11 Fuel Saving Tips Every Driver Should Know

Fuel prices are always on the rise in the country. Vehicle owners and drivers are always on the lookout for cheaper ways to use their cars and with the high cost of fuel, it doesn’t get any better.

Expert research has found out a couple of ways that can help an individual with a car to save on its running cost by use of less fuel.

1. Ensure tyre pressure is well balanced

Most drivers underestimate the impact of tire pressure on the consumption of fuel. Properly inflated tires can help reduce fuel consumption by 3% per trip. This will save you lot of money if you calculate monthly or even weekly.

One can check with his/her pressure gauge to ensure that the pressure is well balanced. However, fuel stations have an air compressor that stops at a certain predetermined level once the pressure is enough.

2. Tune-up the engine

A properly tuned engine maximizes power and can greatly enhance fuel efficiency. Beware, though, that many tuners will disable efficiency measures when tuning for power. Be sure you are keeping good spark plugs in the engine, changing the oil on time, making sure the air filter is clean.

3. Check the condition of your engine air filter

A dirty filter will reduce fuel economy, or make the engine stall when idling. Just like mowing dusty grass, driving on dusty dirt roads will clog the air filter: avoid dusty clouds.

4. Lighten your load

Get the lightest car that will serve your needs. Weight is one of the biggest causes for loss of energy in cars which is generated through fuel. If you’re not shopping for cars, then take any extra weight off of the one you’re already driving. One should remove seats that he is not using if possible ensuring your trunk does not carry heavy things exceeding the limit. If you use your boot as a storage space for heavy things, find another place for them.

SEE: How digital driving licences will affect motorists

However, don’t remove things from the car that you need frequently; instead, make sure these are in the car and readily accessible because wasted trips to retrieve or replace them will be much worse than a little lower mileage.

5. Select narrow tyres for your vehicle that will satisfy your driving style and demands

Narrow tyres help reduce the dragging pressure which consumes a lot of energy. However, don’t get a tyre that is incompatible with your wheels (use the size tires that came stock on the vehicle), and do not get smaller wheels unless your manufacturer approves.

6. Make sure the oxygen sensors, engine emissions system, and evaporative emissions control systems are in good shape on fuel-injected cars.

Often the “check engine light” coming on is an indication that there is a problem with one of these components. A damaged oxygen sensor may cause your car to have too rich of a fuel mixture considerably increasing the fuel consumption.

7. Buy quality fuel

No two fuels are the same, and while “discount” brand fuel may save you a few shillings it is dangerous and also burns at a high rate which increases consumption. Original and quality fuel burns at the required rate and hence less consumption. Low-quality fuel may even pose a great danger as the car may blow up due to the mixtures in it.

8. Accelerate smoothly

The perfect way to travel is at a constant speed (ideally around 50mph), and in the highest gear (five or six if you are doing manual). So if you’re a patient driver, you’ll have lower fuel bills – it’s as simple as that. It’s unrealistic to avoid overtaking, but there’s little point accelerating past a car to simply be in front of it at the next set of lights – any instant gratification will appear on your fuel bill the next time you fill up.

9. Turn the air-conditioning off

It’s tempting to leave the air-con on the whole year-round. It stops the windows misting up in cold weather and you don’t ever need to think about the temperature inside the car, but it uses quite a bit of fuel, so we’d advise you turn it off when it’s not hot (on most cars the button has a snowflake symbol).

RELATED: Five things you should not do while driving automatic car

10. Don’t drive in the rush hour

There are few worse places to spend your time than stuck in a traffic jam, but it’s also a very expensive way of travelling. Every time that you stop and start in traffic, your car needs first gear and a huge amount of fuel to get moving again. Second gear is not much better. The best solution is to not travel during the rush hour.

You can also save some fuel by trying to understand what the traffic is doing in front of you, and travelling steadily at a slow speed, rather than accelerating and braking.

If you have to travel in rush hour a lot, then you could consider buying a hybrid car, which uses much less fuel in town than a normal petrol or diesel.

11. Close the windows (and sunroof, if you’ve got one)

It’s not so much of a problem when you’re driving in town (see above), but when you’re out of town or on the motorway and moving more quickly, the shape of your car is very important. Car designers call it aerodynamics and make lots of effort to reduce the ‘drag’ and make the car as sleek as possible. Anything that makes wind noise as your car goes along is actually making your car more expensive to run. You can’t do much about the design of your car, but you can avoid making it worse by not leaving the windows and sunroof open. It’s better to use the air vents for most of the year, and the air-conditioning when it gets too hot.

Latest

Whipped and Stripped! A Survivor’s Tale of Harrowing Brutality in a Mental Hospital

The lack of a long-term vision and inadequate resourcing of mental hospital infrastructures continues to take a toll on Kenya’s mentally ill patients.

Dubai Agency Picks Top Influencer Marketers to Lead Kenyan Operation

This strategic move is in line with indaHash vision to cement its presence in Africa, following its impactful footprint in South Africa since 2017 and successful collaborations with clients like the South African Tourism Board.

SportPesa to reward Customers in Cash-Filled Festive Promotion

Running from December 4th to 25th, the SportPesa campaign promises daily excitement with six lucky winners expected to walk away with Ksh5,000 daily.

Captain William Ruto: President’s Namesake With a Decorated Career

Captain William Kipkemboi Ruto is officially known by the name William Ruto, which also happens to be President William Samoei Ruto’s official name.

Follow Us

Newsletter

Don't miss

Tusker Oktobafest Rolls East African Cultures into One

From regional events across Kenya to inaugural gatherings in Uganda and Tanzania, and the Tusker Oktobafest grand finale in Nairobi, the festival harmonized traditions, celebrated diversity, and highlighted the rich cultural tapestry of the East African culture

Lupita’s Little Brother Junior Nyong’o Charting His Own Path in Acting

Junior Nyongó, who is also a musician and a DJ and now a graduate of UC San Diego with an MFA in Acting, is crafting his own solid path in the world of acting with roles in major theatre productions.

Safaricom To Power Tusker OktobaFest Beer Festival

Safaricom’s involvement in OktobaFest as a technology and payments partner will focus on fostering seamless in-festival connectivity, empowering the youth and Gen Z community through Safaricom Hook, and powering digital payments through M-PESA.

Music Producers Launch Organization To Streamline Recording Industry

Recording Industry of Kenya (RIKE) was launched on 9th October 2023. Registered in 2022 as a not-for-profit organization, RIKE aims to promote the collective interests of producers of sound recordings in the country.

Nairobi’s Hero Bar Listed Among World’s 50 Best Bars

World Best Bars: Hero Bar in Nairobi continues to climb the list, moving up six places to No.62 and Johannesburg’s Sin + Tax comes in at No.94. Dubai new entry Ergo is at No.69 and Melbourne’s Byrdi has re-entered the list at No.61.

Kenyan DJs Face Off In Smirnoff Battle Of The Beats Season 3

The Smirnoff Battle of the Beats Season 3, a DJ competition, is poised to unleash an unprecedented musical frenzy countrywide.

The Highs And Lows Of Betty Kyallo, Sisters Show As Season 2 Ends

Kyallo Kulture has always been, above all, about sisterhood, and in Season 2 we have witnessed the charm of it - the ups that gave us wholesome moments as the sisters led by Betty Kyallo spent time together.

DStv Beats CNN, BBC To Become Most Admired Media Outlet In Africa

DStv, MultiChoice Group’s leading broadcast service, has been named...

MultiChoice Revises Subscription Fees For DStv, GOtv

MultiChoice has announced price adjustments on some of their...

Octopizzo: How I Make My Money

"I've been doing this for 12, 13 years. It reaches a point where you no longer need to prove that you can make a hit record," he stated.

Whipped and Stripped! A Survivor’s Tale of Harrowing Brutality in a Mental Hospital

The lack of a long-term vision and inadequate resourcing of mental hospital infrastructures continues to take a toll on Kenya’s mentally ill patients.

Dubai Agency Picks Top Influencer Marketers to Lead Kenyan Operation

This strategic move is in line with indaHash vision to cement its presence in Africa, following its impactful footprint in South Africa since 2017 and successful collaborations with clients like the South African Tourism Board.

SportPesa to reward Customers in Cash-Filled Festive Promotion

Running from December 4th to 25th, the SportPesa campaign promises daily excitement with six lucky winners expected to walk away with Ksh5,000 daily.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Tire pressure does impact fuel consumption aside from traction, comfort, and ride stability. Properly inflate your tires. Besides saving you your money, that’s also about your safety. Great article, Philip.

  2. I suggest one more trick that is to turn off the machine when waiting for it to stop. Starting the engine while waiting will increase emissions and fuel consumption. In case of unnecessary, turn off the engine if the vehicle is stationary for more than 30 seconds, helping to avoid wasting fuel.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here