Still worth having a diesel??

[Amchlolor]

Coz women like big 4x4's?
Seriously, they all do.
I know, were we able to afford one, my wife would gladly have one.
I dare say I'd cave in and let her too, as much as I felt it OTT for a second motor.
So I guess MB's answer will be "because she wanted one, and we can"
Fair enough, really.

 

[rodenal]

Fair enough.I reckon you're probably right on the women like em thing, I better start lying to my girlfriend about what i earn now incase i ever hit the big bucks lol.

 

[Amchlolor]

I don't really have a problem with big 4x4's, the owners pay for the privilege, after all.
The Q7 is different though.
That gargantuan example of conspicuous consumption should be banned.
God I hate the way they are so obviously not designed with the UK in mind...
Look, Mr.Monstrous, your behemoth might fit into a wall-mart carpark in Arizona, but it takes up two bays in friggin' John Lewis...

Seeth...
Seeth...

 

[rodenal]

I also dont care if people chose to buy them, you drive whatever you like and as you say pay for the privilege. It's just because it's something i would never ever chose to buy that it intruiged me.
Only 4x4 i've ever liked are defenders, would love one to tool about in if i owned a farm/field.

 

[marriedblonde]

Coz women like big 4x4's?
Seriously, they all do.
I know, were we able to afford one, my wife would gladly have one.
I dare say I'd cave in and let her too, as much as I felt it OTT for a second motor.
So I guess MB's answer will be "because she wanted one, and we can"
Fair enough, really.

Nail on the head.

J.

 

[Amchlolor]

I can only imagine how capable a defender is offroad.
My mate used to sell Suzukis.
I was in one of their little jeeps once, years ago.
I made the mistake of asking if it was any good offroad.
At which point he switched the headlights off and slammed it up a very public hill at Aberdeen beach.
I nearly shat.

Getting back to the thread.
I see Subaru have finally decided to release a diesel Impreza.
Is it Subaru built, or bought in???

 

[marriedblonde]

I also dont care if people chose to buy them, you drive whatever you like and as you say pay for the privilege. It's just because it's something i would never ever chose to buy that it intruiged me.
Only 4x4 i've ever liked are defenders, would love one to tool about in if i owned a farm/field.

And if you want to use the ML off road you need to pay for an off road pack to give you the locking diffs and stuff. So I dare say we could drive accross a field but that would be about it.

Claire had an accident a few years ago and damaged her back, suffered with a bad back ever since. She wanted a car that was higher up so she wasn't bent over putting a child in and out.

J.

 

[rodenal]

Really, so if you add the off road pack does that compromise the on road comfort at all?

 

[marriedblonde]

I have no idea, I never found one with it fitted! I dont think so as it doesn't effect performance figures and even the normal one sit's really high. I guess they missed it out to reduce the price as most of them will never see a field apart from droping their angel off at horse trials.

J.

 

[quattrojames]

Getting back to the thread.
I see Subaru have finally decided to release a diesel Impreza.
Is it Subaru built, or bought in???

I believe its a Subaru built flat 4 'boxer' style engine.

 

[Amchlolor]

I believe its a Subaru built flat 4 'boxer' style engine.

Interesting.
I think it's only 140bhp at the moment, but surely only a matter of time until we see higher power versions.
Will give prospective A3 quattro buyers another option.

 

[Crazyfool]

No idea how you worked that out, but it's plainly wrong....As for trading a TDi in for a puny 1.4, .......

I didn't; the figures were out of a car magazine and as for the 1.4T, only used it as an example. Vauxhall has dropped their 2.0T (apart from the VXR) and replaced it with a 1.6T, with the same results...and more in line with a derv.

As an impartial view, I still say it's down to personal preference.

I think the 140 TDI is a nice drive and I agree with the low revs/comfortable drive on country roads and motorways; but things I don't like in comparison to my petrol is more turbo lag between gears; I actually find I use the gears more around town because of the low speeds and low revs, and engine noise. But this might be down to the fact that my petrol is turbo charged, so I don't have to use the gears as much either.

But that aside, I am looking forward to testing out the 170 TDI, (especially now that the new engines are quieter) to see how it compares to the 2.0T. It is still one of my options for next year, but it will also come down to cost.


And definately buying second hand!

 

[AndyMac]

Yes, a car magazine with an agenda, as with all publications these days.....Just looking to make a headline or support flagging sales of petrol models for whoever subsidises the rag with advertising revenue.
There are many reasons for sticking with petrol, which I fully understand, but total cost of ownership is definately not one of them.

 

[Les 51]

Again, we have to compare like for like. Your 2.5TDI I'm guessing is a Quattro model, so you was always going to get a few mpg less having the extra weight and transmission losses of 4WD. My comparison with your car would probably be a 2.8/3.0 Quattro in terms of performance, and how much mpg do they get? Around 25 at best I reckon, so you're not doing too badly in my book. If

Nope mines the 2wd! Made the mistake of not doing my homework when I bought it. Don't get me wrong I love the 2.5 it is great fun to drive and very easy too, but if I'd known my fuel costs were going to rise by £20 a tank since I bought it I'd have looked for something else. I fill up about 5 times a month.

Thats a lot of fuel!!!!

 

[quattrojames]

Well my 2.5tdi is averaging about 34mpg atm!! This is mainly little B roads.

You must rag it pretty hard then! Mine is a quattro and I drive it hard and I average 33 and they reckon quattro costs you about 5 mpg.

 

[Crazyfool]

With the size of tanks these days, you can pretty much get around the country without having to fill up too much, even in a petrol. I usually get under 400 miles out of mine, but the best I have ever achieved (and even I couldn't believe it) was 'FULLY' laiden Cardiff to Fife, Scotland with two major d-tours because of M6 closures...525 miles. And I wasn't hanging around; I have the points to prove it...