RE: PH Blog: all you need
Discussion
Dagnut said:
If you want a light nimble buy a sports car not a saloon...are you really trying to tell us if your travelling 200 miles in a car you wouldn't rather be mashing the tarmac into submission in an AMG merc ?
What you save on depreciation and initial layout, easily covers the extra spend on fuel...I'm all for lightweight cars but if it's a saloon give me massive torque and comfort anyday
So a big diesel barge would be even better for the job than an AMG Merc then?What you save on depreciation and initial layout, easily covers the extra spend on fuel...I'm all for lightweight cars but if it's a saloon give me massive torque and comfort anyday
Most drive the same roads regularly at similar pace no matter what car they are in, might go a bit quicker in the corners in something light and sporty but usually restricted by visibility and when a straight does open out usually lift off before you get into license loosing speeds or because there is other traffic. Lucky to live near some nice rural roads but A to B the wife’s 120d is almost as quick as my M3 so swapped for a 130i. You miss out on some of the acceleration and sound track and there is something to be said for more torque than grip for low speed fun even if you aren’t using the performance to go faster.
Funnily enough, the car I've owned that I consider to have had the best blend of useable performance was my Lancer GSR, not the considerably more powerful Evo that followed.
At 190hp and 1170kg it works out as having had 162.4hp/tonne - spooky - and all on 195/205 tyres that allowed for predictable hoonage where weight transfer could be enjoyed rather than pummelled into submission by overwhelming mechanical grip.
At 190hp and 1170kg it works out as having had 162.4hp/tonne - spooky - and all on 195/205 tyres that allowed for predictable hoonage where weight transfer could be enjoyed rather than pummelled into submission by overwhelming mechanical grip.
I own a similar wallowy old Passat albeit the 130 version, Whilst it wafts along quite nice and has a surprisingly punchy midrange which is good for overtaking - sometimes, just sometimes I wish that instant wallop of midrange lasted a bit longer, You do have to totally change your driving style compared to say a 2 litre petrol.
Whether the 100bhp is enough is open to debate but mine at legal motorway speeds is right in the 'meat' of its midrange and feels more than its 130 bhp suggests, of course this is all down to its torque.
I do wish it could take a corner though lol.
Going back to power and driving, I think we get carried away with the power war now and its becoming increasingly frustrated when you cannot use even 50% of power on the road.
In fact I mentioned it here on my thread, You dont need 500bhp to have fun.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Whether the 100bhp is enough is open to debate but mine at legal motorway speeds is right in the 'meat' of its midrange and feels more than its 130 bhp suggests, of course this is all down to its torque.
I do wish it could take a corner though lol.
Going back to power and driving, I think we get carried away with the power war now and its becoming increasingly frustrated when you cannot use even 50% of power on the road.
In fact I mentioned it here on my thread, You dont need 500bhp to have fun.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
AndyCzech said:
I may well accept less than 163 in a lighter car that has near perfect balance.
It’s sad that many modern barges need more power simply to overcome excess weight. As you rightly say that doesn’t always add up to a car that is fun to drive.
I am not sure I follow, 163bhp per tonne is based on the weight and power.....a heavier car will need more power to reach the same ratio?It’s sad that many modern barges need more power simply to overcome excess weight. As you rightly say that doesn’t always add up to a car that is fun to drive.
Dakkon said:
AndyCzech said:
I may well accept less than 163 in a lighter car that has near perfect balance.
It’s sad that many modern barges need more power simply to overcome excess weight. As you rightly say that doesn’t always add up to a car that is fun to drive.
I am not sure I follow, 163bhp per tonne is based on the weight and power.....a heavier car will need more power to reach the same ratio?It’s sad that many modern barges need more power simply to overcome excess weight. As you rightly say that doesn’t always add up to a car that is fun to drive.
Christoph old boy...Ill let you into a little secret that is relatively widely known among certain sections of the UK's motoring society...the tdi Passat is a God amongst vehicles.
Get yourself along to any multi-site company in the UK and go round the car park. You will find many many tdi Passats of all ages. Why? Because the tdi in its various 1.9 or so formats for the last 15+ yrs has been returning 50mpg, 70mph cormfortable cruising all day long for starship milages. Oh and before the engines went all uber high tech, high pressure, the old ones would run on anything oil based.
I picked my estate up at 250,000 miles, ran it for 150 miles everyday, 15yrs old, £550 and it hit the figures above everyday. I ran it on a random mix of diesel, drop of petrol, sunflower oil, chip shop oil and straight supermarket veg oil. It even suffered an exploded wheel at 60mph on the A3 just north of Guildford and got me safely to the side of the road in a stable manner. Cost £250 to sort, back on the road 2 days later. Car last me the whole year I used it, I put another 35,000 miles on it before it finally died after the horrendous abuse I gave it.
The Passat is a Godlike vehicle, every iteration they bring out. Oh and they can also be hustled at rapid velocities down country roads.
Get yourself along to any multi-site company in the UK and go round the car park. You will find many many tdi Passats of all ages. Why? Because the tdi in its various 1.9 or so formats for the last 15+ yrs has been returning 50mpg, 70mph cormfortable cruising all day long for starship milages. Oh and before the engines went all uber high tech, high pressure, the old ones would run on anything oil based.
I picked my estate up at 250,000 miles, ran it for 150 miles everyday, 15yrs old, £550 and it hit the figures above everyday. I ran it on a random mix of diesel, drop of petrol, sunflower oil, chip shop oil and straight supermarket veg oil. It even suffered an exploded wheel at 60mph on the A3 just north of Guildford and got me safely to the side of the road in a stable manner. Cost £250 to sort, back on the road 2 days later. Car last me the whole year I used it, I put another 35,000 miles on it before it finally died after the horrendous abuse I gave it.
The Passat is a Godlike vehicle, every iteration they bring out. Oh and they can also be hustled at rapid velocities down country roads.
Edited by DJRC on Monday 13th February 10:48
DJRC said:
Christoph old boy...Ill let you into a little secret that is relatively widely known among certain sections of the UK's motoring society...the tdi Passat is a God amongst vehicles.
Get yourself along to any multi-site company in the UK and go round the car park. You will find many many tdi Passats of all ages. Why? Because the tdi in its various 1.9 or so formats for the last 15+ yrs has been returning 50mpg, 70mph cormfortable cruising all day long for starship milages. Oh and before the engines went all uber high tech, high pressure, the old ones would run on anything oil based.
I picked my estate up at 250,000 miles, ran it for 150 miles everyday, 15yrs old, £550 and it hit the figures above everyday. I ran it on a random mix of diesel, drop of petrol, sunflower oil, chip shop oil and straight supermarket veg oil. It even suffered an exploded wheel at 60mph on the A3 just north of Guildford and got me safely to the side of the road in a stable manner. Cost £250 to sort, back on the road 2 days later. Car last me the whole year I used it, I put another 35,000 miles on it before it finally died after the horrendous abuse I gave it.
The Passat is a Godlike vehicle, every iteration they bring out. Oh and they can also be hustled at rapid velocities down country roads.
Not wishing to put a downer on the Passat appreciation thread, but I am sad to say that I have completely fallen out of love with mine. My 2001 130pd has just cost me over £3000 trying to sort out a coolant loss problem that ultimately required a new head gasket and a set of reconditioned injectors (these were £1100) alone. I have previously loved this car, but it has really tainted the VAG build quality and reliability reputation for me. I do hope it can redeem itself again over the next 12 months, otherwise I fear it may be gone.... Get yourself along to any multi-site company in the UK and go round the car park. You will find many many tdi Passats of all ages. Why? Because the tdi in its various 1.9 or so formats for the last 15+ yrs has been returning 50mpg, 70mph cormfortable cruising all day long for starship milages. Oh and before the engines went all uber high tech, high pressure, the old ones would run on anything oil based.
I picked my estate up at 250,000 miles, ran it for 150 miles everyday, 15yrs old, £550 and it hit the figures above everyday. I ran it on a random mix of diesel, drop of petrol, sunflower oil, chip shop oil and straight supermarket veg oil. It even suffered an exploded wheel at 60mph on the A3 just north of Guildford and got me safely to the side of the road in a stable manner. Cost £250 to sort, back on the road 2 days later. Car last me the whole year I used it, I put another 35,000 miles on it before it finally died after the horrendous abuse I gave it.
The Passat is a Godlike vehicle, every iteration they bring out. Oh and they can also be hustled at rapid velocities down country roads.
Edited by DJRC on Monday 13th February 10:48
It's certainly an interesting view to find on Pistonheads, and one I generally agree with. I see no point whatsoever in the E55/E63 Mercs, particularly after seeing one on track with cooked brakes after 5 laps of the old Snett.
However, the power/weight isn't the only attribute that matters. I've got a Fabia vRS, which is somewhere around the magic figure, possibly a bit below, with 180bhp and a bit over a tonne. I've also got a 140bhp Caterham (540kg) giving a bit over 250bhp/tonne. The Fabia is much faster on an everyday basis simply because of the power delivery.
However, the power/weight isn't the only attribute that matters. I've got a Fabia vRS, which is somewhere around the magic figure, possibly a bit below, with 180bhp and a bit over a tonne. I've also got a 140bhp Caterham (540kg) giving a bit over 250bhp/tonne. The Fabia is much faster on an everyday basis simply because of the power delivery.
Chris,
Sounds like good logic to me, i used to have a 2009 Honda s2000 and although pretty peaky when it was on song and going it was probably about as much performance as you honestly needed. It has 182 bhp/ton.
Then had a Mk 5 GOLF GTI with 148 bhp/ton. Always felt like it needed a little more.
So now we have the GT86 coming with just about 160-165 as a likely output.
Sounds just about perfect to me
Sounds like good logic to me, i used to have a 2009 Honda s2000 and although pretty peaky when it was on song and going it was probably about as much performance as you honestly needed. It has 182 bhp/ton.
Then had a Mk 5 GOLF GTI with 148 bhp/ton. Always felt like it needed a little more.
So now we have the GT86 coming with just about 160-165 as a likely output.
Sounds just about perfect to me
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