Mk VI TDI or Mini D or any other suggestions

[shogun2]

Looking at buying a new car before the end of June. I currently have a Mk5 2.0TDI. I really want a Scirroco, but have no way of getting one before the end of June. Has to be diesel.
I want something that has additional pizzaz. Would like 3 door, but not available in Comfortline.
So - what I want to know is - would anyone buy the new Mini D with Chilli pack? Or do I stick to the Golf VI TDI. Or is there anything else?
Thoughts please!

[mtaoz3]

Form vs Function

The Mini vs Golf thing is something you'll have to figure out for yourself. The Golf is by far the better car if you want a comfy cruiser to take a crew of three or four. It is ergonomically brilliant. The Mini is smaller inside and out(think Polo) and is compromised in retaining the retro look. but has the pizzaz factor that the Golf will never have (short of a GTi).
The Mini D engine is the same Peugeot/Citroen/Ford 1.6 Litre as fitted to the Citroen C4 and Peugeot 308 in Australia. It is well proven, quiet and smooth and in the lightweight Mini produces excellent fuel figures. It won't hold a candle to the 2.0TDI in terms of performance though. Treat the Mini (AKA BMW) performance figures of 9.8 seconds with grain of salt though. BMW claim their 320D will do 1-100 in 8.0 seconds, whereas try as I might I couldn't better 8.9 in mine. VW however are very conservative. I have bettered 8.8 in my TDI Mk 6 although VW only claim 9.3.
VW are also working on their own 1.6 TDI engine to replace the lacklustre 8V 1.9. Expect better figures when it arrives.

[docjames]

Other options would be a megane diesel (plenty of drawbacks there) or Skoda RS Diesel. A Focus TDCi isnt a bad drive and has new DSG box so that would be worth looking at for sure. Can always up-spec the rubber to 17s (std is 16s iirc) and it has a great chassis so will be good to drive. No doubt the blue oval on the front would be a drawback to some (?many).

[guliver_twist]

wouldn't recommend the focus. Cheap and noisy interior. questionable quality..crap resale values..
bmw 123d if they sold them in aus

[shogun2]

Thanks for the comments on the Mini. Confirms my lingering issues. I want something with at least the performance of the TDI.

Just had a drive of the Volvo C30 D5 - very nice, and a finish level above my Golf V. Also on road performance that was a bit firmer (to go with the "sporty" tag) - nice around corners, and just that bit better refined. Standard unit is 132KW. The manual is supposed to do 7.7 secs to 100kph. Definite candidate at this point in time.

With Skoda an Renault I would feel that I'm going downmarket. Don't want to do that.

Shame no 123D ....

[phaeton]

Buy a Mk6 Rod

[shogun2]

I've done the deed, Ben.
Placed an order for the Volvo today. I'm going to be one of those "Bloody Volvo drivers".
132Kw and 400nM (not sure about that but I read somewhere that this is what the manual gives)! As much as my chipped Golf.
If there was a scirroco or GT-D I would have happily gone down that path, but all they could offer was another Comfortline.

At least I'll still have the Mutivan.

[GolfAtom]

I have reliable info from a BMW fan that the next best thing to a friendly woman is the BMW 135i Coupe. It is a rocketship with the turbo charged 3litre straight six in a light lithe 1 series body. The unrelenting acceleration will glue you to the seat but the price will see you out of it!

Cheers,
Alan

[Lima]

Looks like my comments are a bit late, but... I've had a go in a Dooper and it was awesome fun!

http://www.ausmotive.com/2009/06/01/drive-thru-mini-cooper-d.html

The practicality issue is always a personal one, but I have little doubt that the MINI is the most fun diesel on the market in Australia right now.

[Greg Roles]

Interesting picture of the Mini D engine, not sure why they took such a long inlet length on a turbo car, but it appears on the turbo outlet there is a pipe that heads off forwards to the intercooler, and a side branch that looks like it may bypass the cooler for a more direct and short path to the engine. Perhaps that's their short term overboost feature?

[Transporter]

Interesting picture of the Mini D engine, not sure why they took such a long inlet length on a turbo car

Shortly, it is all part of engine tuning.

[Greg Roles]

Tuned length isn't applicable to a turbocharged inlet, especially before the turbo. Anything before the turbo is just restriction.

[Transporter]

Tuned length isn't applicable to a turbocharged inlet, especially before the turbo. Anything before the turbo is just restriction.

Sorry, but it wasn't very clear, I thought you said inlet length as the inlet manifold length. You obviously mean the turbocharger inlet, then?

[Greg Roles]

Yep, but no point having either any longer than needed.