The sharply rising oil prices mean that many people are looking for ways to use less fuel. We went to speak with a few experts and came up with the following 15 tips that could save you a lot in advance.
1. Try to drive evenly
Try to drive evenly, i.e. with as few speed fluctuations as possible. If your car has a cruise control, use them. This way your car runs optimally and consumes the least.
2. Avoid fast acceleration in the first gear
You have already seen or heard it, a car that sneaks away in the first gear, using the first gear 'optimal' (sic) with lots of smoke and a roaring engine as a result. Wrong! You avoid the first gear, because it uses a lot of fuel. This does not mean that you have to start the car in second or third gear immediately.
3. Switch to a higher gear
It is best to switch to a higher gear as early as possible, approximately at 2500 rpm. Make sure that the engine continues to run smoothly.
4. Avoid bends in second gear
Avoid taking turns in the second gear as much as possible, try to take them as much as possible in third gear.
5. Pull up as slowly as possible
Reaching with screeching tires and lots of smoke is perhaps all fun if you want to impress your girlfriend, but it is not very positive for your fuel consumption. Pull as slowly as possible, but do this without hindering other road users.
6. Regularly check tire pressure
The maintenance of the car can indeed have an influence on fuel consumption. Regularly check the tire pressure of your car. A too low tire pressure creates wide, soft tires with a higher rolling resistance and this results in extra fuel consumption, 2 to 3%.
7. Slowly warm your engine
Drive your engine warmly. A cold engine consumes twice as much fuel as a warm engine. Do not, however, allow the engine to warm up. If you want to warm up your engine, use heating blocks. However, these waste a lot of electricity.
8. Avoid excessive use of the air conditioning
No one pays attention to it, but air conditioning does use fuel, up to 10% extra. Use them wisely. If you drive within the city, open your window. Note, do not do this when you drive normally because aerodynamic this leads to more fuel consumption.
9. Avoid excessive use of the rear window heater
The rear window heater also fits in the same category. This costs 3% to 5% extra fuel. If you do not need them, switch them off.
10. Regularly replace the fuel filters
The filters are easily contaminated by rust, water and other foreign substances, which increases consumption. Also replace the air filters regularly. A mixture that is too rich can cause a high fuel consumption.
11. Let the car roll out without pushing the clutch
Let the car roll out as long as possible without pushing the clutch. When you approach a crossroad, you can easily roll out. Also try to look ahead as far as possible. This prevents you from having to slow down and back up again. In several European countries, the traffic lights are equipped with counters so that you clearly know when the light will turn green or red. Apparently, Belgium does not see the point of having such systems, which are otherwise highly recommended.
12. Drive behind larger vehicles
Drive behind larger vehicles. When you are driving behind a truck or a large car you have to give a lot less gas to get ahead quickly. That is because the vehicle serves for you as a windbreaker. In addition, you are partly sucked in by the other car. So twice profit. Be careful not to drive too close otherwise the lorry driver can not see you.
13. Do not just get in
Do not just get in. This tip is in line with our previous tip, when you go to pick up on a motorway your car will consume a lot more because you have to drive against the wind and you lose both the suction and wind breaker effect. Slalom on the motorway is not recommended, moreover, it is very unsafe driving behavior that unnecessarily frightens and endangers other drivers.
14. Use TriboTex
Another way to improve your fuel consumption is Tribo Tex. You can also use TriboTex if you want your car last longer and be more efficient. It's wear reversing science technology not only reduces your cars fuel consumption but also prolongs the life of your engine, and protects the environment by reducing CO2 emissions.
15. Drive as evenly as possible in the traffic jam
Try to drive as evenly as possible when driving in a traffic jam. Braking and lifting again costs a lot of extra fuel. This can of course mean that you have to drive in the first gear where you consume a little more, but it is still preferable to always stopping and starting again.
Misty Jhones