Petrol saving tips

WITH everyday living expenses skyrocketing and with the added burden of increasing fuel costs motorists are being encouraged to be more conscientious when it comes to traveling. And to make matters worse,  today the Automobile Association (AA) announced that a petrol price hike of between 17 and 18 cents a litre is likely next month.

Head of free-to-use insurance and financial comparison website Hippo.co.za Derek Wilson said although the price of petrol recently increased by 88c/l for unleaded 95 petrol (ULP) and lead replacement petrol (LRP) and 86c/l for 93 petrol (both ULP and LRP) it did not mean motorists could not save on petrol costs.

“There are still some handy tips that could help you save on your petrol consumption,” Wilson said.

Tips to help save on petrol costs:

• Decrease your driving speed – Driving at 100 km/h instead of 120 km/h on the highway reduces petrol costs by 13%;
• Reduce the use of your air conditioner – usage could increase petrol costs by between 13% and 21%;
• Reduce the weight load – the heavier your car, the more petrol will be consumed;
• Check whether your bank is affiliated with a loyalty programme and fill up at petrol stations that provide you with the highest cash-back rewards;
• Avoid idling – rather switch your car off entirely if safe to do so and save on petrol costs. Idling may also be damaging to your engine and spark plugs, resulting in added repair costs;
• Ensure that you do regular maintenance checks and repairs as issues such as dirty air filters and under-inflated tyres can increase your petrol costs;
• Reduce travelling by replacing meetings, visits and shopping trips with telephone calls, teleconferences and online shopping, where possible.