Jun 27, 2007
One of the key elements in obtaining good fuel economy is, believe it or not, your tyre pressures. Make sure you check them every three days as a minimum and adjust according to the type of motoring you will be doing. If running about town, set them at the manufacturer's recommended pressures - if heading off to Abu Dhabi or on a weekend run where you will be maintaining higher speeds over longer distances, raise the pressures a couple of pounds. Do the same if you are loading the car beyond how you would normally be driving it.
A change in specification from the manufacturer's original equipment, of wheels and/or tyres, will also contribute to economy or the lack of it - if you have wider than standard tyres, for example, the rolling resistance will be greater as there is a bigger footprint to overcome - you'll get more grip, but every change is a compromise somewhere along the line.
Other elements that will have a direct effect on your economy, apart from your driving style, will be things like whether you have a roof rack, loose components such as an ill-fitted undertray and accessories that were not on the car when it was new, all of which can affect aerodynamic efficiency.
A friend in Thailand improved his fuel economy and performance by removing a bug deflector from the bonnet of his pickup - it was costing him ten percent in both areas, and wasn't deflecting many bugs anyway!
Severe braking is just as uneconomical as severe acceleration - a slower build up to your normal cruising speed as well as better anticipation of having to slow down will work wonders. And if your car has a rev counter, use it in conjunction with the handbook: find out where in the rev band you are getting peak torque, and change gear before you reach that limit - there is no point in continuing to accelerate in any given gear after you have reached its peak performance level.
Happy motoring!