OS solutions to rising fuel prices

ubamother

I do all the basic stuff that is advised - not carrying unnecessary weight, only filling up halfway, anticipating lights, junctions etc. and it really does make a difference, even though I drive quite a large automatic car - I'm sure Martin did a blog on this a while back and worked out the difference.

Bitsy_Beans

Lots of tips here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheaper-fuel

mrswive

OH and I have one small car between us, which cost about £35 to fill up not so long ago but is now nearer £45. I walk to work and back which takes about 30 minutes each way, and OH cycles - the round trip is about 35 miles. We're lucky in that the local shops, including Tesco & Waitrose, are only a mile to a mile and a half away so we walk and shop most days. The car is used once a week to take me old mum to do her shopping, as she can't walk safely without holding on to me or a shopping trolley, and once every two or three weeks to visit my DD and grandbabies who live 160 miles away - no way can I give that up! Any other journeys are planned to do as many things as possible on the one trip.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people will drive 1/4 of a mile to the shop, and the increasing cost of fuel doesn't seem to make much difference.

jackieglasgow

LiR Bitsy drives a defender

Biggles

triticale wrote: »

Depending on the car, turning off and then restarting can use more fuel (and wear components more quickly) than leaving the engine idling.

Only if you're in the habit of 'blipping' the accelerator pedal when you restart, which isn't necessary on modern cars. Some 'eco' cars automatically cut out after 5 seconds of being stationary and restart when you depress the clutch.

It actually saves an enormous amount of engine wear (not to mention fuel), as it isn't turning over. The only bit that gets more wear is the starter motor and I've not had any problems in 20 years.

lostinrates

jackieglasgow wrote: »

LiR Bitsy drives a defender

LOL maybe she doesn't have to deal with that junction...and weird drivers who come SO close. But she'll understand the roll back onto the brakes. Its a bit of a joke in my family that we know how close to home we are by how close the driver behind is.

Bitsy_Beans

lostinrates wrote: »

At one junction locally, me. As other Land rover defender drivers will know, they roll back on to their breaks on inclines..not a fault, and not a lot but at one cross roads with traffic lights people come up so close behind I'm scared to put my handbrake on the slight back turn of the wheels. I've had people scream abuse at me....the simpler answer would be, of course, not to get to close to people at all but especially not on hills.

jackieglasgow wrote: »

LiR Bitsy drives a defender

Sadly not any more Had to sell her in order to make way for children.
Hmmm never noticed that problem though with the breaks but then again where I live it's not really uphill and downdale.
When you use your handbrake rather than your brake do you still get the roll back when you find the "bite"?

Anyway do share what your Landy looks like? Ours was CSW 90 in a gorgeous metallic red

lostinrates

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

Sadly not any more Had to sell her in order to make way for children.
Hmmm never noticed that problem though with the breaks but then again where I live it's not really uphill and downdale.
When you use your handbrake rather than your brake do you still get the roll back when you find the "bite"?

Anyway do share what your Landy looks like? Ours was CSW 90 in a gorgeous metallic red

Actually, DH wrot ours off a few weeks ago and its undergoing repair (i.e. in a barn and he walks round it at weekends;) ATM...it took a beating and I'm not sure buying it back was really the best decision, but I'm being supportive over it for now) so I'm in a borrowed car..not a good longterm solution, I only have it for another month. I can't tell you how much I'm loving electric windows and really good heating! DH's is also red, but in the revamp I'm petitioning for a change of colour (300tdi 90)

Its not a problem with the brakes, they just do it, its secure, they just roll back onto the handbrake on a hill (about a 1/4 turn of wheel ish I guess), and we do a lot of hills! where we live now is flatter, but this one junction...:eek:.

triticale

Biggles wrote: »

It actually saves an enormous amount of engine wear (not to mention fuel), as it isn't turning over. The only bit that gets more wear is the starter motor and I've not had any problems in 20 years.

Fair enough, as I said it depends on the car.

Biggles wrote: »

Some 'eco' cars automatically cut out after 5 seconds of being stationary and restart when you depress the clutch.

That car sounds like my idea of hell!!! :eek:

Justamum

Cheapskate wrote: »

I put £10 worth of petrol in my car today - and had to pay £1.329 per litre - up from £1.289 on Sunday at the SAME station!!!

Ours hasn't been as cheap as £1.329 for ages. Diesel was £1.449 today. I have a strict budget of £100 for the month and when it's gone it's gone, so if I have to go to town I make sure I can do a few errands when I'm there.

I'm not looking forward to the insurance costs this year. DH knows how strapped for cash we are, and that we can barely keep one car on the road, but he still keeps going on about having two cars. He takes the bus to work as it works out much cheaper.

Luckily here we don't have MOTs so that saves money!