[COcyclist]

I had the “opportunity” to be a courier for some medical supplies last week on some of Colorado’s great two lane paved mountain roads in the Golf TDI. I was reminded of a couple more tips for mpg. FWIW I averaged 50 mpg with spirited driving and some use of A/C and even a short construction zone on the interstate segment.

We have discussed DFCO and engine braking in previous posts and I was doing a lot of that. I also was trying to conserve momentum through the corners so I would have less acceleration losses coming out of the corners. I am running stock tires. One of the 4 is the original spare from the trunk. When the original Goodyears wore out I only bought 3 and mounted the spare from the trunk on one of my alloy rims. I changed the original shocks to Koni Reds with the front struts one click out from full soft. It firmed up the ride a little but really helped in the handling department. A very worthwhile upgrade in my opinion. Carry momentum as much as you can do safely.

While we are on the subject, weight reduction helps in handling, braking and acceleration, and generally improves mpg. I have removed the rear seat and replaced it with a lightweight flake board flat shelf. I carry my bicycle or skis inside instead of outside on a rack. I took out the spare tire and kept the jack and a can of tire inflator, which I have still never needed. I replaced the muffler with a straight pipe (don’t worry, the catalytic is intact). Total weight removed is about 100 lbs. Most of that coming from the seat back and the spare.

The TDI with a manual can be a fun, sporty car and still return much better than average mpg.