With temperatures set to soar today, drivers are being urged to park in a specific spot to slash car costs as the UK basks in a mini heatwave after a long and overcast winter
Drivers have been urged to take action in order to save money on their cars this week as temperatures across the UK skyrocket. The mercury is forecast to soar today with the Met Office reporting that the likes of London could see temperatures as high as 27C.
It’s not just cars that can feel the heat, so can the nation’s cars. Significant rises in temperature can have a significant impact on a car’s efficiency as well as the comfort of humans inside the vehicle. However, there are several ways to avoid interior discomfort whils saving money at the same time.
Chatting with Express.co.uk, Dayinsure’s big cheese Nicholas Shaw revealed out his top five tips for motorists aiming to save a quid or two under the blazing sun.
Keep windows open
Air conditioning units require a lot of power to run, which can have a massive impact car’s fuel efficiency and thus the driver’s wallet.
Nicholas suggested: “Avoiding using air conditioning will help with your fuel efficiency.
“Ventilation is the key to cooling down your vehicle and your passengers, so if you are driving at a slower speed, keeping your windows open is the best option during the hotter months.”
Use your AC to cool the car gradually
On how best to deploy the air conditioning, Nicholas advised: “To improve comfort and efficiency, it’s better to turn on the AC right away and let the system cool the air gradually, rather than waiting too long.
“If the car is very hot, consider briefly opening the windows to let out some of the heated air before activating the AC. However, the best approach can depend on the age of your car.
“For older cars, the AC system may take longer to cool, and it might be more energy-efficient to let the car run for a minute or so before turning on the AC, or to cool the car down by briefly opening the windows to let out the hot air first.”
Park in the shade
One of Nicholas’ main takeaways was to park in a shaded areas this can help keep car temperatures at a reasonable level. He said: “It may seem obvious but keeping your car in a shaded area when parked could save you a lot of money and increase fuel efficiency due to not having to use cooling systems such as air conditioning.”
Use sunshades
His fourth piece of advice involves deploying sunshades on all the car’s windows to create the same effect of being parked in a shaded area. However, if someone doesn’t want to pay for bespoke shades he said “you can actually use towels or cardboard”.
Maintain tyre pressure
Nicholas’ final tip was to make sure that the pressures in all four of the cars tyres are right. He explained: “Maintaining your tyre pressure doesn’t directly ‘cool’ down your car, but it can help to prevent your car from overheating.
“Overinflating or underinflating your tyres can cause excess heat and prevent optimal contact with the road, increasing friction and heat.”