Tips on driving for economy
Driving economically is not as boring as it may sound,in fact it can become a little obsessive at times…you can get into a ‘beating my best mpg’ frame of mind sometimes.
Okay,so how do we improve our fuel consumption?
There are a variety of ways to improve fuel consumption but to start off we need to look at the vehicle we are driving.
Tyres
Tyre pressure and tread condition are vitally important on any vehicle,not just from an economy point of view but also from a safety perspective.
Under or over inflated tyres can adversely affect the steering of the car,especially in the wet under braking.
Check all tyres visually for cuts,eggs (large bumps) and any metal objects in the treads or sidewalls.
Check the depth of tread with a gauge (they are inexpensive) they can save you points on your license and in some cases a large fine (per tyre).
Also look for consistency in how the tyres are wearing,uneven wear is a sure sign that the vehicles steering needs tracking…or even that the vehicle has been in a crash at some time.
Tyre pressures should be checked with your own gauge,the ones on garage forecourts are notoriously inaccurate again as with the tread gauge theses are cheap enough to obtain.
Always set the tyre pressures using the car manufacturers recommendations from the owners manual.
Remember…the more weight in the car the higher the pressure should be (within the manufacturers guidlines of course).
So…to sum up,give your tyres a good visual once over and check the pressures at least once a week…more if time permits.
Correctly inflated tyres combined with a properly tracked vehicle can save quite a bit in fuel costs…as well as being a lot safer .
Drive safely…..Paul O