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Money-saving tip: Change gear correctly

Change gear at a certain point to keep fuel consumption down

08 August 2008

Did you know by changing gear at the correct point, your car will use less fuel than usual?

Combine this with some other driving techniques and you could cut your fuel bill by up to 30 per cent, saving you £250 per year.

One of the best ways of saving fuel is to avoid revving your engine too much – or too little.

By keeping your revs steady and at the right point on the dial, your engine will run smoothly and use less fuel.

The magic numbers

Depending on which car you drive, you should change gear at a different time. Change gear at around:

• 2,000rpm (revolutions per minute) in a diesel car
• 2,500rpm in a petrol car

Keep your rev counter between 2,000 and 3,000rpm while driving, if possible. This will keep fuel consumption down.

Save money on fuel – check your speed

More green driving tips

1. Stay in the left lane on motorways where possible – doing 56mph uses 25 per cent less fuel than 70mph
2. Try and keep your fuel level at around halfway – a full tank will make your car heavy, and burn more fuel
3. Reverse into a parking space and your car will require less fuel to move away when you come to leave

View images of more money-saving tips

Video: Fuel-saving tips

Watch ex Top Gear presenter Quentin Wilson demonstrate some green driving techniques to make your fuel last longer:

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Come back tomorrow for more money-saving tips.

How do you save money on your motoring? Share your tips on the Auto Trader Blog

Disclaimer: Auto Trader cannot guarantee the above advice will always save you money.

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