Top Tips to Pump up Your Fuel Economy

Top Tips to Pump up Your Fuel Economy

Auckland, 13 December 2017. With worries of a Christmas fuel shortage, and petrol prices on the rise (spending at the pumps is already pushing $689m[1]),
Canstar Blue looks at ways to get the best from your tank of fuel.

A Canstar Blue survey showed that over half of the 2,253 people questioned actively monitor fuel prices and just under half will travel up to 5km for cheaper petrol. But what should they do if prices are high no matter where they fill up?

Canstar Blue’s Emma Quantrill comments:

“In any price environment people are willing to travel to get the best price with some people prepared to go up to 10km or more just to get cheaper fuel. The thing is it’s only made worth-while if you are driving in a way to optimise your fuel consumption.

“A few simple steps can make a huge difference, especially if pumps are running dry” continues Quantrill, “it’s just about being a bit more disciplined with the way we maintain and drive our vehicles.

So, what should drivers be doing?

• Turn off your air con when you don’t need it – In very basic terms, your vehicle has to use more energy to power additional facilities and your air con is one of the worst offenders. Obviously on hot sunny days, air con is just about essential but as it cools off in the evenings, it’s best to turn it off. Depending on which piece of research you read, air con can reduce your fuel economy from anything between 10% and 25%.

• Close your windows or sun-roof when driving on the highway – At slower speeds this is not so much of a problem but if you’re driving at 80+ km per hour, you’re creating serious drag which means your car has got to work a lot harder to maintain its speed.

• Watch the road ahead and anticipate slowing or stopping – Braking suddenly forces your engine to exert more energy to stop your momentum. Chances are you’ll then also try to get moving again quickly too. Not only is this a pretty unsafe way to drive, you’re demanding ‘bursts’ of energy from your engine which has a negative effect on your fuel economy. It’s probably not doing your tyres or brakes any good either.

• Ditch the roof rack when you’re not using it – Roof racks can sock your fuel economy a double whammy. Firstly, any additional weight means your engine has to produce more power to move your car. Secondly, that’s a lot of drag stuck to the top of the roof so if you don’t need it, take it off.

• Check your tyre pressure – Three out of five people we spoke to keep their tyres pumped up to help with fuel economy. If you’re not sure of the correct tyre pressure for your car, take a quick look inside the driver’s door, fuel flap or manufacturers handbook for a sticker or plate that should have all the details on it.

• Keep up to date with servicing and maintaining your vehicle – If things are not working as well as they should be, chance are your vehicle is having to work much harder than it should be. This usually means your fuel economy suffers.

Quantrill continues:

“The Christmas and New Year period is one of the worst time of the year for road accidents so it makes sense to make sure your vehicle is in good condition and that you drive with more caution. Improving your fuel efficiency and saving a few bucks on petrol is a great added incentive.”

ENDS

About Canstar Blue

Launched in June 2011, Canstar Blue is a customer satisfaction research and ratings business that’s core purpose is to help consumers make better purchasing decisions. Based on independent research conducted I-view (owned by Ipsos), our aim is to act as the real voice of the consumer. To date, more than 42,000 Kiwis have rated their customer satisfaction across more than 45 different categories.

Canstar Blue is an initiative of CANSTAR. Active since 1992, CANSTAR is New Zealand and Australia’s premier research and expert ratings agency working with over 30,000 products and more than 300 brands in the financial services industry. CANSTAR is chiefly focused on helping consumers make better financial decisions.

What are the Canstar Blue ratings?

Canstar Blue researches, compares and rates products and services according to customer satisfaction across categories including banking, telecommunications, appliances, electronics, utilities and FMCG. Results are freely available to consumers who are encouraged to use the ratings as a guide to product excellence. The full range of results can be viewed at canstarblue.co.nz

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