Some very basic car care tips and proper driving habits that can help you save

fuel Keep the car well tuned Periodically servicing the car, and using the recommended fuel and lubricating oils helps to keep the engine in good shape. A well-tuned engine helps reduce fuel consumption by upto 6%. Maintaining the correct tyre pressure Always maintain correct air pressure in the tyres. Tyres with less air increase resistance and tyres with e cess air tend to skid, as they lose road grip. !orrect air pressure not only makes your drive more comfortable, it also helps save by increasing fuel efficiency. Keeping the air cleaner clean "our car#s air cleaner gets clogged with dust over a period of time. This clogging causes increased intake resistance for air, thus reducing the power output and increasing the fuel consumption. Shed unnecessary weight $hen your car carries e tra load, it consumes that much more fuel. %any cars lug around possessions of their owners, which are not used fre&uently. 'ld maga(ines, newspapers, books, bottles, cans, shoes, car covers, spares ) parts replaced while servicing your car, even your child#s bicycle can end up in your boot space - increasing your cars weight. *uggage carriers mounted on top of the car add weight and cause a drag while the car is moving. "ou can remove this carrier when not being used. +hedding load can help save considerable amount of fuel. Avoiding 'fast start' takeoff ,-../rooom-scrreeech0, starts are not only dangerous for other vehicles and pedestrian, they also burn your tyres and unnecessarily use up e cess fuel. Avoid excessive idling Turn off your engine when you stop the car for more than three minutes. 1ever park your car with the engine left running. 2dling your car for one hour can consume about 3 litre of fuel. .owever you should switch off the engine only when you know that the car will be waiting for some time, since turning the engine on and off fre&uently, also works adversely. 4 cessive idling can also damage the catalytic converter. Anticipate stops +top-go driving causes ma imum wastage of fuel. Although this is unavoidable while driving on the city streets, you can atleast stop pumping on the accelerator when you know that you have to stop a little further away at the traffic signal light. "ou can save a lot of fuel by anticipating the need to stop. Use the correct gear %ost car owners complain about poor fuel average without even knowing the optimum speed for different gears. The cars manual can give you the correct information. "ou can drive your car in the top gear even at speeds as low as 56 - 66 7m8h. 9riving in wrong gear burns upto :;% e cess fuel. ruise at a constant speed $hile driving on lesser trafficked roads, you get ma imum fuel efficiency while cruising at !" - #" km$h. 9riving faster increases the air drag and you burn more fuel. At higher speeds you can burn as much as <;% e cess fuel over your cars optimum speed.

Use the clutch %udiciously =sing the clutch e cessively wears the clutch pad and increases fuel consumption. Keep the choke knob pressed down 9riving the car with the choke knob in pulled position can cause damage to the catalytic converter. Use the A sparingly Air-conditioners and heating systems increase your fuel consumption by 36 - :;%. &eversing /eversing your car immediately after starting >i.e when the engine is cold? consumes more fuel. 2t is sensible to park your car in such manner, that you do not re&uire reversing after starting your car. 'ool your car Share your car with friends and colleagues while travelling to work and getting back( Sharing of cars while commuting to work has hazaar advantages) +ave money by sharing the cost /educe peak hour traffic .elp the nation conserve fuel

*ther advantages of pooling cars) 3. "ou can swipe your friend#s lunchbo and eat it for breakfast. *ater you can smartly wipe off your hands over the towel seat covers. :. "ou can borrow all the newspapers from your co-passengers and suggest that they take a nap. <. "ou can travel in a car much bigger and more comfortable than your own. 5. "ou can ask your co-passengers to help you complete office work that you carried home. 6. $hile getting back home, show your co-passengers the trendiest new restaurant after having conveniently forgotten your wallet in your office drawer. 6. "ou can always borrow your co-passenger#s cellular to make an urgent call.