Tips and Tricks for Improving the Fuel Economy of Your Volkswagen

Every car owner wants to improve their car’s mileage, but unless you’re lucky enough to own an all-electric vehicle, you’re probably stuck filling up your car’s tank much more often than you would like.

What if we told you that achieving this task is as easy as adopting some better driving habits?

That’s right and so we’ve come up with simple tips that would help anyone to improve the mileage on their vehicle. There are many ways that can help such as doing simple changes to your driving habits, and changes to your vehicle itself that can improve fuel economy.

While we list them down here for you, make sure your car is up to date by visiting your nearest Volkswagen Service center in Hyderabad.

The first one being a no-brainer- regular servicing.

Just visit an authorized Volkswagen service center regularly and make sure your car never misses on the best pampering it can get. And what’s more you can as well earn loyalty points and special discounts.

Simple things as changing your spark plugs is a cost-effective way to help get the most out of every gallon of fuel. Spark plugs can become covered in carbon deposits and other things during their life and having a fresh set of plugs is a great first step towards becoming a master at improving fuel efficiency.

Driving with optimal tire pressure makes a huge difference to your car’s fuel efficiency. Reduced tyre pressure means increased contact area between the tire and the road.

Tires, believe it or not, can greatly impact your fuel economy. When your tire pressure is low, the rolling resistance of the tire on the road is increased and this can greatly rob you of your fuel efficiency. As a result, friction between the rubber of the tyre and the road increases, resulting in

higher fuel consumption. Over-inflated tyres will mean a lower consumption, but at the cost of grip and ability to disperse water on the road.

Make sure the tyres are inflated at the manufacturer recommended levels and you’ll be fine. And don’t forget to check them once a week, always in the morning.

Fill it up with the right fuel.

When it comes to getting the best performance from your car, there’s a notion that super fuel, or high-performance fuel, is best. Super fuel, also known as premium fuel or high-performance fuel, is petrol with a higher-octane rating. Most standard brands of fuel have a 95-octane rating. Whereas super fuel typically has a rating of around 98. This can make the engine work more efficiently and improve performance. While super fuel may work best for some cars, manufacturers test their vehicles for the most ideal fuel type.

So, if your car manual says you should use ‘normal’ unleaded fuel, or another fuel with a not-so-high octane rating, then you should trust it. With the right oil, you can help improve fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent. Regular oil change can also extend the life of your motor. See your local Volkswagen dealership in Hyderabad for the oil that was engineered for your Volkswagen model.

Cruise Control – Be as smooth as possible with the car’s controls. Treat the accelerator and the brake pedals with respect.

Rough speedy acceleration and sudden brakes might be more fun on the road but harms your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. By maintaining a constant speed on major roads and in free-flowing traffic, your fuel economy will usually improve.

Drive them all in one go.

By avoiding several separate trips throughout the day, you can help keep your engine running warm and more efficiently. Two short trips will inevitably consume more fuel than one that is slightly longer. This is because your car consumes extra fuel each time you crank the engine.

Combine as many trips as possible to keep fuel efficiency high. As a bonus, you’ll also be saving on travelling time.

Drive slowly. Go easy on the accelerator

For many drivers, the thrill of pressing the accelerator is impossible to resist. But driving fast increases the drag on your car, which lowers fuel economy. Keep your speed right at the limit and accelerate slowly to improve efficiency. It might not be quite as much fun as driving fast and hitting the accelerator, but it will keep more money in your pocket to participate in fun activities.

To improve your fuel economy, the Institute of Advanced Motorists has the following driving tips. Try to keep your driving smooth. Gentle acceleration and using the highest safe gear will use less fuel.

This style of driving, where harsh or rapid accelerating is minimised and gears are used efficiently, is often known as ‘eco-safe driving.’

It will not only help you use less fuel, which is better for you and the environment, but it tends to be safer too – hence the name.

A car’s fuel efficiency has a lot to do with how its parts air on the move, so shut all the windows out. In other words, aerodynamics.

Open windows, even partly, at high speeds can impact fuel efficiency and result in the tank draining out quicker due to increased drag.

Here’s what y do. At low speeds, open the window – the fuel used to compensate for drag is less than the fuel used to power your air con.

While driving on the motorway, however, it’s the other way around. So, turn on the climate control – the fuel used to compensate for drag is greater than the fuel required to have the air conditioning on.

Shift to the highest possible gear without the engine knocking.

A car consumes more fuel in lower gears when accelerating. If the engine’s not pulling, shift down instead of pressing the throttle.

Shifting up at 2,000 rpm (1,500 rpm for diesel) gives the best mix of speed and economy. On an automatic with manual shift, short shift to save fuel.

Lose some weight. The heavier the car, the greater will be its thirst.

You can reduce fuel consumption by removing excess weight from your car. You can do this by removing your roof rack when you aren’t using it and disposing of any rubbish.

So, ditch that child safety seat you don’t use anymore, the spare tyre that’s not fit for use or even the tonnes of garbage that you lug around. Keep the boot empty and clean and watch the fuel gauge become more stable. The extra bucks will make up for the trouble.

An idling car burns fuel without really going anywhere.

When you’re stopped in a parking lot or waiting to pick someone up, it’s always best to turn off the engine to save fuel. Allowing the engine to idle simply wastes gas and doesn’t help you at all. Some municipalities around the country have bans on engine idling to reduce pollution and improve air quality.

If possible, avoid driving in rush-hour traffic, since it’s likely you’ll end up idling on the freeway when you’re stuck in a traffic jam. Go to work earlier so you can leave early or take public transportation to prevent the need to drive during high-traffic times.

Simple solution. Switch the engine off. Or, if you have the budget, buy a car with auto start-stop technology.

Don’t drive your car with dirty or clogged filters, Keep them clean. Replace the air filter or the oil filter if you don’t want to shell out at the pump. Get them cleaned or replace them.

It will be money well spent since you won’t be bleeding slowly. A serviced engine will also consume less fuel, so don’t ignore the schedule.

If you don’t need to drive somewhere, don’t.

Also, if you must visit a crowded area, such as a market or a fair, park your car some distance away where you don’t have to drive around to find a parking spot.

It will save you time, the hassle of navigating through congestion and of course a lot of fuel. Moreover, a bit of exercise can do you and the family no harm either.

Use Technology to Save

There are several free apps available to help you find the best gas prices based on your current location. When your car is running low on fuel, pull up the app and allow it to locate a cheap station nearby. It’s also smart to fill up before your car reaches a quarter tank; if you wait too long, you might end up spending a lot more at the closest station rather than driving to one that offers a better price.

Save money and help the environment by reducing the fuel you use in your vehicle.

While these are just a handful of the many simple tricks that will make you a master of miles per gallon, we’ll end our list here so you can go out and check your tire pressure and take off your roof rails if you don’t currently need them on. If you’re trying all these tips and tricks but still aren’t getting the fuel efficiency that you desire, maybe it’s time for a new vehicle. A brand-new vehicle may not seem like the most cost-effective approach at first, in the long run a newer vehicle with better technology under the hood can play a huge role in how much of your hard-earned money is spent at the pump.

Check out the Volkswagen range at your nearest Volkswagen showrooms in Hyderabad, PPS Motors to find the perfect one that will fit your family’s needs and keep your wallet happy.