Viewing: Can you help me pick a good Diesel for my wife?

***HDi fun*** · 08-07-2011, 07:45 PM

Astra is FWD. I have not driven the post 2009 Astra so cannot comment and as such I will stand aside so will leave my prejudice at the door.

**turbonutter69** · 08-07-2011, 07:47 PM

I haven't driven the new shape yet.
But the SRI does come with Sports Suspension as the Focus Zetec does so i'm hoping it handles just as well.

I'm gonna start test driving a few cars in September.
Been looking at Leon's as well.

**jarrus** · 08-07-2011, 07:53 PM

Yeah but we all know how much you love diesels T,

Paul, Saab 9-3's have those engine in and I reckon one would suit you quite well. I've driven a 2000 9-5 and they are really nice.

**turbonutter69** · 08-07-2011, 07:54 PM

It's only for a runaround.
So it'll be fine.

***HDi fun*** · 08-07-2011, 08:14 PM

I've driven the Saabs as well. I don't need a car at the moment. the 528i was a panic purchase and I need to keep it for a while or more for cost reasons alone.

When I need and can afford another 'proper' new car Saab will be on the short list.

***T9 man*** · 08-07-2011, 08:26 PM

Saab - Saab - Saab! Apparently they are a very nice car! They will always take care of their owner and the bond is unbreakable!

**aston** · 08-07-2011, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDi fun

I've driven the Saabs as well. I don't need a car at the moment. the 528i was a panic purchase and I need to keep it for a while or more for cost reasons alone.

When I need and can afford another 'proper' new car Saab will be on the short list.

I believe Saab won't be around much longer so I guess you won't be looking at a new one, it'll be an old Saab......A Vauxhall, heaven forbid

***HDi fun*** · 08-07-2011, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T9 man

Saab - Saab - Saab! Apparently they are a very nice car! They will always take care of their owner and the bond is unbreakable!

'They are a very' ? ? - odd mix of singular and plural.

**aston** · 08-07-2011, 08:45 PM

Celtic Tuning can do increadable things with the gm/Fiat 1.9 16v engine (jtdm fiat group name) I was looking for an economical car whish would be sprightly to drive, After a lot of reading etc I settled on this engine, and decided it had to be in the lightest car so decided the Alfa 147 JTDm 150 or the Fiat Stilo with the same engine. A check on celtic tuning's site shows with thier magic 212bhp and a whopping 327 Torque (Lbft) (A Ferrari 355 F1 only has 268 lbs of Tourque). All in a good looking, good handling car which only weighs 1270 kg and gives 48mpg. That is 170 bhp per ton and a scientifically worked out 0-60 of 6.45secs

Also when "evo" tested it they tested the 147gta at the same time. I quote/
"Now, here's an odd thing. This JTD was revealed to us at the same time as the GTA, and I spent a while chasing that hottest 147 along some sinuous Italian roads. Was keeping up a problem? It was not, unless the road opened right out. The easy thrust had a lot to do with this, but so did the ride and the joyously understeer-resistant handling."
Now i have wrote this I want one.........de dum de dum de dum..ebay, pistonheads,autotrader here i come.....

**Yugguy** · 09-07-2011, 07:15 AM

So in other words, buy an alfa! (;->

***T9 man*** · 09-07-2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDi fun

'They are a very' ? ? - odd mix of singular and plural.

***HDi fun*** · 09-07-2011, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aston

Celtic Tuning can do increadable things with the gm/Fiat 1.9 16v engine (jtdm fiat group name) I was looking for an economical car whish would be sprightly to drive, After a lot of reading etc I settled on this engine, and decided it had to be in the lightest car so decided the Alfa 147 JTDm 150 or the Fiat Stilo with the same engine. A check on celtic tuning's site shows with thier magic 212bhp and a whopping 327 Torque (Lbft) (A Ferrari 355 F1 only has 268 lbs of Tourque). All in a good looking, good handling car which only weighs 1270 kg and gives 48mpg. That is 170 bhp per ton and a scientifically worked out 0-60 of 6.45secs

Also when "evo" tested it they tested the 147gta at the same time. I quote/
"Now, here's an odd thing. This JTD was revealed to us at the same time as the GTA, and I spent a while chasing that hottest 147 along some sinuous Italian roads. Was keeping up a problem? It was not, unless the road opened right out. The easy thrust had a lot to do with this, but so did the ride and the joyously understeer-resistant handling."
Now i have wrote this I want one.........de dum de dum de dum..ebay, pistonheads,autotrader here i come.....

I drove a 156 Sportwagon 2.4 in about 1999 and wasn't overly impressed. Noisy engine.

**aston** · 09-07-2011, 02:18 PM

Yes apparently the joint venture (Fiat/GM)1.9 16v runs rings around pretty much everything else, It seemed to be celtic tuning's favourite engine when I was researching diesels on thier site. Certainly a lot of numbers for a 1.9 anything..

**Yugguy** · 09-07-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDi fun

I drove a 156 Sportwagon 2.4 in about 1999 and wasn't overly impressed. Noisy engine.

The early 2.4 was rubbish aye, the later one in the 159 is supposed to be much better.

***HDi fun*** · 09-07-2011, 04:46 PM

The mJET engines are good even as four cylinder units. But they still strike me as coarse when compared to PSA's HDi units and Ford's TDCi units.

**aston** · 10-07-2011, 09:09 PM

So what did Wifey choose then?

**jarrus** · 13-07-2011, 11:36 AM

Didn't Alfa do that Ducati course limited edition 147 with there Q2 LSD?
170bhp standard I think that was in the 1.9

**LeadRogue** · 27-07-2011, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aston

So what did Wifey choose then?

She got a 2007 astra 1.9D SRi 150 had it remapped by Cetltic Tuning and had it on rolling road to test now upto 212hp and its just out of this world.

Crazy peformance to be fair and great fun to drive.

**turbonutter69** · 28-07-2011, 03:36 AM

Good stuff buddy. I'm seriously thinking about having a new shape Astra. It'll be either the Sri or the elite.

**LeadRogue** · 29-07-2011, 09:31 AM

Its so much fun that I have been stealing the keys off the wife and going for fun drives around the countryside every evening since the remap. First time I have ever drove a car pureley for the experience rather than the commute since an old peugeot 306 gti years ago.

**Yugguy** · 29-07-2011, 10:09 AM

Diesel remaps should be compulsory, they're a win-win, better mpg at cruise and more power when you need it. I'm trying to explain this to a bloody-minded luddite colleague of mine who thinks they are the work of the devil.

**aston** · 29-07-2011, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeadRogue

She got a 2007 astra 1.9D SRi 150 had it remapped by Cetltic Tuning and had it on rolling road to test now upto 212hp and its just out of this world.

Crazy peformance to be fair and great fun to drive.

AHA the engine I chose for you in this thread, what do I win??

***HDi fun*** · 30-07-2011, 09:05 PM

Pretty much all common rail diesels have been undertuned at the factory. Probably to make a place for the petrol models in the range. So many people still think that derv is the slow option and buy petrol cars for that reason.

Some are ridiculously out of date. They still think a 1.2 Corsa petrol will outrun a 535d, for example, simply because they have a petrol engine in the Corsa

**jarrus** · 03-08-2011, 10:26 PM

535d's are bloody quick in standard tune let alone a remapped one!