Could your tyres be costing you money at the petrol bowser?

Pump them Up!
Did you know that underinflated tyres can contribute to poor fuel economy? It’s true, in fact for every PSI that your tyres are underinflated by it can reduce your fuel efficiency by around 0.2%. On average tyres tend to lose 1-2 PSI per month so it’s a good idea to check them regularly to give you the best fuel economy from each tank.

Keep them Rolling!
Have you got the best tyres for your vehicle to allow it to get the best fuel milage? Tyres can affect your fuel efficiency by up to 20%, because of what is known as ‘rolling resistance’. In a nutshell ‘rolling resistance’ is simply how much energy it takes to get the tyres on your car rolling, and then how easily the tyre will continue to roll once it’s moving. If you have the wrong tyre size, a tread pattern that is too aggressive for your car or a tyre profile that’s not suitable to your use you might be wasting fuel moving your tyres down the road. The good news is, vehicle manufacturers are obliged by law, and consumer demand, to keep engine emissions and fuel consumption as low as possible. So the standard tyre size and original rubber should be the best choice for your vehicle and its fuel efficiency. But if you’ve had a change at some point, or you weren’t the original owner of your car; now might be a good time to check in on your tyres.

Keep them maintained!
If your wheels are unbalanced or out of alignment, or if your tyres are wearing unevenly or are low on tread you’ll likely see increased fuel usage as your engine works harder to try to keep your wheels turning. Tyres that are low on tread will typically have less grip. This means anytime your car is accelerating or cornering it is more likely to slip across the surface rather than grip onto the tarmac; effectively meaning you’re engine is burning fuel trying to turn wheels that are unwilling to grip and do their job. Likewise, if your wheels are unbalanced or poorly aligned it doesn’t allow your wheels and tyres to roll with ease. This can result in your engine trying to force your tyres down the road as they bite into the road surface in ways you don’t want wasting extra fuel as it goes. As a good rule of thumb its recommended that you have your tyres rotated and balanced at least every 10,000km and include a wheel alignment with at least every major service to reduce the load on your cars engine which in turn improves efficiency.

So, if it’s been a while since you last checked your tyre pressures. Or if you need advice on getting your wheels maintained or the right tyres fitted to your car. There’s never been a better time to reach out and speak to one of our team about how we can help, because it might give you some much needed relief in your wallet the next time you fuel up.