Golf 1.4 running at 25 MPG HELP!!!

[dean-nez]

My golf is using furl like it is going out of fashion.At the moment it is gettin out of £40 of petrol 37 litres only 200 miles.I was told that the 1.4 can get upto 42 MPG and if this is true mines is running all wrong.
I want to take it to my garage but if i tell them that it is using to much petrol it will take them forever to find the problem...I was hoping for certain areas for them to check to find out the problem why it is using so much fuel and how to go about fixing this issue.
Has anyone had this problem?
Can anyone tell me how much their 1.4 MPG is?

[Crasher]

A fault code read would be the first place to start to see if you have a sensor failure such as that for coolant temperature or the lambda sensor. What year and engine code is it?

[dean-nez]

Im not sure what engine code i have, how do i find out this?
Its a 2000 X reg 1.4S
My cars goin to the garage on tuesday to replace my brakes so I may ask the garage to run for fault codes on my car, its jus i dont want to make it look like im sending them on a wild goose chase to find out why im using so much fuel.

[smokey0123]

What is wrong with thebrakes? Are they binding (sticking on)? The engine code will be on a sticker on top od the timming belt cover or on a sticker under the boot carpet. It will be AXP, APE, AKQ or AHW or possibly a BCA.

[dean-nez]

The brakes r squeakin like a wounded pig at the moment an when i went bak to my garage they lookd at them on friday and sed they wer covered in black dust and they sed they wer faulty so they sed theyd replace them 4 free. Im gna hav a luk for the engine code
Is ther a way of purchasing a VAG reader so i dnt hav 2 keep goin 2 my garage or are they ridiculously expensive?

[smokey0123]

Have a look on this forum for eshrules. You could get a basic setup for about £15 if you have a laptop.