Hide tasks (7)

Hide tasks

How-to Guides » OLD GUIDE Beat the petrol price hikes

Fuel-saving tips and cheaper car running advice to help you save money on your motoring, and beat the recent petrol price hikes.

Tasks

OLD GUIDE Beat the petrol price hikes

Cut your fuel costs

How-to Guide Tips 16 tips on this task | Tweet

1) Pay as little as you can

There's obviously no point in driving for miles to save a few pence - so sign up with a company like petrolprices.com. It can email you a list of the five, cheapest filling stations (and the prices of petrol and diesel at each) in your local vicinity - you might be surprised how much the prices can vary.

2) Ditch the extra weight

A 100kg load can reduce mileage by up to 5 miles per gallon.

So remove roof racks when not using them, empty the book of unnecessary items and enjoy driving a more streamlined and efficient car!

3) Perform some basic maintenance

When was the last time you checked your own tyre pressures, oil level and coolant? A well maintained car is more fuel efficient - keep on top of these little jobs and not only will your vehicle be more reliable, it'll use less fuel too.

Under-inflated tyres can add up to 3% to your fuel bill; they'll wear down more quickly and could actually be dangerous, too.

4) Try hyper-miling

"Hyper-miling" means altering the way you drive. And a lot of it is sensible stuff - accelerating smoothly, don't speed, slow down gradually and aim to get as many miles to the gallon as possible.

Hyper-milers recommend parking up a slight hill if possible so you can simply roll back to get out (termed "potential parking").

They also recommend cars are maintained with fuel efficiency in mind so air filters are changed very frequently (dirty ones can cut mileage by 10%).

5) Keep an eye out for supermarket offers

Sainsbury’s and Tesco regularly run promotions where you can save 5p/litre of fuel, provided you spend £50 in store.

6) Pay with a cashback card

If you know you can cover the cost of your fuel in full, use a cashback credit card wherever possible. This will ensure you get cashback on all the fuel purchases you make. It's like getting a discount on the fuel - wherever you get it from!

Compare car insurance quotes via lovemoney.com

Enjoyed this? Show it some love

Retweet

Facebook

Twitter

General

Tips on this task (16)

4

staffordian said

Get into the habit of glancing at fuel prices as you pass filling stations; it soon becomes second nature, and enables you to plan the best places to fill up - without the need to go out of your way. Never go out of your way - you'll waste more in fuel than you'll save...

Report on 16 July 2009 | Love 0 love
0

dubsdj said

Not being funny but using Super Unleaded as apposed to Normal Unleaded will save you money in the long run.
I find that with the same amount of Super Unleaded (at a slightly higher price) it lasts just as long as a tank of unleaded.
Advantages being that Super Unleaded is better for your engine, and thus in the long run probably helping to prevent engine problems.
Just something for you to consider.

Report on 04 November 2009 | Love 0 love
0

france31880 said

Are there any disadvantages in using cheap diesel fuel from a supermarket?

Report on 21 November 2009 | Love 0 love
0

kraze said

I know this is a money website, but the thought of people just buying whatever petrol is cheapest makes me cringe. Please consider the ethical issues involved. Googling 'ethical petrol' will get you going - Ethical Consumer is a good start.

Report on 21 November 2009 | Love 0 love
1

chelby77 said

i have taken advantage of the tesco 5p/litre offer many a time and it does work out cheaper. I agree with staffordian, always check the stations near to where you drive etc and keep an eye on the prices.
Also, i have recently invested in a free card from Shell - you give this to them when you buy petrol etc from any Shell garage and they reward you with vouchers off petrol or something else of your choice when you reach a certain amount of points - a bit like the clubcard ppoints but for petrol!

Report on 15 December 2009 | Love 0 love
2

sharper said

france31880 - in response to your question, with some minor exceptions the fuel all comes from exactly the same place. Fuel companies all store their fuel at common facilities in the same tanks and move it around the country in the same pipelines. The only difference is what additives are added to the fuel as it is loaded into the fuel tanker prior to being transported to the forecourt. The additive primarily works as a detergent to keep your engine clean and therefore performing better. The additives are generally the same, (although the fuel companies may like you to think differently) the main difference being how much is added.
Supermarkets generally inject less additive into their fuels, with one in particular not injecting any at all. Over time no or v.little fuel additive will likely lead to a decline in your engine performance
Kraze - I looked at the ethical consumer guide to buying petrol and have to say I don't really see much use in their report. Murco - their top rated company is so small most people would struggle to find one of their filling stations. The next 2, Jet & BP no longer have any refining capacity in the UK and therefore buy refined fuel from the other majors - i.e. exactly the same as the supermarkets. Below that the scores are pretty similar with the exception of Texaco which are now owned by Chevron, but all are generally more expensive than the supermarkets anyway so sticking with the cheapest will likely be just as ethical.

Report on 05 January 2010 | Love 0 love
0

lp115lp said

I've found I can regularly gain an extra 5mpg if I inflate my tyres to the maximum pressure as is molded onto the sidewalls of the tyres. However, only do this when the tyre is heated-up - not cold.
Driving a few miles to the nearest filling station (5 miles distant) the tyres hot-up somewhat. When I've topped them off cold the resultant pressure (when hot) exceeds the maximum - which COULD be hazardous over poorly paved roads. Topping them up to the max when already heated DOES allow them to soften somewhat as they cool but the gain in fuel economy compensates for any loss during the first few miles.
I DO, however, have a 1 hour daily commute so anyone driving but a few miles may not realise the same gain.

Report on 07 February 2010 | Love 0 love
0

lp115lp said

dubsdj DOES make a good point. Higher octane petrol burns more completely than does lower 'Normal Unleaded'. It also burns hotter and, thus, aids in removing carbon deposits from valves and injectors (due to the higher concentration of aromatics) which can prevent complete aerosolation of the liquid fuel.
Smaller fuel droplets offer higher surface area to oxidize with atmospheric oxygen. Fuel injectors and carburators are designed to split liquid fuel into small droplets via 'shearing' forces (much like a aerosol spraycan nozzle). If carbon deposits alter the geometry of the shearing edges the liquid may enter the cylinders as larger droplets which do not adequately oxidize - resulting in more fuel vented to the exhaust system, less power to the wheels and lower fuel efficiency.
However, one needn't (and shouldn't) continuously burn 'Super Unleaded' if the manufacturer doesn't specifically mandate it. Too much octane (such as in aviation petrol) can result in 'knocking' with the fuel exploding too soon, such as at 'TDC' (Top Dead Centre), and cause damage to the engine.
Better to run 'Normal Unleaded' if that's what is recommended and treat the engine to a few gallons of 'Super Unleaded' once a month as a periodic cleansing.

Report on 07 February 2010 | Love 0 love
0

lp115lp said

One addtional tip for 'Hyper-milers' who own cars with standard transmissions; coast with your foot on the clutch pedal as much as is possible (and SAFE). Why pay for fuel burned going down every little hill?
I learnt this trick in the 1970s whilst attending university as a starving student. My Dad had bought me an old Ford Mustang with a 'straight 6' engine and '4-speed stick'. I soon got into the habit of searching for routes where I could coast downhill over long distances.
One route in-particular entailed a 1000 foot climb (in altitude) to a seldom used road which lead to school. Once I'd crested the top and begun my descent I merely switched off the key and coasted for 22 miles in neutral. Of course THIS car had absolutely NO power options whatsoever so it was manual steer and brake anyway.
Drivers of more modern cars can still use this tip so long as they leave the engine running. I now drive a Aveo5 with a transverse 4 cylinder engine and 5-speed stick. Upon cresting hills at speed I merely depress the clutch pedal and actually accelerate downhill while saving fuel! For long downhill stretches I still shift into neutral.
Just make certain to monitor needles of the tachometer and the speedometer. Learn which RPMs equate to which MPHs and find and maintain your own vehicle's optimum speed for best fuel economy. Once you get the hang of it you'll be shifting like the 'Stig' whilst saving hundreds of pounds/euros per annum on fuel costs.
And NO, I've never had any untoward drive-train or brake wear. In-fact the mechanics who've inspected my cars often comment on the LACK of wear to these components! Now, if I could only keep those deranged 'soccer moms' off my rear bumper. ;-)

Report on 07 February 2010 | Love 0 love
1

Roy Cleary said

Its warmer now so will get back on my scooter.
2 wheelers are gaining popularity just because they are cheaper to run

Report on 07 April 2010 | Love 0 love
0

ants03 said

lp115lp recommended coasting down hills to save petrol, i've always done this as i've always had older cars but newer cars are designed to cut off the fuel when you take your foot off the accelerator and the car is moving in gear. The ecm senses that the engine doesn't need fuel to keep it running so switches the injectors off. I was scetical about this too until it was demonstrated to me in college. So where its a valid point if you have an older car (especially a straight 6 mustang) but it wont save you much if you have a newer car. I've never bought into it causing wear to steering/braking/suspension either, just be careful if you do it as you don't have the braking effect of the engine.

Report on 24 April 2010 | Love 0 love
0

IANDYERBUSINESS said

I got an Asda credit card specifically for fuel purchases. Asda tend to be the cheapest fuel for my area anyway, plus I get 1p per litre discount. I pay the full amount by direct debit so there are no interest charges and no late payment fees to worry about and I don't need to pay cash at the garage.

Report on 05 July 2010 | Love 0 love
1

retireddellboy said

I work all over the UK, so far i have spent £1700 on diesel since April (I am trying to claim tax back of custom an d exercise, IRS etc) Im not good at getting up in the morning so i usually drive about 80mph. Is there anyway of reducing consumtion or claiming something back that im not aware of?
Thanks Chris

Report on 20 August 2010 | Love 0 love
6

Axel said

Get 5% cashback on fuel with the Utility Warehouse cashback card.
www.telecomplus.org.uk/yousavemore
Gavin.

Report on 16 September 2010 | Love 0 love
1

Neilathomas said

If you have the facility on your car computer, set it show the mpg as you drive. This will highlight when you use the most fuel and you can adapt your driving accordingly. I did this and went from an average of 34 mpg to 42 mpg on a tank of petrol.

Report on 28 September 2010 | Love 0 love
30

EastExpert said

Re: Coasting
My car has fuel economy reading in its onboard computer. By default it shows MPG which tops at 80 (3.5 or so l/100km), but the most interesting is what happens below it. So, I switch it to metric occasionally, for my fuel economy studies, and then observe the consumption in L/100km instead. Which allows me to see lesser figures which I can't see in MPG economy mode.
If you totally take foot off the pedal, I can confirm that consumption goes into 0. But touch it even slightly - and you have at least 1-1.5 l/100km.
So I sometimes gain some more speed and then take foot off the pedal - keeping me moving at reasonable speed AND saving all the time.
Allows me to get ~30 MPG on M-B C-Class on small A-roads with villages all the way.
Re: Cruise Control
It's great on a relatively flat stretch of road where you can move unhindered, but where you get some hills, better off keeping speed lesser uphill and allowing it to go faster downhill.
Re: Optimal Speed
Economy meter is great in determining your optimal speed. Put your car on Cruise Control on flat stretch of the road, and see what economy you'll get at 60, 65, 70, (75, 80 err these are illegal so don't ;)) Then you'll know how much fuel you sacrifice for which speed, and can decide on optimal. In my case if I'm not in a hurry, I drive about 65-70 mph and get 36+ mpg for my C-Class.
Re: Unleaded vs. Super Unleaded vs. Tesco/Sainsbury
I have driven 1500+ miles per month, and now I only do about 500.
Now I'm quite positive that fuel loses octane number with time -- after 2 weeks I can see economy is significantly worse (consumption is higher) than right after you filled up! Yes, fuel loses the octane number.
Higher octane fuel - as I found out - goes further per litre than standard one. However, this advantage wears out with time.
Supermarket fuel I found to go slightly less miles than standard branded fuel.
SO
if you are driving far, e.g. Edinburgh to London - it makes sense to fill with Super Unleaded (97-98 octane), it will last you significantly longer.
If you are driving only a few miles a month, it makes no sense to use Super Unleaded, you will be fine with cheaper supermarket fuel.
Also I agree that occasional few litres of Super Unleaded do burn deposits, so it's a good idea to spend a few more £ occasionally and clean up your system.

Report on 28 October 2010 | Love 0 love

Post a tip

Sign in or register to post a tip.

Most popular tipsters

W3C Thank you for using CGWEBLIV2