1. Make sure you have a well-fitted fuel cap on your car. This will avoid the unnecessary release of fumes from your petrol tank into the air where they contribute to photochemical smog.
2. Remove any extra wind resisting items from your car like the roof rack. This will save on fuel and at the same time improve air quality.
3. Don’traceyourcar’sengineduringstart-up. Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive. The most wear to the engine occurs in the first ten to twenty minutes of operation.
4. Warming the engine by letting it idle in the driveway is not a smart idea. The engine doesn’t operate at its peak temperature, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, oil contamination, and ultimately damaged components.
5. When turning the steering wheel, don’t hold it in an extreme right or left position for more than a few seconds as it can damage the power-steering pump.
6. Most of the wear and tear takes place in the first few minutes of driving. Hence doing several errands at once will keep your engine happier longer.
7. If the ignition key sticks when you try to turn on the car, it’s a warning that your ignition switch is about to fail. Replace it before you get stranded.
8. If you are not going to use your car for more than a month, disconnect and remove the battery to keep it from draining. Place the battery on a trickle type charger or periodically drain the battery, using a small light bulb, and then recharge it with a low-volt charger.
9. At bends, reducing speed gently and accelerating smoothly when you are halfway through will reduce excessive fuel consumption.
10. The rear window demister, being on, uses 3-5% more fuel. Remember to switch it off when the window is clear.