A FORMER Top Gear star has shared his ten tips to slash fuel costs this winter as Rachel Reeves eyes up a 10p per litre tax hike.
The Chancellor is widely expected to bump up the rate of fuel duty in next week’s Budget in a bid to raise much-needed cash.
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Ms Reeves has said that “tough decisions” will be taken to address what her team is calling a £22 billion “black hole” in the nation’s finances this year.
But one of these choices is set to squeeze motorists severely and send petrol prices rocketing.
Fuel duty has been frozen at 57.95p per litre for over a decade, and was even cut to 52.95p in 2022 to ease the cost of living crisis.
But Ms Reeves is set to reverse that cut and potentially increase the main rate for the first time since 2011, with industry experts suggesting an extra 5p rise could be on the way.
And with WhatCar predicting that this could send pump prices up by 10p per litre overnight, it’s vital for drivers to make saving where they can as we move into the colder months.
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With that in mind, motoring legend and Sun columnist Quentin Willson, who fronted BBC Top Gear for a decade, shared his tips for keeping fuel usage down.
First of all, he recommended removing as much extra weight from the car as possible.
Anything in the boot, doors and even glovebox, as well as things like roof racks, that you aren’t using adds mass and makes your motor less efficient.
Likewise, make sure that you don’t spend extended periods with the engine idling.
Sitting with the engine on burns fuel even when you’re not moving so make sure to switch off as soon as you park up and not hit the ignition until you’re ready to leave.
Lots of modern cars have automatic stop/start features to save fuel but it could also be worth switching off manually if you’re likely to spend more than around 10 seconds sitting in traffic.
Once you get on the move, Quentin also had some tips for how you should be driving to make the most out of a tank.
Gentle acceleration and braking, easing off in turns and shifting up as early as possible all reduce stress on the engine and boost efficiency.
Turning off the heater once the cabin has warmed up could also reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%, he added.
And planning your route is essential so that you don’t get lost and waste fuel driving around aimlessly.
The Sun’s 14-year campaign to freeze fuel duty
The Sun has backed drivers as part of the Keep It Down campaign with rates of fuel duty not rising since the start of 2011.
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt earlier this year thanked Sun readers for helping him to make the case to freeze fuel duty in his last Budget.
The freeze meant drivers would not have to face a potential £100 rise in motoring costs as a result of a 12p per litre duty hike.
Our decade-long campaign fights on behalf of readers to freeze duty on petrol and diesel to help deal with rising living costs.
Mr Hunt said: “I know how much Sun readers are feeling the pinch right now.
“Whether you drive a van, a hatchback or a people carrier I know how much you need to be on the road.
“Keeping it down means hard-working people will have an extra £100 this year without having to cut down using their vehicle.”
Elswhere, technology can be a big help, with most cars feature a trip meter, which measures your mileage per journey.
This can help you measure what sort of mpg you’re getting and let you know if you need to drive more economically.
Similarly, Quentin advised using free apps and websites to compare local petrol prices and get the best deal.
You could see gaps of up to 5p per litre between forecourts just a few miles apart.
As long as you don’t have to drive too much out of your way to get there, this can be a great way to save.
Quentin added: “For the first time in 13 years, we’re likely to see a hike in fuel duty in the upcoming Budget.
“But most drivers don’t realise you can increase the miles you get to every litre by as much as 25% if you just get into a fuel-saving mindset.”
Quentin Willson’s 10 tips to save fuel this winter
- Make sure your car is serviced, and the tyres are the correct pressure – blocked air filters, dirty oil and underinflated tyres burn more fuel.
- Don’t drive around with extra weight – take stuff out of the boot and remove roof racks.
- Use your car’s trip computer to show your average fuel consumption – knowing how many miles you’re getting to every litre is key to saving fuel.
- Don’t punch the pedals like a prize fighter – press the accelerator gently and avoid harsh braking.
- Watch the road ahead – easing off before junctions, traffic lights and stationary traffic means you’ll burn less fuel and brake less.
- Use free petrol price apps like Petrolprices.com to find the nearest and cheapest fuel – but don’t drive miles to find it.
- Don’t let your engine idle for long – Switch off as soon as you can.
- Avoid using the air conditioning – the air con compressor puts more strain on your engine and can increase your fuel consumption by up to 10%.
- If your car has a manual gearbox, shift up to a higher as soon as possible – the more your engine revs, the more fuel you use.
- Plan your route – getting lost or going the long way round wastes fuel.
