Filter checks and changes are one of the best ways to save petrol. Dirty air filters restrict air flow to the engine which doesn’t make for a great performance or fuel efficiency. Filters are simple to check and change; just remove the filter and hold it up to the sun. If light shines through, you need to replace it.

Rather use filters that are cleaned – they are far more cost effective than throwing away paper filters and have less impact on the environment.

Every car has a reserve of fuel built in, so when your low fuel warning light comes on you don’t need to panic; you aren’t going to run out there and then.

In fact, the amount of fuel left in your car might surprise you.

Every car is different, but the reserve portion of a tank is typically around 10 to 15 percent of the total capacity.

A basic rule of thumb to keep in mind and consider when making a purchase is: the smaller the car, the less fuel. Perhaps it’s a good time to consider buying a hybrid which saves even more fuel, making it a fuel-efficient option.

There are more and more emerging choices with regards to Hybrid vehicles, so if you don’t like the one, you might very well like another with options ranging between the Honda CR-Z and a range of Prius models. Driving smaller cars remains one of the best ways to save.

While new wheels and tyres can improve handling, they create more rolling resistance and increase the amount of fuel used (if they are wider than the stock tyres).

If you’re looking to upgrade your wheels, tyres and rims then do yourself a favour and keep the old ones if they are in reasonably good condition.

The stock tyres are best for longer road trips giving you a smoother ride and remains one of the best ways to save petrol.

When driving a car with an automatic transmission, you always put the car in “park” when you’re not driving it. However, in a manual transmission car, putting it in first gear (or reverse when then the car is facing downhill) is just like putting the car in “park.”

It’s a typical habit to leave the car in neutral and use the emergency brake. While you should always use the emergency brake, it’s possible that it can fail at some point and your car will end up rolling. 

This one is a no-brainer whether you have been driving a manual transmission for years or not. But always remember to press on the clutch pedal when shifting gears, whether you’re shifting up the gears or down them.

Not doing so can mess up the gears in the transmission as well as the clutch components. There are a lot of technical terms we can use for these parts in terms of what’s actually happening when you don’t disengage the clutch, but we’ll spare you the details.

Your mum or dad might suggest coasting – letting the car roll in neutral – to save fuel. This isn’t advisable because you’re not in full control of the car if it’s freewheeling in neutral, losing engine braking and the ability to accelerate out of any tricky situations.

There’s also nothing to be gained from coasting in modern injection cars, like it did in old-fashioned carburetor cars, because a modern car’s ECU (engine control unit) cuts the fuel supply the second you take your foot off 

Cars, like all machines, work best when they are properly maintained. And you don’t need to be a mechanic – it’s things like setting the correct tyre pressure that make the most difference to fuel economy.

That’s because under-inflated tyres cause more rolling resistance and friction, and that means the engine has to work harder to get the same results.

Get your car serviced on schedule and make sure you regularly change your engine oil and pump up your tyres to keep everything running efficiently

In serious bumper to bumper traffic jams, the pace seems to slow down and then pick up again while more heavy-duty vehicles, especially trucks, seem to hang back and take their time driving along at an easy pace. There is a reason why they do this.

A steady pace and hanging back keeps gear shifting to a bare minimum making travelling from point A to point B a far more economical journey. It takes less fuel to keep a car moving than it does to get it going at an increasing rate.

Cruise control can help boost fuel economy, but only under certain conditions. On long, straight stretches and relatively flat roads such as motorways, the cruise control feature keeps a steady pressure on the accelerator, ensuring a steady and efficient use of fuel.

But in hilly terrain, cruise control tries to maintain the same speed, so it’s working harder and using more fuel.

Plan ahead to avoid traffic congestion, and keep the car moving at a steady pace to make your journey more pleasant and more fuel-efficient.

Gentle deceleration saves brakes and helps fuel efficiency. 

Try to gauge the flow of traffic ahead of you.

Decelerate naturally rather than coming to a complete stop – it’s more economical than braking.

Petrol is like a detergent and washes away oil from the components of the engine, therefore, wearing it out quicker.

Diesel is a light oil and when burned and used as fuel by the vehicle it lubricates the parts of the engine.

Diesel engines lasts longer than petrol engines. While diesel engines typically last longer they are more costly to repair.

Diesel is a light oil and when burned and used as fuel by the vehicle, it lubricates the parts of the engine.

This prolongs the life of the engine.

Diesel cars are excellent for cruising, particularly on highways, because overtaking power is always on tap, often without even needing to change down gears.

Petrol engines are all about revs, and they tend to achieve their maximum power or fun point – at a higher number of revolutions.