Drive More Efficiently with our Beginners Guide

Everyone wants to save money where they can, and since owning a car is likely one of the biggest expenses we have, it makes sense to minimise costs as much as possible.

Generally speaking, when you keep on top of basic vehicle maintenance, periodic wheel alignments and keeping your vehicle clean will go a long way to getting the most from your tank.

In this article, we’re going to look at the top 6 tips for economical driving.

1: Maintain Correct Tyre Pressures

Every single article on the internet will list tyre pressures as an important factor when it comes to fuel economy. Few go into the details about why. At lower pressures, the contact patch between the tyre and the road surface is much larger. This larger contact patch will push and pull itself around as the tyre rotates, generating much more rolling resistance.

This increased rolling resistance will affect your economy. Studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that for every 10% under recommended pressures your tyres were, fuel economy worsened by an average of 2%.

Checking your tyre pressures should be done at least once a fortnight. Most fuel stations will have an air hose and gauge you can use. If you want to learn about how to check your tyre pressures, the team at Tyres R Us can help you and advise on the correct air pressures for you.

2: Get a Wheel Alignment and Tyre Balance

Every vehicle has some adjustability built into the suspension to account for manufacturing tolerances, added weight, suspension wear and tear. Over time, suspension can sag, bushings can distort, or accidents with a curb or pothole can knock your vehicle alignment out of spec.

When your vehicle alignment isn’t true, your vehicle can handle in an unpredictable manner, your tyres can scrub out and you subject your vehicle to increased wear and tear.

Having a wheel alignment significantly out of whack will cause your tyres to fight against each other as you drive down the road, causing extra rolling resistance and affecting fuel economy by up to 10%.

Perform a wheel alignment check every 10,000kms, or when you get new tyres fitted, or hit a significant pothole.

3: Avoid built-up traffic and busy areas

Smooth operation of the accelerator, brake and steering not only means a more pleasant drive for your passengers, but your engine will find it easier too.

Getting up to your cruising speed and maintaining it is a great way to get more from a tank of fuel and as such, start-stop traffic is one of the most unproductive environments if you’re looking to eke out fuel economy savings.

Most stock vehicles use between 6-15 litres per hundred kms over a full tank on average, depending on the type of vehicle. Accelerating away from traffic lights up to the speed limit can see that number briefly soar to well over 4 times that amount.

You can use apps like Google Maps to plan out your routes to avoid built up traffic. It’s important to remember that a longer route may be more economical if you don’t have to give way or stop at intersections.

4: Minimise Short Trips

When you cold start your vehicle, the engine management computer will automatically run the engine in a rich fuel mode, where extra fuel will be burned in order to warm the engine up faster. An initial rich fuel burn will also warm up emissions control equipment such as oxygen sensors and catalytic converters in order for them to function properly.

You can save fuel by combining errands, or if multiple short trips are required, timing them so your vehicle doesn’t fully cool off between drives.

5: Remove weight from your vehicle

“Bulk is the enemy of speed.” - MclarenAuto, Twitter.

If anyone knows about performance, it’s British supercar manufacturer, Mclaren.

Every time more weight is added to your vehicle, the engine has to work harder to get you moving up to speed every time, regardless of how smooth you are with the throttle.

Items such as paperwork, tools, sporting equipment and more will add up, and we often see vehicles loaded up with items that are rarely used.

Periodically removing excess items from your vehicle won’t just improve fuel economy, it will also help with minimising wear and tear on your vehicle.

6: Look further ahead

Smooth driving is efficient driving. If you can anticipate what the traffic ahead is doing and plan accordingly, you’ll see your fuel usage dropping dramatically.

Many drivers tend to glue their focus to the bumper of the car in front of them, without much focus on their surroundings, but if you can look 8 or 10 seconds ahead of where you currently are, your driving will be smoother, lane changes won’t be so rushed, and your passengers will have a more relaxing trip.

Contact us today!

Tyres R Us are your local Toyo specialty store servicing Sunshine and the surrounding areas, including Sunshine, Sunshine North, Avondale Heights, Keilor East, St Albans, Ardeer and Kealba.

We are located at 122 Munro Ave, Sunshine, with convenient access just off McIntyre Road.

Call us on 03 9362 1611 today to book your vehicle in for an alignment, a wheel balance, new tyres or a suspension checkup!