A way to use less petrol?

ReductionQueen · 12 February 2005 at 10:43PM

DavidVince wrote:

a few problems- -

* but an old diesel (preferbly non turbo or early turbo, do a few internet searches and finfd out how to make your used cooking oil into petrol - its alpot easier than you think. by law you should report and pay all duty on the fuel you use. i know of firneds who have used and continue to use this very successfully.

hope its of help.

I think that you will find it's diesel, not petrol that's most commonly made from veg oil. After all, petrol is a spirit and would have to be distilled. I have looked into making biodeisel, and think it's a bit fiddly for my liking, but some older diesels can run on SVO, straight veg oil, but sometimes this needs heating slightly in the tank to make it thinner.

Also, I agree about other poster's comments about red diesel, best stay away from it. Though I must say that cars are almost never stopped at roadside checkpoints to be dipped for red diesel, usually commercial vehicles.

vansboy · 13 February 2005 at 8:49PM

Silent_Bob wrote:

Sorry to disagree but you're wrong. All fuels have to conform to a rigorous standard procedure. i.e. Sainsburys unleaded and super is the same as BP's.
Stations have to test their fuel in their tanks on a weekly basis too for quality.

Additionally most of the time they fill up from the same fuel depots. There's one near me and I regularly see Esso, Shell, Texaco, Sainsburys tankers etc filling up there - and this is a BP depot.

The only difference is they may not contain cleaning agents, which if you have you car serviced regularly or use an engine cleaner every 3 months will do the same job.

Driving a fuel hungry sports car that requires the highest RON rated fuel I can get (Optimax)

Bob - ask the tanker driver HOW he selects the fuel from the depot!!

He'll tell you that they use a card, which allows CORRECT fuel/additive package, be dispensed, at the fuel depot.

It IS different!! & saves the need for any additional chemical agents to be used, when you get the car serviced.

Glad you're using Optimax - & hope you've got the Shell card & collecting the points, too!

VB

empfun · 13 February 2005 at 9:03PM

Hi FuzzyFelt, as the members have covered most of the useful tips. I would like to re-iterate them and perhaps add one more.

1) Make sure your tyres are properly inflated.
2) Let your engine warm up fully if you have time before you drive it.
3) Don't drag the gears.
4) Change your engine and transmission oil regularly.
5) Replacing the spare tyre with a lightweight space saver spare will save you money in the long run. I took it one step further and did away with it completely. I never kept even the lightweight space saver spare at all, because I felt that the money I would save from having the dead weight would more than cover the call out for the AA (free for some).

Skint_Catt · 15 February 2005 at 1:39PM

I'm desperate not to use any petrol but with a 42 mile round trip to work everyday(with no public transport as in the middle of nowhere) it's a bit hard.

I movd house once and did a 50 mile journey with a fish tank of goldfish on the passenger seat - trying not to spill/kill/make sick the goldfish I used so little petrol I try to remember how I drove. Not too bad when the roads are quiet but when you have zooming traffic around you I guess you have to keep with the flow!

Good Luck

Jolaaled · 18 February 2005 at 9:37AM

to add the above:
close all windows while you're moving. open windows create more drag.
Switch off any electrics not needed e.g. heated rear window, lights etc.
Rather than cruising in neutral, up to a junction, remain in a low gear ( not applicable to older cars tho').

plasma258 · 18 February 2005 at 9:56AM

i seem to get a different amount of miles per tank depending on where i fill up.

I seem to get atleast 10-15% less mileage if i use supermarket petrol, i find the best mileage is from Total where i get about 330 miles per tank instead of about 300 from BP, where as supermarket petrol gives me about 270!!

Does anybody else find this?

ReductionQueen · 18 February 2005 at 12:55PM

Don't forget, if you use ariconditioning (OK, not really relevant in february but....), your milage will drop through the floor. I.e. you will use much more petrol when it's on, as your engine has to work harder to power the car as well as the aircon.

YorkshireBoy · 19 February 2005 at 3:30AM

empfun wrote:

5) Replacing the spare tyre with a lightweight space saver spare will save you money in the long run. I took it one step further and did away with it completely. I never kept even the lightweight space saver spare at all, because I felt that the money I would save from having the dead weight would more than cover the call out for the AA (free for some).

Isn't this illegal?

toozie_2 · 19 February 2005 at 8:42AM

plasma258 i seem to get a different amount of miles per tank depending on where i fill up.

I seem to get atleast 10-15% less mileage if i use supermarket petrol, i find the best mileage is from Total where i get about 330 miles per tank instead of about 300 from BP, where as supermarket petrol gives me about 270!!

Does anybody else find this?

I would use Total, but I live in a very rural area, the Total price here is far more expensive than at another TOTAL 45 miles away.

Just because of this I go to Tesco, 20 miles away-near my office.

ReductionQueen · 19 February 2005 at 8:49PM

YorkshireBoy wrote:

Isn't this illegal?

Having a spare tyre isn't a legal requirement, but if you have one it's the law for it to have a legal tread and no damage, i.e. if you fit it, it should be legal to drive on it.
However, empfun if you call the RAC with a puncture they will ask you if you have a servicable spare. As I always do, I don't know what they will say if you don't, or how the AA handles such sitiuations. They may either refuse you a patrolman until you have a spare wheel, or recommend you to a mobile tyre fitter, which will cost you.

A way to use less petrol?

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