I believe we have all heard the rumor in Nigeria about fuel subsidy removal by the year 2015.
Whether this rumor is true or not, we all know what this means. It means a drastic increment in the pump price of PMS (petrol), and as the popular saying goes, “To be forewarned, is to be forearmed”
If you'd like to save money on gas, here are 14 tips on how to drive economically.
Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
"Jack-rabbit" starts (quick and rapid start or acceleration) and hard braking can increase fuel consumption by as much as 40%. Tests show that "jackrabbit" starts and hard braking reduces travel time by only four percent, while toxic emissions were more than five times higher. The proper way is to accelerate slowly and smoothly, then get into high gear as quickly as possible. In city driving, nearly 50% of the energy needed to power your car goes to acceleration.
Also, for those that drive automatic transmissions, one of the core concepts behind Automatic is that small changes to your driving habits can have a huge impact on fuel efficiency. Modern day research has shown that slowing down just a little could save hundreds on gas per year.
Remove That Excess Weight.
Excess weight uses more fuel. Keep the car as light as reasonably possible. For each 100 pounds of extra weight, gas mileage is reduced by as much as 4 percent, and increases your fuel bill by 2%. Limit the everyday items in your trunk or cargo area to the bare necessities, which should include some emergency items, such as a spare tyre, a flashlight, and a few tools.
Not only does extra bulk add fuel-gulping weight, but it can also upset your vehicle's normal weight distribution. That will impair handling and can even rob a front-wheel-drive car of valuable traction. If you must carry heavy items, try to put only a few of them inside the car at a time.
Remove bicycle and ski racks when not in use. Most roof racks have removable cross members, and some racks can be removed altogether; take off your car's rack if it isn't in use. When you do need to carry something on the roof, keep it light and small -- both for fuel-saving aerodynamics and to avoid the risk of a top-heavy weight imbalance.
Avoid Idling Your Vehicle
Idling wastes fuel, gets you nowhere and produces unnecessary greenhouse gases. If you're going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, except in traffic, turn off the engine.
Select The Right Gear
For those that drive the manual transmission, change up through the gears and into top gear as soon as possible without accelerating harder than necessary. Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel, so does letting the engine labour in top gear on hills and corners. Automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum.
Use Your Air Conditioner Sparingly On Older Cars
Using a vehicle’s air conditioner on a hot summer day can increase fuel consumption as much as 10% in city driving. If it’s cool enough, use the flow-through ventilation on your car instead of the air conditioner. At low speeds, opening the window will also save reduce fuel consumption by reducing A/C use. At higher speeds however, using the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof which increases drag, thereby consuming more fuel
Later model cars have more efficient air conditioning units, and the fuel saved by shutting down the A/C is not significant. In newer vehicles, roll up the windows and enjoy the A/C during hot weather.
Use The Cruise Control.
Now, this is one feature that many of us are not conversant with. On long stretches of highway driving, cruise control can save fuel by helping your car maintain a steady speed. However, this efficiency is lost on steep hills where the cruise control tries to maintain even speeds. In hilly terrain, it is best to turn off the cruise control.
Service Your Vehicle Regularly
According to the manufacturer's instructions. A poorly tuned engine can use up to 50% more fuel and produces up to 50% more emissions than one that is running properly.
Air filters: Dirty air filters can also cause your engine to run at less than peak efficiency Regular visual checks of the air filter will tell you if it needs replacing and your owner's manual will also recommend appropriate replacement intervals. Clogged filters can cause up to a 10% increase in fuel consumption.
Oil: Using the correct viscosity oil is important because higher viscosity oils have greater resistance to the moving parts of the engine, and therefore use more gas. Clean oil also contributes to better gas mileage. It is usually recommended that engine oil be changed every three to five thousand miles.
Monitor Power Accessories.
Be sure to shut off all power-consuming accessories before turning off the ignition. That way, you decrease engine load the next time you start up. The radio and other items that plug into your vehicle's cigarette lighter, such as TV consoles for mini-vans and SUVs, can cause the alternator to work harder to provide electrical current. This adds a load to the engine and added load increases fuel use, decreasing your gas mileage.
Tighten Your Gas Cap.
If you don't tighten up the gas cap to the second click, gas can evaporate. According to the Car Care Council (carcare.org), loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate every year
Out On The Open Highway, Keep Windows Rolled Up To Reduce Drag.
Wind drag increases fuel consumption. Get rid of anything that disturbs the smooth flow of air over your vehicle's surface. That grille bar and those running boards may make your SUV look rugged, but they also add weight and drag. And that bolt-on trunk-lid spoiler that makes you feel fast and furious? It's designed to harness the wind and press your car to the pavement at high speeds. The result is better grip on the road, but this "downforce" is actually artificial weight that hurts fuel economy. Worse, unless you are a racing technician versed in aerodynamics, chances are excellent that your spoiler isn't doing anything more than adding wind drag and weight. That's costing you at the pump, too.
Inflate Tyres Properly
Proper tyre inflation is critical to fuel economy, and to safety. Underinflated tyres causes vehicle drag and increase fuel consumption. They also compromise handling ability in turns and in emergency maneuvers. They increase stopping distances and decrease control during braking. Under-inflation puts undue stress on tyre sidewalls and also causes rolling tyres to build and retain heat rapidly. Stress and heat are prime contributors to tyre failure, including blowouts at high speed. Underinflated tyres also wear down more quickly.
Properly inflated tyres are harder and roll more easily. That helps fuel economy and improves tyre life. It allows the treads to grip well in all conditions, including rain and snow. And properly inflated tyres are able to work with your vehicle's suspension to provide maximum handling, steering, and braking ability.
An estimated four out of ten vehicles on the road have at least one underinflated tyre. Pressure that's 3 pounds per square inch (psi) below the recommended reading may reduce gas mileage by 1.5 percent. Some experts suggest even greater decreases. Research has proven that that running tyres at 20 psi or lower can easily cost you a full mile per gallon.
The recommended tyre pressure is displayed in your vehicle, typically on a sticker inside the glove box door or on one of the doorposts. It's also in your owner's manual. Many vehicles are available with a choice of tyre sizes, and each size may have its own recommended inflation pressure.
Match the tyre size as listed on the tyre sidewall with that on the sticker or in the owner's manual. Note that the inflation number listed on the tyre sidewall itself shows the maximum inflation, not the optimal pressure as determined by the tyre maker and the manufacturer of your vehicle.
Schedule Regular Maintenance
Cars that start quickly, run smoothly, and are in good mechanical condition get the best gas mileage. Whatever cuts into performance hurts economy. Scheduled maintenance also helps make parts last longer, so you save money two ways: today in economy, tomorrow in reduced repair costs.
A tune-up can boost fuel economy up to 10 percent. On modern fuel-injected cars equipped with computer-controlled powertrain systems, there's actually little to "tune up." Basically, today's tune-up means replacing the spark plugs.
Plan Your Trip
whether you are going across town or across the country. Try to combine several errands in one outing, and plan your route to avoid heavy traffic areas, road construction, hilly trerrain, etc. With a little organization, you can group your "town tasks" into fewer trips, saving you time and fuel expense.
Make A Commitment To Drive Less
Many of us might see this as a very difficult task, but it isn’t at all. By walking to some nearby destinations. It's good for your health and the environment. Approximately 50% of car use is for trips within 3 miles of the home. This distance is within the range for easy biking, so it makes sense to try to use your bike for some of these short hops. You'll be saving fuel and reducing pollution, and you can also save on trips to the gym with this added exercise.
Did we mention it was big? At 5.85m long and 2.3m tall, it's positively huge. And fast. With the G63's 540bhp, 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8, the G63 AMG 6x6 can hit 62mph in seven seconds. And it does so with no hesitation, the 561lb ft being split in 30/40/30 (front, mid and rear axles) with the help of the familiar 7spd dual-clutch 'box. It just stomps its power to the road. Or whatever surface you happen to be on.
More than that, it just will not be stopped. By anything. It has axle articulation that would make a Land Rover wince, manages 460mm of ground clearance and has a diving - sorry, fording - depth of a solid metre, 40cm more than the bodystyle it has been derived from. You can take it as read that absolute traction is never an issue, and even if you do begin to slip, you just drop the tyre pressures - independently for each axle, I might add - via switches mounted on the overhead console.
