Kamogelo Olaitan
With fuel prices skyrocketing, social media has been flooded with fuel saving hacks which experts warn could damage your car.
Last week the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced fuel prices will go up by more than R2, setting petrol at a record high R26.74 a litre.
Recently an advert for a product called EcoPlus appeared on Reddit and Twitter. In the viral video someone appears to be pouring Coca-Cola (coke) into the fuel tank.
“Simple Trick To Lower Car Fuel Consumption By 55%,” the advert read.
However, EcoPlus has released a statement claiming the video was not theirs.
One YouTuber calling himself theRoddick put the hack to test by putting the fizzy drink in his 2003 BMW 325i petrol tank.
Just under a minute of driving his car, he starts hearing a strange noise coming from the engine. The YouTuber later revealed that after testing the Coke theory, he had to cough up R17,000 to repair his car.
This is not the only hack that has popped up on social media.
For weeks now, motorists were targeted by scammers who claimed to be selling pills that would save up to 30% in fuel consumption.
But Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) warned that with these hacks motorists will end up paying more fixing their cars while trying to save.
AA spokesperson Layton Beard said the pills have not been approved by the AA or been through any chemical analysis.
“It’s very dangerous, in our opinion, to be using these pills and devices that have not been tested and approved because the long-term damage to the engine is still unknown,” he told SABC News.
Those who sell the pills that come in black and green sachets and cost R100 claim they reduce fuel consumption and boost a vehicle’s performance on the road.
To discover ways to cut your fuel costs without busting your engine, click here.
