Semperit highlights 6 ways to combat rising fuel bills

Reduced fuel consumption among the benefits of new Comfort-Life tyre
With petrol prices continuing their relentless rise above the 1.00per litre mark across Ireland, tyre company Semperit is advising motorists of simple hints to keep their fuel bills to a minimum. The advice coincides with the introduction of the new Semperit Comfort-Life tyre, which boasts reduced fuel consumption compared to previous generation tyres.

Over the past 18 months, forecourt petrol prices have increased by around 15%. For a driver of 20,000km per annum, that translates into a jump of ca. 200 in annual fuel costs. Semperit is suggesting 6' golden rulees' for saving fuel:
• Don't start the engine until your seatbelt is applied, mirrors are set, CD is selected and you are ready to go. {Don't warm up the engine, and don't apply the accelerator on starting the engine}. And remember air conditioning uses fuel!
• The easiest way to save fuel is to use gears correctly. At 50kmh, a medium-sized car uses twice as much fuel in 2nd gear as it does in 4th, and three times as much as in 5th. The torque of modern engines allows you to change gears quickly - you should do so from about 1500 revs.
• A balanced driving style, in the highest gear possible, will reduce fuel consumption. Acceleration and braking will increase it.
• Leaving the roof rack permanently on the car can cost even a low mileage driver over 100 per year in fuel bills. Roof items such as bicycles can increase fuel consumption by as much as 40%!
• Regular servicing will ensure you car is running to maximum efficiency.
•Chances are, in common with most motorists, your tyre pressures are too low. Under-inflation means increased wear, greater rolling resistance and higher fuel consumption. Inflate your tyres to 0.2bar above that recommended in the car manual.

As the new Sempetit Comfort-Life demonstrate, the choice of tyre itself impacts on fuel costs. Working with an improved compound and flatter contour, Semperit engineers have managed to reduce rolling resistance by 3%, bringing real benefits in fuel economy.

Comfort-Life also features better-all round performance, with wet braking reduced by 5% and improved resistance to acuaplaning. Noise levels have been decreased.
Designed for the sub-supermini to compact classes, dominated by models such as the Ford Ka, Peugeot 206 and VW Golf, the Comfort-Life is noticeable for its stylish 'ellipsoidal' tread design.

"The pattern of thish new Comfort-Life tyre is the most distinctive design we have created, the new tyre still holds true to the longstanding Semperit selling points of performance and economy," commented Paddy Murphy, General Sales Manager for Semperit Ireland.