Cut down car costs in the credit crunch

CEO James Harrison says there are more ways than you might think to cut back on car-running costs.

Avoid high speeds

On the motorway try and limit your speed. The average car consumes 38% more fuel at 70pmh than it does at 50mph. Motorists driving at 90mph are wasting up to £1.20 every eight minutes as opposed to driving at 70mph. Acceleration and deceleration is what uses most fuel. You will improve your fuel consumption with smooth driving.

To maintain low revs whilst driving you should change gear as soon as is practical. Engines run most economically at revs between 1,500 and 2,500 so aim to always be between this unless more power is required.

Drive with your windows and sunroof closed - this will make your car more aerodynamic. Driving with a Sunroof open can affect your fuel consumption by as much as 4%.

Having a ski box on the roof of your car - even if it is empty can effect your fuel consumption by up to 20% at 70mph.

Having the air-con on can increase petrol consumption by as much as 10%, so when its warm just have your fans on cool instead of having the air con on, or just have the window down slightly. If this fails to cool you down then try to just have the air-con on in short bursts. However, if you are travelling at over 60mph and it is too hot then air-con is more efficient then opening the window.

Shopping around for petrol can actually save you a quite a bit of money. Across the UK for unleaded petrol the price can actually range up to 25p. Try to avoid filling up on the motorway, as service stations can have higher petrol prices.

Weight of car

Don't carry around in your car any items you don't need regularly. On average every 50kg extra will increase your petrol consumption by 2%.

Having clean oil in your can reduces the wear caused by friction of moving engine parts and also helps improve fuel consumption. Keep track of when you last changed oil. Ideally on a petrol car you should change the oil at least once a year or every 8000 miles. For a diesel engine change the oil at least every 9 months or 5000 miles.

If your tyres appear to be unevenly worn get your car checked out by a mechanic because wheels need to be correctly aligned. Improper alignment affects the handling of your car and increases fuel consumption.

Service your vehicle regularly, as a poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption.

Thicker tyres have more rolling resistance which means higher fuel consumption. Fitting thinner tyres will improve your fuel consumption, however your car will not handle as well with thinner tyres. Always seek advice of a garage before buying thinner tyres.

Under inflated tyres increase resistance which harms your fuel consumption. It is estimated that 50% of tyres on the road are under inflated. Check your car manual for the recommended pressure then go to your local petrol station and use their pump for free. If your tyres are under inflated by 20% this will result in a 3% fuel consumption increase and reduce the tyre life by 30%.

Petrol engines tend to be more powerful, smoother and more refined than their diesel counterparts, however they suffer in comparison compared to fuel economy - If you are not doing many miles a year this may not be of huge concern.

Car Tax Bands are based around your cars CO2 emission rate. Check your proposed purchases figure and compare it to its rivals - just because it has the same sized engine does NOT mean the CO2 rate will be the same, differing manufactures vary at how adept they are at producing clean engines.

Buy annual tax rather than a six-month tax disc and save a maximum of £40.

Buy a car registered before 1 January 1974 and you're exempt from paying road tax. Bear in mind it will be unlikely to have power steering, electric windows and other in-car comforts.

Buy a car that emits less than 100g/km of CO2 and you won't have to pay any car tax at all.

Avoid the London congestion charge

Drive a car that emits less than 120g/km of CO2 or drive a hybrid and you will avoid the London Congestion Charge.

Convert your engine to run on liquid petroleum gas (LPG), a fuel which costs less than unleaded and diesel. LPG costs 53 pence per litre on average and engine conversion rates range from £1,000 to £1,500.

And finally.........

Slow Down!

Speeding tickets add an average of 13 per cent to insurance premiums.

Use a comparison website such as insurancewide.com to search from a wide range of insurers - don't just pick the cheapest either, pick the ones that suit your needs.

Don't crash!

Accident-free motorists can be rewarded with no-claims discounts of up to 70 per cent.

Avoid modifying your car

Modifications will raise your premium. This is only the case if your vehicle is changed in any way from the manufacturer's standard specifications.