Johannesburg – Following hefty January fuel price increases, cash-strapped and Covid-battered South Africans have to find innovative ways to save fuel and money.
The petrol price went up by 40c to 43c a litre, and diesel by 54c to 55c a litre. Bianca de Beer from Dialdirect Insurance says an average increase of 48c a litre is steep on its own, but when coupled with the fact that a 60-litre tank already costs more than R800 to fill up, it places a strain on motorists’ wallets.
“The good news is that, with a few minor adjustments to your driving habits and with regular car maintenance, you can boost the fuel efficiency of your car by as much as 40%. If you fill up 48 times a year at roughly R900 per tank, a 40% reduction in fuel consumption could save you over R17 000 a year.”
.To ensure better fuel economy, there are a few tips that motorists can consider to get more value for money.
Service smart:
A car can burn up to 30% more fuel if proper maintenance is not performed on a regular schedule. Service your car regularly.
Wheel wise:
Check your wheel alignment. Bad alignment causes more friction, which takes more power to overcome, resulting in higher fuel consumption.
Pressure check:
Check for under- inflated tyres because these increase resistance. Aircon costs a cool buck: Use the air conditioning only when necessary.
Dead weight:
Reduce the vehicle’s weight by removing unnecessary items from the car. Don’t speed: The gas-guzzling effects of “stepping on it” are well-known.
Don’t stop-start: Maintain momentum as far as possible by flowing with traffic and timing your approaches to hills and traffic lights.
Geared for efficiency:
Drive at the lowest speed in the highest gear that the road and traffic conditions allow without labouring the engine.
Plan ahead: Do several tasks on one-round trip as opposed to many shorter ones.
Wait out the rush: Battling through traffic increases fuel consumption and wear and tear.
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