Driving in Style to save on petrol

Fuel-efficiency experts, including Ford Motor's environmental specialists, agree that learning to drive differently saves fuel. The US Energy Department says aggressive driving, such as rapid acceleration, speeding and braking, can lower your mileage significantly. Sensible and safe driving not only helps conserve fuel, but also saves money.

Without spending anything, this approach can save money if you can change the way you drive. Time studies show that practices like fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic and accelerating to and from traffic lights do not save much time. They waste fuel and wear out components like brakes and tyres. This is especially true for Kuala Lumpur with its many traffic lights.

Another way to save fuel is to start the car promptly before gently driving away. Don't leave the engine running. Today's car engines do not need to warm up. When a car is left running, it creates excessive emissions and wastes fuel. Elderly motorists still think all cars need to warm up.

Also, turn off the engine after 30 seconds to save petrol. But doing so will shut down safety features like air bags, so do so only if there's no risk of collision.

Start slowly, avoiding rapid acceleration. Jackrabbit starts waste fuel. Accelerate smoothly and brake gradually.

Have your car serviced properly. Maintain a proper engine tune-up to keep the car running efficiently. Besides the engine, make sure the wheels are aligned, as well. Wheels that aren't pointing in the same direction obstruct each other, wasting fuel and wearing out tyres.

Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance and reduce fuel economy. Check the door-post sticker for minimum cold-tyre inflation pressure. Keep tyres properly inflated to the recommended level - this alone can reduce the amount of fuel use 3-4 per cent.

Use a good-quality engine oil and other lubricants. The most expensive type does not necessarily mean it is the best for your car.

Choose the right type depending on the owner's manual. Use a fuel with good detergent additives, in order to keep the engine clean and therefore performing efficiently. Here again, the most expensive fuel does not mean it is the best for your car. Remember, we're trying to save money here.

Other little things

Minimise the use of air-conditioning systems by keeping the temperature at 23-24 degrees Celsius. Keeping temperatures below 18 degrees increases the chance of catching a cold.

Upon arriving at your destination, park in a shaded area, to reduce the need to use the air-conditioner when starting up again. But if you must park in the sun, leave the windows slightly open, in order to avoid trapping hot air inside. Then before starting up, lower the windows and wait a few minutes for the interior to cool down.

An interesting fact is air temperature in a parked white car will be cooler, perhaps by 10 degrees Celsius, than in a black car. So buying a car of a lighter shade can save you money. Another option is to apply UV film that blocks out the sun's rays.

Another money saver is tidying up every day. Extra weights means more work for the engine and higher fuel consumption.

Finally, plan your trips to save costs. Do the grocery shopping on the way back from work and share a ride once in a while.

There are myriad things to do when trying to save fuel, but it's always about finding a balance. Saving fuel does not have to feel like a full-time job, and it will make the world a greener place.