Amidst all the excitement of preparing for your test and passing it, it’s quite possible that you might not have spent much time thinking about how it can cost to run the thing. Enticed by the siren cry of “Freedom!” like Mel Gibson in Braveheart, the cold hard realities of owning and running a car can be forgotten about.
Here are some tips to ease the financial pain of inevitably ever-more expensive fuel bills.
1. Choose The Right Car
It seems so blindingly obvious that it’s not worth saying, but the fact is that some cars are much more expensive to run than others. The bigger the car, the more weight it has to lug around and the more fuel it needs to expend to do so. That big old SUV tank that you fancied might not be such a good idea after all. Similarly, the older the car, the more it’s likely to cost to run.
Before purchasing that flashy red speed machine, check out the fuel economy stats on the manufacturer’s website. Sure, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever quite manage to achieve those lofty figures, but comparing them across different models will still give you a better feel for how they compare. Newer models like hybrids and full electrics have fancy features like regenerative braking that raise their fuel efficiency to superb levels.
2. Drive… Steadily
It may not be the most exciting thing, or even always possible, but steady acceleration, deceleration and cornering will ultimately save you money. Working the engine less consumes a smaller amount of fuel, whilst taking bends more conservatively will reduce the wear and tear on your tyres, meaning that you won’t have to fork out to replace them as often. So accelerate more gently on motorways when you can and think about all the tyre tread you’re wasting when you make the tyres squeal.
3. Pump Them Up
Speaking of tyres: keep them inflated. If your tyres are maintained at the proper pressure, your rolling resistance will be kept to a minimum. Effectively that means the amount of friction that you have to overcome in order to move the car is less, so the engine has less work to do to maintain a certain speed.
It costs you nothing to do and will also help your car’s handling.
4. Turn Off The Air Con?
If you insist on heating your car to tropical temperatures or maintaining the cool of a Himalayan glacier, you’re expending more fuel and energy that could else wise be used to power the car. So whilst there’s no need to be uncomfortable, remember that the more heavily you use your air con, the more it’s going to cost you.
5. The Optimal Speed
At lower and higher speeds, your car uses fuel less efficiently than it does in the “sweet spot” of 40-60mph. So whilst motorway driving can be a chore, don’t forget that the faster you go, the more fuel you’re burning.
Good luck saving those pennies and pounds!
