How to save fuel now

[Plex]

What are you doing to contribute to saving fuel � after all, every litre you save for the same distance travelled is worth seven rand now, isn't it?

We can help with a little advice � publisher Michele Lupini after all, won the Total Economy Run overall on least fuel used last year, and swapped trophies this year with the event's overall index victory. And his advice holds good for any car � whether diesel, petrol, hybrid � or whatever, so take it for what it is worth to challenge yourself to save...

There are three main factors the boss uses to ensure the car he is driving uses the least fuel possible � when he wants to, that is. Those are anticipation, a softly-softly driving technique and momentum � and you need to work all three together in such a way to best suit your immediate driving situation at any given time to achieve it.

So that means there is actually a fourth quantity necessary to achieve such frugal driving � and that's practice.

Anticipation is perhaps the most important aspect of economical driving � the better you can plan your driving to enable you to maintain the car's speed and momentum, the less the car needs to accelerate, and the more you can carry its momentum, the better.

Where anticipation is of utmost importance to economical driving is in the city � if you can programme your trip to avoid stopping or slowing too much (of course within a very safe set of limits) at traffic lights, in traffic or whatever, there is no need to accelerate off the mark again � and that � pulling away � aside from continued heavy acceleration, is the single biggest robber of fuel in driving.

Momentum is clearly then linked to anticipation � the better you can safely anticipate your driving situation in order to maintain that momentum as effectively as possible for as long as possible, the easier it is to save fuel. And that applies to wherever you drive. It's also better to accelerate on a downhill � you can do so using a minute fraction of the fuel you would on an uphill � so use those hills to your advantage as much as possible.

Also, make sure the car is using the right engine speed and is in the most appropriate gear before you get to the next step � driving technique is as closely related to anticipation, as it is to momentum.

By softly-softly driving, we mean that you need to drive the car in such a way that it is using the least possible throttle at any time that pedal is being touched � and that when you do not need it, take your foot off the gas completely all the time. Modern cars have override fuel cut-offs that stop fuel flow completely when the car is running off the power.

Most modern cars also have the necessary tools to help you judge exactly where you are at any time � use the constant fuel readout or the economy gauge to minimise the amount of fuel used at any time. The smaller the number indicated, the more you save, while the trip consumption gives you something to aim for � keep trying to force that number down too.

Likewise, aim to keep the sum of your range and the trip distance at a maximum and try to grow that number. And keep on checking, keep on practising...

Also make sure you drive as though you have a rotten egg under your right foot and that it will break and make your car stink if you press the accelerator too hard. And lift off every 10 seconds or so and re-accelerate again at the minimum throttle input � you can watch that one work on the current fuel use readout...

But to really save fuel, you need to practise � to challenge yourself to use the least fuel you ever have on that trip every time and break that record as often as you can. So many people boast that it took four hours to Durban, but how many tell you they used 20 litres to do that trip. It's a simple mind-shift to turn your gas guzzling, law breaking and perhaps shamefully dangerous boasts into personal total economy triumphs...

So try to use less fuel every time you do the same route � or any other trip for that matter.

Source: http://motoring.iafrica.com/329281.htm

[Sanctifier]

Padna the only way I can save fuel is to fix the rwd Lancer GSR and "park" the Evo...
Soon... Soon!
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Walk softly... and carry a BIG stick!