Performance Diesels

Demon said:
The major downside for me with single turbo diesels, is that they don't respond quickly coming on-off-on throttle with the power not coming in until 2000+ RPM..
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Never ever had this problem in my car. It will shove you to the back of your seat from a standing start before the turbo even gets spinning.

When cold, there can be a fraction of a second delay when you put your foot down when leaving a junction which is not a charateristic of a petrol car. That, quite frankly, is it.
 
Muncher said:
Diesel never is, and never will be sexy.
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You sure??? ;)

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[TW]Fox;14502504 said:
Any car will do this in 1st gear. Heck you can probably manage it in a 1.2 Corsa.
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Yer but when he did it with me in the car the other day from a standing start it made my stomach go like when you drop on one of those tower rides. "The G-forces, Buzz! The G-forces!" (you won't get this if you haven't seen the film)

You really need to take one of these things out.
 
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mrk1@1 said:
You really need to take one of these things out.
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I have, I spent a whole day in one when they gave me it as a loaner once - 530d M Sport Auto. I also regularly drive a 530d SE manual. Both great cars but you can tell there is a lack of go before the turbo gets in its stride. The power delivery style is a love/hate thing. Nothing, nothing, then a relentless surge which most people love and gives people the illusion its a rocket ship (Remember its rate of change in acceleration that gives you the sensation not the acceleration itself, so a car accelerating quickly but linearly will feel slower than one which suddenly accelerates to a slower speed) then the power tails off.
 
[TW]Fox;14502504 said:
Any car will do this in 1st gear. Heck you can probably manage it in a 1.2 Corsa.
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Then you'll know the E60 530d never ever uses 1st gear. It always uses 2nd from a standing start unless you manually override it. :)

When I took mrk1@1 out, it was in 'D', uphill, therefore in 2nd. If it had been in 1st he would be visiting the chiropractors.

I have extensively driven both E60 530d and 530i SE Autos and there was absolutely no difference between the two cars driving them around town. (except the 530i uses 1st gear). And, as you say, the only other difference was in gear acceleration where the diesel chucked you backwards in your seat and the petrol was far more progressive.
 
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In my relative inexperience with driving diesels, I'd have to say I'd never, ever own one over a petrol unless mileage dictated thus. The bottom end of the diesel market sucks for the most part. I know several people who think their 1.7 and 1.9 diesels go 'well', and are the best thing ever to own and drive. I think they're massively deluded, and need a blast in a proper car to set them straight.

I have this issue with my inlawas, or maybe will at least. My father-in-law is convinced his next car should be a diesel estate, simply because it'll be more economical, despite the fact he does under 10K a year. I keep hinting he should avoid diesel, and his son does too. I hope he listens.
 
Personally I'm going back to petrol after owning a remapped 330d for 6 months. They are fine as mile munchers and are great as a fast cruiser but they really don't make for proper sports style engines. They have slow throttle response, turbo lag, they don't like to be revved in the same way and the torque delivery is in one big lump, and they make your hand smell at the pumps ;) Good engine for exec style saloon, bad engine for sports car.
 
DanF said:
Personally I'm going back to petrol after owning a remapped 330d for 6 months. They are fine as mile munchers and are great as a fast cruiser but they really don't make for proper sports style engines. They have slow throttle response, turbo lag, they don't like to be revved in the same way and the torque delivery is in one big lump, and they make your hand smell at the pumps ;) Good engine for exec style saloon, bad engine for sports car.
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Mind me asking who did your remap? Happy with the result etc?
 
i LOLd at the weekend when my gf couldnt keep up with a mondeo diesel when she was driving my golf.

he was getting away from the lights well enough but having to change up early compared to the petrol engined golf... but then she short shifted when he was changing gear. we were in 4th gear at about 60mph when he proceded to pull a couple far lengths away from us

it visibily had more mid range grunt, but if he has bothered to use the petrol engine properly it wouldnt have been such a total embarrasment
 
[TW]Fox;14502671 said:
power delivery style is a love/hate thing. Nothing, nothing, then a relentless surge which most people love and gives people the illusion its a rocket ship (Remember its rate of change in acceleration that gives you the sensation not the acceleration itself, so a car accelerating quickly but linearly will feel slower than one which suddenly accelerates to a slower speed) then the power tails off.
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I would definitely agree with that. I went in a mate's 2.0 TDI Eos and it felt relatively quick, at least quicker than the Mini. When we actually drove about I was shocked to find out that it struggled to keep up with the pace of the Mini on the B roads.

Similar thing when I drove my dad's 330D, floor it and you think you're going like a rocket and then you suddenly realise it's not actually accelerating that quickly.
 
scott212 said:
I would definitely agree with that. I went in a mate's 2.0 TDI Eos and it felt relatively quick, at least quicker than the Mini. When we actually drove about I was shocked to find out that it struggled to keep up with the pace of the Mini on the B roads.

Similar thing when I drove my dad's 330D, floor it and you think you're going like a rocket and then you suddenly realise it's not actually accelerating that quickly.
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But then a fabia VRS which is a 1.9 tdi wipes the floor against a cooper. It all depends on the car. Given the choice, I would rather a petrol turbo :)
 
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