Driving Economy

Saving fuel is a major part of efficient motoring, so we have produced this comprehensive guide to getting the most out of motoring:

Drive Carefully
The most substantial fuel economy you can make is by driving your car effectively, which means anticipation, timing and skillful use of the controls. Efficient use of the accelerator and gears will cut your fuel bills most. Even if you're a highly experienced driver, reading the points listed here might refresh your memory and have a distinctly beneficial effect on your next fuel bill. See our section on Advanced Motoring for more information on improving your driving skills.

Starting Up
At this point a car uses much more fuel than it does to maintain a constant speed. Do not use the starter in short bursts as it could damage the flywheel, but don't leave it on so long that it runs the battery flat. If the engine does not start after 10 seconds, wait 20 seconds before trying again.

Speed
For the average car, fuel consumption is twice as heavy when driving at a steady speed of 70 mph compared to driving at 30 mph. It is more economical to accelerate gradually, even though it takes longer to reach the speed you want. Best economic performance (when a car reaches maximum torque) is usually around 2000 - 3000 rpm at a road speed of 40 - 60 mph.

Safe and Economic Cornering
Anticipation, gradual braking and minimum use of gears saves fuel. Only one gear change should be necessary once the car has decelerated to a suitable speed, unless you are following a series of bends or a particularly acute corner.

Braking - Thinking Ahead Saves Fuel
Anticipate the need to stop well ahead, so that you can slow your car simply by taking your foot off the accelerator. This will also reduce wear on brakes and tyres.

Gearing for Efficiency
Timing is critical. The right moment to change up a gear is when the speed you have reached can be maintained in the next gear without pressing down on the accelerator. The best time to change down is when you can do so without causing a noisy, racing surge in the engine speed. A rev counter is a good guide for the best time to change gear. For best results, keep engine speed at maximum torque. If you don't have a rev counter, find out from your handbook what maximum speeds the manufacturer recommends for each gear. Optimum fuel efficiency is obtained by changing gear at half the recommended maximum speed for each gear. For example, if 50 mph is the given maximum speed for 3rd gear, change up from and down to 2nd gear at 25 mph.

Hills
The best plan is to build up speed beforehand and maintain it without accelerating, in a lower gear. Avoid peak revs in each gear, over-revving the engine can cause damage.

5th Gear
Although 5th gear is intended to give optimal fuel economy when cruising at high speeds, remember that changing up too soon can waste fuel.

Automatics
Cars fitted with an automatic gearbox can be driven nearly as economically as cars with manual transmission. However, fuel consumption will be affected if excessive use is made of the "kick down" facility that is fitted to most automatic gearboxes.

Fuel Economy for Traffic Conditions
Rush hour driving is twice as expensive as driving on main road conditions, whilst high speed motorway driving can increase costs by more than one third! Good route planning and choosing a quiet time to make your journey are essential to obtaining the best economic performance from your car. So check out our Map and Traffic News sections next time you need to go somewhere!

Traffic Jams
It is much more efficient to keep moving steadily than to stop and start. Let the traffic get ahead; you will gain nothing by rushing to catch up. Remember how much extra fuel it takes to start off again! It's worth bearing in mind that driving steadily not only saves fuel- it can save you from the effects of stress!

So no matter what car you drive, you can always get a little more economy from it simply by paying attention to these points. Take care of your car and it will take care of you.