Fuel Cost Germany Trip

[HarryMann]

Top daddy would be the new BiTdi twin turbo 2.0 litre as in the fastest T5 (2.5 6cyl Tdi not offered any more)

That's 400 Nm and 180 BHP... sounds like a real beast

is that 300 ft-lbf - Aidan, are you up to that

[jebiga41]

not sure about mpg as my boost was leaking and fuel guage acting up but on the way to 25 convoying with dave (crankinwagon) had about the same fuel consumption only using a litre or more than his mtdi (both heavy hightop syncro campers ) but sticking around 100-110km and similar to clive's but with a crosswind coming back however booting it up to holyhead (120km/hr +) and driving a bit around london with a van packed with beer and wine worked out had done 24mpg on half a tank but hopefully with addition of chargecooler, not hammering and minus a lot of alcohol should get higher figures. The lack of boost pin does sound interesting, but would have thought a little more power would be more economical in such heavy vans such as campers interestingly enough even at 120km/hr my revs do not seem to go higher than about 3600rpm will do some proper recording of figures in the next few weeks

[jed the spread]

I think a good way of wrapping up the, what engine does the best on our recent trip
can be put like this,

MV petrol engined owners I ask you this, If you were offered a totally new MTD engine in your van with brand new turbo etc in exchange for your existing one that has done just over 100,000 miles all fitted and set up for free would you take it?

MTD engined van owners, if you were offered a brand new MV engine and LPG kit fitted for free would you swap it for a the 100,000 miles plus engine you have allready?

Can't see many with a TD taking up the offer, but the petrol owners on the other hand........

Jed

[syncrosimon]

Agreed Jed.

But a fully working WBX is no bad thing. And it's free if you have one already. If I really wanted to off road i would no hesitation get a Landy, much cheaper, better, plentiful parts, made in the UK. My old Range Rover classic V8 makes syncros look positively cumbersome off road. All the money spent on my wagon has been on refurb and interior, the nearly 4 year old wbx engine has been a fit and forget item. I have not even changed the plugs!!

I just cant sit in a diesel and think, hmm this is nice, except the top end 200bhp ones. I have driven extensively in a T4 102 tdi, and find the engine noisey and unrefined, much rather be on the motorway in a WBX. I remember when I had a 1.9 dg and my parents came down to Cornwall with their brand new T4, I drove it out of Cornwall to Exeter and was distinctly underwhelmed about the performance. When I had a VR6 T4 we had a test loan of a 175 bhp T5, that didnt excite either. Petrol makes a nice refined free revving engine with smooth tourque characteristics that only a few diesels can match.

There is no way I would pay out for a diesel conversion, what is the point. Most people compare a shagged out WBX to a new diesel conversion, where any change would be an improvement. If the benefit of a 3000 spend is 50 km more range, a bit extra wading, and a less driver involving hill climb, then no thanks.

I guess I was lucky and got one of the last brand new engines from VW. My family has racked up over 600,000 miles in wbx's with no breakdowns, i cant fault them.

Now if I had ended up with a diesel syncro, I would have gone the same route as you, and after spending 3000 on getting it working right I would no doubt be chuffed to bits with it.

The WBX has problems, the designers were not allowed the budget to make an all new engine. They had designed a 16 valve flat four, but it was scrapped and they had to produce the wbx in less than a year. It is a design of it's age, and in many cases will do 200,000 miles. My dad had a business in the 80's which used transporters, he would part ex them with VW at 130,000. Never had an engine problem, but had 2 gearbox probs at that mileage. The wbx is unreliable now because of it's age, with an mtdi conversion you are replacing 25 year old machinery with a mix of new and much newer used parts, it is just gonna be better.

What i dont like is this insistence that the WBX is rubbish, it is not. The people that slag the wbx dont put the WBX in context, it might not be able to do 2% of off roading situations people throw at them, but to spend so much money to get that last 2% is just silly. Fit a landy with arb lockers, good bye syncro.

[silverbullet]

Should I mention the 2.6 at this point? OK it's 2wd...I get 28-30 mpg on a 75+75 mile run, twice a weekend.
M25, A26 and then local roads down to Rye, East Sussex.
Change gear at 3000-3500 and keep it to 70 on the m'way. A light right foot and drive sensiby.
By way of a comparison, I've got no intention of changing the DG in the syncro - I like it's 1985 simplicity and it's lovely and quiet, which counts for a lot. Whizzes along at 60-65 quite happily, I just don't expect to keep the speed on a steep hill - I don't have a 500kg westy camping interior to drag about either
Vorsprung durch technik and yes, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[HarryMann]

Fit a landy with arb lockers, good bye syncro.

and then goodbye driveshaft as we saw when first recceing Llanfyllin (broke within minutes of going 'up the rock' )

So common afailure (and so fundamental), there is even a Landy tool for knocking the old spline stub out easily, they're just not built for tough off-road use!
I don't believe we have ever left a Syncro on-site after 30 odd events, yet the countryside seems to be littered with not only landy exhausts, wings, this bit that bit, but also some whole bodies... being cheap, they also attract the wrong types, who don't take their rubbish away with them, and drive the same lane weekened after weekend and get everyone a bad rep

[HarryMann]

... only joking

[silverbullet]

Solihull sheds I had an '84 strange rover with a 2.5 VM turbo D. 27-28 mpg
Lots of fun, relentless repairs
To be fair, I don't think that the syncro is any better, probably worse in some respects. Horses for courses. The Land Rover live axle/3-diff concept did get a lot of development over it's considerable lifetime, after all.
It's when the "enthusiastic" owner pushes the vehicle past it's capabilities (and sell-by date) that all the fun starts.

[axeman]

I think a good way of wrapping up the, what engine does the best on our recent trip
can be put like this,

MV petrol engined owners I ask you this, If you were offered a totally new MTD engine in your van with brand new turbo etc in exchange for your existing one that has done just over 100,000 miles all fitted and set up for free would you take it?

MTD engined van owners, if you were offered a brand new MV engine and LPG kit fitted for free would you swap it for a the 100,000 miles plus engine you have allready?

Can't see many with a TD taking up the offer, but the petrol owners on the other hand........

Jed

not realy a very fair comparison jed.

mv against a mtdi it is like compairing a 1.6td against a EJ25, who has the beter engine? who knows this could go on for a while.

neil

[jed the spread]

I think a good way of wrapping up the, what engine does the best on our recent trip
can be put like this,

MV petrol engined owners I ask you this, If you were offered a totally new MTD engine in your van with brand new turbo etc in exchange for your existing one that has done just over 100,000 miles all fitted and set up for free would you take it?

MTD engined van owners, if you were offered a brand new MV engine and LPG kit fitted for free would you swap it for a the 100,000 miles plus engine you have allready?

Can't see many with a TD taking up the offer, but the petrol owners on the other hand........

Jed

not realy a very fair comparison jed.

mv against a mtdi it is like compairing a 1.6td against a EJ25, who has the beter engine? who knows this could go on for a while.

neil

Who mentioned an MTDI What i said is a fair comparison

jed

[Aidan]

personally I'd still take the MV

[jed the spread]

personally I'd still take the MV

Ya fhooking lier

jed

[silverbullet]

From "what mileage did you get going to Germany" to "I can pee higher up the boy's wall than you can" in no time. Honestly.

[syncropaddy]

From "what mileage did you get going to Germany" to "I can pee higher up the boy's wall than you can" in no time. Honestly.

I wonder if women who are good at 'boys stuff' are good at that too ??????

[jed the spread]

Sharon knows what she is talking about so I would say yes

jed