Maintain Your Tyres
Pump Up Your Tyres - Under inflated tyres increase resistance which harms your fuel consumption. According to a study by Michelin in 2010 more than 370 million litres of fuel are being wasted each year due to under inflated tyres!
Check your car manual for the recommended pressure then go to your local petrol station and use their pump, this is normally free! If your tyres are under inflated by 20% this will result in a 3% fuel consumption increase and reduce the tyre life by 30%. Pumping your tyres up is one of the easiest and quickest ways to instantly improve your fuel consumption.
Check For Wear - If your tyres are bald this is not only illegal but dangerous and harming your fuel economy. For new tyres you should check out MyTyres, who are Europe's largest online tyre retailer, or contact your local garage. There are also lots of other reputable companies in this field as you would expect so don't be shy of doing your homework and reading customer reviews before parting with any hard earned cash.
Fit Thinner Tyres - Thicker tyres have more rolling resistance which means higher fuel consumption. Fitting thinner tyres will improve your fuel consumption, however your car will not handle as well with thinner tyres. Always seek advice of a garage before buying thinner tyres.
Related Resource
If you like reading and want to learn even more about looking after your motor this is a good book.
How to Maintain Your Car and Keep It Running Smoothly
Image source: sxc / sdamsgaard 2004.