I’m a car expert – here’s a little-known tip to save money on petrol this summer

A CAR expert has revealed a little-known tip to improve your car’s fuel economy this summer – and it could save you hundreds of pounds.

With the mercury rising, Britain’s motorists will be relying on their car’s air-con to keep them cool this summer.

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However, car experts at Select Car Leasing say now is the time to get your air-con ‘re-gassed’ – i.e., removing the old refrigerant gas from the system and replacing it with new refrigerant gas.

And doing so won’t just stop you from sweating on the road; it could also boost how much fuel you get from a tank.

Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing,  explains: “Your air-con system experiences a natural loss of refrigerant gas over time, which is why it needs to be replaced and topped up – typically every two years.

“Some of the tell-tale signs your system needs a refresh are warm air coming through vents, even when the air-con is on, as well as a damp, mouldy, chemical-like smell coming through the blowers.

“And there’s another reason you should get a re-gas – doing so will actually improve fuel efficiency.

“When refrigerant gas levels are low, the air-con has to work harder to cool the air. And that extra exertion means you end up using more fuel – because the air-con unit draws its power from the engine.

“Letting your air-con system run out of gas could also damage the system in the long run, causing component parts to seize and crack, so it’s a piece of maintenance you’re wise to keep on top of.”

In general, it’s thought that running the air-conditioning typically increases fuel consumption by around 8-10% compared with not having it on.

So, if it takes £100 to fill up your tank, there could be a saving of around £10 between fill-ups if you get the air-con system properly sorted.

That increase is most sharply felt during shorter journeys when the air-con must work hard to cool the cabin in the first instance.

Opening your car’s windows could also impact fuel consumption, particularly if they’re left open at higher speeds.

That’s because open windows increase the ‘drag’ of a car, making it less aerodynamic, and therefore meaning your engine needs to work slightly harder to maintain forward momentum.

Graham Conway adds: “As a general rule of thumb, I’d suggest opening all your car’s windows when you first get in the cabin on a warm day in order to allow the hot air to escape.

“Once you’re on the move, you can close your windows and revert to the air con. And if you’re travelling above 55 mph, it’s more efficient to use the air-con than it is to open the windows.”

This comes after an expert mechanic revealed a common driving mistake – and avoiding it could save you hundreds on fuel bills.

Plus, a major supermarket gives drivers 5p off a litre of fuel – but there’s a catch.