vehicle is red-lining constantly.

4) Keep Your Cool. Somewhere along the way, the rumor began that turning on your air conditioner costs more fuel than opening your windows. This is simply untrue. The relatively minor load the AC adds to your engine pales in comparison to the completely altered aerodynamics of opening windows.

5) Know Where You’re Going in Life. Even before you start your engine, think about where you are going and the route you plan to take. If you have multiple destinations, having a planned route can save a lot of fuel by choosing the most efficient path.

6) Cleanliness is Next to Godliness. Swimmers and cyclists have long known that for an extra edge in speed and efficiency, a smooth body is essential. Fortunately you don’t need to shave your car. A regular washing will accomplish the same goal.

7) What’s Your Rush? Just like the sport setting on a transmission uses a great deal of extra fuel, aggressive driving creates the same problem. Aggressive drivers have the highest insurance premiums and fuel costs.

Lighten Your Load. It seems to be so obvious, but most people don’t consider the weight of having extra gear in their car when they complain about fuel costs. Your car burns fuel to move itself down the road. When you get in, it burns more fuel to move you down the road too. That old TV you were holding for a friend that ended up finding a home in your trunk when he disappeared from the face of the planet could be costing you a fortune as you pay extra to chauffeur it everywhere you go.

9) Where The Rubber Meets the Road. Your tires have a certain level of inflation at which they are at their safest and most fuel efficient. Know what this level is and check often to ensure that your tires are inflated as they were designed to be.

10) A Stitch in Time Saves Nine. The single most important habit that can keep your car’s mpg at its best is regular maintenance. Your car is a machine designed to travel down the road. Any damage or wear to the machine will make itself felt in the fuel cost. Saving fuel money is about being keeping your vehicle running at its most efficient.

Zach

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Zach currently blogs about saving money online. He also blogs about sites that offer a free insurance quote and tips about qr code api