[arjyamaj]

Hey everyone,

One, thanks GTO, for the wonderful article. Very informative read.

Two, I follow some of these practices myself, pretty much based on common sense and a little bit of wikipedia, the manual etc.
1. Rolling friction- use the rolling friction of the car instead of the brakes when slowing down. This means that you're forced to drive at a lower speed (50-60) as opposed to (70-80). Being in Delhi, I hardly have to use my brakes unless at a traffic signal
2. If I know I have to stop at a signal, I'll put the gear in neutral, turn off my engine and coast to a stop. I know this is slightly unsafe but hey, you should probably be strong enough to handle an alto without power steering. The brakes become less responsive (obviously) but they do work- you just have to press a little harder. Just ensure to put the car in IG II ignition mode(that ensures that all the electricals are on)
3. If I'm coming up on a ramp or a flyover, its pedal to the metal just before beginning the climb- the car generates more momentum that way rather than accelerating up the slope (when its also working against gravity).
4. At the top of the ramp/flyover, I'll again put the gear in neutral, turn off the engine and coast to the bottom by which time I would have enough momentum to keep going for atleast another 100 mtrs (do remember that these are delhi roads). Once I hit a speed of 40, I put the car in gear, and use the momentum to restart the car (I'm told that this ruins the gear box in the long run, but the savings in fuel are well worth it- plus the gear box, like the rest of the car, is insured)
5. Use only high octane fuel- this actually makes a difference. It also makes a difference if you tank up (lesser evaporation space) early in the morning (denser fuel).
6. Idling at red lights is a no no (I have an MPFI 796cc 3 cyl). I turn it off if I have to wait for more than 30 secs.

Now call me a fool for some of those practices above, but I still get a 16-17 kmpl in Delhi city with the ac on.

Am considering changing the stock tyres to tubeless alloys, a K&N filter and an FFE. Am told (and this thread says so too!) that these actually help you.

Comments??? Suggestions?