As the economic of Nigeria becomes harder, it's imperative for vehicle users to apply common sense in the consumption of fuel to avoid wastage of funds.
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We have heard of many ways we can use to save fuel, we have read many tips and we wonder what's really draining the fuel despite all, the fuel keeps going down.
Don’t you just hate it when your car’s fuel gauge starts warning? Have you ever seen motorists running around with a Jerrycan to the gas station to buy more fuel? Don’t wait until your car stops moving or until your fuel gauge starts warning. When driving a car, not only is it important to constantly fuel your car, but it is also imperative that you keep monitoring the fuel gauge to find out how much fuel you have left in the tank.
1. Accelerate smoothly
The perfect way to save fuel is to travel at a steady speed. We recommend a speed of 50mph, and in the highest gear so if you are patient while driving, you will make fewer trips to the gas station in a month.
It’s unavoidable to overtake sometimes but there’s no point accelerating past a car to simply be in front of it at the next set of lights.
2. Don’t push the accelerator too far down
This is not just because of what gear you are in. You may be in a high gear and traveling at a steady speed but if you are pushing the accelerator down a long way to avoid changing into a lower gear (for example into third from fourth) then you’re using more fuel not less. This is of course if you are driving an automatic car, the car will do a better job than you of choosing which gear to be in so it’s not a problem for an automatic.
3. Turn the air-conditioning off
Whereas it can get very humid in African countries or in the summer for some, it’s enticing to drive around while the air-con is on. The problem with air-con being on all the time while you drive is that it uses quite a bit of fuel, so we’d advise you turn it off when you can and drive with your windows down if it’s not raining or when you are driving around town.
4. Check your tyre pressure regularly
Please note that the lower the tyre pressure of your car is, the more fuel the car needs to move it down the road. We recommend that you take 5 minutes every two weeks to check the tires and if you aren’t sure what pressure they should be, you can normally find the figures near the lock inside the driver’s door or drive to the nearest gas station and have your tyre pressures checked.
5. Don’t carry unnecessary weight
Your car needs more fuel to move around more weight. So just as you wouldn’t wear a heavy backpack unless if you really had to, don’t leave stuff laying around in the boot of your car. The heavier the item, the more fuel your car will consume
6. Don’t drive during rush hours
I wonder if this is applicaable in Nigeria, Lagos especially. Few things are as frustrating as being stuck in traffic jam. Not only is it an expensive way of travelling, every time you start and stop in traffic, your car needs first gear and a huge amount of fuel to get moving again. Second gear is worse. The best solution is to not travel at all if you can during the rush hours of the day. If you have to travel in traffic a lot, then consider buying a hybrid car which uses less fuel in town than a petrol or diesel car.
7. Service your car regularly
The quality of your engine oil does indeed affect your fuel economy. Always make it a point to service your car regularly with genuine and good quality engine oil. Always make sure to change the oil in your car according to your vehicles maintenance schedule to save fuel.
8. Remove the roof rack off your car
Whereas most people like to have roof racks on their cars even when they don’t necessarily use them most of the time, this increases drag and makes your car use more fuel. If you can’t do away with a roof rack, get the latest roof rack which is easy to fit and remove such that you can stow them away when you’re not using them.
9. Close your windows and sunroof if driving on the highway
When you are driving on the highway and are moving more quickly, the shape of your car is very important. Car designers call it aerodynamics and make lots of effort to reduce ‘drag’ and make the car go as sleek as possible.
Anything that makes noise while your car is moving is consuming more fuel. You can’t do much about the design of your car but you can avoid making it consume more fuel on the highway by not leaving the windows or sunroof open. Use the air vents or air-con if it gets too hot.
10. Make fewer errands or trips
Did you know that when you drive a car that has been parked all day, the engine is cold and it uses a lot of fuel for the first five miles? To save fuel, why not combine all your daily trips into one big trip? Sometimes, of course, this is not possible but try to avoid making unnecessary trips.
There you have it. The top 10 tips to help you save some cash on that fuel money every month.