Save fuel in winter

Drive off quickly

D he warming up in the stand not only wastes fuel unnecessarily, anyone caught doing so pays a fine of 10 euros. It is best to set off straight away. The engine heats up much faster and gentler on the material in the medium speed range. Be careful with the temperature display: Even if the cooling water is already in the green area, the engine is not yet really warm. Because the cooling water usually heats up faster than the engine oil, and the oil temperature is what matters when it comes to engine wear. In winter, the operating temperature can often only be reached after 20 kilometers.

Avoid short journeys

A two-kilometer journey costs a lot of fuel. The engine needs a lot of fuel in the warm-up phase. In addition, the catalytic converter does not reach operating temperature properly, and pollutant emissions increase. The engine wear also increases. Better to walk.

Switch off power guzzlers

If you switch on many electrical consumers in winter, you drive up fuel consumption. According to a rule of thumb, consumption per 100 watts increases by 0.1 liters per 100 kilometers. The ventilation, for example, has an output of around 170 watts, a hi-fi amplifier even has up to 400. The seat heating needs around 100, the heated rear window 170 and the front window heating even up to 540 watts. The electric helpers should only do their job when they are really needed.

Service regularly

If you save on vehicle maintenance, you pay more on fuel. Because sooty spark plugs and a clogged air filter drive consumption up. A properly maintained brake system and correct chassis geometry also reduce fuel consumption. In addition, too low air pressure in the tires is not only dangerous, but also expensive. The tires wear out faster and have higher rolling resistance, which increases fuel consumption.

Drive with foresight

Especially in city traffic, drivers should be careful with the accelerator and brake pedals. Because if you constantly accelerate and brake again, you destroy a lot of energy. It is better to swim calmly in traffic. The same applies to country roads and motorways: here, too, predictive and steady driving with a few braking maneuvers saves fuel.

Engine off

If the car does not have a modern start-stop system, the following rule applies: The engine must be switched off at every traffic light, at every level crossing and in traffic jams. That saves a lotFuel, even if it's only for a short time. This does not harm the starter. But after switching off the engine, switch the ignition back on so that the lighting system, the wipers or indicators continue to work.

Clearing out the car

Whether a luggage rack or a full trunk: what unnecessary weight or aerodynamic drag increases, also increases fuel consumption. Anything superfluous should be returned to the garage or basement as soon as possible.

Good planning

If you don't have to arrive at a certain time, you should avoid congested parts of the day. If that is not possible, it is better to roll around on a small detour than to burn gasoline unnecessarily in a traffic jam.