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Subscribe to our newsletter and receive for FREE '7 secret fuel-saving tips' brought to you in
association with Pitchix, 'Empowering women to take control of their vehicle'

Never let your tank go to empty, get in the mindset it is full at halfway. This will prevent your petrol from evaporating into thin air!

Never decrease the fuel nozzle fully to rush the fuel into your tank, the faster the rush of gas goes into your tank, the more aerated it will be.

Put your fuel in your car in the mornings, sounds funny, but the ground temperature can change a lot from a cold morning to a warm afternoon, you will get more bang for your buck if the fuel is cold.

Add a fuel injection cleaner to your fuel every now and then. This will clean your fuel infectors and prevent them from clogging up with contaminants. If you use Caltex Techron you will not need to do this as it cleans as your car runs!

Make sure you tune your engine regularly and get your car serviced!

Ensure that you have great tread on your tyres and that your tyre pressures are correct! Your car will work much harder if they are at the wrong pressure for your driving.

Try and do one round trip at a time, do all your chores in one go!

Do you know how to check the oil and water in your car? Maintain your vehicle's tyre pressure? Inspect your brake hoses? Change a wiper blade? If you answered no to any of these questions, you are not alone, according to Andrea Loughlin of Pitchix. Andrea founded the company in Auckland two years ago after realising that many of us don't have a clue when it comes to the basics of car maintenance.

"It is really very easy and inexpensive to keep up the basic maintenance on your vehicle, and to know what to keep an eye on to prevent a major repair. I started Pitchix to teach women the skills and confidence they need to become more independent when it comes to looking after their car."

The Pitchix course runs for around an hour and a quarter. Andrea can visit clients "in their own time, in their own space" and there are also courses held in Onehunga. Course attendees are taught a range of skills that they practice on their own vehicles. "I teach them how to check their vehicle's oil and other vital fluid levels such as transmission and battery levels. We also go over how to check the air filter, brake hoses and CV boots and to jumpstart the car." Andrea gives her clients valuable advice on how to source their own parts to save money; what tools to carry in the car; and how to converse with a mechanic to ensure they are not 'taken for a ride' when the car does need a professional repair.

All customers who purchase a car through Women on Wheels qualify for a FREE Pitchix course, to learn how to take the best care of their new investment!