Petrol vs. Diesel

Marvin ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

PARDON?

Yes. If I wanted something high performance it sure as chuff won't be affordable.

Comparable for the class.

Why not?

Money isn't a high priority for me, I can't be doing with working my butt off for something I'll not have the time to enjoy, if you see what I mean. So whatever car I drive, I buy it knowing that I can do as many miles as I want, however I want and still be able to afford "other stuff" and time with the people that mean something to me.

Then I'll hire something, borrow other peoples machines, or enjoy corporate entertainment. I have no problem freeloading... :)

What you're really saying is driving doesnt mean that much to you, not money.

No, what I'm saying is that money isn't such a priority that I will compromise a lot of stuff for something expensive with wheels. I am not one to compromise on something, say, if I wanted an eight cylinder five series, I won't lump for a four cylinder three series, if you see what I mean.

Who would?

I was gobsmacked when I drove a Rover 45 2.0 TD, really fun acceleration! Apparently the Rover 25 with the same lump has a 0-60 time of under 10 seconds and still returns 50+ mpg, bloody good for an old school non-commonrail turbodiesel. What a pity both cars were designed for people with no legs.

Morse

[snip]

How about the masses of car people who tolerate a four cylinder BMW 3-series when they reckon they want a M5?

Or say those people who want an Alfa Romeo 157 JTD but tolerate a Passat TDI?

Well, sort of. The old Rover 2.0 engine is a plain and simple, rattly, direct injection, turbocharged and intercooled donk. It's nothing clever but it is lovely and economical.

Do you remember the Maestro advertised as 100 mph and 100 mpg? That used a non-intercooled version of the same donk.

I would comment, but I don't know what a 157 looks like.

I dont know, perhaps they tollerate it because they see it as an acceptable compromise. They are after all getting a lot of the performance and handling qualities for less cost. (ok the Passat is nothing like the Alfa but is there anyone stupid enough to go for the Passat when they really want an Alfa?)

I'm going to bite.

There were no Alfas on the car list, most cars were German, with the odd low-spec Ford thrown in.

Given the choice - without making a contribution - would you have a Passat 2.0TDI SE or a Mondeo TDCI LX?

Obviously, I *could* opt out and buy whatever I want, but that would be very expensive compared with the tax charge for a car and fuel card (I've burned nearly 200 quid of private mileage this month so far....)

Was that the one that had the Perkins engine? My dad had one, I'm sure it was advertised as 90mpg at 30mph. Solid car that one, I learnt to drive in it. Bit noisy on the motorway though. And you could hear it coming up the street from afar. :-D

tbh they are both good cars, the Mondeo is suppoed to have very good handling, but I guess the Ford image puts a lot of people off it. Mondeo used to be a popular car, the 3-series now out-sells it because the middle classes now have more disposible income.

I've driven a Mondeo TDCI Zetec. The handling wasn't anything to write home about, the interior was horrible (just what is it about fake Maserati-esque clocks in recent Ford interiors?) the clutch and steering lacked feedback and the fly by wire throttle was just odd.

Added to that, the car I could have had instead of my Passat was a poverty spec with plastic wheel trims.

As it is, I have a decent spec. (SE) with alloys, dark tint windows etc.

It's a great car, but the quality is somewhat short of the standards set by the previous model.

I'd rather have an Alfa 159 JTD, but it just isn't going to happen unless they make it onto the next car list - I'm *not* going to opt out of the scheme.

10 year old rover 114 ( aka metro ) book says 57.4 extra urban, (1.5l diesel 66). and the extra urban is not just a constant 55mph so you could potentially do a bit more.

Oh, so *book* figures, then - not what you've achieved?

That's like saying, yeah I could date Kylie, it's a possibility.