Best car for steep gradients?
Discussion
Zarco said:
I used to get dropped off to school in one of these. The pick up was mum’s Nissan Datsun though!I know the Somerset & Devon area well. Have travelled it for many years and often in cars a lot less capable then a turbo diesel c class.
It sounds to me that either you had your car in the wrong gear or there is something wrong with it. Your car should be perfectly capable of maintaining a decent speed along any of the main roads in the area.
It sounds to me that either you had your car in the wrong gear or there is something wrong with it. Your car should be perfectly capable of maintaining a decent speed along any of the main roads in the area.
LeoSayer said:
In my experience, the best cars at hill starts on steep hills are cars with a torque converter auto, large naturally aspirated petrol engine and four or rear wheel drive.
EV's do he best job on hills of anything I've ever driven. Utterly unfazed by gradients and you also have the benefit of regen on the way down.Scrump said:
I know the Somerset & Devon area well. Have travelled it for many years and often in cars a lot less capable then a turbo diesel c class.
It sounds to me that either you had your car in the wrong gear or there is something wrong with it. Your car should be perfectly capable of maintaining a decent speed along any of the main roads in the area.
I had it sport+ but will get it checked out. It sounds to me that either you had your car in the wrong gear or there is something wrong with it. Your car should be perfectly capable of maintaining a decent speed along any of the main roads in the area.
My BMW 320 E91 is (or was when new) 170 or so BHP.
It will break the speed limit by a good margin on any A road hill.
But you do need to be in the right gear, to the extent that I get annoyed when I'm in the passenger seat on some hilly roads.
This is making me think I might get an auto next.
I'm used to bikes, if you want nippy overtaking up hill, then obviously pwer:weight matters.
It will break the speed limit by a good margin on any A road hill.
But you do need to be in the right gear, to the extent that I get annoyed when I'm in the passenger seat on some hilly roads.
This is making me think I might get an auto next.
I'm used to bikes, if you want nippy overtaking up hill, then obviously pwer:weight matters.
DarrenFromLeeds said:
Always wanted to see these live. Thread jacking myself here but wonder if there is a place in the UK to watch or even drive one?!
Pretty sure occasionally could be seen in the Woodhouse Moor coach/car park? Although that was years ago - usually occupied by the circus.Keep an eye online:
https://hotwheelsmonstertruckslive.com/event/londo...
Zarco said:
Looking at the simple and un-fussy lines of the classic audi made me think of one of the great car adverts. Alas it appears Audi have grown to be its own nemesis...https://youtu.be/pIQ-283wKgg
DarrenFromLeeds said:
Yes, that’s correct. I’ll check the car for air tags. Thanks though. I did see a few cars struggle but not break down.
Amusingly as predicted, BMW drivers lining up to remind us exactly how powerful their cars are;)Haldon Hill ...yes 70mph (indicated) was even perfectly possible in a rather pathetic old Fiesta Mk2 1.0, given the right gear changes. I can vouch for that due to a daily commute at the time.
In an auto, just give it a downshift before the gradient steepens up.
OutInTheShed said:
My BMW 320 E91 is (or was when new) 170 or so BHP.
It will break the speed limit by a good margin on any A road hill.
But you do need to be in the right gear, to the extent that I get annoyed when I'm in the passenger seat on some hilly roads.
This is making me think I might get an auto next.
I'm used to bikes, if you want nippy overtaking up hill, then obviously pwer:weight matters.
Similarly I had a petrol Alfa 156, a fair bit more power than the OP's C200d and allegedly 200kg less weight, but 2/3rds of the torque (no turbo). It definitely got slow on steep hills if you didn't act, especially with passengers, and it would take good planning and quite aggressive gear selection to really keep it flowing.It will break the speed limit by a good margin on any A road hill.
But you do need to be in the right gear, to the extent that I get annoyed when I'm in the passenger seat on some hilly roads.
This is making me think I might get an auto next.
I'm used to bikes, if you want nippy overtaking up hill, then obviously pwer:weight matters.
So I don't think OP's experience is unreasonable or surprising, and doesn't mean their car is faulty. But it does require a bit more driver engagement because their car is not so overwhelmingly capable as to make this effortless.
E63eeeeee... said:
Zarco said:
That's all very well, but now someone's got to reverse it back down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMcc83zUg5s
saaby93 said:
E63eeeeee... said:
Zarco said:
That's all very well, but now someone's got to reverse it back down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMcc83zUg5s
DarrenFromLeeds said:
I’ll be covering Bristol and Exeter from now on in my job. Yesterday, I encountered some steep climbs… it was like my Mercedes C200d just lost all steam. The speed dropped from 70mph to 59mph on a steep gradient. My ears were immediately blocked from the pressure.
Any recommendations for a decent hill climber?
More torque at lower RPM? High RPM and low torque?
What would be up to the job?
I don’t carry a lot of equipment. Some plumbing tools and replacement parts from time to time.
Cheers
If I were you, I'd be looking at either changing how you drive, or getting the car fixed; a C200d should be capable of keeping up 70mph up a 1 in 10 hill.Any recommendations for a decent hill climber?
More torque at lower RPM? High RPM and low torque?
What would be up to the job?
I don’t carry a lot of equipment. Some plumbing tools and replacement parts from time to time.
Cheers
You don't mention the year of your car or the gearbox type; if it's a 2009-14 it makes 134hp peak at 2800-3000 rpm. So if it's manual, you want to choose a gear which puts the revs at just under 3000 rpm or so to have it best able to maintain speed.
If it can't hold 70mph up that sort of hill at 3000rpm and full throttle, then take it to a garage and ask them to check it out. With a turbo car like yours, there are a few simple things that can go wrong, such as a boost leak, which can leave the car driveable, but significantly slower than it should be.
So I really doubt you need to change your car; if you do want more grunt, I'd look at a remap, it's quite easy to get more power, and a better spread of power, out of a turbo engine.
If you just want a new car, power:weight is going to determine outright hill-climbing ability, as long as the gearbox allows you to get the engine to the revs where it makes peak power at the speed you're starting at.
I can confirm that my C55 has ample hill-climbing ability, if you're happy with 18mpg ;-)
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