Getting fantastic fuel mileage in my 2003 1.6 Golf

Nephilim Wolf · 01-10-2016 10:50PM #1

I got my 2003 VW Golf Highline petrol engine tuned recently because of emissions. I wasn't cheap and I'd rather not say how much it cost. The engine is even quiter and runs like a swiss watch. At the moment I've done 498 miles (not kms) so far and amazingly there is still at least another 100 or 150 miles to go before the tank is empty. There are a few little rattles but the car is very very reliable and always starts in the morning. So anybody else getting this kind fuel economy in a simlar 1.6 engine?

colm_mcm · 01-10-2016 10:53PM

What do you mean by "tuned"

Also, how much did it cost

What sort of driving do you do?

GustavoFring · 01-10-2016 11:05PM

What were you getting before this magical process?

Special Circumstances · 01-10-2016 11:10PM

Great Scott!

colm_mcm · 01-10-2016 11:13PM

Golf tank is 55 litres I think. 12.8 gallons in old money.

If you get 650 miles, You need to go to Germany and tell VW they've been wasting their time with direct injection, 16 valves, turbocharging, regenerative braking and stop-start. You're getting 51mpg and the future of petrol engines lies in the early 90's 8 valve 1.6 engine.
Your tuner fella has a bright future. This could solve VWs diesel woes.

Special Circumstances · 01-10-2016 11:15PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Golf tank is 55 litres I think.

1.21 Gigawatts

Nephilim Wolf · 01-10-2016 11:26PM

What I mean by tuned is the pistons and piston rings and head gaskets replaced. And believe me it cost quite a lot. I'm not sure if this increases horsepower though? I do some motorway driving and driving to work which is only a couple of miles. I went down to wexford recently the scenic route actually, and I was doing a lot of mileage between Kilmuckridge to Gorey, New Ross and Enniscorthy. When I arrived down to my best mate in Wexford the odometer said 120 miles and obviously the petrol guage only moved a milimeter or two.:D Also because the was engine redone, my friend thought my cars engine was off even though it was still running. I only have to fill up about every month and a half which is great.

Nephilim Wolf · 01-10-2016 11:32PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Golf tank is 55 litres I think. 12.8 gallons in old money.

If you get 650 miles, You need to go to Germany and tell VW they've been wasting their time with direct injection, 16 valves, turbocharging, regenerative braking and stop-start. You're getting 51mpg and the future of petrol engines lies in the early 90's 8 valve 1.6 engine.
Your tuner fella has a bright future. This could solve VWs diesel woes.

Thanks it is a very good car indeed. It's not a 90's car though, it's a very late 2003 1.6 16 valve engine. Also when my car is in traffic the engine is very quite and the gear stick is as steady as a rock.

Red Kev · 01-10-2016 11:37PM

Fill the tank to the brim and recalculate it. Do this another two or three times and you'll get a far more accurate reading.

Get back to us when you've done that and we'll be able to comment better as we'll have more accurate information.

sonique 2016 · 01-10-2016 11:39PM

this backs up my theory that the last good car made by any company was the '97 vento,

which does 9 miles to the euro

colm_mcm · 01-10-2016 11:40PM

Nephilim Wolf wrote: »

Thanks it is a very good car indeed. It's not a 90's car though, it's a very late 2003 1.6 16 valve engine. Also when my car is in traffic the engine is very quite and the gear stick is as steady as a rock.

The engine (technology) is from the 90s.

mickdw · 01-10-2016 11:41PM

Tuner installed extra fuel tank. Brimmed it with 100 quid of petrol and that is supplying engine 50 / 50 with main tank.
Tuner will have left country with your tuning money by time you find it.
I hear vw are working on a similar system for the latest range. It will allow them to claim 100 mpg across the board.

''Filling the extra tank with vw branded motion fluid is a service procedure relating to fuel system lubrication only and should be topped up weekly by your vw dealer. If driving in a location remote from authorised dealer network, unleaded petrol can be used instead of vw motion fluid.''

colm_mcm · 01-10-2016 11:43PM

sonique 2016 wrote: »

this backs up my theory that the last good car made by any company was the '97 vento,

which does 9 miles to the euro

I disagree, the XR3i was much better. Don't see them around these days for whatever reason.

Del2005 · 01-10-2016 11:44PM

The tune up was an 80l tank.

OP have you informed your insurance company that your car is heavily modified?

sonique 2016 · 01-10-2016 11:46PM

i'm afraid the xr3i is a thing of the past,

you would see a few on donedeal, a few for sale in england

bazz26 · 02-10-2016 09:14AM

Is the OP audi12's brother?

s15r330 · 02-10-2016 09:26AM

Nephilim Wolf wrote: »

What I mean by tuned is the pistons and piston rings and head gaskets replaced. And believe me it cost quite a lot. I'm not sure if this increases horsepower though? I do some motorway driving and driving to work which is only a couple of miles. I went down to wexford recently the scenic route actually, and I was doing a lot of mileage between Kilmuckridge to Gorey, New Ross and Enniscorthy. When I arrived down to my best mate in Wexford the odometer said 120 miles and obviously the petrol guage only moved a milimeter or two.:D Also because the was engine redone, my friend thought my cars engine was off even though it was still running. I only have to fill up about every month and a half which is great.

Are you sure he didn't install a tdi?!

mik_da_man · 02-10-2016 09:55AM

I'd say someone reset the trip computer after 200 miles and forgot about it....

Needles73 · 02-10-2016 10:00AM

Nephilim Wolf wrote: »

What I mean by tuned is the pistons and piston rings and head gaskets replaced. And believe me it cost quite a lot. I'm not sure if this increases horsepower though? I do some motorway driving and driving to work which is only a couple of miles. I went down to wexford recently the scenic route actually, and I was doing a lot of mileage between Kilmuckridge to Gorey, New Ross and Enniscorthy. When I arrived down to my best mate in Wexford the odometer said 120 miles and obviously the petrol guage only moved a milimeter or two.:D Also because the was engine redone, my friend thought my cars engine was off even though it was still running. I only have to fill up about every month and a half which is great.

Getting engine redone on a petrol 2003 golf was a poor life decision.....and trying to convince yourself it's suddenly a miser on fuel when it just isn't, makes no sense.....drop car into a mechanic to check the odometer or wheel size....

J.pilkington · 02-10-2016 11:56AM

Del2005 wrote: »

OP have you informed your insurance company that your car is heavily modified?

Why would he do that? As he said a few posts above yours he only replaced/reconditioned parts

Typical high horse crap

porsche boy · 02-10-2016 12:01PM

J.pilkington wrote:

Why would he do that? As he said a few posts above yours he only replaced/reconditioned parts

J.pilkington wrote:

Typical high horse crap

I think it was sarcasm

Sam Kade · 02-10-2016 12:13PM

Red Kev wrote: »

Fill the tank to the brim and recalculate it. Do this another two or three times and you'll get a far more accurate reading.

Get back to us when you've done that and we'll be able to comment better as we'll have more accurate information.

He's a pure mathematician when it comes to calculating mpg, reminds me of the people that say they get so many miles to a tenner :rolleyes:

Squidgy Black · 02-10-2016 03:13PM

I hope this is all satire.

Getting a 1.6 16 valve petrol engine "tuned because of emissions". The emissions only affected new cars, not those with engines from 1998.....

And also paying for something like that to be done to a car worth around 1500 euro.

Surely must be satire.

Special Circumstances · 02-10-2016 04:13PM

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

I hope this is all satire.
....

Surely must be satire.

I'm waiting for HHO and/or magnets and magic capacitors to be revealed.

mickdw · 02-10-2016 04:28PM

Maybe he go hold of one of those gadgets that plug into cigarette lighter. 20 percent instant improvement in fuel consumption

jca · 02-10-2016 04:28PM

This should be fun...

jca · 02-10-2016 04:30PM

J.pilkington wrote: »

Why would he do that? As he said a few posts above yours he only replaced/reconditioned parts

Typical high horse crap

A joke.... its called a joke...

kirving · 02-10-2016 04:34PM

After I disconnected the battery on my car, the fuel needle showed full. I could have been caught out had I not realised that the car should have been empty.

To be fair it dropped extremely quickly, over the course of maybe an hour or something. My guess is that the fuel level meter sends an analog voltage, and it automatically recalibrated over a period of time.

Guy:Incognito · 02-10-2016 05:02PM

mickdw wrote: »

Maybe he go hold of one of those gadgets that plug into cigarette lighter. 20 percent instant improvement in fuel consumption

Must have used one of these ans 3 of those gadgets.

coolbeans · 02-10-2016 05:34PM

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure the op's 1.6 engine is an eight value single cam unit.

Leonard Hofstadter · 02-10-2016 05:57PM

coolbeans wrote: »

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure the op's 1.6 engine is an eight value single cam unit.

No, they brought out a 16 valve version of the 1.6 before the Golf Mk4 keeled over and died. Then when they brought out the Mk5, they went back to the venerable 8 valve unit, which incidentally was also available in the Mk6 for a while!

Getting fantastic fuel mileage in my 2003 1.6 Golf

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