MotoringFile Most liked posts in thread: If MINI USA Brings a Diesel, Would you Consider it?

Let's see, $3000 premium and uses fuel that's 25% or more per gallon than gasoline......and it stinks to boot.

Why would anyone want this?

And how many miles would you have to drive to get the payoff? Is it possible to get a payoff on this in one's lifetime?

One word answer.....probablynot!

:biggrin5:

 

I'm always surprised when people don;t know pop culture references like that....

Our dealer holds a halloween party each year and owners are encouraged to dress up their cars - my lic plate on my electric blue '03 JCW was "BluMeni" which most people thought meant the Blue Man group.....

One halloween I dressed it up as it's namesake, only one person recognized it even with the plate on it.



BTW, should we tell them where it comes from, or leave them in suspense?

 

Burn bio-diesel in 'em and they'll smell like french fries!

Dave

 

If they offered the 204 hp twin turbo version, then yes.

Dave

 

Better diesel options out there.

 

Heck Dave let them figure it out. I think maybe you & I are old enough to remember while other's will have to look it up.

 

One word answer: Nope

 

Yes ....

 

Not at that price point and MPG... Needs to fall in between the "S" and Non S"s car, and get better MPG to sway me to buy it.. That is a big drop in MPG compared to the high end of the Euro cycle of 65 MPG..

 

Two word answer: consider? Yep.

 

i would be the first in line to buy a countryman sd all4

scott

 

Not if the new 3 Banger gets the same MPG on the coupe. On the CM, possibly.

Jim

 

:cornut: NO

Jason

 

I have an SD Roadster and it is a lovely engine - sure, it sounds like a tractor from the outside at idle, but once moving it's never unpleasant. And the torque reminds me of the pedal in an organ marked 'Swell' - the turbo damps the edge off the throttle response but, once it picks up its skirts, it has that feeling of being endlessly pulled forward by a tight rubber band connected to the horizon.

Because it pulls like a train at 1500rpm and redlines at 4500, you can triple your speed without a gearchange and so it is a very quick car to drive effortlessly on poor roads (I'm talking about roads that make The Dragon look like a major highway). But that doesn't come cheap - I've seen under 25mpgUS from my SD when driven like I just stole it - but that's Yurpeen minor country roads for you. Today in suburban traffic I did exactly 50mpgUS and yet I've got a fire-breather when I want it, so it's a good compromise.

On the question of economics, the US price of diesel is a bit of a disincentive - for you it's, what?, 20% more than gas, whereas here in Britain it's 7% more. But the big difference is resale price of the vehicle - over here, diesels are particularly attractive to buyers of older cars because of their economy, so their resale value is much higher. It would probably be worth buying a SD Countryman even if it only had the same economy as an S, just because it would be worth so much more second-hand.

So the question for potential diesel buyers is when will the US public start to see the advantage of diesels? I suggest it will happen someday, whether you want it to or not....

 

Only in a Countryman and if it had more torque and there wasn't a ridiculous cost premium for it.

 

No oil burners for me.

 

I had 2 Ford Superduty diesels, loved the torque not the price of refueling them. One had a 28 gallon tank and the other 38. If it would get the mileage that a Volkswagon diesel does then I would consider it. Problem is the US with all the controls would run the cost up. I miss my turbo powered trucks, not the fuel bill