Drivers are being urged to remove a key item from their vehicles this September to instantly cut fuel costs. As temperatures begin to cool, simple checks and changes can improve car efficiency and save money.
What to remove
Motoring expert Dale Gillespie from Iron Offroad advises that fully clearing out your car after a holiday can have a significant impact on your bills. Every piece of additional clutter reduces fuel economy, he warns.
"Camping equipment, bike racks, they all add up and impact your fuel," he explained. Items such as bike racks can increase fuel costs or reduce the range of an electric vehicle, owing to the aerodynamic drag and additional weight they create. During periods when they are not required, it is advisable to remove them entirely.
Empty roof racks add weight
Dale also pointed out that it is worth taking off the roof rack. "Something else no one ever thinks about is the weight added by empty roof racks," he said. "It can increase your fuel consumption by 1% to 2.6%." That amounts to roughly £30 per year. However, if you keep that roof box loaded, a typical saloon will consume around 10% to 12% more fuel on each journey, and that figure rises sharply to 20.8% on the motorway.
Tyre pressure checks
Temperature has a greater impact on tyre pressure than many motorists appreciate. Dale said: "Tyre pressure falls by around 1-2psi for every 10°C drop in temperature. So, as the weather cools, your pressure could start running low."
The lower your tyre pressure, the greater your fuel consumption. It is also predicted that more than half of tyres on UK roads are underinflated, and being just 6psi below the recommended pressure can add around 3% to your fuel bill.
"Look for a sticker inside the driver's door frame or on the inside of your fuel filler flap," added Dale. "That will tell you the ideal tyre pressure for your make and model." As well as impacting fuel, underinflation can reduce tyre life by around 10%.
A handful of straightforward checks and adjustments could help keep more money in your pocket this September.
