One expert mobile auto electrician from Gloucester has recently recommended undertaking engine re-mapping for your commercial vehicle, as it can lead to less motoring costs in the long run.
Mottec Automotive’s Charlie Morgan says that a simple re-programming of a modern vehicle’s on-board engine control unit, once the purview of boy racers looking to squeeze a few more horsepower from their cars, has grown to be used by savvy motorists looking for better fuel efficiency. Commercial van drivers, hauliers, bus and coach firms, taxi firms, and fleet managers can all benefit from such an engine re-maping, Mr Morgan said, as it can deliver’ guaranteed substantial savings’ on the cost of diesel or petrol – leaving more cash for things such as van insurance.
It only takes one or two hours to complete the process, Mr Morgan claims, adding that doing so has no deleterious effects upon the warranty of a given vehicle. Moreover, as long as you do it in order to improve your vehicle’s fuel economy, the majority of insurance providers do not consider it a ‘modification’ that would result in increased insurance premiums.
It typically costs £225 and upwards to re-map an engine in order to provide fuel savings of around 10 to 12 per cent, an investment that pays off after a short 10,000 miles, Morgan adds. The savings add up quickly with the amount of time you or your fleet of vehicles spend out on the road, especially with fuel costs rising the way they have; reducing CO2 emissions and making a tank of fuel last even longer can work out to significant savings once it’s all said and done.