Fuel Saving Tips
Maybe this is the most important advice you can follow to increase your fuel economy. With increasing speed, fuel consumption increases exponentially. By just reducing your speed by 10 percent, for example, drive 110 km/h instead of 125 km/h and you will save up to 1 liter/100km, and if you are doing long trips regularly, this can save you a lot of fuel and your wont have any major impact on your journey time.
Check your tire pressure
Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of low miles per gallon so ensure to keep your tyres at the correct pressure. Correctly inflated tyres are safer, last longer, and also reduce the amount of energy required to keep the vehicle rolling. Use the inflation pressures shown in the owner's manual or on the data plate inside the drivers door.
Maintenance
Tune and service your car according to the manufacturers recommendations. A well tuned engine can improve fuel economy by up to four per cent, and a clean oil and air filter will ensure improved performance of engine and economy of fuel being used.
Accelerate with care
Flying starts at the traffic lights are pointless and only serve to burn tires and increase the fuel consumption by a large margin, and increase the risk of accident. Try to keep the engine at low revs or rpm’s (rotations per minute), change gears early and try not to brake unnecessarily. Always keep an eye at the current traffic situation ahead and plan your moves in advance, so you can keep you speed as constant as possible.
Observe Truck Drivers
In slow traffic or traffic jams, cars usually speed up and slow constantly, while trucks tend to roll along at the same pace. A constant speed keeps gear changing to a minimum and aids fuel economy - it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving.
Air Conditioning
Do you have to keep the A/C unit turned on at all times, whether it is necessary or not? If you are driving slowly on a countryside road, open the windows, enjoy the smell of the nature and bright sunshine. The Sunroof is another alternative if you have one. This is advisable if your speed is relatively low - at the higher speeds, the air resistance with the open windows neglects the fuel savings of the turned off air condition unit.
Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in/on your vehicle, especially heavy ones like roof rack or unused tow bar. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.