Drive for maximum fuel economy

Don’t drive aggressively
Flooring the gas and slamming on the brakes is the quickest way to burn a hole in Your wallet and empty your gas tank. According to fueleconomy.gov, you may experience a 33% decrease in fuel economy by rapidly accelerating and braking. The hard fact is that you share the road with other drivers and ultimately have to stop at all the stoplights and stop signs like everyone else. Save yourself some heartburn, speeding tickets, accidents, and lots of cash by taking it easy on the pedals.

Plan your stops ahead of time

If you see a red light up ahead, rather than pressing on the gas until you need to brake, coast to a stop by taking your foot off the gas and putting your car in neutral for manual transmission. You have enough momentum to keep your car moving forward for a while (without needing to feed more gas into the engine by maintaining pressure on the gas pedal). By coasting, you’re making sure that the gas you use is taking you as far as possible—the key to getting a higher MPG.

Study the lights

When driving a familiar route, you can identify the intersections at which you typically must stop (so you can coast up to them), as well as the lights that change more quickly due to sensors or the size of the intersection. Smaller, less busy intersections usually have shorter lights, and if there are sensors, allowing cars to get ahead of you to trigger them (also known as “Rabbit Timing”) will allow you to coast through. You can make the best time and enjoy greater efficiency by knowing when to coast or when to push through at a constant speed.

Switch lanes

If you have to stop quickly with no room to coast, choose the lane that has fewer cars stopped at the light so that your momentum will carry you farther, rather than using gas to cover that distance later when you need to accelerate.

Find the clear lane

Don’t get caught in a lane in which traffic conditions require you to speed up and slow down repeatedly. For example, avoid driving behind buses on surface streets, and on the merging or exit lanes of highways.

Accelerate slowly

Don’t push down the pedal more than a quarter of the way down when accelerating. Anymore and you’ll be pumping excess gas into your engine while going the same distance.

Shift up early and shift down late For manual transmission owners, this will keep your car running at a lower RPM at a higher gear, which helps fuel economy.

Release the throttle early

Some automatic transmissions can be coaxed to up shift sooner when accelerating by briefly releasing some throttle pressure (lifting off the gas pedal), then re-applying
throttle pressure to continue accelerating. It may take a little practice to get the timing just right.

Keep a constant, low RPM

Those with manual transmissions will find this easiest to do, but if you have an automatic transmission, driving 1-3 mph faster or slower can change the gear you are in. Choose the speed that produces the lowest RPM for the gear you are in. Travelling at
higher speeds in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than needed.

Don’t idle

When idling, you use gas while travelling zero miles—this really reduces your average MPG. If you know you’ll be idling for more than 30 seconds, you will save more gas if you turn off your car and restart when you need to start moving (the break-even point for idling versus using gas to start up the car is about 20 seconds). Hybrid cars take advantage of this by turning off the engine automatically when stopped, and will restart again when the gas is applied.

Shift to neutral

If you do idle, switch to neutral. The car uses less gas when it’s in neutral. It’s also easier on the transmission and allows the engine to cool.

Driving without brakes (DWB)

This is not to be taken literally, but it’s a term hypermilers use when referring to their fuel economy philosophy. If you really had to drive without brakes, what would you do?

You would slow down, drive with more anticipation, and coast to slow down. DWB encompasses the broad view of the hypermilers’ best fuel economy practices.

Engine-off coasting (EOC) or Forced Auto Stop (FAS)

One of the biggest reasons hybrids get much better fuel economy is their Auto Stop feature. Hybrid engines shut down in various situations, one of them being when the accelerator is released (when you’re coasting) at under 40 miles per hour. Extreme hypermilers apply this strategy to their non-hybrid cars, which is very dangerous, and most likely illegal. Not only is there a series of precise steps you must execute (i.e. settings to turn the key and how to rev back at the right gear when restarting the engine), but you also lose all power for power-steering and power-braking, which is not a good situation for anybody, whether you’re the one driving or just in the vicinity of such a driver. If you are determined to use this technique, buy a hybrid—a car that is specifically designed to operate in this way.

Drafting

Following a large vehicle closely to drive in its slipstream is no “tip.” It is extremely dangerous and no amount of MPG increase is worth the risk. There is simply no time to react to any sudden moves by the truck you’re following.

Pulse and Glide

This originally started as a technique used by hybrid owners, which hypermilers have adopted to their non-hybrid cars (like EOC/ FAS). Rather than going at a steady speed (let’s say 40 mph), you accelerate to 45-50 mph (pulse), and then coast until you’re at 30 mph (glide). This gets you higher fuel economy than traveling at a steady 40 mph. Hybrid cars are best suited for this technique because of the interaction between the gas and electric engines during the pulse, and because the engine shuts down during the glide. The idea is that you only use gas for roughly half of the trip, which should yield you twice the MPG. But using this method on a non-hybrid vehicle requires much more strategic maneuvering and the use of extra instrumentation.

Drive shoeless

Some extreme hypermilers drive without shoes so they can control the accelerator to the finest degree. Hypermilers got this idea from race car drivers, a big source of inspiration for fuel economy tricks (like drafting).

Use A/C sparingly

Setting the A/C on max can have as high as a 25% reduction in fuel economy. Use the A/C as sparingly as possible. If you do need to cool down, when driving at low speeds (under 50 mph), rolling down your windows is better than using the A/C, but at higher speeds, using the air conditioner will get you better fuel economy.

Close unused vents

If you’re driving alone, close the vents for the passenger side. You’ll be able to get more air at a lower setting, and nothing will be wasted cooling down unoccupied areas of the car.

Cycle the A/C

Set the air flow to re-circulate, turn it on when under light engine loads or deceleration, and turn it off when under heavy engine load or acceleration.

Turn off the A/C early

When you are a few minutes from reaching your destination, turn off the A/C. It doesn’t need to keep working until the very last minute when you turn off your car. There will be enough residual cool air to keep away the heat until you stop.

Don’t start until you’re ready

Wait to start the car until you are ready to move. Buckle your seat belt, get settled, make sure everyone is in the car and the traffic is clear before starting your car. Otherwise you’ll end up idling for no reason.

Don’t warm up

Cars today don’t need a warm-up time before they begin moving. You can warm up your engine faster by driving, rather than idling, which is terrible for fuel economy.

Source: www.wisebread.com

Car Care Tips

Source: Auto Bild

How to wash a car

What can damage your car’s paintwork?

The following factors can really take the shine off your car. UV rays from the sun causing discoloration and fading Acid rain or salt water causing oxidation (or rust) and ‘spots’ on the paintwork Bird droppings which can stain and corrode the car if not quickly removed Paint chips caused by loose gravel from the road Scratches caused by brushing against the car, improper washing or drying.

Fortunately most are preventable and all are treatable. Bird droppings, for example, are highly acidic and the best advice is to avoid parking under trees and to always remove the dropping as soon as possible with a wet tissue.

The essential car wash

It is ironic that the act of washing your car itself that can lead to most of those fine scratches that can mar the paintwork. You should avoid machine car washes which will get your car clean only at the cost of damaging its delicate paintwork.

Here are the seven steps on how to wash a car.

1. Washing-up liquid is for dishes only - if it is used on your car it will dull the paint and cloud its finish. Pick up some car wash soap that is designed to clean dirt and grime without stripping the protective waxes and other compounds that give your car its shine.
2. Rinse the car down to remove grit and dirt that could be ground in to your car as you wash. Use a hose on its finest setting to avoid a powerful spray embedding dirt deeper and scratching your car.
3. A mitt rather than a sponge is best to clean with – it will help you to avoid dragging the dust and dirt that adheres to the surface of sponges and can scratch your paint.
4. You will need two buckets. One with your wash solution in and the other with just clean water to rinse off your mitt.
5. Always work from the top down to avoid moving dirt from the dirtier, lower part of the car to the cleaner top. Always use side-to-side strokes and light pressure.
6. When finished rinse the car off once more.
7. Leaving your car to dry in the sun will leave a patchy effect on its paint so dry it down with a microfiber towel, which is more absorbent than the traditional chamois leather.

Finishing touches: polish and wax

Polishing your car and waxing it are not the same. A polish will help get rid of surface abrasions in your paint, while waxing will ‘fill them in’ and make everything shiny. You should wax and polish your car sparingly as doing it too often and using too much wax or polish can do more harm than good. Remember that wax and polish restore the look of your car by gently removing the top layer of your car's paint, so be sparing when applying.

A wax and polish should be applied roughly every three months. You can always tell when a car needs polishing, as water no longer ‘beads’ on the paintwork. Waxing is like giving your car a sheet of armour that protects it from many of the dangers of the environment.

You should polish first and then wax as this makes the wax easier to remove. Apply both in the same way by using a cotton fabric gently rub polish on and then using a different, very clean cloth wipe the material off of the paint working on one side of the car at a time.
A good polish and wax will remove scratch marks, give your car an even colour and restore the lustre, gloss and shine to its paint.

Tricks of the trade: touch-up paint and detailing clay

Some further tricks of the trade to finish your car off perfectly are touching up parts where paint has been removed and making the whole of the paintwork as smooth and shiny as glass with detailing clay.
If you are touching up paint make sure you match the colour exactly: you will need the year, make and model of your car to do this. Clean the area on your car and clear any chipped or cracked paint. You need to sand down the area and a nick sander is perfect for small areas. It is like a pen with a small sandpaper tip.

You should use super-fine grade sandpaper with a rating of 1000 or higher for this. Wipe off sanding dust and grit with a clean cloth. Use a small artist's detail brush to smoothly fill in the shallow scratch or ding with touch-up paint. Alternatively you can use a toothpick which helps you apply paint precisely without being in danger of having too much on your ‘brush’. Sand your touch-up work down when dry to achieve a smooth, blended in finish.

If the paint of your car is very scratched and tired looking you may wish to use detailing clay before you polish and wax. Once the secret tool of professionals this miracle worker is now available widely. In the box you get a spray bottle of lubricant and a small bar of clay. You should break off a third of the bar of clay and spray the lubricant onto a small patch of your car’s bodywork. Applying very light pressure move the clay back and forth: you will feel it stick and then release as it removes all those contaminants (tree sap, road dirt, bird droppings) that regular washing can leave behind. It is a long job to do the whole car but you will be left with paintwork as smooth as a baby’s bottom and as shiny as new glass. Remember though that this also removes any polish on your car so you will need to polish after you have finished.

 4 Things You Need to Avoid

 

You may think a car washing is as simple as just grabbing the sponge, dipping it in a bucket of fairy liquid mix and off you go, but this is not the correct way. In fact if you’re washing your car this way, then you can expect the paint to look marred and could damage the paint completely. In this article I am going to tell four things that you should avoid when washing your car to extend the life of your car’s finish.

 

1. Don’t Wash the Car in Direct Sunlight

Perhaps the biggest mistake you can make when washing your car. Washing the car on direct sunlight can have a harmful effect on the paint. Each droplet of water will act like a magnifying glass. This produces small laser like beams that will make tiny pits on your car paint. The end result is an early chipping of car’s paint particularly in the front part.

 

2. Don’t Use household cleaners

Using household cleaners as a substitute for car wash preparations is not a good idea. Household cleaners like dishwashing soap, hand soap or window cleaner contain powerful stripping chemicals that can destroy your car’s paint if used excessively. You can use car wash preparations or shampoos that do not cost much higher than household cleaners.

 

3. Don’t Allow to dry Your Car in Air

Allowing you vehicle to dry without your involvement can cause water etching, which detracts from a shiny finish. This is caused by higher content of minerals in tap water. The water marks can be nasty and be very difficult to get rid of.

 

4. Don’t forget to clean Your Wheels

A greater care is required to a car’s wheels because they get more wear than any other part of a car. Many of us ignore to clean them because they will get soiled again as soon as we drive. However if you leave them unclean for a long period they can be very difficult to get rid of. You could use a pressure washer to clean the wheels.

If you start to avoid the things listed above while washing, your car will reward you with a long lasting finish. This might also help you prolong the life span of your car and increase it’s resell value. So ensure to take care of your vehicle’s finish by using these tips.

Driving at Night

Driving at night or at dusk can be extremely challenging and dangerous too due to low visibility. Low visibility directly affects colour recognition and depth perception and this in turn causes car accident. It is a well-established fact that road accidents are three times greater at night than during daytime. However, there are several ways to effectively reduce the risks of night driving.

Below are some tips that can improve your safety in the dark for both drivers and pedestrians.

1. First tip is to prepare your car for driving at night. Clean the signal lights, headlights, and taillights once a week. While driving, turn them on 1 hour before sunset and keep them on 1 hour after sunrise for maximum visibility.

2. Refrain from flashing your high beams at a vehicle that has their high beams on; this will lessen their visibility and is much more likely to cause an accident.

3. Make sure that all the exterior lights of your car are in proper working order so that others can see you clearly.

4. Don’t stare directly at the oncoming headlights as it will further impair your night vision, even after the vehicle has gone.

5. Keep all interior lights off. Any kind of light inside the car will seem very bright and will make it more difficult to see.

6. Adjust your side or rear-view mirror to avoid the glare of headlights from a vehicle following you.

7. Also keep the windshield and windows of your car clean as dust deposited on them can cause glare that further decreases visibility.

8. Driving at night is more exhausting than day driving. So, make sure that there is proper ventilation inside the car and you also take regular breaks in between in the case of a long ride.

9. Don’t drink and drive. Not only does alcohol harshly impair your driving ability, but it also acts as a depressant. You should also avoid smoking when you drive because Smoke’s nicotine and carbon monoxide hampers night vision.

10. Ensure to lock doors and roll up windows of your car. Do not talk or allow strangers ride with you because most cases of crime occur at night.

11. Keep your car in tip-top condition for maximum safety. Regularly check tire pressure, fluid levels and brake pads.

By following these tips, you can defend yourself, your passengers, and other people on the road after the sun goes down.

Have a safe trip!

Driving in the Rain

Driving in the rain is not as easy as driving under a clear weather. When the road is wet, the tires lose their grip on the road and your perception is considerably reduced – it is harder to see other vehicles, road signs and the road itself. In case you get into this situation, try to drive the car carefully. Here are some tips for arriving at your destination safely if you must travel when the weather is less than favourable.

 

1. The first tip to consider when faced with rain is to maintain your speed at a moderate level. This would protect you since the roads are more slippery due to the flowing water.

2. Turn on your headlights even in a light rain. It helps you see the road as well as let other drivers to know your presence from a distance and avoid an accident.

3. Stay toward the middle lane as water tends to puddle in the outside lanes. If you go through these large puddles, you may be harming your engine by allowing water to splatter into it.

4. Try to stay away from large tires vehicles such as trucks and buses. The tires of these vehicles can cause a larger amount of water to spray from them, which could impair your vision. Be careful when passing them as well; if you must overtake, do so safely and quickly.

5. Never drive beyond the limits of visibility. If the rain becomes too heavy that you can barely see the car in front of you, pull over to a safe place and wait until the rain subsides.

6. Make sure that the windshield wipers are in working condition before you drive against the falling rain. Ensure to change the wiper blades when needed. This tool offers greater visibility even with the heavy rainstorm.

7. Brake earlier with lesser force than you would normally. This increases the stopping distance between you and the vehicle ahead, and signals to the driver behind that you’re slowing down.

8. Make sure to prepare your car for the drive if you know that you are going to be driving in rainy conditions. Apply a coat of rain-repellent on your windshield, as it will improve your visibility in the rain. Also be sure that windshield wiper fluid bottle is full, as this can help you to remove any dirt that may come from the wet road conditions.

 

Monsoon Tips from Ford India

 

Check your car's condition. The brakes, steering system, tyre pressures, tyre tread depth and defroster operation should be checked regularly so that you're ready to deal with a downpour.

 

Every car should have a good emergency kit. Breakdowns can be stressful. Taking a few steps in advance can save you time, emergency service costs and a headache.

 

Have an emergency kit ready for many different situations. The kit should meet your individual needs and be equipped with items ranging from spares, torch, fuses, tyre inflators, to safety kits and other items to attract or provide help.

 

Make sure that your wipers are in good condition amnd functioning properly. If the blades are brittle or daaged, replace them before the rains begin. Allow sufficient wetting of the windscreen prior to using the wipers to avoid scratching of the windscreen owing to dry wipe.

 

Use the windshield washer fluid as recommended by the manufacturer. Using a blend of water and washer fluid will clean the windscreen more effectively than washing with plain water.

 

Tyre pressures: Maintain correct cold tyre pressures as recommended in the owner's manual  for different loads. This is even more critical for monsoon conditions since the traction is paramount for vehicle stability.

 

Windscreen fogging: Use the de-frost mode with AC ON, in fresh air mode to clear the windscreen of condensation whenever the windscreen gets fogged up. Also use the rear heated window option, if present, since rear visibility improves. Refer to the owner's manual for usage.

 

Drive carefully! Pay attention to your speed and check your tyres. At high speeds, the rains create a fine sheet of water between the tyre and the road surface, which can cause the driver to lose control. This phenomenon is known as 'aqua-planing' and is aggravated by excessively worn tyres. Check the tyre tread depth (in the TWI area) and confirm that the depth is within the minimum allowance. The tyre tread helps in throwing out excessive water between the tyre and road ensuring adequate grip.

 

Keep the headlights on. When driving in rain, switch the headlights on at a low beam. It will increase your visibility and allow other drivers to notice you from a distance.

Source: Ford India

Formula1 Car Care Products

Rs.649 only

Formula 1 is one of the worlds largest brands of car care products, manufactured by Northern Labs Inc., USA. It is present in over 75 countries worldwide.
Formula 1 has always used the finest ingredients in its products, including #1 grade Brazilian Carnauba Wax. Carnauba Wax is obtained from leaves of a palm tree called Copernica Cerifera, which is found only in Brazil. It is the hardest commercial wax known to man. Northern Labs innovated the use of Carnauba Wax technology in its pre-softened Carnauba Car Wax introduced in the USA in the 1960's. Today, only Northern Labs utilizes Grade No. 1 or Prime Yellow Carnauba in their automotive product line.
Formula 1 Carnauba Wax products have the natural ability to repel water and to protect against either the harsh winter climates or the intense heat and sunlight found in tropical climates around the world.

The advantages :

• Brilliant & deep shine
• Longer lasting protection
• Easy to apply, faster and easier to wipe off

1) Formula 1 Carnauba Paste Wax 230g

For the longest lasting shine and protection!

• Formulated with No.1 grade CARNAUBA for deeper shine and longer lasting protection.
• Carnauba Paste Wax offers the longest protection for paint finishes.
• Restores paint color, eliminates minor scratches and haze for maximum shine.
• Application on all paint finishes, including clear coat.
• Fast and easy to apply, easy to wipe off.

2) Formula 1 Carnauba Wash & Wax Car Shampoo 473ml

• Foams away tough dirt and grime to leave vehicle looking like new.
• Leaves Carnauba Wax shine and protection between car waxings.
• Will not harm nor dull paint finish like liquid or powder detergents.

3) Formula 1 Car Interior Protectant 295ml

• Renews, shines and protects rubber, vinyl and leather on interior and exterior of vehicle. Cleans, shines and protects rubber, vinyl, leather and plastic. More shine and protection than cockpit sprays.
• For interior and exterior applications including tires.
• Formula 1 Protectant leaves no oily residue and will not attract dust.
• Advanced silicone technology results in a solvent-free product. This product will not flash off, possibly causing interior damage.

http://www.futurebazaar.com/formula-1-car-care-kit/pd/59966
http://shopping.rediff.com/product/formula-carnauba-car-wax/11053777?sc_cid=topnav_Car_Accessories|browse|search_car wax

Touch-Up Paint

Aeroaids Corporation is India's FIRST and the LARGEST manufacturers of Aerosol Touchup Spray Paints. Aeroaids offer unique, innovative and specially formulated Com-Paint aerosol touchup spray paints for your CAR n BIKE .

http://www.com-paint.com/all_product.aspx?mpgid=37&pgid=37

 

 



Diesel or Petrol?

Diesel vehicles are roughly Rs 1.20 lakh more expensive than their petrol counterparts.
So, if a car is sparingly used then the additional amount spent on acquiring a diesel vehicle is not worth it. However, if one cannot afford a diesel vehicle then the option of fitting CNG or LPG kits in petrol cars is a more cost effective solution for economical motoring.

The acceptance of diesel vehicles has witnessed a rapid rise in the last decade in India. With the advent of new technologies such as common rail direct injection, EGR systems and exhaust treatment systems, diesels today offer great performance, excellent mileage and on many accounts it is the cleaner fuel! The inherent ability of diesel engines to produce excellent low end torque makes for great driving; however these factors basically aided diesel engines to gain an acceptance in the passenger car market as they didn't spew black smoke like in the past. The icing on the cake however has to do with the pricing of fuel. Assuming Diesel is priced at around Rs. 50/litre and petrol is approximately Rs. 70/litre. The rates change in different parts of the country; however the ratio of difference between the two is more or less the same. It is the cumulative knowledge of all these facts that make diesel engined passenger vehicles the number one choice for many customers, however there is a chink in the diesel armour and that has to do with the pricing of the vehicle as compared to its petrol counterpart.

New Maruti Suzuki Swift VVT

A deeper insight is required while trying to decipher the cost benefit between diesel and petrol vehicle variants. Elements such as the timeline of usage, cost difference between the two models, fuel price disparity, maintenance expenses and service charges, parts wear and tear and depreciation costs sum up the major list to assist in calculating the actual benefit. It is a line of thought that most customers overlook, however our cost-benefit study should shed some light on the topic and hopefully help customers make a more informed decision, rather than just going with gut instinct or following the claims of manufacturers.

Note: The study is based under the following assumptions:
1. Costs of Petrol and diesel are for representational purposes only
2. The difference in price of petrol and diesel remains constant throughout the five years.
3. Cost of repairs and maintenance on both the variants remains nil or equal.
4. Both the variants will bring in 50% of the cost at the time of resale
5. Average driving is 15,000kms/year for both the variants. (in case 2)
6. The car model under consideration is the new Maruti Suzuki Swift (entry level variants for both diesel and petrol). This is only indicative, and gives a good idea since the difference of cost between petrol and diesel variants of other cars also hovers around the same figure.

We did the math to compare the cost of operation for an entry level Maruti Suzuki Swift petrol with the diesel variant. The difference in the cost of the two variants is Rs. 90,000 with diesel being the more expensive of the two; add to that the interest one would gain on the excess amount at 10% p.a if the petrol variant was purchased. The diesel variant being more efficient and the cost of diesel being Rs. 20/litre lesser than that of petrol, it saves a lot of expenses on fuel (See Case 1), but the cost of regular maintenance of the diesel variant is higher than that of its petrol equivalent. Taking all these dynamics into account, the running cost of a petrol car comes to approximately Rs. 4.93/km in comparison to Rs. 9.5/km for the diesel if both the vehicles are run for 15000kms annually. Increasing the annual mileage put on the odometer, the diesel is at par with the petrol variant if and only if a person does a minimum of 45,000kms annually.

It is not just the thirst for fuel of petrol cars that brings diesel vehicles into the lime light. The numbers before you clearly state, that you should consider buying a diesel only if your monthly run exceeds a 1000 kilometres. In fact our thesis was endorsed by Toyota at the recent launch of the Etios and Liva diesels, where they made it very clear that for a diesel to start looking rosy; one has to run it for nearly 2000kms a month. The numbers are before you, so remember that with a diesel, you would still be paying that extra cash for the first three-four years of running for the satisfaction of driving a diesel. It still is a case of different strokes for different folks, and choice still remains in the hands of the buyer. Hope this article helps you make a more informed one. - Source: zigwheels