Individual driving style
Individual driving style largely determines the cost of operating a vehicle and the amount of toxic and noise emissions into the environment.
Do not warm up the engine while standing still.
The process of warming up the engine at idle speed lasts a very long time, and engine wear and fuel consumption during warming up are especially high. Therefore, immediately after starting the engine, start driving, while avoiding high engine speeds.
Avoid accelerating the vehicle by fully pressing the accelerator pedal.
When the accelerator pedal is fully pressed, not only does fuel consumption increase significantly, but the load on the environment also increases, and the wear of the vehicle's units and components accelerates.
Do not drive with excessively high engine speeds - shift to a higher gear as soon as possible and only then shift to a lower gear when the engine can no longer run smoothly.
For example, fuel consumption in 2nd gear is twice as high as fuel consumption in top gear. In addition, due to the reduced engine speed, the noise level is also reduced.
Avoid driving at maximum speed if possible.
Fuel consumption, the content of harmful substances in exhaust gases and the noise level increase many times at high speed. If you move at a speed approximately equal to three quarters of the maximum speed, fuel consumption decreases by about half. And the gain in time, as practice shows, is very small.
Move as evenly as possible and try to anticipate the further development of the traffic situation.
Unnecessary braking and acceleration, which could have been avoided, inevitably lead to high fuel consumption and increased environmental impact.
Turn off the engine in those driving situations where you have to wait a long time before you can continue driving.
Peculiarities of traffic conditions
Driving conditions also naturally affect fuel consumption.
For example, the following lead to increased fuel consumption:
- high traffic density, especially in urban areas with a large number of traffic lights;
- movement with frequent short-term stops, which inevitably leads to a large number of engine starts and its prolonged operation in a not fully warmed up state;
- driving in a traffic jam in low gears, forced frequent changes in engine speed in relation to the distance traveled.
By carefully planning your travel route, try to avoid driving in adverse conditions, such as in a convoy, with frequent stops, etc.
Of course, fuel consumption also depends on factors that the driver cannot influence. For example, it is quite normal that fuel consumption in winter or in difficult driving conditions (poor road surface conditions, towing a trailer, etc.) is increasing.
Technical background
The technical prerequisites for economical fuel consumption and economical operation of your vehicle as a whole are laid down at the factory. Particular attention was paid to the minimum possible negative impact of the vehicle on the environment. In order to make the best use of all the numerous positive qualities of your vehicle now and to preserve them for the future, it is necessary to follow the recommendations listed below.
In the interests of environmental protection, vehicles without catalytic converters should also be run on unleaded petrol whenever possible.
All scheduled maintenance work on the vehicle must be carried out in strict accordance with the "Service Book".
Regular maintenance at Volkswagen service centers guarantees not only the constant functionality and durability of your car, but also relatively low operating costs and a small impact on the environment.
Check your tire pressure once a month.
Due to low tire pressure, the rolling resistance of the wheels increases. As a result, not only does fuel consumption increase, but tire wear also increases and the vehicle's performance deteriorates.
You should not constantly carry unnecessary items in the luggage compartment of your car.
The vehicle's mass has a particularly strong influence on fuel consumption in urban driving conditions, characterized by frequent acceleration.
Remove the roof rack from the vehicle immediately if it is no longer needed.
This is necessary because at high speeds, increased air resistance leads to a significant increase in fuel consumption.
Turn on on-board power consumers only when there is an urgent need for it.
The rear window heating, additional headlights, ventilation and heating system fan, climate control system – all of them consume a lot of current. Due to the increased load on the generator, fuel consumption increases. Heating the rear window for ten hours, for example, results in the consumption of an extra liter of fuel.
Constantly monitor fuel consumption.
Each time you fill up with fuel, you should calculate the specific fuel consumption. This will help you identify individual malfunctions in the operation of vehicle units and components that lead to increased fuel consumption at an early stage.
It is necessary to check the engine oil level every time you refuel your vehicle.
Engine oil consumption depends largely on the load and engine speed. It is also determined by the driving style of the car and can reach 1 l/1000 km.
It is quite normal that the consumption of engine oil of a new engine reaches its lowest value only after a certain mileage. Therefore, it is possible to finally judge the consumption of engine oil only after a mileage of about 5000 km.
This is equally true for fuel consumption and engine power.
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