How Do You Make Driving More Economical?

Embaloo on 02/09/2020 - 22:17
Last edited 07/09/2020 - 20:03

I have been given some tips, but would like to save more.

Please bust my myths/help.

Atm I have:

  • own an okay km/L car, with spare parts easily available.
  • Buy decent second hand, old-ish but very low km.
  • use 91 petrol
  • use the lower gears as a brake (just got told this after busting two sets of brake pads in a very short period) for an auto.
  • don't drive grumpy.
  • live closer to the areas I drive to the most
  • obviously learn how to service a car myself or marry a mechanic into the family, but those are not easy atm ha.
  • let the rain wash it

Questions:

  • slow down when turning - do fast turns affect the longevity of a car or just passenger comfort? (Edit - this is a hypothetical, I realise. the hazard of car flipping is costly)
  • slow down for small speed bumps - do suspension issues outweigh petrol usage from braking/accelerating? (Edit - I do respect the spirit of the law, speed bumps are there for a reason, kids, noise, etc, so also a hypothetical).

  • are there "economic" speeds to drive in 110 zones?

  • take toll roads or don't? (NSW)

Thoughts much appreciated, saving money but also wanting to be safe.

Updates so far from you guys, for your own inspiration:
- keep the car tidy - extra weight = more fuel usage
- keep tyres aligned and pumped up
- smooth driving is good, use pedals less where safe
- scout around for cheap petty using apps/costco
- plan trips well
- investigate diy servicing
- modify the car to make it more aerodynamic to reduce drag
- not idling the engine too much, turning it off instead
- I'll keep summarising

Automotive

Comments

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 23:26

      Hehe I have cycled too many times to realise this…

  • Toph Beifong on 03/09/2020 - 14:39
    +3

    Don't be one of those people that races up to red lights and then slam the brakes at the last 20m. It's silly and pointless. If you see a red light up ahead, take your foot off the gas and let the car slow down on its own, then you can gently apply the brakes to come to a stop. Less brake wear.
    Oh and also don't tailgate, its dangerous if traffic suddenly comes to a halt in front of you. Not only that, if you leave a big enough space in front of you, you won't need to break when the car in front decides to turn.

    If you are driving a manual transmission then yes it is a good idea to leave it in a lower gear to save on the brake pads, but in auto's you can't really choose what gear you're in.

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 03/09/2020 - 14:45
    +3

    Buy a car that Fred Flintstone would drive.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2020 - 15:03
    +1

    Move closer to work. When I lived 1.5km from work the car basically cost me a half dozen tanks of fuel a year and rego+insurance.

    Cycle or walk to work, save yourself a few hours a day too. Yes it's more expensive but your hourly pay is lower if you have to factor in 3 hrs of commuting which is tiring too.

  • superuser on 03/09/2020 - 15:24

    Weight to power ratio?
    Remove unnecessary weight in your car, like back-seat, spare tyre, replace the hood with carbon fibre stuff to make it lighter,…

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 23:27
      +1

      Srsly back seat? Not sure if kidding but maybe it's a thing. We often give people lifts, so not a massive option, but yeah weight minimisation.

  • OneJay on 03/09/2020 - 15:39
    +1

    On the freeway maintain a safe distance and follow a semi-trailer doing 90kph in the middle lane. The truck will break some wind resistance and you might increase your fuel economy slightly.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 03/09/2020 - 15:45

      Or be in its turbulent air flow making economy worse 🤔

      • field1985 on 03/09/2020 - 20:04
        +1

        No, fuel economy or speed can be increased through the practice of drafting (motor racing), platooning (trucks) or riding in a peloton.

        This is well settled science. It's so easy to prove, even the mythbusters showed you could get a 40% fuel consumption drop by driving behind a semi-trailer, albeit less then a car length behind (3m).

        Even driving at 30m (10 car lengths) behind a truck you still get a 10% saving in fuel.

        Trucking companies have developed automated platoon systems to cash in on this efficiency and reduce driver costs.

        Ever notice when you are doing 110km behind someone, then go to overtake you suddenly seem to slow down? That's because you are pulling out of the cars draft and have to use 20-30% more power to maintain the same speed.

        • OzzyOzbourne on 03/09/2020 - 20:39

          Have you seen how close they are to do that and the speed they are going? Not practical on the freeway

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 22:00
      +1

      I always get rocks flying up behind trucks :( so tend to avoid this.

  • Hugh G Rection on 03/09/2020 - 16:10
    -2

    just buy a tesla, it worked for me.

  • MisterX on 03/09/2020 - 16:38
    -2
    1. I personally use 98 petrol. It gives you longer milage.
    2. Use cruise control pretty much everywhere.50 road, set to 50, school zone, set to 40.
    • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2020 - 17:25

      Lmao both of these are bad for your wallet.

      Use the fuel your car is supposed to use, it's cheaper.

      Cruise control is worse at modulating throttle response than a reasonable driver.

  • 82norm on 03/09/2020 - 17:32

    Don’t use aircon.
    Keep windows up to reduce drag.
    Remove roof racks when not in use.
    Run on empty to save weight and by fuel as needed.
    Use angel gear downhill and cruise.
    Slip stream behind semi’s
    Don’t eat b4 driving, take a dump to reduce further weight.

    • Blue Cat on 03/09/2020 - 18:07
      +2

      Slip stream behind semi’s

      Enjoy having small cracks in your front window from all the tiny rocks that fall down behind semis.
      The slipstreaming "savings" are not worth it…
      I actively avoid driving behind any truck now on M5 and M7….

      • BuyoTheCat on 03/09/2020 - 18:22

        have metal windscreen so it wont chip

        • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:13

          Hehe wait a metal windscreen
          …

      • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 23:28

        Mmm yeah me too :(

    • smpantsonfire on 03/09/2020 - 18:23

      Do not use Angel gear/neutral downhill this actually uses more petrol.

      • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 23:28

        Please expand, and what is angel gear?

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:32

      Haha @ your last point.

  • PerfectShopper on 03/09/2020 - 17:57
    +1

    Plan your car trips and do what you can when you have to take the car out. Avoid tolls unless M5 cashback or using the toll road serves you in urgent time or fuel when roads are jammed elsewhere. A good GPS helps you avoid traffic jams. Get a fuel app and check cheapest fuel and compare Woolworths and Coles, which may end up cheaper with a docket. Woolworths is 8 C off with docket and $5 purchase. Linkt toll account currently gives you 4 C off fuel + use a Coles docket for another 4 C and buy $20 of Coles items you need from the Coles servo and there is an 18 cents saving on fuel.

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:33

      Yeah thanks, I use the linkt coles, and the nrma woolies atm, often with docket if there is one.

  • djprima on 03/09/2020 - 17:58

    If you're not too attached with your car, join a car sharing membership. You could actually make money

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:33

      Yeah, looked into this one seriously! Looking into it (the reviews) made me more attached to my car :(

      • djprima on 03/09/2020 - 21:42

        You'll get used to scratches after the first one ;). The best thing with car sharing is that whenever I incur a cost to my car (fuel, servicing, etc) I could claim it at tax time

  • BuyoTheCat on 03/09/2020 - 18:21

    I wish that my car can go into flintstone mode in peak hour traffic.

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:34

      Yeah me too.

  • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 03/09/2020 - 18:42
    +2

    Use Toyota Camry Hybrid. Mileage varies according to traffic, but have achieved 4.2L /100 KM. Most of the time in city it is 5.5-5.8L/100 KM. BTW, it recharges the battery when you brake.
    Some advice:
    1. Do not super accelerate- patience is a virtue.
    2. Keep the car clean to reduce drag ( wash regularly, and use turtle wax- or equivalent- once every six months).
    3. Do not turn on the A/c unless necessary ( Also, park the car in shade/ covered parking)
    4. Try to go at a constant speed. Anticipate to move your foot off the gas pedal if you are seeing a build up of traffic instead of accelerating and then braking. There will be idiots trying to jump in front of you, but just ignore them.
    5. Biggest tip: Get Android Auto. It literally shaves 15 min off my trip by taking me via routes that have low, or no traffic. Being stuck in traffic is probably the worst for you, as you try to compensate by driving fast and accelerating.

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:34
      +1

      Thanks for that biggest tip

  • megadeth on 03/09/2020 - 19:41

    DIY Servicing if you're mechanical minded.
    Buy best synthetic oil for your car but wait for it to go on special
    Buy spares from online sites offering free shipping when you can.
    Milder driving habits, as discussed at length above.
    Move to the NT (lower rego costs). :)

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:35

      Cool. Do you have any synthetic oil recommends? I'll keep an eye out for it.

      • megadeth on 03/09/2020 - 22:08

        I use Castrol Edge and do not change brands. The 5W-30 is often on sale for $30-35 for 5L.

        • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 22:17

          Thank you

        • Embaloo on 07/09/2020 - 20:27

          Found out that's the best for mine too. Didn't know anything about oil before you guys.

  • funnysht on 03/09/2020 - 19:45

    live on the top of a hill and use gravity

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:35
      +2

      Ha thank you :) I can just never go home :(

  • field1985 on 03/09/2020 - 19:51
    +3

    Everytime you brake you are wasting both fuel and brake pads. Economic drivers (eg taxis) focus on maintaining momentum (minimal brake/acceleration).

    For example, if you see a red light ahead, take your foot off the accelerator and coast toward the light allowing the car to slow down without braking.

    This often leads to the light changing at just the right time, allowing you to continue through the intersection without braking or accelerating.

    Bad/inexperienced drivers approach lights at the speed limit (wasting fuel) then hit the brake to stop (wasting brake pads), often come to a full stop and then waste even more fuel accelerating off the line.

    Drive calmly. Don't try and race off the line. You might get a 5% time saving driving aggressively, but you will pay up to 50% more in fuel costs and $1000's more in car components. Not to mention the potential fines.

    • Neoika on 06/09/2020 - 11:33

      I drive in the way of what you described mostly above, but I feel shitty when follow someone drive like this. So my conclusion is that you might piss off someone right behind you.

  • Oofy Doofy on 03/09/2020 - 19:56
    +1

    Not sure how old your car is, or whether you want to spend money on it to save fuel, but…

    Proven fuel economy improving tyres, like Bridgestone Fuel Fighter (just an example).

    A thing I have done to all of my cars in the past, is to have the fuel map trimmed about 20% across the board. If you can get a setup that allows you to change to the stock map when you want to put the foot down (for 20 second depressions or more), or when needing to tow something, that's the best way to go about it. A trimmed fuel map will increase the risk of detonation in these circumstances, so being able to switch between stock and trimmed is prudent.

    Worth the cost in my experience, if you are keeping the vehicle for a while and do a decent amount of kilometers per year.

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:37

      What is the fuel/stock map?

      • Oofy Doofy on 04/09/2020 - 07:46

        The stock fuel map of the ECU, that the car came with out of the factory, versus one (trimmed in this case) that has been modified to improve fuel economy.

        • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:17

          Thank you, but I don't understand, I'll Google stock fuel map and ecu. I feel quite uneducarted.

  • Herbse on 03/09/2020 - 19:58
    +2

    Look into hypermilling techniques.

    EV car owners do these things to get the most out of their range. Most of which can be transferred over to petrol cars.

  • kanmen on 03/09/2020 - 20:02
    +2

    As a few people have noted about red lights, take your foot off the accelerator when approaching a red light, no point speeding to something you're going to have to stop at anyway.

    I also recommend learning the signal sequences of the lights near your house. So if I'm approaching a red light near my house, I can judge based on what cars from other sides of the intersection are doing to know when it's going to turn green for me, so at times I can coast up to a set of lights just as it turns green and I wouldn't of had to have stopped at all and I can just coast on through (only thing with doing this is that you want to check both ways to make sure no one ran a red.)

    I think the approach of coasting is also useful in traffic. I don't understand why people accelerate really fast, only to have to stop about 50 metres down the road. I'm not going to get to my destination any faster because I stopped 50 meters down the road as fast as possible. Even if someone changes into my lane because of it, it won't really delay me by that long.

    Staying at a constant speed as much as possible is also fuel efficient so that you don't waste petrol accelerating.

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 23:30

      Yeah thanks, agreed about the signal sequencing :)

  • ebemc on 03/09/2020 - 21:08

    Cut back on the smashed avo son and you won't have to worry about things like this….

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:38

      Haha!! Thanks ! :)

  • WreckTangle on 03/09/2020 - 21:22

    If it’s a 110 road then do 110, don’t go slow to save money thats a poor situation for those behind you

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 21:38
      +1

      I understand the frustration.

  • dlakers3peat on 03/09/2020 - 21:45
    +1

    Also don't carry unessary things in the boot. The lighter the car the less fuel it will use.

  • yellowfever on 03/09/2020 - 21:46
    +1

    Drive the car normally. Don't create silly driving techniques to save money / save car parts replacements (braking/cornering changes will hardly save you a dollar, and adopting other unusual practices will cost you more in the end)

    Fuel and insurance are the top 2 biggest costs.

    Weight and drag directly contributes to increased fuel usage..

    • remove big loose items in car that creates unnecessary weight
    • keep tyre pressures to the recommended PSI, check every fortnight
    • avoid using aircon
    • have clean windows internally so it doesn't not fog up and hence avoiding turning on the aircon demister
    • keep windows up when on the freeway in a long distance
    • service the car on time every time, even if DIY
    • use 5% Woolies discount on fuel!

    The other factor is insurance cost. You can create all these silly driving concepts to save money, but if your insurance is sky high, you are with the wrong insurance company, or your car category is expensive to insure.

    • Embaloo on 03/09/2020 - 23:33

      Hmm clean windows internally, do you recommend cleaning them with anything in particular for less fogging up? That is a big reason I turn on aircon actually, instead of just fan.

      Also do wheels actually lose air enough within a fortnight?

      • yellowfever on 04/09/2020 - 12:52

        Clean inside of windows with antifog or any alcohol based cleaner.
        Yes the bottle of antifog costs about $10 itself, so may not be a real saving anyway vs turning aircon on. But I find my windows are so much clearer when I apply antifog.

        Air pressure shouldn't decrease in 2 weeks but you'd be surprised! Perhaps monthly check is okay too. It's more about habit of good maintenance.

        • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:21

          Thank you for this

    • OpayuOnam on 04/09/2020 - 23:07

      In my car aircon has minimal to no difference in fuel usage (looking at real time fuel usage with aircon on and off). It also has no effect on the power the car has. Though I have driven other cars where turning on the aircon significantly raises engine RPM and power loss is felt so they might use more fuel.

      • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:22

        Yeah wow - I have noticed if I turn off the aircon whilst going up a hill I get a lot more engine power, so maybe mine does use more fuel.

        • OpayuOnam on 05/09/2020 - 06:17

          Well to clarify, my aircon is not using some magical free power… It's just that proportional to the rest of the energy being used by the car it's negligible (I've got a larger V6 which is rather thirsty, around 10.6L/100 mixed and 12-13L/100 city. Does get to low 6L/100 when mostly Highway). So it's all proportional.
          Additionally my car is tuned to be more calm so it's got lot of torque and power at lower revs. I idle around 500-600rpm in traffic light (with/without aircon) when engine is warmed up and around 1000rpm when it's warmer on colder days. It also does 110km/h with 1800rpm normally unless it's a steep hill. Generally speaking if I don't floor it won't be going about 3000rpm.

          • Embaloo on 07/09/2020 - 10:25

            @OpayuOnam: Wow sounds smooth.

            • OpayuOnam on 07/09/2020 - 11:28
              +1

              @Embaloo: It is, specially for its age and KMs. Every mechanic which has seen it complements it 😁
              Only downside is the fuel economy that an easily go up if not careful, but at this stage I am still happy to pay the extra for fuel to have a smooth ride. I've been in numerous new cars that drive so much worse in terms of NVH and Power compared to my 16 year old car…

      • Euphemistic on 05/09/2020 - 07:04
        +1

        Agree. I’ve measured fuel economy for years and summer time with AC doesn’t make a lot of difference. Bigger the engine, the less difference the AC will make. I haven’t driven a small engine car with AC for a long time.

  • Piranha2004 on 04/09/2020 - 02:30

    Turn off stop/start and any eco modes. Ive found these things to be gimmicks mostly that actually end up equal or worse than driving in normal mode. Also drive with windows up on highway/freeway type roads. Lift and coast is also better overall.

    • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:23

      Thanks I don't have any modes, I think although if you are talking about the car turning off whilst idling, someone earlier talked about how that is actually really fuel efficient.

      But what is lift and coast?

      • Piranha2004 on 05/09/2020 - 07:57
        +2

        Most modern cars have start/stop where the engine is turned off automatically once the vehicle is stationary. Constant stop start wears out the components quicker as well as being annoying in heavy traffic. Lift and coast is when you take your foot off the accelerator and letting engine braking or friction naturally slow the car down. Useful when approaching and intersection/lights or going downhill.

        • OpayuOnam on 06/09/2020 - 08:52
          +1

          And to add to this, I've noticed that most people with start/stop end up accelerating "more-heavy-foot" to compensate for their car turning on with a bit of delay. So my hunch is that whatever the fuel savings are they end up being negated with the extra acceleration anyway.

        • Euphemistic on 06/09/2020 - 09:01
          +1

          Constant stop start wears out the components quicker

          Do you have any evidence of this? The vehicles are designed with stop start in mind and use some technology to make the starting more efficient. Do you think they haven’t considered the extra load on the starting system and designed parts to suit? As much as built in obsolescence is a thing, they still need to make reasonably reliable vehicles to keep selling them.

          • OpayuOnam on 07/09/2020 - 11:26

            @Euphemistic: I've seen anecdotal evidence of early Mazda's with the system starting to need engine start fix earlier than normal. Same for VW.
            Additionally most of the Europeans have stopped doing this on their latest models so go figure.

  • Shiny Mew on 04/09/2020 - 07:08
    +1

    Get a ScanGauge and learn how your driving style affects economy.

    In my experience, the best bang for your buck changes you can make are:

    • aim to minimise coming to a stop as much as possible (ie if the lights ahead turn yellow, slow down early with the aim of being able to roll through the lights just after they go green again, rather than coming to a full stop because you braked at the last minute like most numpties on the road);

    • drive in the lowest speed for the highest gear without lugging (eg if you're on a freeway and your car shifts into 6th at 90 km/h, drive at 90 km/h in 6th rather than 90 km/h in 5th or 100 km/h in 6th)

    • if you've an automatic, learn how to 'encourage' the car to shift up early (usually requires lightly blipping the throttle);

    • minimising idle time as much as possible (including by going into takeaway shops rather than using drive-throughs, not needlessly keeping the engine running at school or at the train crossing if longer than about 30 seconds);

    • removing unsprung weight (though this doesn't help as much as people might expect);

    • adopting the techniques known as 'driving with load' (DWL) and 'engine-off coasting' (EOC);

    • performing minor modifications such as grille blocks and wheel covers; and

    • it's a fallacy that the most economical way to accelerate is to do so very slowly; it will be more economical in most cars to drive at approximately 60-80% load (in automatics, this is roughly means as fast as possible without the computer causing upshifts to be 'delayed') as you'll spend less time in the very uneconomical state of acceleration and more time in the much more economical, steady state of cruising/maintaining a set speed.

    I have on average bettered the official fuel consumption by 20-40% in the cars I've owned doing the above, and been generally safer because of it (with less tailgating and sudden stops in my driving).

    • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:26

      Wow I appreciate all of these, thanks very much. I will investigate eoc and dwl.

  • npnp on 04/09/2020 - 07:28

    Just buy a Prius and drive any way you like.. Fuel usage will be affected with your usage, that's a common fact for any car. But from my driving experience with many cars, Prius is the least affecting car due to your driving style.. (Ex. Civic hatch fuel consumption goes sky high if you drive like a maniac but Prius consumption barely changes. I'm always hard on the foot when leaving from color lights but Prius always delivered amazingly well. 2009-2012 Prius beats 2012-2017 Civic hatch on 0 to 100 as well if anyone wonders..)

    • Oofy Doofy on 04/09/2020 - 10:00
      +1

      Most popular car in the country currently, is the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.

  • Dancasper on 04/09/2020 - 07:31

    Get a motorbike.

    • hopper on 04/09/2020 - 13:40
      +1

      get a motormountain bike

      Fixed :)

  • npnp on 04/09/2020 - 07:38
    -5

    Please don't drive shamefully slow just to save few cents while making many other road users frustrated. My simply rules on the road are,

    1) Always put the foot down when leaving from a colorlight (always assume the guy behind you is in an emergency situation)
    2) Always maintain correct speed (if it's 60, maintain 58 or 62 not 55 or 65)
    3) Always keep to the left unless you must do otherwise
    4) Always look behind your car whether there is a frustrated driver for whatever reason (again assume the guy behind you is on his way to medical emergency, you never know)

    Your fuel saving 2 cents MUST come after above four rules. Because you're sharing the road with others and you must be considerate.

    • greatlamp on 04/09/2020 - 07:50
      +1

      This is terrible advice for driving, and terrible advice for life. You are more worried about the car behind than yourself.

      Yes, don't drive significantly below the speed limit, but the rest of what you said is hoon psychology, which you probably learned from other bad drivers. Why do you give 2 f**ks about if the person behind is in a rush.

      People who drive for a living do not worry about this.

      • npnp on 04/09/2020 - 08:08

        While appreciating your opinion, my understanding is, most of the road accidents are caused by inconsiderate slow drivers, not by the ones who keep themselves to the speed limit. Happy to be corrected on this.

        • greatlamp on 04/09/2020 - 08:37
          +4

          I think what you call a inconsiderate slow driver is what I would call a driver not paying attention - the sterotype 90 y.o doing 60 on the freeway. I agree that this causes accidents.

          But where you need to accelerate fast because of the person behind you, or always check if the driver behind you is frustrated- noone is doing this for you. You are too worried about upsetting strangers. I know people who do this and end up going through red lights because "the guy behind was following too close, I couldn't stop"
          They aren't going to pay your fine, or stand up for you if you hit a child.

          If you drive consistently and predictability, others will go around if necessary. Leave a safe gap and Let people overtake. Respect other road users, but don't bend over for them at your risk.

          • npnp on 04/09/2020 - 11:50

            @greatlamp: Agree with you. Your own safety comes first, that goes without saying. However safety of others should come before focusing on 'saving couple of cents on fuel', that's what I was ranting about. If anyone is saying he can't maintain the correct speed there must be something wrong with his driving skills or he's just being plain inconsiderate 'I'm not giving a flying f**K about others, I'd just drive the way I like to drive'. Now that's being a pure maniac (regardless whether you go faster or slower, this applies either way). I don't see how 'sticking with the speed limit' (which was the whole point of my reply) can potentially be unsafe to the driver. Speed limits are there for a reason and everyone must respect that. Many other countries have heavy fines for slower drivers, I think in Australia we must have that too just to have those inconsiderate slow maniacs out of the road together with inconsiderate fast maniacs who can't control their speed…

        • Euphemistic on 04/09/2020 - 12:13
          +1

          most of the road accidents are caused by inconsiderate slow drivers

          Where on earth did you get this idea? Traffic accidents are mostly caused by speed, fatigue, intoxication, distraction and idiot drivers. On the other hand slow drivers tend to be older and often park in cafes.

    • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 12:15
      +1

      @nnpn, Hmm yeah I think I disagree on most of those rules.

      1. Whilst I do give people benefit of the doubt AFTER they wrong me ( I assume they are going go rescue/take a kid to emergency who has a funnel-web bite, it helps me stay cool), I also don't want them to crash if they are tailgating me and ai need to stop suddenly, and I will keep left unless overtaking (or pull over), so that if they want to speed, they can, but not make me speed.
        But putting the foot down also doesn't save money. I do secretly like being the first off the mark to show my reaction speeds to the lights are fast, but my car doesn't start very fast, so I usually don't bother.

      2. I drive according to the conditions, if I know the roads or not, if it's raining, and whether there are hazards around, I suppose. Also if I am listening to a good radio story late at night I'll take my time, but try not to annoy others. Rather than keeping strictly to the speed limit.

      3. Yes okay I agree :)

      4. Again, as in point 1.

      • npnp on 04/09/2020 - 13:03

        You elaborate it great..😀 respect that.

      • SF3 on 04/09/2020 - 13:43

        @embaloo and @npnp - fuel saving and paying attention are both important IMHO (and around your environment awareness factors whilst driving). I think anyone that is so literal in follow either (which I believe are the points you are both making), are likely to be a danger (to themselves or others) on our roads - we want to be careful around those drivers, as they are most likely the ones contributing to accidents.

        Stay safe :)

        • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:29

          Thanks

  • greatlamp on 04/09/2020 - 07:40
    +1

    If you want to save fuel, watch how skilled drivers act on the road - the semi truck drivers. Imagine your car is a large truck.

    If you are like most drivers, you are not leaving enough space from the car in front of you.

    At the normal distance everyone drives, if the car in front of you has to stop suddenly you will 100% hit it.

    At 80km/h, you need to be 6 car lengths behind.
    https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/road-safety/driving-…

    A warning, when you first start doing this, as the correct distance is so unusual, people will tailgate you everywhere, especially If you drive a small car. You have to learn to ignore this. Let them angrily overtake. You will always see them at the next set of lights having achieved nothing.

    If you drive the same way in a work van, noone will tailgate. It's moron behavior on the roads.

    Leaving more space means you avoid a lot of brakes consumption in traffic, you have more time to react to the driver in front, a light press of the brake pedel is enough.

    It also means you drive slower than the car in front anytime you get too close, saving a lot of fuel.
    If the person in front is doing 76 rather than 80, you stay behind. You do not arrive quicker by overtaking and watching your speedo all the time.
    The time you save is less than 1 min over the entire trip.

    You also need to accelerate much slower off the line, again like a slow truck. Pushing your car as far as it will go until the speed limit is pointless. Time it and prove it to yourself. Your journey takes the same time.

    This isn't about driving slow at all, it's about accelerating slowly, and braking slowly. Driving 5km/hr over the speed limit doesn't cost extra fuel, as long as you don't rush to get there

    • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 12:07

      Thanks :)
      "You will always see them at the next set of lights having achieved nothing."

  • foxpants on 04/09/2020 - 10:20

    Imagine the accelerator pedal is a fuel tap, the lighter you push the less you use. Accelerate gently but appropriately to the prevailing conditions and traffic.

    Concentrate on being smooth and conserving momentum.

    In a manual you can coast downhill in gear or to a stop in gear and clutch in around ~1000rpm, the whole coast effectively used no fuel, where if you rolled in neutral a small amount is used for the engine to idle.

    Use Aircon less.

    Fill up on cheap days, with discounts etc, as cheap as possible.

    Keep your vehicle in excellent mechanical order, easiest ongoing win here would be correct tyre pressures/alignment.

    Have great situational awareness, be extra attentive to the road/traffic conditions all around you but especially ahead of you and plan your course as efficiently as possible.

    • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 12:08

      Thanks, all helpful common sense.

      • foxpants on 04/09/2020 - 12:10

        My pleasure, I drive this way probably 95%+ of the time and keep my car in top shape and get great economy, but then every so often I give it a good dose down on onramp or something, mostly to hear all the good turbo noises :P

  • Username Goes Here on 04/09/2020 - 13:23

    Buy a flintstones car!

  • bigticket on 04/09/2020 - 13:49

    Don't.

  • ihbh on 04/09/2020 - 14:21

    Reduce weight in car:

    • Get all the crap out - e.g. it's easy for us to leave all of our kids' sandpit gear in the car but we don't go to a sandpit every day. So we take it out and put it in when we go.
    • Go on a diet & get the rest of the family to go on a diet.

    Maximise things you do on trip - e.g. if the kids want to go to a favourite park, we stack shopping nearby on to the trip and other things if possible.

    • Euphemistic on 04/09/2020 - 14:36
      +1

      Crikey you must take a lot of gear to the sandpit. When we take sand stuff to the beach it’d be well under 1/2 kilo. Plastic buckets spades and mould shapes are extremely light.

      Make sure you drop the kids off at the pool before you go, you’ll save another few hundred grams.

      Carting a full toolbox however…

      • ihbh on 04/09/2020 - 14:55

        … They've accumulated diggers and fire engines and multiples of tools.

        Yep, full toolbox - the invisible passenger.

  • netjock on 04/09/2020 - 15:43

    use the lower gears as a brake (just got told this after busting two sets of brake pads in a very short period) for an auto.

    Look ahead and take your foot off the accelerator when it is turning yellow / red at next set of lights. Don't put your foot down. Know where your engine produces most amount of torque vs rpm mine tops at 3k rpm so I never go over that unless really need to.

    live closer to the areas I drive to the most

    Or just ride a cheap second hand bike to the local shops instead of driving. Better for your health

    let the rain wash it

    Does it help fuel efficiency? Dirty glass and mirrors might contribute to accidents

    Fuel price

    Use petrol spy and read the price graph. Use 7-11 app to lock in lowest price on Wednesday / Thursday for if you get caught out during weekend price jacking cycle.

    • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:32

      Thanks yeah dirty glass is one thing that could improve.

  • MagicMikez32 on 04/09/2020 - 16:48

    Host an ozbargain fuel efficiency day where we can all come round and make dimple dints in your car like a golf ball.

    • Embaloo on 04/09/2020 - 23:33

      Lol wut. Hahahahaha! I have chuckled twice at this now. Super matte paint job. That could actually look quite cool. But I sortof don't understand.
      Edit: ah, for aerodynamicy. ?

      • MagicMikez32 on 05/09/2020 - 01:32

        Yes, mythbusters did it. Confirmed

  • schwinn on 04/09/2020 - 17:12

    Slow acceleration - you'll reach your target speed eventually.
    Roll with it more. Certain roads may not need a foot on the accelerator at all. Consider taking your foot off the accelerator earlier. Personally I find driving this style saves more petrol than cruise control.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join