BBC Panorama

[StressedDave]

It'll be the latter...

In any case, is anyone surprised by the programme? The car meets emissions... once you change the variables it doesn't. I'd be amazed if you could find a car on sale that wouldn't chuck more NOx into the atmosphere when hot and being asked to accelerate.

[angus]

And if you then want/need a bit more omph, go and see these people:

http://www.tdi-tuning.co.uk/

[TheInsanity1234]

We love the Yeti, it's a fantastic car, so versatile.

But it's a lot worse on fuel than it should be (struggles to average more than 40ish MPG, against quoted 60 MPG and predicted real-world figures of about 50ish MPG)

Quoted 60 mpg is never meant as what you should expect in actual use; it's simply a means for people to compare cars. Predicted fuel consumption relies on too many variables to be of much use.

I'm aware of the fact the quoted figures are often unachieveable, and they're merely a comparision figure, but my general rule is to knock off about 20% and it's been an accurate guide for every car we've had.
The Yeti is honestly the worst performing car in terms of fuel consumption we've had. Even our 1.9 TDI galaxy from 2006 is capable of averaging 41 mpg come what may. The Yeti was struggling to crack 40 mpg on my drive home tonight... Only in the last few miles did the average readout even climb above 40, and that's because the last leg is a longish 30 zone which is fairly flat.

Oh and don't get me started on that horrible dead-zone in the power range below 1500 rpm. Any attempt at any kind of acceleration when the engine speed is below 1500 rpm in any gear above 3rd is met with a horrible vibration and not much else.

I've already pointed out that by doing this you're expecting too much of the DMF; avoid below 1500 rpm as much as possible, which means only in 1st and maybe 2nd gear.

Yes, and I've never really done that, except on one or two occasions. But the gear-shift indicator thing actively encourages you to be in the lowest gear possible. If I listened to that thing, I'd be driving in a fantastically suicidal manner. And I don't mean suicidally fast.

[TheInsanity1234]

You have no power below 1.5k because the turbo hasnt yet turboed.

... and you're in the wrong gear ...

Seriously, though. Under 1500 rpm and above third gear in a small capacity turbo-diesel... what did you expect? In my Saab you would probably have stalled it.

Perfectly aware of that chaps.

It took me by surprise while I was a learner, but it's not an issue at the moment, simply because I change gear to make sure the engine's in its powerband. But that's an awful lot of gear changing between 3rd and 4th on a normal country road where your speed varies between 30 and 50. And guess what kinds of roads make up most of my drive home.

Not nice and effortless at all when it comes to being tired after a long day of lip-reading and dealing with stupid people.

I had a Physics teacher last year, to whom I was bemoaning the short powerband of diesels which meant they required more gear changes to keep moving, and his response was that diesels produce more torque, so should be easier to drive as they won't need so many gear changes... Coming from a Physics teacher who did an engineering degree, that was odd.

But yeah, when I come into a 30 zone from a 50, I need to change down from 4th to 3rd. That's spectacularly irritating when I'm aware of the fact a petrol engine probably could handle being in 4th at 30 anyway.

And there endeth my rant... For now...

Apologies if I come across as being moody or something, I'm suffering from a male version of PMT it seems

[TheInsanity1234]

It'll be the latter...

In any case, is anyone surprised by the programme? The car meets emissions... once you change the variables it doesn't. I'd be amazed if you could find a car on sale that wouldn't chuck more NOx into the atmosphere when hot and being asked to accelerate.

Not in the case of the Zafria, it seems.

It failed the standard emissions test cycle that they performed before the changing of variables...

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

Nope, many petrol engines want to be in 3rd at 30, too. Yes, they'll do it in 4th, but they'll tend to want to run away and exceed 30, and when you get to the edge of the 30 into a higher limit, they won't accelerate well either.

If you want to be an advanced driver, learn to love changing gear. If you want an easy life, get an automatic.

... and be thankful that at age 17 you have exclusive use of a nearly new car to take yourself to and from school. Not something that was common when I was at school.

[Discov8]

Love gear changing, going up and down thru the gears, block changing, matching speed and rpm. Even with the auto I go manual when out of town. Another alternative to an auto for lazy gear changing is a bigger engine that can pull from low rpm. But goodbye to fuel economy.

[jont-]

Nope, many petrol engines want to be in 3rd at 30, too. Yes, they'll do it in 4th, but they'll tend to want to run away and exceed 30, and when you get to the edge of the 30 into a higher limit, they won't accelerate well either.

And others will be quite happy in 6th, and pull strongly from 30 too (lack of mass and /really/ short gearing helps there ).

There's so much variation between vehicles that any suggestion of a fixed relationship between speed and gear is going to be wrong quite a lot of the time. The point is to pick an appropriate gear for the vehicle you're driving.

[Gareth]

But that's an awful lot of gear changing between 3rd and 4th on a normal country road where your speed varies between 30 and 50.

Cars with diesel engines tend to require more gear changes.

That's spectacularly irritating when I'm aware of the fact a petrol engine probably could handle being in 4th at 30 anyway.

You'd need to compare like for like to see if it's true - that is, a Yeti with the nearest equivalent petrol engine - but you'd probably find fuel consumption is worse, and you might not like the lower amount of torque.

[akirk]

I think that my petrol car changes from 3rd to 4th (to protect the engine) at c. 90mph - it certainly has no desire to be in 4th in a 30mph zone - 2nd is probably more normal, 3rd an option - bearing in mind that I am often under 30 in a 30 anyway! A jag I owned with an auto box was capable of virtually the hwole range of speed limits in just first gear!
Alasdair