ProAdvise Car Advisors – Tech Reviews
Thabiso Malimela
Being a motorist in South Africa is not an easy task. With fuel not exactly being the cheapest resource out there, one does have to wonder how they can reduce the fuel consumption of their car. Well, ProAdvise Car Advisors has some tips that will help you keep that fuel bill down and the fuel gauge needle up!
Choice of Car
Before you even buy a car, you have to consider that apart from the monthly installments, there are other operational or running costs such as fuel and tyres. The fuel station will be a place that you regularly visit – unless you have a 16 year old son who suspiciously feels the need to fill up the car for you on a daily basis. What car you buy will determine how frequently you – or your son – visit the filling station. Firstly, buy a car with an appropriately sized engine – I don’t think you need a V8 but if you can afford the bill, go for it! Usually, you have to assess the environment you’ll be using your car in to determine what engine is most suited for the job. For example, if you’re stuck in traffic a lot, a small engine will do since it will be revving low most of the time anyway. If your route has a lot of hills, you’ll need a torquey engine, which means going the turbo or diesel route (or both). You will also need to consider the size and weight of the car relative to the size and power of the engine. A big car with a small engine isn’t good for fuel efficiency. Transmissions also have an impact on fuel efficiency with modern automatics proving to be more fuel efficient than their manual counterparts, but these are more influenced more by personal preference.
Be Smooth
Being smooth doesn’t have to end at dating only – you can use it to reduce you fuel bill too! Smooth accelerator inputs mean that you use less fuel getting up to speed and also means that more of the power is used to accelerate the car instead of spinning the tyres and transferring the weight from front to back. Using cruise control on highways will improve fuel consumption since the car’s computers will keep the speed constant and accelerate smoother than a human if a speed correction is needed – don’t fight me on this one. The same applies for braking. Apply gentle pressure when braking so that if you feel the need to accelerate again, you haven’t at least slowed down too much. Remember, by braking, you’re effectively turning the energy you used to accelerate into heat and hence why brakes get hot. It’s like using your airtime to call your ex and tell them you miss them – total waste of energy and resources. Being smooth also applies to steering inputs and clutch control (for those who prefer a three pedal setup). A smooth clutch release allows the car to accelerate smoothly and with less clutch slip. Smooth steering inputs conserves the rolling motion of the car – the sharper you turn, the more speed you lose and therefore you have to use more fuel to accelerate again.
Pay Attention
Paying attention on the road is vital for road safety and can be used to reduce your fuel consumption. If you can predict what other drivers are doing, you’ll be able to calculate (subconsciously) how much of each input you will have to apply in that said situation, hence you’ll be able to lose less speed and reduce your fuel consumption.
Plan Your Route
I remember when my mom used to take me shopping at the mall with her. We would start at store A, then to E then to Z then back to C and eventually end up buying from A anyway. At the end of the day I would come back home exhausted. Why? Because we just wasted so much energy running around different stores only to end up at the one we first visited. Moral of the story: If you’re able to plan your route so that your destinations are sequential, you won’t need to drive around and waste precious fuel. Planning your route will also allow you to avoid places that have many traffic lights and inclines that are bad news for fuel economy.
Lighten Up!
Although losing some weight is good for your health, it won’t make much of a difference for your fuel consumption. However, taking out heavy things from your car such as gym weights, heavy water bottles and annoying friends will really make a difference on your fuel bill. Also, contrary to popular belief, driving with a full tank actually decreases fuel economy. It’s like running a marathon on a full stomach – not good! Unless you’re driving long distance, you don’t need to drive with a full tank since it just adds more weight. Depending on your fuel consumption, half a tank should be a good starting point.
Shift at the Right Time
Simple logic – lower engine revvs equate to less fuel used. Although very true, it’s not always like that. That logic applies when on a flat or downhill road, but what about uphill? That’s where you have to utilise your gears. A gear that’s too high (let’s say 3rd gear) will require you to input more of the accelerator pedal, thus increasing fuel flow in the engine as it tries to overcome the resistance of the car’s weight uphill. A lower gear (like 2nd gear) would be better because although the engine will be revving higher, it will need less accelerator input to overcome the hill. For example, in 3rd gear you might need full throttle but in 2nd you might only need half. But for any other situation, shifting early would help improve fuel consumption.
Take Note of the Weather before Setting Off
Extreme cold or extreme heat can have a catastrophic impact on engine performance and hence fuel consumption – either extremes will cause for your engine to use extra fuel because of reasons that will require an understanding of Thermodynamics to comprehend. Generally though, engines prefer cooler temperatures since cooler air is denser and thus more effective combustion is possible, and therefore less fuel required. In hotter climates, the engine’s sensors will increase fuel flow to compensate for the poor quality air. However, in 2017 this shouldn’t be a factor since cars have their own cooling systems to ensure that the intake temperature is just right. Yeah, science!
Tyre Pressures
The tyres are the only thing that connect your car and the road it’s travelling on, so it theoretically makes sense that they would be a huge factor in fuel economy. Running low tyre pressures will cause for there to be too much friction holding the car back during acceleration and the car will lose too much speed while coasting due to the same friction. Increasing the tyre pressures too high will reduced friction and greatly improve fuel economy however your safety will also be greatly compromised as well. We recommend running the manufacturer suggested tyre pressures for a good balance between fuel economy and safety – but remember, safety first.
Air con on vs Windows down
This is one of the most debated topics in fuel saving discussions. Consider this: The car’s air conditioning (AC) system saps some power from the engine for it work. This has a direct effect on fuel consumption. Driving with the windows down creates an increase in pressure inside the car, which then increases drag and slows your car down. So essentially, your car becomes a rolling parachute – and as we know, parachutes are good at slowing things down. This drag causes you to use more fuel to maintain the car’s speed. But the question is, on a hot day, which has a worse effect on your fuel consumption. Well, it depends on your speed since drag increases with speed. At low speeds you can drive with the windows down while blasting your favourite song at full volume – no harm done. But at high speeds, the drag and buffeting become reason enough for you to shut the windows turn on the AC. Driving with the AC on at low speeds or traffic will increase fuel consumption more than it would if you drove with the windows down since the engine would be working harder to accelerate the car from low speeds and, at the same time, supply the AC.
Maintenance
The car’s engine and other parts experience friction which is why we need oil for our engine, gearbox, differentials, bearings, etc. If these friction-prone parts are not maintained as per manufacturer plan, the levels of friction will increase and this will cause your engine to effectively carry a heavier load – it will be like driving with the AC on 24/7. Also breathing components such as the air filter and fuel filter have to be regularly checked and replaced if they are damaged or have blockages. If any of these are blocked, the engine will produce less power and will you will need to input more accelerator to, uhm, accelerate the car.
Stay Calm
At the end of the day, the biggest factor of fuel consumption is you, the driver. As mentioned before, smoother inputs can increase fuel economy. But to be smooth, you also have to be calm – try being massaged by an angry person, you’ll see what I mean. Meditation would be good, but you don’t have to go that far. Just try maintaining some calmness when you get into your car – if you love your car, then that should be no problem. Try playing your favourite playlist or have a friend accompany you. Also, try to be punctual so that you don’t drive with any urgency which would have a terrible effect on fuel consumption (and because being late is just rude).
