Martin Grosz
02/16/2021 18:13
Clarín.com
Cars
Updated 02/16/2021 18:36
Gasoline had a new increase this Monday, the
fourth
so far in 2021: that is, in just a month and a half.
In Capital, the YPF super already costs 11.2% more than in December,
39.8% more than a year ago
and today filling a 50-liter tank requires at least
$ 3,730
.
Anyone who loads three of those tanks a month must already spend almost $ 11,200, up from $ 8,000 12 months ago.
To make matters worse,
new increases
are expected
for March and there are oil companies that are already adapting their pumps to be able to show, in the near future, three-figure prices per liter (more than $ 100).
The numbers shock and lead motorists to wonder how they can reduce their fuel costs while still using the vehicle.
The good news is that for many, with some will and patience, relief
is possible
.
It is, but on condition of putting into practice a series of
saving tricks
- some little known - mainly linked to better planning fuel loads, improving driving habits and having the vehicle always ready, so that each liter is
make the most of it
.
Here are 15 practical and effective measures that can be applied immediately, together capable of significantly lowering monthly fuel costs.
Gasoline can be the biggest expense for a vehicle, above what you pay for insurance and the garage.
Photo Maxi Failla
Charge the same, pay less
1. COMPARE PRICES BETWEEN SERVICE STATIONS
.
Fuel prices can vary greatly depending on which service station you buy from.
Each flag (YPF, Shell, Axion ...) sets its own values for each district and there may even be differences between nearby locations of the same brand.
In Capital, for example, the liter of super can be paid
$ 74.60
or $ 76.75.
And in the GBA, $ 77.60 and even
more than $ 80
.
Therefore, before going to load, the first thing is to find out which nearby stations offer the best prices.
This work can be done online with
the official app Prices in Pump
, which shows on a map the values of the day at each point of sale.
It is available for Android and iOS.
2. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PROMOTIONS AND DISCOUNTS
.
Just as important as knowing the prices of each pump is to find out what discounts you can access in each store, on certain days, through apps or with the bank and benefit cards you have.
With the 365, for example, you get
5% savings
every day at Axion stations.
And at YPF, paying with its app, gasoline and premium diesel end up costing
10% less
, with a refund cap of $ 250 per week.
The Pump Prices app shows the values of the day at each service station for each type of fuel.
3. OPTIMIZE THE CARGO TRIP: STEP AND IN "VALLEY" HOURS
.
In addition to offering the best
price-promo equation
, the station to choose should be left "on the way", so as not to spend even a little of the precious fuel in diverting ourselves to go to load it.
And not to waste it doing half an hour in line in front of the pump with the engine running, it is always advisable to avoid peak charging hours.
Sources from the stationary sector told
Clarín
that in the AMBA the greatest demand and queues usually register from Monday to Saturday from
7 to 10
and from
5 to 8
.
The car, well prepared
Paying for gasoline at the lowest possible price is important, but it is also key to ensure that each liter paid is used to the maximum.
And for that, the car must always be in optimal conditions, as stated in the Efficient Driving Guide for Light Vehicles that the Ministry of Energy of the Nation launched in 2018 and that is available online to consult in PDF.
4. KEEP YOUR TIRES WELL INFLATED
.
Driving with tires at a lower pressure than indicated in the manual, in addition to accelerating their wear, increases gasoline consumption, since the engine must overcome greater resistance to advance.
With which, specialists recommend checking that they are well inflated at least
every 30 days
.
Thus, according to the official Guide, an average of 3% fuel is saved, which ends up representing about
36 liters per year
($ 2,685 at the current value of the super in Capital).
5. CARRY ONLY THE NECESSARY CARGO, WELL BALANCED
.
The car consumes more the more loaded it circulates.
Thus, those who
use their trunk as storage
should stop: they can obtain immediate savings by simply stopping "taking for a walk" all kinds of objects unnecessarily.
The load must always be the minimum necessary and be distributed in the vehicle as evenly as possible.
According to the Guide, taking 25 kilos of cargo out of a medium car reduces
its gasoline spending by
1%
, which translates into about
12 liters per year
($ 895 at the current value of the super in Capital).
Carrying loads on top of the vehicle significantly increases fuel consumption.
Photo Guillermo Rodríguez Adami
6. REMOVE THE LUGGAGE RACKS
.
It was shown that having a roof rack placed on the roof, even when not in use and only part of the structure remains, can increase gasoline consumption by 7.5% when going 120 km / h.
While the extra expense reaches
39%
in case of being loaded, according to experiments mentioned in the Guide.
7. VISIT THE WORKSHOP FREQUENTLY
.
This makes it possible to detect and correct in time if the vehicle, due to engine misadjustments or some other damage, began to burn more fuel than normal.
The official calculation is that, for example, keeping the air, oil and fuel filters clean and in optimal condition can help reduce
the cost of gasoline by
another
1.5%
, which is equivalent to about
18 liters per year
($ 1,343 value current of the super in Capital).
In addition to having the VTV in order, the usual advice is that
every 10,000 kilometers
the vehicle has a general overhaul that includes checking the air, oil and fuel filters, alignment and balancing, and other key points.
For optimal consumption, the car should be taken to the workshop periodically for a general overhaul and basic maintenance.
Photo Gerardo Dell'Oro
Driving habits
Was the tank filled at a good discount?
Yes. Is the car immaculate?
As well.
What remains is nothing more and nothing less than
driving well, in a way that saves
gas (or does not waste it).
In this field, the advice is varied.
8.
KNOW THE OPTIMAL CONSUMPTION SPEED
.
"We recommend maintaining a speed of
between 50 and 70 km / h
, since accelerating also represents a higher cost of gasoline," they explained to
Clarín
at Volkswagen Argentina.
And they advised, for those who have it available, take advantage of technologies such as
Cruise Control
, which allow you to define a controlled speed and automatically maintain the distance between cars safely.
According to the official Efficient Driving Guide, above 80 km / h, vehicles start to use much more fuel.
For example, they argue that driving
at 120 km uses 20% more gasoline than at 100 km / h
, and on a 25-kilometer trip that speed difference only makes it arrive two minutes later.
9. AVOID ACCELERATED BRUSHES AND STOPPING
.
"You have to try not to start suddenly. Better to do it
little by little
, to allow the temperature of the engine to stabilize," they recommended at Volkswagen.
"Sudden braking also consumes fuel - they added -. Therefore, when there is traffic, we recommend keeping a considerable distance from other cars, which allows to
anticipate braking
and not do it suddenly."
In terms of expense, varying between 75 km / h and 85 km / h every 18 seconds can increase consumption by 20%, exemplifies the Guide.
Traffic jams conspire against saving gasoline.
Sometimes using GPS helps avoid them.
Photo Marcelo Carroll
10. RIDE IN THE HIGHEST GEARS
.
Regarding the use of the gear lever, it is recommended to avoid excessive use of the first, due to its high fuel consumption, since it is the one that transmits the greatest force.
Experts advise
switching to second as soon as you start
.
And, as a general rule of thumb, get into the next gear when the dash indicator reaches
1,500 or 2,000 revolutions
per minute, without waiting any longer.
In the City, for example, you can perfectly go down an avenue at 60 km / h in fifth, the march with the lowest consumption, experts indicate.
11. IN THE CITY, MODERATE THE USE OF AIR CONDITIONING
.
It is estimated that its use can increase
fuel use by
up to 25%
, which is equivalent to an overconsumption of up to
300 liters per year
($ 22,400 at current value).
Therefore, when the vehicle is traveling at less than 80 km / h, it is recommended to roll down the windows and turn off the air.
12. ON ROUTES AND HIGHWAYS, GO UP THE WINDOWS
.
When driving at high speeds, on the other hand, having the windows down causes a greater resistance to advance, and a greater consumption of gasoline.
For this reason, in this case it is advisable to use the aeration and forced circulation devices of the vehicle, always set at a
moderate temperature
.
v 1.5
Climbing
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Infographic:
Clarín
13. IN LONG WAITS, STOP THE ENGINE
.
A vehicle stationary with the engine running generates an approximate consumption of
0.4 to 0.7 liters per hour
.
For this reason, the Efficient Driving Guide recommends turning it off if the car is going to be still for
more than three minutes
, except in traffic.
14. WHEN STARTING UP, IS IT NECESSARY TO ACCELERATE?
Many drivers learned to
hit the gas pedal every time they started
the engine, making the engine roar.
But it is convenient to check in the manual if this is necessary: in many modern models it is not necessary and raising the revolutions in this way only implies a waste of useless gasoline.
15. CHECK THE GPS, EVEN ON KNOWN ROUTES
.
The reason is that the most popular geolocation programs (such as Google Maps and Waze) advise the fastest route to destination taking into account a large amount of
real-time
traffic data
that the driver ignores (average speeds, pickets, accidents and more) .
In this way, they avoid traffic jams that increase fuel consumption.
For the pocket and for the environment
The specialists who prepared the Guide calculated that, following all the maintenance and efficient driving tips, gasoline consumption can be reduced by
up to 30%
in a light vehicle in the middle range, class B, with a 1.4 engine, which travels 12,000 kilometers per year.
If, in addition, the suggested measures are taken to pay less for each liter, the savings can be even greater.
And it remains to add to the equation the long-term reduction of costs derived from making better use of the vehicle, which reduces wear and tear and
extends its useful life
.
For the pocket, the benefits are clear, and also for the environment.
If fewer liters of naphtha are burned, the emissions of carbon dioxide, toxic gases and polluting particles into the atmosphere will also be lower.
MG