To keep your rental car running optimally, all Pace Car Rental customers are strongly advised to keep reading so you can keep your rental car running smoothly.

Save money on your automatic rental vehicle with pointers on driving fuel efficiently:

Petrol prices make up a big part of the day to day costs of your rental car. Fuel takes up to 40 – 45% of the running costs of your car.

As a driver of an automatic car, here are driving techniques that’ll extend your fuel to the end of the month.

  1. Keep your ‘pace’

It’s logic really – Don’t brake unless needed, and driving slowly and consistently will keep your car going forward. Less energy and fuel is used.

 2. Don’t keep your foot on the brake

Resting your foot on the brake pedal, no matter how lightly, affects fuel usage. It places an unnecessary burden on the engine and transmission. You’ll wear out your brakes rapidly as well.

3. Inflate tyres properly

Your car only touches the ground on a few of places. Each tyre has a small portion that touches the road – and this impacts your driving and fuel efficiency. An underinflated tyre causes your car to drag, which increases the distance to stopping and is incredibly unsafe.

4. Don’t drive in a rush 

Racing to the robot, fast braking and crazy accelerating all exhaust fuel rapidly. Driving slower can lower your fuel consumption considerably at highway speeds and around town. The key is to accelerate gently, and pull away slowly to save petrol.

5. Buy petrol when it’s cooler weather outside 

Scientifically speaking, liquids expand in heat and you’ll get more value for your money when the petrol is compact in the freezing morning or evening air.

      6. Transmission

Some automatic cars stay in lower gears longer than is necessary which decreases fuel efficiency. Try manoeuvre the transmission into shifting earlier than it wants to by taking your foot off the accelerator after 50km/h. Accelerate slowly when you’re in the higher gears.

These small, manageable changes add up to savings you’ll feel between pay day and filling up days!

Visit our website, call 011 262 5500 or email info@pacecarrental.co.za and check out our Group P Autos. Pace has stunning new Kia Picanto Automatic vehicles that will stretch your savings even further especially on our long-term car rental deals!