Clarkson's top fuel saving tips
Posted by Jeremy Clarkson at 8:20PM on Sunday 22 June, 2008 39 Comments
Recently, I dropped my daughter off at her school which is 60 miles away from where I live. The trip computer said I had a range of 12 miles and I knew I'd be passing no petrol stations on the way.
So how do you make a car with fuel for 12 miles cover 60? Especially when the car in question is a BMW M3with a 400 horsepower, 4.0 litre V8.
The newspapers at the moment are full of advice on how to get the maximum number of miles to the gallon and I'm afraid none of it is really relevant.
They say, for instance, that you should remove your roof rack, but the last people to use such a thing in Britain died in 1974. On their way to watch the latest Carry On film.
They also say you should remove the spare wheel and jack. Oh come on. By all means remove any soggy rolled up carpets you may have in the boot - that will make a difference - but dispensing with the spare is as daft as dispensing with your left leg. One day, you're going to need it.
The simple fact of the matter is this; To save fuel, all you need to do is think ahead. Way, way ahead.
- If you see the lights ahead are red, take your foot off the throttle immediately. If you wait and then use your brakes you are simply wasting the fuel you used to achieve a speed you didn't need. Remember, a modern engine uses no fuel at all when it’s coasting in gear.
- If your car has cruise control, ignore it. Cruise control is a blunt instrument for Americans. Rely on something more sensitive: your foot. Speaking of which, don't drive in big shoes. They take away the sensitivity you need.
- Think carefully about what electrical appliances you need. Even Terry Wogan takes a dibble of power from the engine. And that's power which is costing you £1.18 a litre.
- Never use your heated rear window unless you can't see a thing. It's the same story with your headlights. And don't use the air conditioning either. Switch it off and in a normal family saloon, your fuel consumption will drop by as much as 12 per cent. That’s a big, big saving.
- Next. Speed. Wind it down. You don't need to do 25 mph, but instead of doing 80 on the motorway, try 75. Or if you normally do 120, try 110.
- 56 mph, by the way, really is the optimum speed for good fuel consumption in most cars. Don't try this in villages though or you will have to spend some time in a prison.
- When going downhill, ease your throttle down and work with gravity to build up speed. Then, use that momentum to get you up the other side. Using the throttle going up hill is bad.
- When leaving the lights, accelerate smartly. Not like a bat out of hell. But don't dawdle. Get the car into top gear as quickly as is reasonable. Fifth gear, remember, is no good at all.
- Don't buy a Toyota Prius.
I followed all these guidelines in the M3 and managed to get home. And here's the really interesting bit. The journey back, in eco mode, took only six minutes more than the journey there.
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39 Comments for "Clarkson's top fuel saving tips"
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I work in sales for Toyota in Ireland, 3 people have been in this morning looking at buying a Prius, I have advised them all to buy BMW M3's instead, definitely worth it in the long run!!!
Lucky for me my SEAT has six gears then! Thanks Jeremy!
That's what I do, and my 9 lt / 100 Km mages 7.5
All sound advice, and something that was proved when a number of years back Jeremy took an Audi A8 and went from London to John O Groats and back on one tank full. In addition, most people forget what it takes and how much green house gases are emitted to make these so called environmentally friendly cars.
I have a 1.6 Zafira - boring family car, but I am a family guy (sad I know).
At 70 (ish) 320 miles a tank, any higher and the miles go off a precipice. at 50mph (and yes you do get hoofing great trucks shoving you along, and yes it is boring) I get 430-450 miles out of the SAME tank of petrol in the SAME car.
The chancellor - as usual for this government - was SO wrong with his car tax tinkering he should fall on his sword.
If everyone in this country was boring for a week and didn't go above 50mph he'd HAVE to call another budget as fuel sales would plunge!
What the XXXX happened to Clarkson?!
This is all wrong...dont even think of saving fuel, put the pedal to the metal and shout POWER! That's the only way to do it :)
Oh sorry, i fergot there are no Autobahn's in England with no speed limit.
Go on Jeremy ;)
Cheers for that, can see me removing the air con switch now.
Something i tend to do, which your driving instructor wouldn't recommend is driving in neutral, and playing what i can the neutral game.
When driving down a country road u know fairly well, kick it into neutral at about 50mph and coast all the way to the next village and try and judge it so your doing 30ish when u get there.
If you do this, be prepared to chuck it into gear pretty quick, just in case you need to nip round a cyclist quickly or sumut.
Clarkson you are num 1.
i am from israel and i am a big fan of you, the humster and captan slow!!!!!!
I will try this. I was going to sell me Focus 1.6 zetec as it hard to keep up with fuel costs. Maybe if i do try to drive differnt i might save a few bob. Will post back with my results.
Much as I do love to see Top Gear with the tyre smoke, Ferraris and Lambos etc, this advice is really handy.
Being a person who is looking for my first car, i really need to find ways to not spend loads on the feul once I've got the actual car, so might just be paying heed to this advice.
Also a good peice of advice is move to norfolk, as there are no hills, so it makes most journeys a touch more efficent.
Best advice ever for fuel saving, everyone here in the states is going 40 in the fast lane on a 75 mph interstate side by side. In the end its up to your cars aerodynamics and gearing, there's a civic someone modified that got like 120 mpg and it could do 70 mph and get that since it was so aerodynamic and had a really high gear ratio.
From which car are the new seats in the studio?
This really does work. I slowed from 80 to 60 and I saved 14% in fuel costs per week.
On top of which I'm more relaxed as there isn't an idiot in front of me only doing 70, I'm not constantly hitting the brakes and I notice more (mainly how badly others drive!).
All of this and my journey just takes 5 minutes longer than it used to.
Smart tips Mr. Clarkson!
In Holland we are busy with fuel consumption as well, now petrol is costing us 1,67 euro..., that is 1,32 pounds! In addition to your tips I can add that you need to check the pressure in your tires regularly to check if they are not too soft (costing fuel) and that switching your airco off for a long time can damage the system according to my garage. Switching it on for 10 min. a week is a minimum to stop the bearings from wearing.
keep on the good (& funny) work
Can't believe what I'm just reading. Jeremy Clarkson advising people to slow down. Hmmm, the world is certainly striving to its end of some sort if that's what's happening.
What I'd be interested in hearing next, Jeremy, is what you did when you got home in your M3, running on what I'd guess would be the last whiff of petrol fumes. Do you have a petrol station at your house? Or will you have to put the lawnmower fuel in it to get to the petrol station to fill it up later? I just think it would've been smarter to eco-drive yourself to a petrol station insted of going home... Well done, though.
As an American I totally agree. If you use the "all brake & all gas" method you are just wasting fuel. Coast as much as possible and accelerate as slowly as traffic will permit and you will get good mpg Keep your tires inflated to spec and in your car/truck in good tune.
*picks jaw up from ground*
*splutters*
Clarkson's top fuel saving tips??? Okay guys, what have you done with the real Jeremy? What happened to that tall bloke that's always shouting 'Power!' and zooming around doing 4 mpg?
When will this luancy end? When will normal service resume?
That sounds like a step in the right direction. Only problem with me is that I constantly want to floor in my Subaru Legacy GT because all that power from the turbo is only availble about about 3 grand.
Nice guide Jeremy. I whole heartedly agree that there is a lot of value in big cars these days. Here in Australia, you can pick up a 2 year old inline 6 rear drive car in more or less as new condition for half the new price - less than a little ecobox.
I bought one, converted it to LPG, pay less than half the price of petrol and still have a proper car.
That's very nice Jeremy, well done. Can I suggest that next time you utilise the free road sertvice that comes with any decent car these days (at least in Oz)? Simply phone road service, before you leave home, reporting you have run out of fuel at your daughters school, cane that v8 all the way there like you know you should, then get the road service people to top up your fuel. No problem.
As an American, I have to say that I never use my cruise control. Partly due to the fact that I'm afraid it will break ( I drive a '94 Volvo 850). But mostly because I don't feel like I'm in control of the vehicle when it is on. As for driving a Prius, I live in Maine and I know from seeing to many stuck in the snow that they are horrific cars.
JC has forgotten one fuel saving tip here, empty your motor of all the paraphnailiar that your children clutter and litter it with. Once you've removed all the back copies of Dr. Who Adventures comic, two footballs, roller boots, last week's P.E kit and copious used soft drinks bottles, you're easily going to lighten the car by half a hundred weight, thus saving a good litre or two of precious fuel.
In the news broadcasts in America, they say it's not worth turning off your air-conditioning while driving because it will save only 1 mile per gallon. And the A/C is not connected to the gas, some Americans have proved that was a myth otherwise. What say you, Mr. Clarkson?
Oh yeah, I don't have a Prius :)
"Get the car into top gear as quickly as is reasonable. Fifth gear, remember, is no good at all." -- A subtle dig methinks?
I loved this show it was so funny. The police part was the best. And yes good tips.i will keep them in mind.
Useful info by Clarksmash. I agree, fifth gear is no good at all. Top Gear is what you need!
Great advice. Now, how much of that will work in a 20-year-old Mini driven by a nutter?
well i saw a white Ford GT driving through my town the other week, hope he reads these tips it could save him a fortune.
mind you get alot of super cars come through witney where i live (which is not to far from JC) but still not seen the grey Gallardo come through yet :)
That remark at fifth gear being of no good is hilarious. I'm surprised nontheless that JC would even consider to write a fuel saving article
yes, please don't buy a prius .. please don't buy a car that produces even more waste after it's not been used properly than your fifth (perfectly fine as the other ones) cell phone does ...
Top Gear Is amazing! Loved the episode that was just on! You guys can always make me laugh
Clarkson, you are actually mint
And when you fill up that M3 again, watch the electronics go bezerk, because you're not supposed to run the tank to such an empty level - all the stupid gizmos fail! Tried and tested!
What happend to Jeremy? He must be writing this against his will.
I was very disappointed to see Top Gear regurgitating misinformation about hybrid cars based on broadly discredited reports generated by CNW marketing research. I believe that a balanced discussion which includes facts should be adopted for BBC programs.
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not you too Jeremy, where's that POWEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR!!??
Anyone know what Jeremy showed on the TV that he found on the internet?