Buying a car - Fuel Consumption

Fuel consumption is a hot topic amongst drivers these days. Fuel prices are rising and it's really pinching the pockets of a lot of people. When buying a car, you may actually save yourself money by finding that great bargain but the type of vehicle you buy has a big influence on the running costs of the vehicle.

When buying a new car, you should always check the Fuel Consumption Label. The Fuel Consumption Label is an Australian Government initiative to promote consumer demand for vehicles with good fuel efficiency and lower greenhouse impact. The label looks similar to the energy label on your fridge or washing machine and it gives you the ability to compare the efficiency between different models.

It shows the car's fuel consumption in litres per 100 kilometres for city driving and the carbon dioxide emissions - the lower the numbers, the more you will save on fuel because of the better efficiency.

For used cars, there is no requirement for this label so you need to do your homework and find the original consumption data for the vehicle. A great resource for details on new and used cars is The Red Book. This free resource provides everything you need to know about the car you are looking to buy including fuel consumption.

A number of other factors need to be taken into account:

-- Your driving style - such as fast acceleration and hard braking
-- Traffic conditions - being stuck in traffic jams will increase your consumption
-- The vehicles condition - tyre pressures should always be checked, and the servicing should always be up to date

A rule of thumb however is - the more cylinders, the more expensive it will be!

You can read more about the Fuel Consumption Label at the Environment page of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website

Contact your local automotive club in your state for additional details.
SA - RAA | VIC - RACV | NSW - NRMA | QLD - RACQ
WA - RACWA | TAS - RACT | NT - AANT