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Clarkson doesn't know how to drive...


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.. a diesel.

Saw this a while ago ( Times Online review - BMW 530d ) but Snail's TDI vs Saxo post reminded me. Look at this:

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And puh-lease can we stop trying to pretend that that the superior torque offered by a diesel engine in any way compensates for the lack of brake horsepower.

When you accelerate in a modern diesel there’s a satisfying surge, for sure, but it’s over in a moment. And there’s no power to carry the momentum. Time and time again I put my foot down in that Beemer, pulled out to overtake the Rover, and then when I was on the wrong side of the road simply ran out of oomph.

A petrol engine will spin happily, in some cases to 8,000 or 9,000 revs per minute. The BMW diesel is revvier than most but it’s all out of ideas at just 5,000.

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Is it possible that he's just putting his foot down harder and harder and expecting a linear response ? It took me about 15 seconds on a test drive in my first ever TDI to realise you just have to keep the revs spinning in the middle of the range rather than the top, and the car KEEPS GETTING FASTER. Sounds like all he's doing is thinking "want go faster, must push harder" and then complaining that it's "all over in a moment". Well yes it will be, if you shoot past the peak torque: but if you don't, then you can actually overtake things, really very jolly quickly indeed. Right ?

Preaching to the converted here I know, but it's weird that ol' JC has been slagging off diesels for lack of performance all this time when it's clear he just doesn't know the first thing about what to do with them... I could agree with him about noise and weight etc. (I'll admit I've become a bit disenchanted with mine for its nose-heavy handling in the Audi Cab tongue.gif), but he can't seriously complain they're too slow smashfreakB.gif

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Oh, we love him laugh.gif but I was just surprised at such a basic misassumption. Running out of revs racing an S4 is fair game, but you'd expect a guy to actually know how to overtake in a diesel when his daughter is sick, even allowing for journalistic exaggeration; and flattening the accelerator clearly ain't it grin.gif

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I was following my bro in his quattro tractor not so long ago. I was in my 1.8T cab. Must admit, I struggled to stay with him. Combination of all that pull and 4 wheel drive through the bends nearly left me for dead. Just shows that in real world driving, there's a v good case for the tractor, and the quattro adds icing to that cake.

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To give him just a little bit of credit, I don't think he has ever rated his own driving skills too highly...

I agree that there is a change of style needed for diseals, but the only choice for say a 330dBMW vs a 330i BMW must be the fuel economy.. why else would you chose the d?.. the 330i is better in just about every other respect... and yes, I have driven both!

Sh1te.. am I going to get flamed fuck_scott.gif

rgds

Dave cool.gif

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[ QUOTE ]

Exactly.............if he were to learn to drive a diesel properly he might actually like it, and that would be against his (somewhat floored) principles, so let him complain, while we all laugh at his stupidity.

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As I am about to take my first step into the dark side (A3 S-Line DSG on order smile.gif) So I have to ask - how do you get the most from the new toy?

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[ QUOTE ]

To give him just a little bit of credit, I don't think he has ever rated his own driving skills too highly...

I agree that there is a change of style needed for diseals, but the only choice for say a 330dBMW vs a 330i BMW must be the fuel economy.. why else would you chose the d?.. the 330i is better in just about every other respect... and yes, I have driven both!

Sh1te.. am I going to get flamed fuck_scott.gif

rgds

Dave cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

FIREdevil.gifsportifs2.gif

Every other respect? Such as? I can only think of one... the engine confused.gif Every other respect it's the same innit. Personally wouldn't swap my 38mpg AND as much performance as me old A3 1.8TqS (26-27mpg) for anything...

Not only does JC not know how to drive a diesel, BMW's auto gearbox doesn't know how to drive a diesel either. If I floor my 330d it practically tries to redline in every gear, so great surge of power, tail off, wait, change, surge of power, etc...

To get good acceleration you actually have to put the throttle mid-way and hope it picks somewhere below 4k to change... or run in manual steptronic mode of course.

Strange cos you'd equate foot-to-the-floor with rapid progress but just not so in the auto.

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Is the autobox on the Three different to the one of Five? I must admit I find the auto so much more suited to the engine having lived with both. Admittedly the consumption is not as good but on average it is 5 mpg worse but I can live with that - economy wasn't the only reason why I bought the diesel (really EEK2.GIF).

SJD

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I kinda thought they were pretty much the same from our conversations over on BMWLand, but I've never drive a 530d auto so can't compare.

But I do think it goes beyond effective torque if it is floored. Maybe it's just mine, cos it's a 2000 and no doubt the software for the auto-box has progressed a fair bit since then. May see if I can get an upgrade when it's in for the dreaded Inspection II...

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Must admit I wouldn't be shocked to find out that things like the auto box have constant revisions to be honest. Got me wondering what happens if people have a re-mapped ECU - then BMW "change" something (thinking its a stock map, etc) do you just "lose" your £500 upgrade, etc?! Sorry for going OT but I am just thinking out loud so to speak.

I find my car pulls pretty well (possibly more to do with being tuned, must take the module off as I can hardly remember the "before" to be honest). It keeps a good charge on when I floor it - hitting max bhp and dropping right back into the torque "zone" and repeats the process making for rapid progress.

SJD

ps. be interested to hear if they do any upgrades, worth knowing for the furture. Thanks.

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Yeah my uncle had difficulty adapting to his 2002 facelift 320d SE to save on comp' car tax after a string of petrols. He would pull to overtake and chase the revs before changing. You just have to believe and make the leap to change up, going back into the torque. He got used to it pretty soon!

Ian C

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I think its just a case of changing up early. I find my car is most torquey around the 3k mark, so i always try and change up by 3.5k, the gearboxs are usually tailored for this, so you keep at peak torque during changes.

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Thanks for the advise guys - as you say DSG should make it a joy - roll on delivery day

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