Little-known car hack boosts fuel economy and can save £200 a year

Cars can easily become dirty, especially with rain and colder temperatures starting to set in. Motorists could therefore see more mud and grime on their vehicles. Not only will this require drivers to take the time to clean their car more regularly, but it could also be having an impact on their fuel economy.Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, urged drivers to think twice about setting off in a filthy vehicle.He said: ‘A cleaner car is in fact more fuel efficient. Experiments found the vehicle was more fuel-efficient when clean, averaging two miles per gallon (mpg) more than when it was dirty.’The average fuel mileage of the dirty car fell to around 24 mpg, while the clean car was 26 mpg.’If you extrapolate that over an entire year, and with a driver covering around 8,000 miles, there’s a potential saving of around £200 annually just by keeping your car clean.’READ MORE: E10 petrol could cause cracking and ‘dry out’ rubber seals Little-known car hack boosts fuel economy and can save £200 a year. (Image: Getty)The experiments he references include Mythbusters, who tested a clean car against a dirty car to test the fuel efficiency.The myth states that dirtier cars are more fuel efficient because it makes the car more aerodynamic and allows for better fuel economy.One car, a generic four-door sedan, was used on a one-mile track, with the clean car getting 26 mpg and the dirty car managing just 24 mpg.Mr Conway added: ‘The main determining factor here is when the car doesn’t have dirt around it, it is much more aerodynamic.DON’T MISS Drivers warned of ‘common’ defrosting mistake that may crack windows [WARNING] Classic cars remain popular despite push for greener motoring [REVEAL] Sainsbury’s implements new 50p charge in petrol stations [INSIGHT]  The latest RAC data found that diesel averaged 189.51p per litre, while petrol averaged 164.89p. (Image: Getty) How to save fuel. (Image: EXPRESS)If the windscreen isn’t clear and a motorist is involved in an accident, they can be charged with careless driving – even if any accident they encounter isn’t their fault.Drivers up and down the UK are still struggling to deal with fuel prices, especially with costs increasing in recent weeks.The latest RAC data found that diesel averaged 189.51p per litre, while petrol averaged 164.89p.While they are still some way off the all-time record levels seen in July, motorists will still be cautious when driving as to not waste fuel.