Motorists can improve their fuel economy by around three percent by checking a vital component found in every vehicle, according to experts. 

Using the correct engine oil can dramatically improve petrol and diesel vehicle’s fuel efficiency and can be a vital tool to save pennies. 

According to experts at CarShop, the right oil can dramatically vary based on the type of vehicle with owners urged to check before setting off.

The warning comes as fuel prices continue to rise across the UK in a major blow to cash-strapped road users.

The CarShop said: “Making sure the right specification of engine oil is used is important to improve a car’s overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency. 

“The vehicle handbook will be able to indicate the correct type of motor oil to be used within the engine. 

“Modern engines are built with finer tolerances and therefore require thinner oils – those with lower viscosity – that can also improve fuel economy by around three percent.”

According to MillersOils, drivers must use the right compound for their particular model to generate the best performance.

The experts stressed that modern additive technology means they can formulate with lower viscosity base oils. 

These additives can provide additional lubrication which is often required to protect the engine components of a vehicle. 

They explained: “This allows us to use lower viscosity oils, which take less energy to pump around the engine. Think about the energy it would take you to squeeze a bottle of water vs. syrup. 

“This then translates to improved fuel economy and savings for customers. Typically, moving from a 10w40 engine oil to a 5w30 would show a fuel economy improvement of around one to two percent.”

Specialists at Castrol also explained that lower-viscosity oils “generally enable reduced fuel consumption”.