Hoot Guide to cutting motoring costsEver had a burning question about cars, or motor insurance, or driving law, or indeed any aspect of motoring? Most people have at one time or another, and sadly, many of those questions go unanswered. Well the staff here at Hoot thought we'd do something about it. So we put our heads together and came up with Hoot Guides, the ultimate resource for today's puzzled motorist. If your car has started developing odd squeaks and rattles, take a peek at our "What's that strange noise?" guide, whilst our advice guide on to what to do if you battery goes flat is a worthwhile read for any motorist.
The current selection offers a uniquely valuable resource for today's driver, and as we continue to add guides it's only going to get better. So next time you have a car question, you now know where to go: http://www.hootcarinsurance.co.uk.
The guide you're currently reading is about reducing your motoring costs by cutting down on fuel consumption. These tips are good for your wallet and good for the environment, making this guide a must-read for every driver out there. Lighten your load
Often the most basic ideas are the best, and this one is guaranteed to work a treat.
Once you're done reading this, go out to your car and clear all the stuff out of it that you don't need on a daily basis or in an emergency. This includes sets of golf clubs, spades and other gardening equipment, unnecessary tools (by all means take a screwdriver and a Haynes manual, but leave the sledgehammer at home) and baby stuff like prams and unused booster seats. Next, remove any detachable kit from the outside of the car. We're talking roof racks, bike racks, roof-top boxes, trailers, caravans and anything else that 'sticks out' - bar your wing mirrors and possibly your radio aerial. Do this and you'll significantly lower the weight of your car, reducing the amount of work the engine has to do to drive it. On top of that, all the kit you removed from outside the car will have made it much more aerodynamic shape, which again reduces the amount of power required to move it places. If it sounds like a waste of effort, consider this: studies have shown that, mile for mile, it is cheaper to send your bicycle separately from A to B by train than it is to mount it on a rooftop bike rack and pay for the extra fuel you'll use. Stop dawdling
Another simple gem. The rule of thumb is: if your car is stopped still for more than a minute, switch the engine off.
This goes double for those who insist on 'warming up' their cars before setting off. Unless your car is really old - at least old enough to come with a choke - it shouldn't need such mollycoddling unless there's something wrong with it. Lastly, don't drive around aimlessly with no idea where you're going. Driving at 30mph in the wrong direction is at least three times as wasteful as sitting still with the engine idling, so plan your journey in advance. If you still manage to get lost, pull over, switch the car off and take a look at a map. Regular servicing
The more cynically-minded of you will probably be thinking that taking your car in for a service every year or so counts as spending money, not saving it - and in a way you'd be right.
However, the cost of that yearly tune-up will be more than compensated for by the increased reliability and fuel economy of your car, not to mention perks like a smoother ride. Also, provided you keep on top of the annual garage visit and do your own weekly or daily checks for stuff like tyre pressure and wear, oil and water levels, you should see a dramatic reduction in the number of one-off repair jobs needed. In other words, you'll end up making fewer costly trips to garage, not more. Open the windows
Air conditioning systems are a fuel economy nightmare, for two reasons. Firstly they weigh a ton, which, as we've said, forces the engine to work harder at driving the car. Secondly, running your air con system requires a serious amount of power, and it drains all that from the engine as well.
So if you're unlucky enough to have one fitted, for goodness sake make sure you never turn the thing on. Open a window and enjoy some natural air conditioning instead. Get cheap car insurance from Hoot
Okay, so it probably won't help your fuel consumption- but the ridiculously cheap car insurance available from Hoot will certainly contribute to keeping motoring costs down.
People often ask us how we do it, and the answer is this: we cut out everything that doesn't contribute to great cover, and that leaves us with fantastic motor insurance quotes. For instance, Hoot doesn't spend any money on advertising, unlike the majority of other car insurance firms. We believe in the power of word of mouth marketing, and we love the price tag. Also, as an online car insurance firm, Hoot saves much of the money that our old-fashioned competitors shell out for fancy shops, offices and call centres. So for a really cheap car insurance quote, just click below. 
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