Hiya,
I'm after some advice on a new (SA spec - so its the 'last model' E-Class without the electric brakes etc if that makes sense) E270Cdi Saloon.
It is quick enough (about as quick at 6000ft and 35C as a Rover 820 at sea level and 20C) but it is godawful to drive and the fuel economy is poor.
Essentially - you're stationary at lights; lights go green and you press the loud pedal all the way down to the floor. NOTHING (can film it if you like but this conenction in SA makes 56k seem like broadband) happens for a good second; then the autobox decides to use first gear, revs hit 1800, turbo spools and you're away quite satisfactorily. Cruising; if you back off then reapply the 'throttle' it again takes a good second for anything to happen.
Here in SA, with these horrid 4-way stops rather than roundabouts and cars jumping red lights here there and everywhere you NEED the instant response to get you out the way quite often. As it stands, mom's 1.4 Reno Megane will have made it to the other side of the box junction before the Benz does 'cos although its slow it does things straight away.
Maybe its turbo lag? But if you lock the autobox in 1st gear and drive around you can back off and reapply throttle whilst rolling and provided revs are above the 1800rpm or so boost threshold the response is virtually instant; so it is not turbo lag.
This leaves either:
The autbox 'brain' is broken or badly designed in the first place.
The engine 'brain' is broken or badly designed in the first place.
I know car makers sometimes put dampers on the throttle of diesels to slow the rev rise and make emissions less worse but this delay is rediculous, and spoils an otherwise nice car.
Fuel economy is poor too - 25mpg around town; 38mpg at constant 125km/h cruise control. Dad's last car was an S-Type Jag; 3.0 V6 PETROL which got 25mpg around town and 36mpg at constant 80mph (160km/h) cruise control. According to the books both cars weigh around 1660kgs; but the (instantly responding and fast) petrol is just as economical as the averagely quick but totally unresponsive diesel. This makes me thing the Benz must be broken somehow? Either that or that's as good as it gets.
If its broken, what is broken; if that's as good as it gets, can it be 'rechipped' to improve the responsiveness? There are NO emissions rules out here (indeed - the 'cat' has no precious metals inside, is just a silencer box - and boy oh boy does the tailpipe stink without the cat...) so the provided dad can still see out the rear view mirror a light grey haze from the exhaust at full chat is fine; but we are at 6000ft and 35C ambient air temps which aren't brilliant for turbo motors o any description.
Mileage is 8000kms/5000miles, age abuot 5 months.
Any suggestions folks?
As an aside - where is the Kraut's sense of humor? Why does it lock the vehicle in park if the ABS is unplugged? (handy if it breaks in the middle of the desert, heh!) We were booked on a skidpan/autotest/gymkhana session with it but as soon as we unplugged the ABS is said "Zee ist about to hast fun, ziss ist inapropriaet und not allowed unter any sirkumstanses"... on the display in the middle of the speedo. (or words to that effect! )
I'm after some advice on a new (SA spec - so its the 'last model' E-Class without the electric brakes etc if that makes sense) E270Cdi Saloon.
It is quick enough (about as quick at 6000ft and 35C as a Rover 820 at sea level and 20C) but it is godawful to drive and the fuel economy is poor.
Essentially - you're stationary at lights; lights go green and you press the loud pedal all the way down to the floor. NOTHING (can film it if you like but this conenction in SA makes 56k seem like broadband) happens for a good second; then the autobox decides to use first gear, revs hit 1800, turbo spools and you're away quite satisfactorily. Cruising; if you back off then reapply the 'throttle' it again takes a good second for anything to happen.
Here in SA, with these horrid 4-way stops rather than roundabouts and cars jumping red lights here there and everywhere you NEED the instant response to get you out the way quite often. As it stands, mom's 1.4 Reno Megane will have made it to the other side of the box junction before the Benz does 'cos although its slow it does things straight away.
Maybe its turbo lag? But if you lock the autobox in 1st gear and drive around you can back off and reapply throttle whilst rolling and provided revs are above the 1800rpm or so boost threshold the response is virtually instant; so it is not turbo lag.
This leaves either:
The autbox 'brain' is broken or badly designed in the first place.
The engine 'brain' is broken or badly designed in the first place.
I know car makers sometimes put dampers on the throttle of diesels to slow the rev rise and make emissions less worse but this delay is rediculous, and spoils an otherwise nice car.
Fuel economy is poor too - 25mpg around town; 38mpg at constant 125km/h cruise control. Dad's last car was an S-Type Jag; 3.0 V6 PETROL which got 25mpg around town and 36mpg at constant 80mph (160km/h) cruise control. According to the books both cars weigh around 1660kgs; but the (instantly responding and fast) petrol is just as economical as the averagely quick but totally unresponsive diesel. This makes me thing the Benz must be broken somehow? Either that or that's as good as it gets.
If its broken, what is broken; if that's as good as it gets, can it be 'rechipped' to improve the responsiveness? There are NO emissions rules out here (indeed - the 'cat' has no precious metals inside, is just a silencer box - and boy oh boy does the tailpipe stink without the cat...) so the provided dad can still see out the rear view mirror a light grey haze from the exhaust at full chat is fine; but we are at 6000ft and 35C ambient air temps which aren't brilliant for turbo motors o any description.
Mileage is 8000kms/5000miles, age abuot 5 months.
Any suggestions folks?
As an aside - where is the Kraut's sense of humor? Why does it lock the vehicle in park if the ABS is unplugged? (handy if it breaks in the middle of the desert, heh!) We were booked on a skidpan/autotest/gymkhana session with it but as soon as we unplugged the ABS is said "Zee ist about to hast fun, ziss ist inapropriaet und not allowed unter any sirkumstanses"... on the display in the middle of the speedo. (or words to that effect! )