FOR VEHICLE LOVERS ____________________________________________________________
Follow a few tips and you would not only be lowering your fuel bills but also be contributing to the welfare of the society by helping reduce global warming, one of the foremost environmental concerns today.
Fuel Efficient Engines: Opt for fuel efficient engines if you want to save money on fuel. Make it a point to check the fuel economy rating before buying.
Engine Care: Tests on a large number of cars prove that you can save as much as 6% by tuning your car regularly. If your engine emits black smoke, has poor pulling power or consumes large quantities of oil, get it checked immediately at a reliable service centre. A delay may prove more expensive in terms of petrol and oil as compared to the cost of an overhaul.
Economy zone: Every vehicle has an optimum fuel economy zone which generally is between 45 Kms/hour and 55 Kms/hour. Maintain the speed limit.
Choke: Use choke to start only if necessary. Put it off as soon as the engine starts.
Air Filter: Clean the air filter regularly. Air filter prevents dust from fouling the engine. Dust causes rapid wear of engine components and increases fuel consumption. Cylinder bores wear out 45 times faster in engines without air-cleaners.
Gear Change: To get maximum power start with the 1st gear.
Gradually change to                    Approx. Speed
2nd Gear                                  10 kms/hour
3rd Gear                                   20-25 Kms/hour
4th Gear                                   30-32 Kms/hour
Use over drive gear. When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
It is advisable to follow the manufacturer's recommendation regarding gear change.
Braking: Anticipate braking needs and apply brakes gradually. Break speed by changing to lower gear. Unless the vehicle comes to a dead end, do not use 1st gear. Instead use the 2nd or 3rd gear depending on the speed.
Starts/Stops: Avoid frequent starts/stops. This will help in saving battery and starter overheating/failure as well.
Clutch: While pressing accelerator release clutch gradually. Never ride with the clutch pedal/lever pressed. This will not only give better mileage but will also save clutch wear.
Tyre Pressure: Keep an eye on the tyre pressure. Under inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, which leads to higher consumption of fuel. 25% decrease in tyre pressure leads to 5-10% more consumption of fuel and approx. 25% tyre life. Radial tyres can result in 3-7% fuel economy.
Excessive Weight: Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your car especially the heavy ones. Extra weight can reduce the mileage of your vehicle. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight. Smaller vehicles are more affected than larger ones.
Car Pool: Share your car for car pools.
Use recommended grade of Engine Oil: Use only the recommended grade of engine oil. Right engine oil gives more power, more performance, longer oil life and keeps your engine healthy. Engine oil that is thicker than recommended can cause 2% increase in fuel consumption. Change oil filter whenever you change the engine oil.