Maintaining your car should be both common sense and also part of your motoring routine. A well maintained car will not only give you better efficiency but it will last longer and cost you less in the long run. You don’t need to be a grease fisted mechanic in order to keep your car in tip top condition, however it may be beneficial to enlist the help of a someone with some mechanical experience.

You should:

• Keep up to date with your services, even if you opt to do them yourself. Servicing ensures that oil, filters and other components are working optimally and your car is safe.
• Make sure tyre pressures are correct, under inflated tyres can effect your MPG by up to 5 percent. I would suggest in keeping a pressure gauge in the car with you. Try and check weekly if you can.
• Empty your car of any excess weight & clutter. Maybe even try and rid yourself of that spare tyre! (see Hypermiling Tip #1)
• Remove roof racks, roof boxes or anything else not needed that increases drag.

Most of the above should be common sense, however I am amazed at how many people I know that just don’t take care of their cars and wonder why they break, cost a fortune to run and ultimately repair. A wise man once said “If you look after your car, it will look after you”.

For next week’s installment we will start on the Hypermiling Techniques that will require a change in your driving style, then you’ll really be saving!!