Good, Better, Best: How to Improve petrol Mileage

Whether you are shopping for a new car or just trying to maintain the one you have, you can take some steps to get the best mileage out of your petrol purchases. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, offers these tips to use fuel efficiently:

On the Road: Drive More Efficiently

• Stay within posted speed limits. petrol mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 97 km/h per hour.
• Stop aggressive driving. You can improve your petrol mileage up to five percent around town if you avoid “jackrabbit” starts and stops by anticipating traffic conditions and driving gently.
• Avoid unnecessary idling. It wastes fuel, costs you money, and pollutes the air. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a wait.
• Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
• Use overdrive gears and cruise control when appropriate. They improve the fuel economy of your car when you’re driving on a highway.
• Remove excess weight from the trunk. An extra 20.45 pounds in the trunk can reduce a typical car’s fuel economy by up to two percent.
• Avoid packing items on top of your car. A loaded roof rack or carrier creates wind resistance and can decrease fuel economy by five percent.

At the Garage: Maintain Your Car

• Keep your engine tuned. Tuning your engine according to your owner’s manual can increase petrol mileage by an average of four percent. Increases vary depending on a car’s condition.
• Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. It can increase petrol mileage up to three percent.
• Change your oil. You can improve your petrol mileage by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil.
• Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing clogged filters can increase petrol mileage up to ten percent.

At the Pump: Use the Octane Level You Need

Your owner’s manual recommends the most effective octane level for your car. For most cars, the recommended petrololine is regular octane. In most cases, using a higher octane petrol than the manufacturer recommends offers no benefit. Unless your engine is knocking, buying higher octane petrololine is a waste of money.

In Advertising: Check Out Claims About “Petrol-Saving” Gadgets

Be skeptical of claims for devices that will “boost your mileage by an extra 6 km per litre,” “improve your fuel economy up to 26 percent,” or the like. Petrol-saving devices have been thoroughly tested by organisations the world over. Many of these products provide very little - if any - fuel economy benefits. The devices that work provide only marginal improvements. Some “petrol-saving” devices may damage a car’s engine or increase exhaust emissions.