Advanced Driving

Driving for Economy and Economical driving tips

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Here you can get Driving for Economy. Here we provide The car you buy, Economy devices and Best 10 Economical driving tips ect.

Ever since the oil crisis of the early 1970s, everybody has become more interested in fuel economy. Motorists are forced to require more notice of it because fuel has become relatively expensive, and car manufacturers have answered this by concentrating more of their research and development on engine efficiency and aerodynamics. By and large, cars are more economical than they need ever been, but there’s one one that can have a more dramatic effect than an entire team of engineers – you.

Although it’s to be encouraged, however, driving for economy must not ever be allowed to return before considerations of safety. it’s quite conceivable that a driver can find himself during a potentially dangerous situation, perhaps through being unwilling to accelerate briskly when it’s necessary, just because he has allowed petrol saving to become more important than planned, systematic and constructive advance d driving. Nevertheless, the basic principles of advanced driving tend to travel hand in hand with economical motoring: anticipating hazards well in advance, braking in blast and using the accelerator smoothly and progressively all contribute to economical driving.

Do’s and don’ts

  • There are a number of points to remember when trying to form the most of each precious gallon of fuel:
  • Don’t inflate the tires to a better pressure than that recommended by the manufacturer. Extra tire wear will far outweigh the small amount of petrol saved, and therefore the smaller contact patches of your car’s tires will affect steering, road holding and braking because grip is reduced.
  • Don’t use cheaper two-star fuel if your car should run on four-star, because the engine are often damaged by this false economy. a cheaper grade will probably cause ‘pinking’ — the destructive per-ignition during acceleration which is clear from a faint tinkling noise.
  • Don’t stay during a high when road speed demands a lower gear. This not only means you disregard the essential advanced driving principle of being within the right gear at the proper time, but it’s also mechanically unsympathetic because it makes the engine labor.
  • Don’t coast in neutral, either when driving downhill or when coming to a stop. Having the gearbox in neutral means your response is delayed if it’s necessary suddenly to accelerate out of trouble.
  • Don’t drive too slowly, as this makes you an unnecessary hazard to other road users.
  • Do keep your speed down to what seems a minimum reasonable level, in order that you save fuel without being a nuisance to other road users.
  • Do avoid revving the engine too fast or accelerating too hard, except when road and traffic conditions demand it.
  • Do confirm , if your car features a manual choke, that it’s closed as soon as possible after a chilly start, but not so soon that the engine refuses to run properly. Remember that closing it too early causes the engine to falter and possibly to stall, which may be very dangerous at a junction.

The car you buy

The type of car you run, as much because the way in which you drive it, will influence fuel consumption so there’s no point in buying a car with a bigger or more powerful engine than you need. look at the choice of engine sizes available for the model you select and try to work out which suits you best, remembering that a smaller unit won’t always be more economical. Since a smaller engine has to work harder in certain conditions, it can end up using as much fuel in practice as a larger but under-worked engine. Most cars lately have five-speed gearboxes, but if a five-speed is merely optional for your chosen model it’s worth asking yourself whether the additional cost would be worthwhile for the sake of `long-legged’ — and thus more economical — cruising.

Compare the fuel consumption figures of the cars on your list before making your decision. EC rules oblige every manufacturer to quote fuel consumption figures for a standard urban cycle , steady 56mph and steady 75mph, so these can act as a guide. These figures appear in a number of the motoring magazines, in manufacturers’ brochures and within the Institute of Advanced Motorists’ own Milestones magazine. But don’t be misled by a very good steady 56mph figure, for this is able to be almost impossible to achieve in normal traffic conditions; the steady 75mph figure is probably going to be closer to what you’ll reasonably expect in day-to-day driving.

By the way, you’ll have wondered why 75mph is always quoted when our national speed limit (on dual-carriageways and motorways) is 70mph. the answer is that 75mph equates to 120kph (a legal speed in most European countries), a figure which the EC has deemed suitable as a fuel consumption yardstick. Road tests in motoring magazines usually state the fuel consumption achieved through the duration of the test, but bear in mind that this may reflect many hard driving off public roads to get performance figures; magazine figures will invariably be but you’ll achieve, but they will be useful in comparing one car with another.

Unleaded fuel

At the time of writing, a tax concession makes unleaded fuel cheaper than normal leaded grades, and this example seems likely to continue a minimum of until regulations require all new cars to run on unleaded fuel. aside from playing your own part in reducing atmospheric pollution, therefore, you’ll also economize by running your car on unleaded fuel. Before doing so, however, check with your dealer whether your car can already run on unleaded fuel, or whether it needs adjustment first. the value of any adjustment are going to be recouped fairly quickly, but don’t be surprised if this is often impossible because a few cars cannot be altered to take unleaded fuel. There could also be a small power loss, but you’re unlikely to note it.

Diesel or petrol?

The increasing popularity of diesel-engines cars shows that a lot of motorists choose them due to their longer engine life and greater economy. The disadvantages are that diesels are noisier (although modern diesels became much quieter), offer less performance and price more to shop for . diesel oil is cheaper and goes the maximum amount as 40 per cent further, but generally speaking the upper price of diesel cars makes them suitable just for drivers covering a high mileage. you’ll need to weigh up the prices for yourself before making your decision, but don’t dismiss a diesel on the grounds that it’s noisy and smelly until you’ve got tried one for yourself — you’ll be surprised by the refinement of the simplest modern diesel cars.

Service

Following the manufacturer’s recommended service intervals religiously will keep your car’s engine running within the best state of tune. Maladjusted ignition and carburetors , also as worn spark plugs , can affect fuel economy adversely. a traditional service should also include a check of the brakes and wheel alignment ; any problems here can increase the resistance which your car’s engine must overcome to propel it.

Economy devices

There was a time when accessory economy devices were popular, but motor manufacturers have made such strides in improving engine efficiency that these are really not worth considering nowadays. the sole accessory which you might find useful is an ‘engine efficiency meter ‘ or vacuum gauge , an instrument which measures the depression in the manifold and translates this into an easy display of data on a dial. By keeping the accelerator opening balanced against road and engine speed, you’ll keep the needle within the sector of the dial which shows that you simply are making best use of the fuel, although you ought to never forget considerations of safety.

The best economy device is free — your right foot. you’ll save a great deal of fuel by avoiding excessive acceleration, easing off well before any hazard and feathering the accelerator back at cruising speeds. A car will cruise comfortably along A level road with a surprisingly small throttle opening. Putting your foot further down will bring only a small increase in speed and far heavier fuel consumption.

Economical driving tips

Give your car some TLC

A well-tuned engine will save a surprising amount of Fuel. And all it takes is some simple maintenance and routine servicing.

Lighten up

Every extra pound or kilo can affect your fuel efficiency. So keep your boot and back seat clear of unnecessary items that can add weight to your vehicle (e.g. golf clubs).

Are you turned on or off?

Idling gets you nowhere, but still burns fuel. As a rule, if you’re in a queue, or waiting for someone for more than 10 seconds – switch off your engine.

Easy does it

The higher gear you drive in, the lower your engine speed is, which can improve fuel efficiency. So always change up a gear whenever your car comfortably can.

Slippery customer

Opening your windows or piling bikes and boxes onto the roof can heavily impact your fuel economy by increasing the drag on the air. Driving faster will also increase the wind resistance you encounter, causing your vehicle to use more fuel.

No drain, no pain

As a rule, anything that puts a drain on the battery will put a drain on your fuel economy – like air conditioning. But worse still is a battery in poor condition. So keep a check on your battery’s health. 

Timing is everything

Driving in heavy stop-start traffic is going to negatively affect fuel economy. So if you’re a commuter, avoid the rush hours when you can. You’ll really notice the improvement in fuel consumption.

Open your eyes

Think ahead when you’re driving. Slow down early at red lights, rather than stopping completely, or speed up a bit before you reach the foot of a hill. All these little things can add up to improved fuel economy.

The fuel rule

Not all fuels are the same. Better fuels burn more efficiently and can improve your fuel economy. So always choose one of high quality. 

Get pumped up

Correctly inflated tyres are not only safer and last longer. But they will also reduce drag on the road, improving your overall fuel economy.

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