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Thirty plus three tips for improving fuel economy of your car

1. Drive slowly and steadily, at a constant pace. Research has proved that reduction of speed leads to no major savings on commuting time, whereas speeds in excess of 60 kilometers per hour means lesser fuel economy.

2. If you are driving against the wind, the faster you go, the greater will be the wind resistance, and hence greater the fuel consumed. The ideal speed for optimal fuel economy, while driving against the wind would be 45 to 55 kilometers per hour.

3. Avoid unnecessary accelerations and decelerations.

4. Avoid banking by anticipating curves and slopes, and slowing down well in advance.

5. Always anticipate stops and glide to a halt gradually, with minimal use of brakes.Stop and go, or sudden breaking generates excessive heat and causes more fuel consumption.

6. Congested routes, rush hour, and stop-and-go traffic, all entail frequent use of brakes, clutches, ignition, and gear changes. All these lead to double the normal fuel consumption. Avoid rush hours, and use a longer but less congested route to save on fuel.

7. Use clutch only when changing gears. Driving the clutch causes excessive wear and tear, damages the clutch lining, and increases fuel consumption.

8. Drive in the correct gear. Incorrect shifting of the gear can cause as much as 20% excess fuel consumption

9. Turning the ignition consumes a great quantity of fuel, and the longer it takes to start, greater the fuel consumed. Keep the battery, dynamo, self-starter, and fan belt in good condition. This will ensure a quick start.

10. Switch the engine off if you have to stop for more than 15 seconds

11. For fuel economy, start in the first gear and get into the top gear as soon as possible. However, if starting from a muddy patch or when facing downhill, start from the second gear.

12. After starting, do not wait for the engine to warm up. Rather drive at a low gear until the engine is fully warm before shifting to top gears

13. Using chokes briefly and only when required increases the fuel economy

14. For city driving, change to the top gear only if you are sure the engine will not struggle

15. Do not park cars when you will have to reverse with a cold engine. This will consume more fuel

16. Use the same gear for uphill and downhill journey

17. Do not apply brakes continuously to decrease the speed while going downhill. Reduce the speed by shifting gears and using the handbrakes instead

18. Use of a bi-metallic spark plug saves 1.5% of the fuel

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