Just about everyone who comes to us for ecu remapping says they want better mpg from their vehicle. And whilst engine chip tuning can assist in this, there are other ways to ensure you get the best fuel economy from your vehicle. This blog is about achieving just that… enhanced mpg without the need to resort to chip tuning and remapping.
So here are 6 tips to improve your car's fuel economy. The list is not exhaustive but here as a guide to help you and is written in the spirit of 'every little helps!'
1 - Drop the dead weight!
Have you removed that dead body from your boot? No? All that excess dead weight in the trunk of your car makes it harder for your vehicle to get up to and maintain any given speed. Think about it for a moment, have you ever tried running without a ruck sack on your back and then tried it again with a ruck sack full of sand? If you have you’ll understand just how much more difficult it was for you to get up to and then maintain your running pace. A car full of excess weight in the boot is the same as that ruck sack on your back!
Only remove however the unnecessary items. Never remove safety equipment in case of an emergency. Such essential equipment could include but is not limited to high-viz jackets, triangles, a blanket, medical box etc.
2 - Under Pressure - have you checked your Tyres?
They might be black. They might be boring. But, tyres are the main contributing factor between keeping you on the road and off it and they play an enourmuos role in fuel consumption. When we say ‘check your tyres’ we don’t mean tread depth (though that’s important) and we don’t mean size or shape (though that’s also important). What we’re referring to here is tyre pressure. Usually found on the inside of your car’s door jam is your car manufacturers recommended tyre pressure for your vehicle both with a single driver and when fully loaded with passengers and their collective luggage. Underinflated tyres can increase fuel consumption by over 10% as well as cause them to wear out prematurely. So keep your tyre pressures at their correct level and you'll help not only improve the mpg of your car, but also keep the wear and tear of your tyres to a minimum.
3 - How’s my driving?
Never mind my driving… how’s your driving? Did you realize the way in which you drive can have a huge impact on fuel consumption? Economical motoring does not mean driving slowly. It’s about being aware of the driving conditions around you so you can maintain your speed for longer that will lead to unnecessary decreased acceleration and braking. For example driving up to a set of traffic lights at speed and then coming to a full stop only to then restart your journey from a stand still uses a LOT more fuel than slowing down gently so that perhaps you go through the lights at 2nd gear before gaining speed again.
Simple but conscious driving actions such as the above could dramatically reduce the amount of fuel your car consumes during your daily commute to work and back.
4 - Booring can be better!
That’s not a statement you’ll ever hear romantics say out aloud but, if economical motoring is your thing… booring routes such as A roads could provide more economical driving than the more fun b routes. A roads and motorways are usually more well maintained, flatter, smoother roads than B roads and other country lanes. As such, they provide a greater opportunity to practice your new found smooth driving style as recommended above rather than encourage you to jump on and off the loud pedal in the name of driving entertainment!
5 - A/C Does it really need to be on?
Almost every car has air conditioning and even more have windows that go up and down! That’s right windows! It’s true to say that in some conditions the original air conditioning system (that is the action of winding down a window) is more economical than turning on your car’s A/C! If you don’t like the thought of that then just pretend you’re driving down the Great Ocean Road in Australia or South Beach Miami instead of the High Street in Croydon. This tip of course depends on speed and vehicle type. So a good general rule of thumb is… if you don’t have to use the a/c but can get away with opening the window just a little… then that’s a useful thing to do.
6 - Don’t be a drag!
No one likes a hanger-on… they’re a drag! And the same is true with your car. Increased drag on your car makes it harder for the engine to push your vehicle through the air leading to increased fuel consumption. So removing items such as roof racks, bike racks and ski racks will lead to improved MPG as the overall drag of your car has reduced which in turn makes it easier for your car to get up to and maintain your chosen speed.
So there are 6 top tips to improve fuel economy for you. Of course if you're doing all of the above and still want greater mpg from your car, then perhaps car remapping for improved economy could help. But, before this, we'd recommend all of the above first!
Finally, given this blog is about being economical… have you noticed that not a single one of the 6 top tips will cost you a fortune to implement? There you are then, Mobile Remaps, saving you money to the very end!
