Johannesburg - While motorists will be hard hit by last night’s fuel price hikes, experts reckon that altering driving patterns and servicing cars can help mitigate the effects to a degree.
“With a little forethought, planning and minor adjustments to your driving style, you can survive the recent petrol price hike,” said Budget Insurance spokesman Graham Craggs.
He said motorists should regularly change components of the engine such as the spark plugs and filters.
“It is very important to keep up with engine maintenance and service your car regularly. Also make sure that spark plugs and filters are changed according to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations,” he said.
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He added: “If your car is kept in optimal condition, you can reduce petrol costs and save yourself even more money by preventing costly repairs further down the line.
“Well-aligned wheels and correctly inflated tyres will also help motorists save fuel.
“This is because under-inflated tyres offer more road resistance, which means that fuel consumption goes up.
“Unsuitable wheel alignment can cause your car to use more power, which also increases the amount of fuel it needs to keep going and, of course, decreases the lifespan of the tyres.”
DRIVING TIPS
Accelerate gently and be as steady as possible with the pedal when on the move.
Avoid harsh, stop-start driving. Your car is at its least economical when pulling off from a standstill - momentum is your friend. Anticipate traffic light changes (without taking risks) so that accelerating and braking are minimised.
Always drive in the highest gear possible, with the lowest possible revs, without straining your engine.
Without slowing the flow of traffic, avoid excessive speeds. At 110km/h your car uses up to 25 percent more petrol than it would cruising at a more moderate 90km/h, for instance. Keeping the previous tip in mind, extremely low speeds can also be uneconomical.
Keep your aircon off for as long as you can bear it as this adds significantly to the engine load.
Also avoid driving with the windows open, especially at high speeds, as this causes drag. Above 80km/h, an aircon is known to create less of a fuel-use penalty than an open window.
Use your handbrake on hills, rather than riding the clutch. This technique will also increase the life of your clutch.
STEEP PRICE INCREASE
The latest fuel price increase follows an announcement by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in his Budget speech that the fuel levy on petrol and diesel would be increased by 30c a litre with effect from April 6.
Unleaded 95 petrol (ULP) and lead replacement petrol (LRP) will increase by 88c a litre and 93 petrol (both ULP and LRP) will increase by 86c a litre.
The cost of a litre of 93 unleaded petrol inland is now R12.32 (up from R11.46) and R11.94 for a litre of petrol at the coast (up from R11.13). Diesel (0.05 percent sulphur) will increase by 96c a litre and diesel (0.005 percent sulphur) will increase by 98c a litre.
The Star & IOL