‘I’m a mechanic – a five-minute check every two weeks can save drivers hundreds on fuel’
Scotty Kilmer, one of YouTube's most popular motoring experts has shared a number of tips that can help drivers increase their car's fuel economy.
The well-known online mechanic Scotty Kilmer has shared how motorists can improve their fuel bills with a small tweak.
Scotty began working on cars more than 55 years ago and now regularly posts videos to his YouTube channel giving advice to help drivers save money and avoid expensive damage.
In a popular video, Scotty warned drivers against buying devices that claim to improve fuel economy and instead regularly check their tyre pressures.
He explained: “Today I’m going to show you how to get better gas [petrol] mileage in your car, and it’s not by using scam devices, don’t be fooled. If these devices actually worked, they’d be making them in the [car] factories because of the tremendous pressure by society to get better gas mileage.
“I’m going to give you a real thing you can do, make sure your tyre pressures are right. If it’s wrong, the tyre will have too much friction so worse gas mileage.”
The mechanic noted that tyres slowly lose pressure over time and need to be refilled with air to the levels stated in the vehicle’s handbook.
Drivers that fail to regularly do this could see worse fuel economy as more of the tyre comes into contact with the road, and also runs the risk of the tyres wearing out much faster.
To avoid this, the Highway Code recommends that all drivers check their tyre pressures at least once every two weeks and before every long journey.
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However, Scotty also suggested that drivers are able to save on their petrol and diesel bills by making sure that the air filter is clean.
He added: “Also, don’t have a dirty air filter. Your car burns thousands of cubic feet of air, and you can’t stop that flow [with a blocked-up filter]."
Typically, car air filters need to be changed once a year, or sooner if the vehicle is often driven in dusty conditions, to provide the engine with enough clean air.
Finally, Scotty recommended that motorists should remember to be gentle behind the wheel, avoiding harsh accelerating and braking.
He continued: “And be a moderate driver. Realise that the faster the engine spins, the more fuel it is using up.”
Owners of cars with rev-counters or tachometers should try to avoid the engine revving higher than 2,500 rpm by shifting up a gear as soon as possible.