Posted on June 24, 2008 by Fiona Hilliard

With talk of a recession in the air and school holidays around the corner, now is a great time to think about ways to save on your car hire fuel.   The following tips should help you get the most for your money this summer:

 1. Before booking your rental car, you should make the fuel efficiency of your chosen vehicle a priority.   Compare makes and models to get the best deal.  Consider a hybrid.   

2. You may have fallen for the charms of the nearest and easiest garage upon pick-up, but you’ll have learnt your lesson on the way back.  Before returning to the drop-off point, pick a nearby station where you’ll fill-up on the way back in. 

3. Check nearby petrol prices on your way out of the airport/rental zone just after you pick up the car.  This is when you should be considering saving money, not when you are returning the car and you’re under pressure to make a flight.  When returning the car, consider buying petrol a reasonable distance from the rental return counter (where locals buy their fuel).
4. Empty out your vehicle.  Adding unnecessary weight to your car guzzles fuel at a faster rate. 

Saving Money When Driving:

According to a recent US study, people waste the most time and fuel when looking for a parking space that’s closest to the entrance of their hotel or restaurant.  Meanwhile, those who drove to the first available spot and walked got to the entrance first and burnt the least fuel. 

Drivers who waited for someone who was about to pull out of their spot, then sat and waited for them to pull out of their spot and pulled into the spot, tended to get to the entrance last and burned the most fuel.
If you want to save on your petrol bills, our advice to you is burn calories not carbon this summer!