South African motorists are losing hundreds, sometimes thousands, of rand a year to fuel inefficiencies that have nothing to do with the fuel price at the pump.
With household budgets already stretched, small changes to driving habits and basic vehicle maintenance can add up to meaningful savings over time, without requiring drivers to change where they go or how often they drive.
Check your tyre pressure
Seriously.
Underinflated tyres create more rolling resistance, which forces the engine to work harder and burn more fuel with every kilometre.
The effect is gradual enough that most drivers never notice it, but over months of daily commuting the extra spend accumulates quietly.
Keeping tyres properly inflated, combined with regular air filter replacements during routine servicing, can improve fuel efficiency by up to 10% in some vehicles.
Just remember to top up tyre pressure whenever you’re at the pumps.
Your driving style costs more than you think
Harsh acceleration and heavy braking increase fuel consumption significantly. So does extended idling in stop-start traffic.
Smoother driving on the other hand, particularly in city traffic, can reduce fuel use by around 15% for smaller petrol vehicles, according to the USDoE.
Also. Stick to the speed limit (it’s hard for some of us, I know, but it’s the law after all.) I’m not saying drive 80km/hr everywhere. Just noting that mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 80km per hour.
No cargo on the roof
According to the USDoE, “hauling cargo on the roof of a vehicle increases aerodynamic drag (wind resistance) and lowers fuel economy.”
They say a “large, blunt roof-top cargo box … can reduce fuel economy by around 2% to 8% in city driving, 6% to 17% on the highway, and 10% to 25% at Interstate speeds (105 km to 120 km).”
Instead, switch to rear-mounted cargo boxes or trays. This reduces fuel by around 1 or 2% in city driving and 1% to 5% on the highway.
And if you really have to, remember to remove it when it’s not in use.
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Don’t forget about rewards money
Most major filling stations in South Africa have loyalty or rewards programmes tied to bank cards or retailer partnerships. eBucks, Clicks, etc.
Drivers who fill up at the same station every week but are not enrolled in a rewards programme are effectively paying more than they need to.
Depending on the programme, some motorists can recover close to R1 per litre through points, cashback or discounts. So if you are filling a 50-litre tank twice a month, that could potentially add up to around R1,200 a year.
Lift sharing is underrated
Splitting a commute with one other person, even two or three days a week, cuts fuel costs in half for those trips and reduces vehicle wear and tear at the same time.
For regular commuters travelling similar routes, it is one of the highest-impact changes available. Your tyres will also last longer.
It’s worth considering.
No single habit change will transform a monthly budget overnight but there small changes could realistically save you money over the course of a year.
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