With the price of petrol continuously skyrocketing, there are some common easy to follow tips for saving money at the petrol pumps.

Although the government said this week that Malta’s petrol and diesel prices were ranked the 14th and 11th lowest respectively in the EU, their respective pump prices of €1.41 and €1.32 are still creating a significant dent in the monthly finances.

One budget many moons ago had proposed measures for the transport sector including advisory services on energy efficient driving and the introduction of energy efficiency services at Malta’s petrol stations.

The plan, a worthy one but one that is still to see the light of day, had provided for the provision of advisory services on energy saving measures, the dissemination of public information on eco-driving through driving schools, vehicle repairers, car retailers and at VRT test sites, and the development of an intelligent traffic management system.

The government was to also investigate whether petrol stations would be able to provide cost effective energy efficiency services such as compressed air for tyres, information and/or engine checks. Activities along these lines were to have begun in 2009 but there has been no sign of any such discussions.

Easy ways to save money at the petrol pumps

1 When possible, carpool or use public transport, or your feet, to get to work and run errands.

2 Fill up the car’s tank when it is half full, don’t wait for it to approach empty – the reason being that the more petrol you have in your tank, the less air is occupying the tank’s empty space.  Petrol evaporates very quickly. 

3 If you drive a diesel vehicle, consider switching over the alternative fuel available in Malta – Biofuel.

4 Drive more efficiently, speeding can not only cost lives, but it can also cost dearly at the pump so stay within speed limits and avoid excessively quick acceleration.

5 Avoiding quick stops and starts can improve mileage by up to five percent. Drive gently and anticipate traffic conditions.

6 Avoid unnecessary idling. It wastes fuel, costs you money, and pollutes the air. Turn off the engine if you think you are going to have to wait.

7 Combine errands: several short trips can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance.

8 Remove unnecessary items from the boot – an extra 50kilos at the back can reduce fuel economy by up to two per cent.

9 Keep your engine serviced according to your owner’s manual to increase mileage by an average of four per cent.

10 Keep your tyres properly inflated and aligned to increase mileage up to three per cent.

11 Change your oil according to the schedule in your owner’s manual and use the manufacturer’s recommended grade. Motor oil that says ‘Energy Conserving’ on the label contains friction-reducing additives that can improve fuel economy.

12 Nearly one in four cars needs an air filter replacement. A clean air filter can improve mileage by as much as 10 per cent.

13 Poor alignment not only causes tyres to wear out faster, but also forces the engine to work harder. A tyre alignment can save up to 10 per cent ion mileage.

14 It is estimated that some 15 per cent of cars on the road have broken or missing petrol tank caps. Escaping fumes hurt fuel economy and as replacing a missing or broken petrol tank caps.

15 Driving with your foot on the brake pedal will not only wear out brake pads (which will cost you at the maintenance shop) but can also increase gas consumption by as much as 35 per cent.