Love saving whilst driving

Find the lowest petrol price in your area
By spending a bit of time researching the cheapest fuel prices in your area you’ll be able to save money on your motoring. We’ve found a great website that does all the hard work for you. Visit www.petrolprices.com for more details.

Cut your speed
Sticking to the speed limit makes lots of sense. For a start it’s safer, and it also means you lose less fuel. Cars engines are much more efficient at low speeds – petrol engines at between 2000 and 4000rpm, and a diesel at between 1500 and 2500rpm.

Shed those pounds
Driving around with unnecessary stuff in the car or boot uses extra fuel. For every extra 100lbs of load you carry, you use 2% more fuel.

Calm down
Aggressive driving – accelerating hard then having to brake – uses much more fuel, and it won’t get you there any quicker!

Clean air
A clogged air filter really could make a difference. Replacing it with a new one could save up to 10% in fuel bills. Garages recommend that you check your air filter every 20,000 miles. Ask your local garage for more details.

Keep up the pressure
Check your tyre pressures regularly. For every pound of pressure your tyres are under inflated, fuel consumption goes up by .04%.

Oil change
The thinner your engine oil, the less resistance there is, and the more fuel you save. Check your owner’s manual, and make sure you’re using the lowest viscosity oil to suit your engine.

Lose the rack
Don’t drive around with an empty roof rack – it creates more air resistance and wastes fuel. Only put it on when you need it. A loaded roof rack uses 5% more fuel.

Stay cool
Air conditioning uses an awful lot of fuel. Only use it when you really have to – around town, the best way to stay cool is to open the windows.

By far the best way to cut bills and reduce pollution is to choose the right car in the first place. New cars and trucks are getting ‘greener’ all the time, and ‘old bangers’ are by far the worst offenders. Cars with smaller engines pay less Road Fund Licence and insurance, and emission limits at MOT tests could easily be tightened soon. All in all, it makes sense to choose a car that’s no bigger or more powerful than you really need. 

Of course, you can save even more fuel if you don’t use the car at all! For short trips, it could be quicker – and certainly more healthy - to walk or cycle. If you do have to make short journeys by car, try and group them together so that the car stays warmed up – it’s much more fuel-efficient.

And for certain trips – especially driving into town, public transport may be quicker and, if you have to pay to park, cheaper too!

Why not get a quote on your car insurance from us today?