With South Africa’s fuel prices at their highest level ever during a festive season period, motorists will be budgeting more on petrol or diesel expenditure on holiday road trips.
Certain maintenance and driving habits can substantially impact your fuel consumption, so it is possible to shave a few rands off petrol bills.
MyBroadband recently spoke to the Automobile Association of South Africa’s spokesperson Layton Beard for tips on how to save on fuel costs.
We also received a list of guidelines from Ford South Africa, many of which agreed with Beard’s advice.
Below are some of the best ways you can reduce your car’s fuel consumption when travelling during the festive season.
Service your car regularly
It is essential to service your car according to the manufacturer’s schedule.
“We always suggest that motorists keep their car in a good mechanical condition,” said Beard. “That will ensure that your vehicle uses the optimal amount of fuel.”
Ford said important service parts included items like fluids, lights, wipers, wheels and tyres, belts and brakes.
Check tyre pressure
Operating your car with under-inflated or worn tyres can increase rolling resistance, which means your vehicle will be working harder to travel at a given speed and sucking up more fuel.
Beard emphasised that over or under-inflated tyres can also be a safety risk, as they make it more difficult to handle your vehicle.
Ford said to check tyre pressure regularly and ensure they are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommendation, which is typically indicated on a placard inside the driver’s door sill.
It further advised choosing replacement tyres carefully, as non-standard aftermarket tyres could drastically degrade your vehicle’s fuel economy.
Get rid of excess weight and keep your car aerodynamic
Your car’s engine has to work harder to transport additional weight.
“If you’ve got a lot of people in your car or a lot of baggage or other stuff in your vehicle that is heavy, that will impact your fuel consumption,” Beard explained.
Ford recommended removing anything you are not using for your current task, including gear from drawers, or the 12V fridge you might have stored in the boot.
It added although certain aftermarket accessories could improve the aerodynamics of vehicles, most changes would result in degraded airflow.
This will cause the vehicle to work harder and increase fuel consumption, especially with lots of highway driving.
Bulky items carried in the tray or roof rack can also worsen aerodynamics.
“The moral to this story is, don’t worry about driving around looking like you’re heading into the Kruger National Park if you’re just doing the school run,” said Ford.
Avoid quick acceleration and sudden stops
Beard said that driving at a consistent speed was advisable, particularly on longer and flatter roads. He also recommended that motorists avoid harsh braking and quick acceleration.
Ford said maintaining good observation of the road and traffic around you allows for reacting to changes early so that you can accelerate slower, coast early, and brake gently.
“Essentially, you want to be in the highest gear possible, pulling the least number of revs necessary to keep you moving comfortably,” it stated.
The carmaker further cautioned against driving downhill in neutral to save fuel. “This is a myth, and it’s also very dangerous,” Ford said.
For cars that support the feature, cruise control can also help maintain a more consistent speed and improve fuel consumption, assuming you use it on the open road with little traffic and in non-mountainous areas.
Minimise towing impact
Towing a trailer or caravan will add to your fuel consumption, but you can maximise fuel efficiency by travelling 10-15km/h less than the speed limit and avoiding sharp stops or take-offs, Ford said.
Like your car, low tyre pressure or worn tires or bearings on a caravan or trailer can make your towing vehicle work harder.
For campers, it is advisable to fill up water tanks when arriving at camp, if possible. This will reduce your weight en route to the destination.
In addition, you should close windows and air vents on caravans to maximise the aerodynamics of what you are towing.
Keeping your cabin cool or engine hot
Many people will use their air conditioners more in the hot summer weather, but doing so will also increase your fuel usage.
Ford advised motorists to park their cars in the shade whenever possible, as this will help the cabin stay cooler and mean you don’t have to work the air conditioning as hard to keep temperatures comfortable.
“If you can’t find a shady spot to park, then get a high-quality sunshade to help keep the cabin cool,” it advised.
For the rare occasions where cold weather might be a factor over the festive season, Ford said parking a car inside a garage or covered area was an advantage in getting the engine running with minimal fuel usage.
“And don’t think switching on your vehicle with the heater on and letting it idle for a few minutes is a good idea either; you’ll burn more fuel doing this,” Ford said.
“Your vehicle’s engine is designed to be driven from start-up and will warm up quicker when it’s being driven, improving the heater’s performance, and helping with fuel consumption.”
