First of all sorry for not updating the blog for such a long time (berhabuk hehe) been buzy with work especially for the preparation for the upcoming Sultan's 62nd Birthday celebration.
As a daily commuter from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kuala Belait, one thing that you need to think everyday is fuel consumption. As for myself using a 4x4 diesel commuting really save me on my petrol bills and what really open my eyes are the amount Brunei Government subsidize our petrol one of the highest subsidize in the world.
Take for instance from my calculation, to fill up my 4x4 diesel from empty to full without the subsidize of the government will cost me $52 where I’m paying only for $20. A tank full will last me atleast 3 days of commuting where an average per week I’m spending $40 on my petrol bills which works out $160 per month.
This means that the amount of petrol subsidize by the government for me alone will work up around $256 per month if not i’ll be paying $416 per month (karau eh).
So we have start to think and open our eyes on ways on saving on fuel consumption and think the amount of petrol subsidize by our government cost $202 million per year.
Here are some tips on getting better mileage on your vehicle:
1) Drive at a moderate speed. This is the biggest factor. You may have to be a little patient, but driving atleast 90 kmph instead of 110 kmph or 120kmph (average speed of road user from my observation) will save you money.
2) Drive smoothly. Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. Once up to speed on the highway, maintain a steady pace in top gear. Smooth acceleration, cornering, and braking also extend the life of the engine, transmission, brakes, and tyres.
3) Minimize driving with a cold engine. Engines run most efficiently when they're warm.Research shows that making multiple short trips and starting the engine from cold each time reduced fuel economy. Engines also produce more pollution and wear faster when they're cold. When possible, combine several short trips into one so that the engine stays warm.
4) Keep tyres properly inflated. More important, underinflated tires compromise handling and braking, and wear faster. And they run much hotter, which can lead to tyre failure.
5) Avoid idling for long periods. A smaller engine would probably burn less, but idling still adds up over time. As a rule, turn off your engine if you expect to sit for more than about 30 seconds. An engine warms up faster as it's driven anyway
