Fuel-saving tips to lighten your monthly spending
The need to change our spending habits is a sobering reality most South Africans have been faced with. The cost of living continues to rise, and on social media platforms you'll see friends, family, and acquaintances sharing their money-saving tips. The DEKRA team wants to help as well and decided to compile a list of our go-to fuel-saving tips. We hope you'll be able to implement them and reduce the amount you spend on fuel each month.
1. Run your aircon sparingly
Summer is on the way, and we all know how insanely hot South Africa gets during these months. This makes getting into a vehicle that's been standing in direct sun feel like stepping into an oven. So naturally your go-to for cooling down the inside is to switch on the aircon the second you have the car running, right?
But if you're looking to save on the amount of fuel you use each month, running the aircon full blast as you travel from point A to B will not help you cut costs. Quite the opposite, in fact. We're not telling you to avoid using it entirely in an effort to save, instead consider limiting your aircon usage to shorter times.
If you want to try and avoid using the aircon altogether, options to consider are parking in a shaded spot if possible and to open all the windows before setting out on your journey. Lowered windows will allow the most pressing heat to dissipate. If you start your journey with the windows down, please be alert to your surroundings at all times. Safety first.
2. Check your tyre pressure regularly
It's easy to ignore your car's tyre pressure until somebody points out that it needs attention. However, having worn-out or partially deflated tyres will impact the amount you spend on fuel each month. Improperly inflated tyres can affect your car's alignment and cause drag, which in turn impacts your car's fuel efficiency because both cause resistance. DEKRA's fuel-saving tip here is to have your tyre pressure checked whenever you have your oil and water levels inspected. It's a small action that will help you save in the long run.
Would you like to get your car checked to ensure that there's no unnecessary resistance like worn-out tires or unbalanced wheels? Find a DEKRA branch near you and book a multi-point check today.
3. Stay within the speed limits
Racing to your destination is the biggest culprit when it comes to unnecessary fuel usage. The harder you press down on the pedal, the more fuel you use. And when you step on it in the wrong gear, you use even more!
Our fuel-saving tip here is for manual drivers. Stick to the speed limit and ensure you are in the correct gear for the speed at which you are travelling.
4. Minimise wind resistance
At our tyre pressure tip, we mentioned drag and how it impacted your vehicle's fuel consumption. Let's look into that a little more. Anything that adds resistance to your vehicle's forward movement will inevitably require more force to counter it and drive it forward. To get the additional force you need, you will have to step on the petrol pedal.
5. Consider the weight of your vehicle
It's a known fact that the heavier certain items are, the more challenging they can be to move, and the more force will need to be exerted to get the job done. The same can be applied to vehicles on the road. If your car is carrying any unnecessary weight, consider removing it. The heavier a vehicle, the more petrol you will need to get it from point A to B.
6. Top fuel-saving tip: visit DEKRA for a Technical Inspection
Our tips above will definitely help reduce the amount you spend on fuel each month. However, to ensure there aren't any other factors that are influencing your usage, the best thing you can do is to book your car in for a Technical Inspection at your closest DEKRA branch.
The purpose of a Technical Inspection is the identification of anything in a vehicle that might cause problems down the road. It also provides the recipient with a detailed, quality report on the mechanical and technical state of the vehicle. If there's anything you should be worried about, this inspection will find it for you. Technical Inspections are conducted by expert DEKRA technicians with at least 10 years' experience, which makes this a premium DEKRA service you can't afford to skip.
Now that you've read over some of our fuel-saving tips and seen how easy it is to implement them, make a mental note to apply them whenever possible. Check your tires. Unload your car of unnecessary baggage. Stick to the speed limits. And your most helpful tip, book your car for a DEKRA Technical Inspection today.
