The scenario: Picture a commuter who parks near Sunshine Station most weekdays, driving a modest hatchback that's noticeably needed more frequent fuel stops over the past couple of months — nothing dramatic, just enough of a creeping increase to notice at the pump.
Rather than assuming it's just fuel prices or imagination, a few quick checks are run during a routine visit. Tyre pressure comes back well under the recommended figure — a slow, gradual leak that's easy to miss without regularly checking, and under-inflated tyres create more rolling resistance, meaning the engine works harder to maintain the same speed.
The cabin and engine air filters are checked at the same time, since a Melbourne commute through inner-west traffic accumulates more dust and debris than a country drive would. The engine air filter comes back moderately clogged — not filthy, but restricting airflow enough to affect the fuel-to-air mixture the engine's computer has to compensate for.
What this illustrates: Rising fuel costs are sometimes just fuel prices, but a few simple, inexpensive maintenance items — correct tyre pressure and a clean air filter — genuinely affect fuel economy, and they're worth ruling out before assuming it's just the cost of petrol going up.
For more on habits and maintenance that affect fuel economy, see our manual chapter on service intervals for Melbourne's stop-start traffic.
Fuel Bill Creeping Up Near Sunshine?
We'll check tyre pressure and filters as part of any service — quick, simple, worth ruling out.