Saw this article via the Sunday Times today - any one care to comment - there do seem to be many independant reviews - all seem to be positive and no-one appears to notice any loss of performance .

Also mentioned was the removal of flat spots whilst accelerating , smoothness of idle especially in performance cars such as 205 Gti .... always one of the worst ........ I also noted the nod of approval from a VW review site .

http://www.ecotekplc.com/reviews.htm#revs

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,588-531139,00.html

Whilst on the Times on line page , click on Jeremy Clarkson and read what he has to say about the Skoda Superb and the Skoda badge in general :shock:

p.s Sorry Steve , got carried away with the Clarkson thing , if this gadget is as good as it seems you can't go wrong at the price .

Jaws..

Seem to me that all the device does is make the car run leaner and therefore improves emissions that way. As for mpg, well yes that would improve the mpg too if the car was overfuelling and performance would be improved if it was overfuelling as it would tun it correctly with the device fitted.

Personally, all the tests from the reputable magazines seem to refer to 'older' models which are in poor state of tune anyway so this does seem to improve them. Personally Id get my car tuned properly by someone who knows how to do the job as I think the results would be the same. Read the car mechanics review - its not exactly glowing but rather inconclusive. I seem to remember the device being tested by CCC magazine a while ago with the answer - its pants!

As for Clarkson, I think he may need a trip in a quick Skoda with someone on here.. or he could be shot. Either way his opinion can be ignored.

Paul..

Sorry to hijack the thread

I thought Clarkson's review was quite entertaining - I don't agree with

any of the subjective points he made about the car, but I think it's

refreshing to find someone in the media who doesn't just pander to

advertisers. I seem to recall a certain magazine rated the new MINI

as the best driver's car of the year, ahead of the likes of the Lotus

Elise, Scooby and Zonda - there's something not right with that, I'm

sure! :shock:

Clarskon seems to be *very* fussy when it comes to cars - read the

summaries of the car reviews for other makes, and we see him saying

that he can't think of a worse way to spend 50k than on a BMW M3, and

that the interior of the Ferrari 575M "is not much cop". Seems the

Superb gets off lightly!

Actually, if anything it's made me more interested in a Superb - loads

of room for carrying stuff, and can hit 100 in third. And cheaper than

a Passat!

Rob.

Having had a quick look through the various testimonials and test results quoted, I wouldn't place much weight on any of them. The cars quoted are a motley bunch - 1990 205 GTi 1.6, D Reg Jetta, F Reg Corolla, N Reg Clio 2, 87 1.4 Astra - and are hardly modern technology. My eyes did light up at mention of the Evo 4, but that was non-cat and presumably Japanese spec - hardly a sound yardstick for promoting the device. Perhaps the most glowing testimonial was that for the Evo 5, but I have my doubts about that letter.

I go along entirely with what Paul has said. There are better way to spend the money - eg dare I say on a DIY cruise control?!

What a load of rubbish!

The Ecotek will make absolutely no difference to a modern car with an ECU. If the effect of the device is to make the engine run leaner, the lambda sensors will tell the ECU, which in turn will richen the mixture... self cancelling.

Don't take my word for it, Nick Galbraith who is an aerodynamicist at McLaren working on the airbox design of the new car, described it as "utter bull****" on the Lotus Elise BBS!

Have you noticed that all the magazine reviews are accompained by copious quantities of advertising for the dear little gadget?

Save your money.

I am pleased to say that I can add my 5 pence worth to this, as someone who has used a magnetic fuel saving device, from a UK company called Ecoflow.

I fitted one to my dad's car and he monitored fuel performance for 6 months. He has estimated that he gets an extra 60 miles a tank from using the device.

He runs a Renault Megane Scenic 1.6. He also reported a much smoother take up and better torque. Now I don't sell these things and I don't know what the Ecotek device does, but this one was simply put as close to the point of combustion as possible on the incoming fuel line into the engine.

Sorry to disappoint you but these things from my experience DO work .

For info, this device runs under a vacuum, allowing air to enter the system. So I guess any turbo charged system, or system that uses forced induction will render the device useless.

Or in other words for all VAG turbo engines you will only be able to use it below 1900 rpm, or until the turbo spins up and the system then operates under pressure.

Speaking of fuel economy, I managed to get 45.2 mpg going from

Coventry to Stockport last Friday! :shock:

Not bad for petrol... :lol:

Rob.

My 4x4 Estate has averaged 31.29 mpg over my first 2815 miles of ownership. The computer shows 33.0 mpg for the same period. I am hoping for better figures as the mileage increases (and the roof box stays in the garage).

So is that first figure calculated using the amount the of petrol you've

put in and the mileage?

I wonder where the trip computer gets its value for the amount of

petrol used from - linked to the ECU which controls how much is injected

into the engine?

Rob.

Rob

Yes, I log fuel put in each time together with date, mileage, whether I filled to full (ie pump cut-off), total fuel used and what the computer shows for overall mpg. I topped the car when I first bought it and I calculate last and total mpg each time I fill the tank.

I started keeping fuel consumption records when I owned a Mercedes 300 (16 mpg) and have been doing it since. Our Felicia 1.6 GLX has averaged 37.93 mpg over 23955 miles.

I am pleased to say that I can add my 5 pence worth to this, as someone who has used a magnetic fuel saving device, from a UK company called Ecoflow.

I fitted one to my dad's car and he monitored fuel performance for 6 months. He has estimated that he gets an extra 60 miles a tank from using the device.

He runs a Renault Megane Scenic 1.6. He also reported a much smoother take up and better torque. Now I don't sell these things and I don't know what the Ecotek device does, but this one was simply put as close to the point of combustion as possible on the incoming fuel line into the engine.

Sorry to disappoint you but these things from my experience DO work .[/quote:ac482ee212]

Well there's one born every minute! Do you seriously think that if these gadgets actually worked, manufacturers (who could produce and fit them for pence) wouldn't fit them as standard to every car? Of course they would.

With all due respect I would rather take the advice of an aerodynamicist at McLaren than anecdotal evidence that is only subjective at best.

I'm sure I could get at least another 60 miles per tank if I dangled one of these Ecojobbies from the rear view mirror, all I would have to do is drive like a granny!

Don't you find it a coincidence that magazines that review these gadgets all carry substantial adverts for them on the same page?