Motoring

Read more Oily Rag articles  By Frank and Muriel Newman

Petrol prices at the pump are at record prices so the oily rag team have been delving into the archives to find the best oily rag motoring tips. The culprit behind the price rises is said to be overseas fuel prices, but we know that about half of what you pay at the pump is tax – and that is more likely to go up than down in the future.

The first tip is to shop around as you drive around. Gull is generally the cheapest place to buy your fuel, but that’s not always the case. In Rotorua, Gull and Caltex have been slugging it out, and motorists were reported as paying up to 20 cents a litre less than elsewhere in the country. If consumers are more responsive to price and less to convenience, then petrol stations will respond and prices will fall.

The next best way to save money is to drive economically. That means driving with a light foot on the accelerator and not stressing the engine with erratic pedal pumping. Be nice to your car and the car will consume less fuel and go further on a tank.

By driving economically, you should be able to reduce your fuel costs by between 5% and 10%, which effectively saves between 10 and 20 cents a litre. And there is a bonus – economical drivers are also safer drivers so everyone benefits. It is estimated that safer drivers have between 25% and 50% fewer accidents.

Strong competition in the grocery market is also providing benefits for drivers. Many supermarkets offer petrol discount vouchers. They are great savings, and a way for less price motivated petrol buyers to bag a bargain.

There are also some old favourite tips that are worth repeating.

• A well-maintained engine can improve fuel economy by up to 4 per cent.

• According to Beaurepairs, as far as tyres are concerned, every 10% under the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure costs about 2.5% in extra fuel consumption. That basically means a tyre that is under-inflated by one pound per square inch will cost 3% in fuel efficiency. The recommended tyre pressure is printed on the side of the tyre.

• Slowing down from 110 km to 100 km will result in a 15% fuel saving, and from 110km to 90km will save about 20%. You will also avoid speeding tickets and be a safer driver! A 20% reduction in fuel cost is a massive 44 cents a litre!

• Bike or walk instead of taking the car. It is estimated that half of all journeys are less than 3km. Biking is four times faster than walking, and takes about the same time as a bus trip. And better still, the cost of buying and maintaining a bike is about 1% of the cost of buying and maintaining a car!

• Don’t carry excess weight. Take the golf clubs out of the boot! It is reported that every 45kg of weight loss reduces fuel consultation by 2% or 4 cents a litre (which is another reason to diet!)

• Remove the roof racks to reduce drag. It could save up to 5% of your fuel cost (or 11 cents a litre).

• Trade down to a smaller vehicle, but check that the smaller vehicle is actually more fuel efficient. According to the www.sustainability.govt.nz website, “generally, larger engines use more fuel than smaller engines, but within each engine size there is a wide range of fuel consumption rates. For example, the most efficient three-litre engine uses fuel more economically than the least efficient 1.6 litre engine.”

• Turn off the air conditioner. The air conditioning system needs power, which comes from the engine and uses about 10% more fuel when operating (22 cents a litre).

• Make sure your vehicle is regularly serviced. A poorly maintained vehicle will consume 4% more fuel (9 cents a litre).

The answer then is to shop around, drive economically and reduce speed, maintain the car properly, reduce excess weight and drag, have a car that consumes less fuel, and drive less!

Do you have a favourite money-saving pet care tip that you would like to share with others? Let us know by going to www.oilyrag.co.nz or writing to PO Box 984, Whangarei.

* Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Readers can submit their oily rag tips on-line at www.oilyrag.co.nz. The book is available from bookstores and online at www.oilyrag.co.nz.