Driving a Diesel (please move if in wrong forum)

[wedge69]

Firstly, wasn't too sure where to put this post, hope I get some answers though!

I am about to buy my first Diesel (Octavia Tdi SLX - X reg), and as I have never driven one before I was wondering how best to drive one. For example, is it best to stick to certain revs in certain gears, do they need any special maintenance etc.

Also, anyone have any opinions on the best brand of diesel to use?

[WW_VRS]

Doesn't seem to be much difference in the diesels, the cheaper ones tend to be a little more smokey, but performance wise for the car itself there doesnt seem to be a difference at all beyond that.

As for revving - compared to a petrol you'll change up a gear a lot sooner, there is generally no point revving it much above 3.5k rpm, perhaps 4k rpm if you are really after that last bit of performance.

If you want to accelerate, feed in the throttle rather than just dropping it to the floor, you'll get much better fuel economy that way.

You'll get used to it though, and you'll know when the turbo has spun up as it will pull very nicely

[TaviaRS]

Older ones may need more frequent servicing than newer ones, not sure if the pre-PD ones need it every 6k instead of 10 or if they can run long-life regime.

As to how to drive it, use the torque, ie drive between 1500 - 3500 rpm

As for fuel, it's a diesel lob any sort of deisel in it, it ain't a performance car. Branded stuff "seems" to be better and I get better MPG (1-5 more) than supermarket. Don't bother with "premium" fuels such as Ultimate.

[SkodiRS]

SLX is the 110bhp TDi....I had a W reg estate from new....fantastic car!

Used to drive mine hard.....liked the handling/ride compromise. It's pretty much all done by 4krpm though.

Good economy...got 600 miles out a single tank during the fuel blockade.

Interior well built...not a single rattle even after a shunt on the M4.... although the grey colour is not to everyones taste.

Edited: Forgot to say...Safeways/Morrisons City diesel gave less mpg and car felt less responsive. All the new "peformance" diesels, BP Ulitmate etc, weren't available.

[iriches]

Firstly' date=' wasn't too sure where to put this post, hope I get some answers though!

I am about to buy my first Diesel (Octavia Tdi SLX - X reg), and as I have never driven one before I was wondering how best to drive one. [/quote']

Fast, like any car

For example, is it best to stick to certain revs in certain gears

In general, a turbodiesel will pull better from lower revs than a petrol car. When doing a fast overtake in a petrol car, it is normal to drop a couple of gears, get the engine sitting at 3-4000rpm ish, then floor it through to the red line at 6000rpm+ or whatever (Unless you drive a Honda VTEC, in which case add 2000rpm to those numbers...)

You can't do that in an Octy diesel - as the red line is at around 4500, and it seriously runs out of puff from 4000rpm. Start your overtake at around 2000-2500 rpm (peak torque is at 1900 IIRC on your engine), and you'll be able to approx. double your speed before needing to change up, and still have good acceleration.

For economy driving:

1. Plan ahead. The biggest waster of fuel is the brakes. Everytime you touch them, you are resigning yourself to burning more fuel to regain your lost speed. Don't go overboard, however. Diesel is cheaper than bodywork...
   
2. Keep your speed down. 80 mph burns a fair bit more fuel than 70mph, which burns more than 60....On my commute, if the traffic is flowing freely at NSL speeds I typically average 54-58mpg on the fuel computer. If it is flowing at more like 50mph, then I tend to average 58-62mpg for the same trip.
   
3. Don't rev the engine too much. Changing up at 2000-2500rpm will be beneficial.
   
4. Traffic conditions (IMHO) have as much if not more effect on fuel consumption than driving style. Leaving for work 15 mins earlier and missing some of the stop/start crush may save you more fuel than driving like a *.
   

, do they need any special maintenance etc.

Not really. If you are in the habit of driving hard right up to stopping the car, then the turbo will thank you for giving it a little bit of idling before switching off. The turbo can be spun up to insane rotational speeds, and if you switch off when it is still rapidly spinning, you also switch off the oil feed. Not good...

Also, anyone have any opinions on the best brand of diesel to use?

I'm the wrong one to ask on this. They all seem to perform the same for me.

Ian

*Mogadon-taking, caravan-towing, trilby-wearing pensioner in beige BL Metro works for me. The shorter they are, the slower they travel. For the *really* slow ones, you should only just be able to see the top of their hat.

[wedge69]

Thank you, that's been really helpful.

I do 40 miles each way a day, mainly on NSL roads. I'm sure I will develop my own dirving stlye, but I will take your advice on board.

If I can get around 55mpg I will be more than happy.

[iriches]

Beware that most of the fuel computers are as optimistic as Gordon Brown...

Mine (01Y TDI Elegance 110) has averaged 55 mpg on the fuel computer over the last 3000 miles or so. Dividing how many miles I've done by how many gallons of diesel have gone in gives a real figure of 51 mpg - an overread by the computer of about 8% or so.

The short journeys I tend to do around town at weekends really drag down the economy. Trips to work (20 miles each way) tend to work out in the 55-60mpg range on the computer. Short trips around town are more usually in the low 40s, according to the computer again.

Ian