I currently drive a SD Roadster with the 140hp/225ft-lb BMW 2-litre diesel. I won't claim it's a wonderful engine and does sound like a tractor at idle, but it does the job nicely. The torque doesn't feel that big as the car is very high-geared and isn't happy in sixth gear until about 40mph. But on the highway it pulls like a train at most speeds without a gear-change. It is a curious engine on a winding road, as the turbo lag means it doesn't feel to punch you forwards if the throttle is floored - but it will have sucked you faster in an effortless way so you arrive at the next corner going quite quickly. For this reason, it is shameful that Mini fit only Cooper brakes, not bigger S brakes, to the SD - I had to uprate mine in the first month of ownership. The nice thing is 48mpg, thrashing it to death and/or cruising at 85. OK, those are big British gallons so that's only 40mpgUS, but then in my experience the gentler US roads mean that Americans will get better fuel economy. I can get 60+mpg (50+ mpgUS) driving gently, but then where's the fun in that? The SD is about 5% more expensive to buy than a S here but, once a market for diesel cars is established, the value of used diesel cars is so much higher than petrol/gas ones (more than 5% higher) that I will get most of the extra price back when I sell it. Petrol/gas-engined small cars still sell well here but for larger vehicles, not having a diesel engine becomes a problem. At $20,000 sales price, fuel economy isn't that important, but by the time a car has dropped to $5,000 it is. Some Chrysler models are (assembled and) sold in Europe, like the Voyager and they have now given up even offering the petrol/gas versions for sale. The same thing is true for pick-ups (much less popular here than cars) right down to compact size. And yet fifteen years ago, diesels were a rarity here, so don;t assume it won't happen to you guys.....
OK, I have to ask this. Did Dave O. walk everyplace he went before the R53 hit the market? I have not seen another car he likes, since I've been on this site. :lol: Jim
I was Amish and was rolling in a buggy. :lol::lol::lol::lol: Ok, I have had 2 Maxima's loved them and modded them. I have had 2 Honda civics and they were ok but the whole JDM thing happened and that was a huge turn off. I have had a few beaters like a old Cougar, Toyota, and a 80's Camaro I like the new Camaro SS/RS a lot.
It was the 80's and the God forsaken Prius was not around. The times were all about Mtv, Miami Vice, Metal hair bands, Coke and everyone had a Mustang 5.0 or an Camaro IROC, or a Pontiac Firebird / Tans Am. :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
I'm, honestly, impressed Dave. The Amish buggy was a step above the R53, so you had some good taste at one time. That makes you OK in my book. Jim