With petrol prices surging to record highs this year, many motorists have been left looking for ways to cut costs at the pumps.
According to consumer experts Which?, there is one easy trick that drivers can try out to reduce their fuel costs. Following this tip is as simple as taking a quick look in your car’s boot, the Liverpool Echo reports .
Which? suggests emptying your boot as much as you can by taking anything out that you don’t need for your journey. While the boot can be a convenient place to store bits and pieces, the extra weight could be making your car less efficient on the roads.
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Additional weight from extra baggage in your vehicle means that the engine has to work harder to get the car up to speed, which in turn means that more fuel is used. This is also the case for roof racks, external boxes and bicycle carriers.
These should be detached when you don’t need them, experts advise, because they also increase wind resistance as well as driving up petrol costs. By removing any unnecessary equipment, you may find that you have to fill up your tank less often.
“The same also applies to any bent bodywork or ill-fitting trim pieces,” Which? said of other elements that can increase wind resistance. “Opening your windows can also cause significant drag, so it could prove more economical to use the air conditioning to keep cool when driving at higher speeds.”
However, Which? also suggested turning off the air con in the car when you don’t need it, which they described as the “biggest sapping item” in terms of fuel costs. Using your air con sparingly can lead to “significant” savings, the consumer experts added.
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