Improve your vehicles performance and economy with Avon Tuning

At a time when petrol prices are for ever going up most motorists are looking at ways to reduce fuel costs, some motorists are doing this by cutting out unnecessary journeys, downgrading to a smaller car or even costly LPG conversions.

However there is also another way, Local business owner Gareth Jones from  Avon Tuning based in Tockington near Yate offers a couple of services which are aimed at unleashing your vehicles full potential both in performance and economy.

Gareth has more than six year's experience working in the vehicle tuning business and approximately a year ago he set up a company called Avon Tuning.

Avon Tuning specialises in vehicle remapping, this is the process of tuning vehicles by modifying the software within the ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

Gareth simplified this by explaining:  "nearly all cars on the road of today have a computer which controls the engine, by modifying the software within the computer you can alter how the engine performs"

At first you might think that these kinds of modifications are aimed at the usual boy racer type of motorist however surprisingly more and more motorists are having vehicle re-mapping done as a way of increasing economy as well as improving performance.

I decided to put Avon Tuning to the test, an appointment was set for a remap on my vehicle, first of all Gareth explained to me in detail the services that he offers as well as what I could expect from a remap, he also offered some great advice as to which map he thought would suit my requirements the best.

I decided to go with a Stage One remap, which claimed to increase power and torque whilst also improving fuel efficiency, he also explained how a remap would remove flat spots and gives the vehicle a more responsive drive without compromising the vehicles reliability.

The remaps come in three options stage 1. Stage 2 and an Economy Tune which is aimed at increasing MPG by increasing lower down torque.  A stage two is aimed at increasing the power and torque at a greater level than a stage one tune, however efficiency savings will not be as great as the stage one or Economy tuning. Avon Tuning also offers a custom map service for more detailed and custom modifications.

Ok, so in less than two hours from start to finish my 2.0.Ltr Peugeot 307 has had an increase in Bhp from 110 to 137, a whopping 27 Bhp greater than 2 hours earlier. The fuel sayings have yet to be established but Gareth has advised me to expect an increase of around 5 mpg.  All of this extra power and economy without even opening the bonnet of my car.

It is also important to note that a full diagnostic is carried out on each vehicle before and after the remap. This is to check for any mechanical issues and make sure the remap will work to its full potential. If any mechanical problems are identified the remap can still take place but diagnostic trouble codes are noted which then allows the car owner to take right steps to rectify the issues at a later date.

Not only does Avon Tuning carry out work at their workshop in Tockington but they also provide an onsite service where they will visit your home, place of work or even car shows to perform the remapping service. The company also provides a post and return service where customers can send Avon Tuning their ECU's for a re-map.

All prices are quoted at the point of enquiry so you will not be met with any sudden price increases or extra hidden charges, the prices and services are explained in great detail so you will be totally confident of the work to be carried out and the total cost before the work commences.

The great news is that it doesn't matter if your vehicle is one year old or ten years old, low mileage or high mileage a remap can be successfully carried out on just about all makes and models, including cars, vans and Lorrie's even campervans can benefit from a remap.  Before any work is done a copy of the cars original map is taken, this means that at any time the cars original map can be restored within minutes.

Owner of Avon Tuning Gareth Jones said "we can remap most European cars and we are pleased to be able to announce that we are one of the few companies that also offer remaps on many Japanese cars"

Although the remap that I had done by Avon Tuning was less than 24 hours ago the extra Bhp and Torque was instantly noticeable, as was the feel to the vehicle.  It is very early days to comment on any gain in fuel economy however the on-board computer is displaying around an extra 6 Mpg.

I will run a follow-up article later next month to outline my finding and highlight my person views on the pros and cons to engine remaps. So keep a look out for the next feature.

Likewise if you have previously had a remap or DFP removal then we would love to know how you got on and your views on vehicle remaps, so please share your thoughts and finding with us. 

For more information on the services that Avon Tuning offers as well as detailed information on each service take a look at their website http://avontuning.co.uk/ or contact them directly on 07816 508 567.