Saturday, March 22, 2008

Mileage - How to increase fuel savings?

Just last week, FUEL PRICES went up again!

Paying above $2/liter is really getting a bit pricey for us drivers, especially when u drive a mini MPV. Coupled with the fact that one is the family "Ah-Mat" (Driver), going from the office, to the kindergarten, and to home again, driving is therefore getting more and more expensive.

gasoline2 

Recently, I just read a local article about improving fuel efficiency:

  1. Properly inflated tires will make your average tank go a further 60km.
  2. Aggressive braking and acceleration will lower your fuel efficiency by at least 33%
  3. Travelling above the speed of 95 km/h decreases fuel efficiency significantly
  4. Remove excess weight from the trunk. Take out your golf clubs and any unnecessary stuff from the boot.
  5. Change your engine oil and filter regularly
  6. Idling even for a minute will waste fuel. Cars with larger engines waste more fuel at idle, compared to smaller cars.

What really caught my eye is Point 6!

Through Interviews with  local Singapore drivers, the press managed to interview a cost conscious Singapore driver.

In the interview, he reiterated some of the fuel saving techniques he employs.

wish-interior

Here, Mr X said that in order to save fuel, at every traffic light, when the engine is idling, he will always turn off the Air Conditioner in the car. Doing this is will therefore improve Fuel efficiency.

Can u imagine doing this at every traffic light?

With Singapore, being such a small island, and with traffic lights at every corner, the on/off switch on his air conditioner must be overworked!

Even though the driver says that he will only do this when he is alone in the car...this particular method of fuel savings is a bit excessive for me. 

I think all these 6 points are great. But just like in many issues in life - balance is the key to life!

Personally, I don't think my wife will be very impressed with my fuel saving techniques, especially when I turn off the air conditioner at the traffic lights! 

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