Lately it seems like every time you take your car out, petrol and diesel prices are up again! Many of us have taken jobs that involve a significant daily commute so we can’t avoid the regular fill-ups once or twice a week.
Whilst you keep looking for that ideal career move with the next job close enough to cycle from home; here are some tips from Purple Squirrel to help you with your fuel economy and save money:
– Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes
fuel. It can lower your fuel mileage up to 33 percent at motorway speeds
and up to 5 percent around town.
– Observe the Speed Limit
While every vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different
speed, fuel mileage usually decreases at speeds above 60 mph. As a rule
of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like
paying an additional 4pence per litre of fuel.
– Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unneeded items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones.
An extra 50kg in your vehicle could reduce your fuel economy by
up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight
relative to the vehicle’s weight and affects smaller vehicles more
than larger ones.
– Oil Changes
Regularly changing your oil will add many miles to your engine.
Changing your engine oil according to your car manufacturer’s
recommendation in your owner’s manual will help lubricate the engine,
minimize friction and carry away excessive heat, all of which will
lead to greater fuel efficiency.
– Use the Right Grade
Make sure that you are using the right grade of motor oil for your
vehicle. This is usually printed on the oil cap or in your owner’s
manual.
– Air Filter
Filters are a crucial part of regular vehicle maintenance and act as
the ‘vehicle’s lung’. Dirty air filters make it harder for the engine
to breathe. If the flow is restricted by a clogged air filter, the
fuel economy and vehicle performance will suffer. Replacing a clogged
air filter can increase your mileage by up to 10 percent.
– Tyres
Under-inflated tires affect your mileage by increasing resistance and
making it more difficult for the engine to move the car along the
road. For every 1-psi you are under the optimal rate, you lose
0.4 percent of your mpg. The average person can improve
mileage by approximately 3.3 percent by inflating their tyres to the
proper psi for their vehicle.
– Avoid Excessive Idling
When your vehicle is idling, you are getting 0 miles to the gallon.
– Use Cruise Control
By using cruise control on the motorway you will be maintaining a
constant speed and saving fuel.
– Secure Filler Cap
Make sure your filler cap is on and not loose or damaged. 147 million
gallons of petrol vaporize every year due to these conditions.
With petrol prices expected to keep rising, now is a crucial time to work on that career move! You can’t control the price of petrol, but you can take steps to reduce your daily commute. Purple Squirrel recruitment consultants are here to help elusive candidates find their ideal employers in Engineering, Industrial and Technical sectors, so register your CV to get started!
Yvonne 
September 17, 2008
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