This'll make Derv Perv

Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate JB, managed to produce the following words of wisdom

No, he's an old Scouse engineer called Jimmy. He's a bit of a legend, owns one of the largest car collections in the country, huge number of exotic motors. Few old Maseratis and Aston Martins, 3 or 4 1920 Rolls and Bentleys, couple of '60s big block Corvettes (one split screen, the other is a convertible) two or three De Tomaso Panteras, a 1915 American LaFrance something or other, a GT40, loads of old MG TFs and the like. Incredible chap, he's spent almost every penny he's ever earned on cars and old 'bikes "I don't drink, I don't smoke. I don't go on expensive holidays. This is my vice"..

My Rangie was built to his spec - he used it for years until he had a truly mental Irmscher Isuzu Bighorn built to replace it.

Normally knocks about in an old Fiesta Mk3 diesel or an immaculate Mk1 Mondeo.

That's the "keeping it real" element of his collection, then....

Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate AstraVanMan, managed to produce the following words of wisdom

I suspect so. A grubby old Fizpot diseasel is much less likely to be molested outside his workshop than his V8 Vantage.

Wrong kind of torque measurement. It's more like ~740 lbsft as I recall.

One per six cylinders?

The right badge. And for it to not look like the manufacturer wanted to make something look cool, then made the mistake of copying the TT, which doesn't look remotely cool.

First, go and listen to some six cylinder diesels. Maybe start with the Octavia, then the Peugeot 407, through the S-Type (same donk), some of the

3.0 Merc CDI donks (current shape E280 or E320 CDI models), then a 5-series six pot (525d, 530d, 535d, take your pick).

Then compare with ordinary lumpy four cylinder diesels.

Now take a trip Stateside to listen to some eight or ten cylinder Powerstroke trucks with BFO diesel engines...

The point of my post is that you're basing your post on listening to four cylinder VAG TDI donks.

I was really surprised how good the common-rail 2.7 V6 in an A6 sounded. Also, I used to work for the fire service, and the biggish (V8?) diesels in some of the fire appliances sound pretty good when given a bootful.

I just don't think 4 cyl engines, petrol or diesel, sound especially good. I quite like the 'characteristic' clatter 'n' whistle of a VAG

4-pot TDI, but refined & smooth it ain't, and it will never win it any friends with anyone anti-diesel, that's for sure.

V6 diesels sound and feel a whole bunch nicer than the majority of four cylinders. Thinking about it, I'm a fan of the Mercedes Benz 2.7 5-pot because it has that lovely "throbby five" feeling. :)

I'd own a Volvo S60 D5 for a number of reasons, many of them related to that smooth refined five pot diesel.

Yes, absolutely. The eight and ten cylinder Powerstroke diesel trucks I played about with in California do have a certain diesel-ness about them, but then listen to a petrol equivalent, they also sound strangely diesel-like too.

Aie: you can't judge the 12 pot TDI by the 4 pot models... The Saab's 2.2 TiD has a (even for me) annoying vibration at idle. It's surprisingly beautifully smooth when in use, surprising given the idle rattle. But I am reminded that it's just a four cylinder more often than when I stop to fill up.

I'm not my not - I'm basing my post on listening to 'diesels' as a whole.

The overwhelming majority of diesels you'll hear on the roads are four cylinder engines.

It's like driving the 8 valve 1.2 petrol Clio and dismissing all petrol engines (ever) for whining rather than purring and having all the performance of a lawn mower.

BTW this should have said a spare tank full of piss

I've only ever seen pictures of it half done in a shed. Is it finished?

Fraser

I've heard powerstrokes and they still sound like a bag of spanners.

Fraser

Yes; it's a _fantastic_ noise, isn't it?

Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate DervMan, managed to produce the following words of wisdom

You're weird.

You're right. He is.

Fraser

I am. I like weird.

I'm afraid you may have a point, but then, we're all a bit strange really...