Petrol price increasing, tricks to save petrol

The news of no rise in petrol price in Malaysia until September 2008 is comforting indeed, especially for those driving 2.0litres and above, but one must not wait until desperate time to try desperate measures. I have experiment with a few techniques of petrol saving and below are 8 general advise that actually works on me.

Before that there are some terms we must know...

Efficient speed: The most efficient and cost saving speed your car should be. Naturally its 2000 to 2500 rpm for each car, at the last gear (so its around 80km/h for my 1.6 Deto)

Synthetic oil - Usually oil in the region of 0W/40 to 5W/40
Semi-synthetic oil - Usually oil in the region of 5W/30 to 15W/30
Mineral oil - Usually oil in the region of 20W/50 and above


1) Always estimate the traffic in front, look 4 or 5 cars in front and simultaneously monitor their brake light, relative speed and intention. This will make you know whether you should accelerate 10%? 20% or 50% to prevent un-necessary braking and maintain in your efficient speed.

2) If possible, use semi synthetic or fully synthetic oil on your engine. Coz these oil is less viscous, therefore less restriction on your engine, so if your engine can rev easier, the work to make your car move also will be lesser. Of course there are problems if you use these type of engine oil, example if your engine is old, or all the while has been using mineral oil... for those who buy new car / engine should remember this.

3) Make sure the tyre is inflated at the optimum pressure. Different tyre use different pressure, my Advan Neova pump at 33 coz its hard wall soft compound, my sister's Falken Ziex pump at 31 coz its soft wall hard compound. The optimum pressure will ensure minimum rolling resistance and prevent tyre damage (like wear faster on one side...etc). Check your tyre once every 2 week.

4) Air cond is for sissy. Try not to use air cond if possible, coz it will pull the compressor whenever you initiate it, and that's around 1 horsepower itself! Only use air cond if there is alot of ppl in your car, if the mirror begin to fog, if its hot, if its raining, if you like some cold air... other than that, don't use. This is where sunroof comes in handy... Of course the best is to remove the air cond belt, but that's for the extremist...

5) Service your car all the time, and when I say service, it doesn't mean changing engine oil and oil filter... clean your throttle body once every 2 year, make sure O2 sensor good condition, change transmission oil every 4 years, crap like that

6) Always find the shortest route to your destination... This might sound simplistic and straight forward but actually it isin't... The terms shortest route is refering to the LEAST jam route also. So imagine the highway is 3 lane and the left most lane is the least jam, go there! Then further down the road if the right most lane is the least jam, go there! You might ended up look like a prick but ultimately you save petrol, and that's all that matters

7) Never drive with emotion. Means no racing, no dragging, no zip zapping in a busy street, always keep a cool mind and this will ultimately prevent regretful moment. One of the reason 2007 F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen was nick named ice cool driver because he showed no emotion, and that helped him in minimizing mistakes, same goes to 500cc motorsport champion Valentino Rossi. One must be cool when it comes to driving because alot of things can happen at one time, and you need as much brain processing power to analyze what's happening

8) Step the accelerator slowly & accordingly. Again sounds like a pointless and simple advise, but actually it isn't. Each car has an optimum accelerate curve, one needs to find and familiarize with the accelerating speed. Usually its 20% throttle. Notice that sometimes when you're in 5th gear and if you step 60% or 30% its the same? Your car is just accelerating at a relatively same speed? This is due to the characteristic output of the engine, for commercial car, the engine was not designed for power, therefore if someone step more on the accelerator, it doesn't mean the engine will be able to produce the same power expectedly. The additional acceleration will only mean more fuel will be burnt un-necessarily while output the same result.

That is about the few main thing about saving petrol that I employ. It might not sound great but its a layman's point of view in the complicated world of automobile.