Top Ten Tips to Save Fuel

Although driving can be a lot more convenient than using other modes of transport, it can be quite expensive. In addition to the cost for insurance, road tax and servicing, you’ll also need to spend on fuel, which can add up to a surprising amount if you’re on the road regularly. 

There are a few nifty ways you can cut down on your fuel consumption and save on fuel costs however, which can also make for safer journeys and boost your environmental credentials.

As the Good Garage Scheme celebrates its 10th Anniversary, we would like to share our 

TOP 10 Fuel Saving Tips:

 

1. Easy Does It

2. Clean Your Engine

3. Keep Your Tyres Pumped Up to Cut Down

4. Close Your Windows

5. Reduce the Revving

6. Make Fewer Trips

7. Declutter Your Car

8. Don't Be an Idler

9. Keep Your Speed in Check

10. Avoid Rush Hour

 

1. Easy Does It 

Anticipate traffic ahead to apply acceleration and braking more fluidly. You will use less fuel - you could save up to 20%.

2. Clean Your Engine 

A clean engine will perform better, produce less CO2 and conserve more fuel.

  

3. Keep Your Tyres Pumped Up to Cut Down

Correctly inflated tyres will affect your fuel consumption and checking them regularly is a good habit.

4. Close Your Windows

Letting in air whilst moving quickly disrupts the aerodynamics of the vehicle, increasing drag and making you use more fuel to sustain the same speed. When possible, use your vehicle’s air vents or air conditioning to keep the cabin air comfortable.

5. Reduce the Revving

Use your gears wisely by changing up a gear a little earlier to reduce revving. 

  

6. Make Fewer Trips

You could cut down on your fuel usage by combining your errands into fewer trips to burn less fuel. 

7. Declutter Your Car

Keeping fewer items in your vehicle will reduce resistance for the engine and lower CO2 emissions. Remove anything you won't need.

8. Don't Be an Idler

If you're likely to be at a standstill for more than 3 minutes, simply switch off the engine - restarting the car will use less fuel than letting it stay idle for this time.

9. Keep Your Speed in Check

Staying at or within the speed limit will decrease CO2 emissions, as well as keep you and your passengers safe. Did you know that at 70mph you could be using up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more fuel than at 50mph?

10. Avoid Rush Hour

If you can’t avoid driving during rush hour, remember to look well ahead at what the traffic is doing so you can gently control your acceleration and braking.

Here's a Bonus Tip:

If your vehicle is in need of servicing to improve your fuel efficiency, the new, flexible Good Garage Scheme Service Plans give you a perfect solution to budget for the cost of keeping your car regularly maintained. 

To find out more about the new Good Garage Scheme Service Plans or to find your local member garage, please visit the website.

A lesson in Wheel Alignment Without the Jargon

The following is a lesson received with thanks from Good Garage Scheme member, Mike Field of Fields Car Centre Ltd in Woking, Surrey.

We all use jargon in our chosen professions, but why is it we seem to assume that everyone else understands it too!
       
Have you ever listened to someone talk about their work and use words you may have heard before but haven't a clue what they mean? We just want to say, "I don't know what you are talking about!"
But we don't, because we don't want to appear ignorant!

So when trying to explain about cars, I try to 'talk' normal and explain things in plain English. 
I hope I don't sound patronising in any way, but the best thing is just to keep it simple.

One thing I have learnt in the car industry is that we can complicate things too much at times.

photo courtesy of Fields Car Centre Ltd

Have a look at the two pictures above
The one on the right is a new tyre, the left has what we call the 'wheel alignment' or 'tracking' out.

The tyre is wearing very unevenly and prematurely.

Importance of Wheel Alignment
Now in the spirit of a 'jargon free, simple guide' to wheel alignment here goes:

Wheel Alignment is the direction and angle of the wheels.  It is commonly known as 'toe in, toe out'. There is also the term 'camber and castor'. 

"I thought you said no jargon!"
(I know it's hard isn't it?)

Put simply, the wheels/tyres of your car need to be aligned exactly to the car designer specifications.  This will give you the best handling and normal, even tyre wear.

The real problem is our roads, kerbs, pot holes and speed bumps.  They all cause a stress and a strain on the steering and suspension system.  Add to that general wear in these items and you will have a situation where the car is no longer aligned correctly.

The result of this can be tyres wearing out much more quickly than you would want, and the car's handling will give you a feel of 'pulling' or 'drifting' to one side of the road.
        
At our garage, we check wheel alignment whenever there is a concern in 'drifting' or 'pulling'.   In most cases adjustment of the steering may be necessary or new tyres or tyre rotation. Tyre rotation is where we swap the front and rear tyres around to extended life without replacing.

It could, of course be other wear issues on the car. In which case we need to identify and resolve that first. So, if your car is not handling as you feel it should, or you have noticed the tyre treads are getting worn, let's have a drive out with you.

Get Help!
One last piece of advice concerning tyres and getting a puncture. Trying to change a wheel on any car on our busy roads is dangerous.  Does not matter who you are, people have been killed changing a tyre on the roadside. If you have roadside assistance, call them out.  They have the right equipment and safety signage and car jacks are generally quite flimsy.

If you haven't got assistance, I would strongly recommend getting it. Even I have it!!  Don't think it's not something they can be called out for. You pay for the breakdown, so use it!
       
Horror Story
If you do breakdown on a motorway, never hang around on the hard shoulder yourself.
A number of years back I did a course at the old AA headquarters in Nottingham.  That was before they became the commercial giant they are today. My instructor was one of the 'old school' guys, remember...one of those that would salute you!  Now, that's a thought for the lads here at Field's... Bit of respect!

Joking apart, he told me some "patrol man" motorway stories.  A couple of them were quite horrific. On one occasion, he was standing over a bonnet of a broken down car in one moment, the next he was lying underneath his own patrol van. Another vehicle had hit the car from behind propelling both vehicles forward.  One of his colleagues was sandwiched between his van and  the car he was working on.
   
All this happened on the hard shoulder!  These guys are now very wary where they position their vans. Sobering thought, but stay safe and please remember that the hard shoulder is as dangerous as anywhere!

Mike Field
Business Manager
Fields Car Centre Ltd


Mike Field has over 35 years experience in vehicle service & repair. Together with Richard Field, he oversees the business at Fields Car Centre in Woking, Surrey and has been a Good Garage Scheme member since 2010.

Spread the Costs of your Car Maintenance

We all know that prevention is better than cure, but we don't always prepare for the cost of an annual car service.

No matter what the age, mileage and condition of your vehicle, it will require repairs at some point as a result of everyday wear and tear. Regular servicing can alleviate the long-term impact of this wear and tear by identifying any potential issues and correcting them before they escalate to a costly item to repair.

Monthly payments via direct debit are the most common method to keep up with the demands of most household bills, enabling people to spread the burden of large costs.

However, how many people can say they budget monthly for their car servicing?

Whilst many of us know that planning in advance and putting aside money for car servicing and repairs is the sensible option, budgeting for this important item is not always straightforward unless you are following a plan.

Thanks to a new service from the Good Garage Scheme, motorists can now budget for their car servicing and take some of that worry away.

The Good Garage Scheme Service Plan is now available to help motorists keep their cars on the road and in good condition.

Participating Good Garage Scheme member garages will offer their customers the option to pay a small monthly amount into a Service Plan so that when their annual car service is due, the money is ready and the service can take place.

Not only does this allow motorists to budget for their car maintenance, but it can also save them money in the future as a regularly-serviced vehicle is less likely to require repairs than one which has not been serviced for some time.  Another bonus of a well-maintained vehicle is that when you come to sell the car, it will maintain more of the value with a fully stamped service book.

For more information, visit the website.

Save Money on Your Next MOT

According to advice from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agengy (DVSA), around 40% of cars fail the MOT test at the first attempt.

• 30% of all faults relate to lighting and signalling
• 10% of all faults relate to tyres
• 8.5% of all faults relate to ‘Driver’s view of the road’

This means extra cost for repairs to improve the standard and possibly an extra cost for the re-test.

How can you save money on your next MOT?

By checking the following items before you take the car in for your test.

1. Are your lights working? Ask a friend or family member to come out to the car and help you check.
2. Are your tyres in good condition and is the pressure correct?
3. Are your mirrors, wipers and washers in good working order?

Remember - an MOT test is NOT a service

Don't be fooled into thinking that an MOT test means that your car has been serviced. The MOT is an assessment of some of the most important items on your vehicle checking that it meets legal standards.

It is not the same as having a service and it does not check the general mechanical condition of your car.

Find your nearest Good Garage Scheme member to carry our your next service.

Congratulations Bond Motors

The Good Garage Scheme would like to congratulate the team at Bond Motor Services in Kingswood, Bristol. They have achieved the national prize for top number of customer feedback in 2015 collecting just under 1400 during the year and maintaining a five star rating.

Steve Andrews of Good Garage Scheme presents national award to Mark Lavington and owner Gary Bond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating its 25th year in business in 2016, Bond Motor Services recognises the importance of providing an excellent service and actively encourages customers to share their experience via the Good Garage Scheme¹s feedback system.

Gary Bond, owner of Bond Motor Services, comments: "We are delighted to have been awarded the Good Garage Scheme's National Prize for Top Customer Feedback, which demonstrates the hard work put in by the team here at Bond Motor Services and the efforts of Mark Lavington, our General Manager, in particular. We¹re dedicated to providing the highest standards of workmanship and service and place great importance on seeking feedback to help us serve the needs of our loyal and valued customers."

Anndi Sheppard, the Good Garage Scheme's Marketing Manager, concludes: "Winning the Good Garage Scheme¹s National Prize for Top Customer Feedback is a great achievement for Bond Motor Services and we would like to congratulate them on their hard work and success. This award highlights the importance the Good Garage Scheme places on providing excellent customer service, as well as the importance of seeking reviews to help us ensure that we keep the needs of the motorist as our top priority."

Good Garage Scheme Celebrates 10 Years in 2016

The Good Garage Scheme starts off 2016 with celebrations of its 10th year anniversary.

We are so proud of our members and what we have achieved together...

• Over 754,000 customer feedbacks
• Over 3500 jobs booked online in 2015
• Over 1.5 million web page views in 2015
• National TV advertising on SKY, DAVE and ITV
• Over 400 members celebrating 10 year membership
• Top App as voted by the Sunday Times

New for 2016 are the Good Garage Scheme Service Plans, a budgeting tool for motorists to spread the cost of car servicing and MOT payments.

Have a look online for more information.

Happy 10th Birthday Good Garage Scheme - 10 years of having a friend in the know!

Merry Christmas from the Good Garage Scheme

Drive safely during the holiday season.

If you are going to have a festive drink, please do not drive.

Best wishes for Happy New Year.

from everyone at the Good Garage Scheme.