Fuel is one of the biggest running costs of owning a car, and a surprising amount of what you spend comes down to things you control — how the car is maintained and how it’s driven.
Check your tyre pressures
This is the easiest win available. Tyres that are 20% under the recommended pressure increase rolling resistance and can add several percent to your fuel use, as well as wearing out early. Check them monthly when cold; the correct pressures are on a placard in the driver’s door jamb or inside the fuel flap.
Take the junk out of the boot
Every extra kilogram takes energy to accelerate. Roof racks and roof boxes are worse again — the aerodynamic penalty at highway speed is significant. If you’re not using them, take them off.
Ease off the throttle and brakes
Hard acceleration followed by hard braking wastes the energy you just paid for. Looking further ahead and letting the car coast towards red lights makes a real difference, and it’s easier on your brakes too.
Keep up with servicing
A clogged air filter, worn spark plugs, old engine oil or a failing oxygen sensor will all quietly cost you fuel. A car that’s properly serviced simply uses less.
Watch your speed on the freeway
Aerodynamic drag rises sharply with speed. The difference between sitting on 110 and sitting on 100 is more fuel than most people expect, particularly in a taller vehicle like a ute or SUV.
Combine short trips
A cold engine uses considerably more fuel than a warm one. Several short trips from cold will use far more fuel than one longer trip covering the same distance.
If your fuel economy has got noticeably worse and nothing about your driving has changed, that’s usually a fault worth diagnosing. Book it in and we’ll scan it and find out why.