Crisis looms for cash-strapped motorists

WITH the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices, cash-strapped motorists could be moving towards a transport crisis.

Vishal Premlall, director of the South African Petroleum Retail Association, (SAPRA) said the primary reason for the increase which saw the petrol price increase by 67c a litre and diesel by 44c could be attributed to the weakening economy.

“Fuel efficiency is a big consideration these days. Fuel is not cheap and many people spend a larger portion of their salaries each month on fuel to commute,” said Premlall.

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He also cautioned that if the price of oil continues with its upward trend, there could be a further increases in the coming months.

With motorists highly affected, Premlall predicted the same for taxi and bus commuters as the fuel hike was expected to increase the fare by R1 and R5 per journey.

Premlall also debunked fuel saving myths:

• Gearing into neutral at stops

This idea may have been relevant when engines used carburettors but today’s cars have computerised fuel-injection systems. By constantly shifting in and out of neutral, the only thing you may accomplish is premature wear on your gear box.

• A full tank is more fuel efficient

The idea that a tank more full than empty will prevent fuel evaporation inside the tank is incorrect. Fuel systems in modern cars are designed with vapour recovery systems so no evaporation is possible.

• A dirty air filter leads to lower mileage

The engines in older vehicles pulled air straight through the air filter into the carburettor, so a clogged filter could affect fuel efficiency to some degree. However today’s advanced engines have a computerised engine control module (ECM) to regulate the air-to-fuel ratio. Air goes through the filter and then through a mass airflow sensor that lets the ECM gauge the airflow and adjust the fuel accordingly; less airflow means less fuel is sent to the engine.

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• Filling up when it’s cooler saves me money

Filling stations petrol is almost always pumped from storage tanks underground that are naturally insulated from large temperature swings so no truth in this theory.

• Cruising downhill in neutral saves petrol

The truth is that when coasting in neutral, the engine is idling, consuming just as much petrol as when it’s idling at a traffic light or warming up in your driveway.

Rather than a trick to save fuel, Premlall advised that the most fuel-efficient engines were diesel. “Diesel engine technology has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past decade and most certainly in the last five years, proving that this technology is becoming the one of choice.”

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