The Pinch Of The Fuel Price Hike

SOUTH AFRICAN motorists are reeling from the third consecutive petrol price hike.

- Vanessa Papas

JUST because you’re famous doesn’t mean your car magically fills up with petrol every month. Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Matt Damon and Naomi Campbell have all been snapped putting petrol in their dream machines. While many A-list celebs chose to ride fancy fast cars, if you’re not earning a whopping salary you might battle to fill’er up when she runs low on fuel.

South African motorists hit by a whopping 82c increase in the price of petrol, hot on the heels of already hefty increases in April and May, are feeling the pinch. With the fuel price at its highest point ever, we’re all looking for ways to decrease our transport costs. We bring you a break down on how, with a few minor tweaks, you can save on your travel costs.

Drive A Smaller Car

IF you haven’t already made a car purchase, or if you’re thinking of upgrading or downgrading your vehicle, one of the best ways to reduce your fuel consumption is to purchase and drive a vehicle that is projected to get great petrol mileage. Find a fuel-efficient model that fits your needs and, in general, stay away from large SUVs, vans, and trucks if you are concerned with lowering your petrol budget. Among some of the most fuel efficient cars in SA are Ford Fiesta 1.5 TDCi (3.6 L/100 km), Fiat Tipo 1.3 Multijet Easy (3.7 L/100 km), Fiat 500 (3.8 L/100 km), Peugeot 2008 1.6 HDi Active (4.0 L/100 km) and Audi A1 1.0T (4.2 L/100km).

Fill Your Tank In The Morning