Driving habits that are affecting your fuel efficiency without you knowing & how to reduce driving costs!

Fuel efficiency is more of a priority than it has ever before with the cost of daily living; and in particular due to the cost of petrol and diesel continuing to rise.

There are plenty of ways you can improve the fuel efficiency of your car, either with the way you drive, or how you maintain your car’s condition.

When it comes to taking steps towards improving your fuel efficiency, a little goes a long way so take the time to read our guide and by applying some of these strategies, you'll start to see the rewards and a little less impact on your wallet!

**Plus we've added some more factors for you to consider which can help reduce your driving cost even further**

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Plan ahead – 

It pays to plan your journey in advance, so you can take the most efficient route. Satellite navigation systems and route apps will help you to do this. Many modern cars have smartphoen connectivity to allow you to use Apple CarPlay & Android Auto whilst you're on the go.

Driver-assist systems –​

Many vehicles feature an information display system which shows average fuel consumption. It can help you to keep track of your driving performance and see the effects of any adjustments you make. This system also provides a range measurement to show how much further you can travel with the fuel you have, based on your current driving performance, to help you plan your trips and next refueling stop.

Avoid unnecessary running – 

Try to avoid unnecessary idling by turning your engine off when sitting still for an extended period of time. Many cars feature stop/start technology which does this automatically. ​

Lose the excess weight –

If you want to save, then put your car on a diet. Removing accessories such as roof racks and bike carriers when not in use will help to reduce weight and wind resistance. Removing items from the inside can also help e.g if the kids are staying home, so can their buggy. It's the little things that make a big difference resulting in better fuel economy.

Use air conditioning sparingly –

Having the air conditioning on has a direct effect on fuel consumption. Choose your times, such as higher-speed driving on the open roads and try not to have it on by default all the time.

It’s also important to have your vehicle’s air conditioning system serviced regularly. This should be done atleast every two years to ensure that the system is running efficiently and any lost refrigerant is replaced. When the refrigerant levels drop, the system has to work harder to produce the amount of cool air that you need. This will use more fuel, so it’s a good idea to keep up to date with your air con service to conserve even more petrol.

Drive smoothly and anticipate what's ahead –

Keep your engine operating at a smooth level by avoiding heavy acceleration or deceleration e.g try to look well ahead. This way you’ll see the traffic lights on red meaning you can ease back on the accelerator or slow down naturally and potentially keep moving as opposed to coming to a complete stop.

Drive safely –

Ensuring you observe speed limits and drive in a courteous, non-aggressive manner will pay you back with better fuel efficiency (and avoid any incidents of road rage!)

Simple Maintenance Tips to Optimise Your Fuel Efficiency Even Further

Maintenance –

Maintenance is key! Maintaining your car will not only help to ensure it's in the safest possible condition, it will also have a positive impact on your car’s fuel efficiency.

Maintain tyre pressure –

Check your tyre pressures regularly, as the incorrect amount could affect the performance of your vehicle as well as increase your fuel consumption. You will find your vehicle's tyre pressures in your owner's manual. Wheel alignments are also important and should be carried out with your regular services.

Regularly servicing –

Regular servicing is a very important way to keep your car running at its most fuel-efficient level. Engine oil and air filters have a limited period where they operate effectively. Replacements at the right times will help improve fuel efficiency.

Use the right fuel –

Always ensure you use the fuel type which is recommended for your vehicle. Car engines are designed to operate most efficiently with the recommended fuel type and using a lower fuel type will have an adverse affect on your performance, fuel consumption and may also cause damage to your engine

Other important factors to consider when it comes to cutting down on driving costs:

Car Insurance

Car insurance can be one of the biggest costs when it comes to driving, especially for younger drivers:

• When receiving a quote, try to haggle with your provider to reduce your overall costs.
• You can tweak certain information, too. If you aren’t hitting your usual mileage goal, lower it; if you cover fewer miles each year, you pose less of a risk.
• You can also increase your voluntary excess, at least to an amount you can afford if you do make a claim.
• You can also alter your job description, because this can lower your quote. Don’t lie about what you do for your job, but if there are a number of ways you can describe your role, pick the closest titles that reflect it.
• When receiving your auto-renewal quote, try giving your insurance company a ring to haggle and lower the price you pay. Have a look around at other comparison sites while you're at it, because they might be able to offer you a
• cheaper deal, in which case, make the switch.

Use your smartphone apps to find the cheapest parking spots

While it's convenient to find the closest parking spot to your destination, parking fees can also be costly.

There are certain apps such as Parkopedia and JustPark to help. These apps allow you to check if there are any cheaper parking spots nearby.

You might be able to save some money by parking a little farther away than you usually would.

Shop around for the cheapest fuel prices

The cheapest fuel prices are typically found on supermarket forecourts.

There's also a tool that we've found useful Petrol Prices it's quick & easy to sign up! All you need to do is pop in your postcode & find the cheapest petrol station nearest to you.

You can download the app too: https://app.petrolprices.com/

Companies such as Esso also work in partnership with supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Scan your ClubCard or Nectar card at the till while at an Esso-branded service station and collect ClubCard or Nectar points while filling up. By collecting ClubCard points, you can build them up and convert them into vouchers that you can eventually use on fuel. You can also spend Nectar points for a 5p per litre discount.

Add a named driver to your insurance policy

It’s worth adding an experienced driver to your insurance policy (particularly if you’re a new or young driver), because this can significantly reduce your premium.

You can also add a partner or other family member. However, it’s worth noting that the main driver is not the same as a named driver. The main driver is the person doing most of the driving, while a named driver is someone else who might drive your car from time to time.

Doing this balances the risk between you and the named driver, because it is likely that you will spend less time driving due to the car being shared, placing you in a lower-risk category.

You can add a named driver when you apply for a new policy, or you can simply contact your insurance provider. It's likely you'll be asked about the named driver’s driving history, and you might be charged a small fee to add someone else to your policy, but your overall insurance quote should be lower

Do any repairs early

If you notice you’ve got a dodgy tyre or a windscreen chip, you’re better off getting it sorted early rather than delaying it, because it could get worse and turn a simple repair into a more extensive and an expensive one.

By not taking the opportunity to repair a tyre when you can, you could be in to the cost of a whole new tyre instead! A the windscreen chip could form into a larger crack, resulting in you having to pay to have the whole thing repaired.

Delaying repairs, no matter how minor, can create a bigger problem by the time you bother to fix it.

We'll happy provide advice and quotes and you can always check out our reviews that support our service too.

Our friendly after sales teams are happy to answer any queries you may have, and you can either contact us by phone or book your car repair with us via this form.

Have you considered the alternatives?

Modern cars are designed to be more naturally fuel efficient as manufacturers strive to reduce emissions & the impact on the environment. Whilst a lot of people aren't quite ready to take the step into an electriccar, there are obvious benefits when it comes to running costs but advancements in hybrid technology mean there are other options to consider to help you reduce your running costs without having to worry about where you will next plug in.

You can check out our guide to hybrids which explains everything you need to know about the different kinds of hybrid cars and engines available across our Suzuki, Subaru and Used Nissan ranges.

Or if you've got questions you need answers to, simply contact us and a member of our team will be more than happy to help and arrange a test drive of our latest hybrid and electric cars.