Monday, December 1, 2008

Petrol Saving Tips


Petrol Saving Tips - saving for wallet and environment

I have been meaning to write a blog on this for quite some time. Since my first thoughts on this issue, however, the price of oil and then petrol has come down considerably, mainly due to softening demand as a consequence of the global economic crisis (or the GFC as I am now starting to hear) - or so I understand. I actually filled my car last night, that being a Sunday and know to be one of the more expensive days, and it totaled more than $20 less that just a few weeks ago - incredible saving. Who says the GFC is all that bad.

With the Christmas holidays drawing nearer, thankfully, I have devised a useful list of 8 petrol saving tips to capitalise on that petrol saving even further.
  1. Cruise control - a constant speed over a long trip will save you heaps at the bowser, let alone saving you heaps on speeding fines
  2. Air-conditioning - if you are cruising around town at less than 50 km/h don't use it - this will save 10% on your fuel bill or $6 on a 55L tank. At speeds greater than this the opposite will occur due to aerodynamics and drag
  3. Get a check-up - servicing & tyre pressures are essential to efficient driving
  4. Choose your fuel wisely - do the maths and use premium with a 98 octane. Not only will your car run better, it is a better quality fuel and will look after your engine and you will get 40 km extra out of the average tank of fuel (based on 50L tank)
  5. What gear are you in? - the lower the revs the less you will use. Heavy accelerating could use 30% more fuel. Use higher gears as often as you can, remembering though that if your car is labouring in a high gear that it actually may be using more fuel
  6. Is the pram in the boot? - get it out and anything else that may be weighing you down. Think about this - if you have 50kg's of weight in the car that does not need to be there and you car weighs 1500kg's, that represents 30% of the body weight of the car
  7. Check you speed - driving at 90 km/h instead of 110 km/h can save you 25% on your fuel costs
  8. Switching off and warming up - if you are sitting idle for more than 20 seconds turn your car off and if you car is fuel injected you don't need to warm it up
Hope that helps.

Andrew
Posted by at
Labels:

Monday, December 1, 2008

Petrol Saving Tips


Petrol Saving Tips - saving for wallet and environment

I have been meaning to write a blog on this for quite some time. Since my first thoughts on this issue, however, the price of oil and then petrol has come down considerably, mainly due to softening demand as a consequence of the global economic crisis (or the GFC as I am now starting to hear) - or so I understand. I actually filled my car last night, that being a Sunday and know to be one of the more expensive days, and it totaled more than $20 less that just a few weeks ago - incredible saving. Who says the GFC is all that bad.

With the Christmas holidays drawing nearer, thankfully, I have devised a useful list of 8 petrol saving tips to capitalise on that petrol saving even further.
  1. Cruise control - a constant speed over a long trip will save you heaps at the bowser, let alone saving you heaps on speeding fines
  2. Air-conditioning - if you are cruising around town at less than 50 km/h don't use it - this will save 10% on your fuel bill or $6 on a 55L tank. At speeds greater than this the opposite will occur due to aerodynamics and drag
  3. Get a check-up - servicing & tyre pressures are essential to efficient driving
  4. Choose your fuel wisely - do the maths and use premium with a 98 octane. Not only will your car run better, it is a better quality fuel and will look after your engine and you will get 40 km extra out of the average tank of fuel (based on 50L tank)
  5. What gear are you in? - the lower the revs the less you will use. Heavy accelerating could use 30% more fuel. Use higher gears as often as you can, remembering though that if your car is labouring in a high gear that it actually may be using more fuel
  6. Is the pram in the boot? - get it out and anything else that may be weighing you down. Think about this - if you have 50kg's of weight in the car that does not need to be there and you car weighs 1500kg's, that represents 30% of the body weight of the car
  7. Check you speed - driving at 90 km/h instead of 110 km/h can save you 25% on your fuel costs
  8. Switching off and warming up - if you are sitting idle for more than 20 seconds turn your car off and if you car is fuel injected you don't need to warm it up
Hope that helps.

Andrew
at