Economy drive will make every drop count as petrol pumps drain you dry

IT’s no great comfort to discover that Yorkshire and the Humber currently has the lowest petrol prices of any UK region, when the average price is still £135.4p for petrol and £138.9p for diesel. The mid-June prices were slightly lower than mid-May, but costs have edged up again in the last couple of days.

The small fuel-efficient car many of us bought to lessen expenditure is starting to feel somewhat of a burden, and filling up at the petrol station is getting to be rather a health hazard, what with the palpitations and slight spike in blood pressure as the pounds and pence dials whizz round to £55 for a car which, in the not too dim and distant past, cost only £35 to fill up.

Rocketing petrol bills and feelings of resentment that the consumer never gets much benefit when the price of a barrel of crude oil crashes do concentrate the mind on avoidance of unnecessary journeys, walking more and saving up chores that involve the car until two or more can be done in one journey. The only other way to cut down the frightening cost is to think about how you drive and whether a few bad habits could be corrected and help to shave off a few precious pounds from the monthly outgoings. Can we all become smarter and therefore less impecunious drivers?

The AA recently did a “smart driving” experiment with Auto Express magazine, showing drivers how to drive in a more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly way – although the environmental lobby would obviously suggest that record fuel prices should nudge the lazy majority to dump the car altogether. The results of the exercise revealed that on average people can save 10 per cent on fuel by following the guidance offered. The best performers saved up to a third, which would cut around £500 a year off petrol bills.

What surprised participants was that the tips for moderating driving and minimising fuel consumption didn’t add much time to their journeys – probably because many main routes are so congested that they operate at peak capacity much of the time, and driving faster just means you arrive at that bottle-neck slightly sooner. It’s true: how often have you noticed someone zoom past you on a quieter road out in the suburbs, only to see them trundle up beside you as you both arrive at the slow snake winding its way towards the city centre? All the speedy driver has gained is higher petrol consumption and probably higher stress levels, too.

Like everyone reading this, I’m sure, I have better things to spend money on than petrol needlessly expended by a wasteful driving style. If there are tips available to help cut down the head-spinning outlay I want to know and follow them slavishly. And I don’t mind sharing them.

First the diagnostics: Joy Dare, an AA driving instructor based in Holmfirth, observes my driving in a late-morning circuit of Huddersfield town centre, followed by a spin around outlying villages including a couple of stretches of open 50 mph road.

The appetite for “the knowledge” of how to save money soon sees off any nerves at having my bad habits scrutinised by an expert. It’s actually no bad thing to be put on your mettle now and again – it makes you shift away from auto-pilot and think about what you’re doing and why.

General good housekeeping with the car is, apart from helping to avoid accidents and unnecessary wear and tear, going to mean less spend on fuel. “Tyres that are too low or too high in air will use mean more petrol is used. Another general point apart from maintenance is that looking at a map or organising your satnav and knowing you’ll get to where you are going by the most sensible route is much better than getting lost and emptying half a tank.”

Joy’s first observation about my driving is that, in common with many people who learned to drive decades ago, I use the gears too much. Modern engine technology means it’s fine to “chunk” the gears – going from fifth to third to first or fourth to second and vice versa. The less manipulation the less fuel is used.

Secondly, I tend to stop and start too much rather than looking well ahead, anticipating what’s going on in the distance, and starting to slow down early so that those traffic lights may have had time to go green again by the time I get to the back of the queue of traffic.

This would reduce the need to stop then start – smooth progress rather than stop/go is the optimum procedure for keeping fuel consumption down. Anticipation of activity on a roundabout ahead then slowing down early can mean you’ll slot into the circulating traffic easily without stopping, rather than sitting waiting for a space. Generally, getting the car into higher gears as soon as possible is better; low gears and running up and down the gears clocks up lots of lolly at the pump.

Chatting in between tips, with the glorious summer breeze in our hair, Joy tells me that using air conditioning continuously adds a shocking 15 per cent to fuel consumption.

“If you’re around town just open the window a bit, saving the air con for journeys on motorways, but don’t keep it on. Some people forget it’s on and it’s drinking petrol, although it’s good to use it now and again to keep it in good working order. Many also lose money because they carry lots of unnecessary cargo in the boot, including heavy and unnecessary tools. Take the roof rack off when not using it, even if it is fiddly, and you will notice the difference. Keep the car as light as possible.”

Joy tells me it’s fine to stop at the lights “in whatever gear” to save manipulations later, and if on the flat or on a slight downward incline, stay in second and as the traffic moves on, simply use the hill and slowly coming off the clutch at first to take the car along, keeping my foot off the accelerator. Less time on the accelerator equals less spend. Low revs good, high revs bad. Joy notices the difference between the hourly mileage when her nervous, high-revving pupils are driving compared to the average when she is driving the Ford Focus herself.

More haste less speed, and if you’re a speedy driver who has ignored the other obvious reasons for slowing down, then think about this one: you will use 30 per cent more fuel in driving at 70 mph than driving at 50 mph, and when cruising on the motorway, doing a steady 80 will cost you 25 per cent more than sticking to 70.

I drive us back to the carpark to pick up my car, feeling determined to think more about my driving and shovel less cash in the direction of Shell and Texaco. Joy keeps adding tips, and just as I’m about to park she reminds me that modern cars don’t need to have their engine warmed up, even in cold weather.

When your engine is nice and warm is a better time to do manoeuvres like reversing into a parking space, rather than doing the move later when the car is cold. Moving into a space in a supermarket carpark is a very good example. She shows me a new trick that actually uses no juice at all, but only works on a flatish surface or slight downward incline.

Having found the space, pulled forward and out a little ready to reverse, she tells me to take my foot away from the accelerator and only use slow movement of the foot off the clutch to propel the car backwards.

If the car goes too fast, I simply have to push my foot gently down again. The same technique can be used when parallel parking or doing a three-point turn.

We glide slowly into the space, with not a penny spent in the process. Now that’s what I call good advice.

TOP TIPS FOR FUEL EFFICIENCY

* Drive off from cold – modern cars are designed to move off straight away, with no need to warm up the engine

* Check your revs – change up a gear before 2,400 rpm (petrol) or 2,000 (diesel)

* Drive smoothly – anticipate road conditions to drive smoothly and avoid sharp acceleration/heavy braking

* Step off the accelerator – when slowing down or driving downhill remain in gear but take your foot off the accelerator early

* Slow down – driving within the speed limit is safer, reduces fuel consumption and is, after all, the law

* Keep your car well maintained including regular tyre pressure checks

* Keep use of air-conditioning to a minimum.