My 2004 1.6 Focus zetec is drinking petrol like I drink gin. It’s really starting to annoy me now. Any tips on how to save petrol? Can I get an eco chip fitted?

Thanks in advance.

Is it a new thing?

There are so many variables with fuel efficiency, the most obvious being driving style. But things like tyre choice, tyre pressure, roof bars, poorly maintained vehicle etc all play a part.

If it's a new thing then what's changed recently? New parts, different driving style, lots of shorter routes, service overdue, different fuel?

27 minutes ago, HV54COR said:

My 2004 1.6 Focus zetec is drinking petrol like I drink gin. It’s really starting to annoy me now. Any tips on how to save petrol? Can I get an eco chip fitted?

Thanks in advance.

What MPG are you getting? Driving style?

It's the wrong car if you want fuel efficiency.

If you need a Focus sized car and do plenty of miles, buy a diesel one.  If you don't need a Focus sized car, switch to a smaller petrol model, ideally Japanese...

Can’t really afford a new car yet. Thinking of saving for a 2006/7 Fiesta 1.4 TDCI or a Renault Clio 2006/7 1.5 DCI but for now I’m with the gutsy Focus 😢

27 minutes ago, HV54COR said:

Can’t really afford a new car yet. Thinking of saving for a 2006/7 Fiesta 1.4 TDCI or a Renault Clio 2006/7 1.5 DCI but for now I’m with the gutsy Focus 😢

With the fuel & tax saving on a diesel Fiesta/Clio, you'll easily save enough to cover the extra purchase price over a few months.

There's nothing you can really do to improve the fuel efficiency on the 1.6 petrol unfortunately, remapping or chipping won't help, that's much more suited to turbo engines, especially diesels.

On 5/25/2020 at 9:08 PM, Jonro2009 said:

Is it a new thing?

There are so many variables with fuel efficiency, the most obvious being driving style. But things like tyre choice, tyre pressure, roof bars, poorly maintained vehicle etc all play a part.

If it's a new thing then what's changed recently? New parts, different driving style, lots of shorter routes, service overdue, different fuel?

I drive normally. Stick to speed limits (ish), I pumped my tyres up to the correct PSI. I do think the wrong tyres are on there mind you! 
 

I’ve only had it about 3 weeks, so I couldn’t tell you whether it’s a new thing or not. 
 

The EML isn’t on so there’s no engine faults. There is however a clunking in the front left wheel which I’m sorting this week. I did have a 1.4 Vauxhall Astra and that was way better on fuel.

Normally I fill up in Asda.

On 5/25/2020 at 9:12 PM, Incontro said:

What MPG are you getting? Driving style?

Normal driving style. It does about 50 miles per quarter tank. My 1.4 Astra however was way better and getting a lot more miles out of it.

Sometimes all that is needed is some basic maintenance.

If the air filter has been in for over 10k miles change it.  If plug change is overdue, change them.  Check all the intake pipes for clogging.  If the oil change is well overdue, change that too.  Old oil can affect mpg more than you'd think.

1 hour ago, HV54COR said:

Normal driving style. It does about 50 miles per quarter tank. My 1.4 Astra however was way better and getting a lot more miles out of it.

200 miles per tank must be costing a fortune. I too had an Astra a 1.6 , got a steady 37mpg . Now in a 1.5 focus getting between 29 - 31mpg. According to the app about 330 miles per tank. Changing cars never cheap , I’d probably take the advise above, maybe a service would cover all of that, if no improvement maybe got to cut your losses. 
it’s definitely not misfiring ? Or exhaust blown ? 

On 5/26/2020 at 8:45 AM, TomsFocus said:

It's the wrong car if you want fuel efficiency.

If you need a Focus sized car and do plenty of miles, buy a diesel one.  If you don't need a Focus sized car, switch to a smaller petrol model, ideally Japanese...

Yup...I only have a Focus because I don't fit comfortably in anything smaller haha! The fuel economy doesn't bother me too much.

50 miles per quarter tank?  That's a new way of measuring economy!

Measure it properly with the brim test...if it's genuinely only doing 50 miles per quarter then something's broken.  Works out as 18mpg, you should be seeing more like 35mpg from it.  

28 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

50 miles per quarter tank?  That's a new way of measuring economy!

Measure it properly with the brim test...if it's genuinely only doing 50 miles per quarter then something's broken.  Works out as 18mpg, you should be seeing more like 35mpg from it.  

Utterly confusing too... I couldn't be bothered to do the maths if I'm honest 😂 

21 hours ago, Alex.S said:

200 miles per tank must be costing a fortune. I too had an Astra a 1.6 , got a steady 37mpg . Now in a 1.5 focus getting between 29 - 31mpg. According to the app about 330 miles per tank. Changing cars never cheap , I’d probably take the advise above, maybe a service would cover all of that, if no improvement maybe got to cut your losses. 
it’s definitely not misfiring ? Or exhaust blown ? 

Definitely neither. Wheel balancing is off tho when I hit 70 the steering rattles but that’s being looked at tomorrow too 

Well quarter of a tank is £10 there about. I dunno. Just have to stick with it for now 😬

On 5/27/2020 at 2:27 PM, HV54COR said:

There is however a clunking in the front left wheel which I’m sorting this week.

That might be a broken coil spring, common Focus failure, if it is a broken spring you need to sort it asap before it goes through the tyre