retired
Member Since: 18 Feb 2006
Location: Surrey
Posts: 158
  
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| Some help please................ |
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I’ve been reading the forum for a couple of weeks and given the breadth and depth of experience of forum members I’d like to ask for some help.
I recently test drove a diesel D3. Came away pretty impressed with everything except the performance. I’m no boy racer would like a bit more go with good acceleration up to about 100. I do one or two trips a year to southern Germany and would like to cruise around the 90 to 100 mark and be able to easily regain this speed and maintain it up autobahn hills.
My options would appear to be either a V8 or a diesel plus a’ chip’. Feedback from anyone with real world experience of these would be appreciated. Am interested in fuel consumption and acceleration information.
With the chipped diesel car I assume that both the torque and power characteristics are changed (for the better). With an auto gearbox the gear selection is mapped to the engine’s power characteristics. If these characteristics are changed by the ‘chip’ does this mean that the gearbox programming needs to be changed as well?
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 18th Feb 2006 10:13 pm |
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shawn
Member Since: 23 Aug 2005
Location: At the top of the hill
Posts: 574
  
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hi there retired and welcome to the forum
i have a diesel d3 and was not impressed with the performance so i had it turbochipped and wow what a difference it made it was like driving a different car all together with even better fuel econommy than before.
my recomendation would be a chipped d3 tdv6 and enjoy
cheers shawn bali blue disco 4 with rear dvd's, privacy glass, pre heat system, heated steering wheel, full size spare, piano black trim, ipod cable, 20 inch wheels and i love it loads more than my TDV8 RRS, KTM 250 EXC 2 Stroke for the real off road stuff
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| 18th Feb 2006 10:54 pm |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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My car isn't chipped, but cruising at 90 is no problem  can't say I've sat at 100 for very long but the car gets there no problem. If hitting this cruising speed 20 seconds quicker or even 60 seconds quicker is important then I'd say chipping is the better route than a V8. But either car isn't going to be economical at those speeds. DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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| 18th Feb 2006 10:56 pm |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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Hi and welcome to the site. The D3 is a dual purpose vehicle and to that end has to cope with both on road and off road work. The car is capable of some of the most adventurous off road ability of any 4x4 and in absolute comfort and safety. However it is also capable of some very serious long journeys at quite acceptable speeds, with respectable acceleration.
The trade off is that it is not a car such as the BMW X5 any more than the X5 is capable of doing what the D3 can off road. The two are totally dissimilar vehicles although some journalists try to compare them.
The question you must ask yourself is how much off road work do you want to do. If it is considerable then go for the D3 and trade off the speed and acceleration. If it is minimal or nil, then it may not be the car you are looking for. Hope that helps a little 
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| 18th Feb 2006 10:56 pm |
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Luke
Member Since: 13 Feb 2006
Location: Essex
Posts: 19
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tdv6 whitout chip
We towed a heavy ski boat across to italy at a avarage speed of 80mph  no kiding!!! Was bit scary tho when it started to snake at 80!!! 
and sometimes reached 90 no problems
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| 18th Feb 2006 11:03 pm |
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shawn
Member Since: 23 Aug 2005
Location: At the top of the hill
Posts: 574
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luke why without chip ?
shawn bali blue disco 4 with rear dvd's, privacy glass, pre heat system, heated steering wheel, full size spare, piano black trim, ipod cable, 20 inch wheels and i love it loads more than my TDV8 RRS, KTM 250 EXC 2 Stroke for the real off road stuff
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| 18th Feb 2006 11:08 pm |
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Martin
Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18454
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How many miles did the demonstrator have? The TDV6 does loosen up nicely after approx 6k miles, giving extra power and flexibility. 06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
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| 18th Feb 2006 11:10 pm |
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HarrisonB
Member Since: 03 Dec 2005
Location: Leicester
Posts: 238
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Hi Retired and welcome,
Driving a Discovery 3 at 100mph. Now that’s what I call priceless. You must have balls the size as Prezza’s two Jags. Yes it will get there but try and stop it. I guess you trained those WW2 Kamikaze pilots. Good luck finding a genuine 7 seat , executive off roader (not my words – WhatCar)
H D3 gone for now
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| 18th Feb 2006 11:45 pm |
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steveho
Member Since: 07 Jan 2006
Location: lincoln
Posts: 74
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I've driven half a dozen chipped disco 3s manual and autos and bang for buck i can't see how the cost can be justified.
those that praise their vehicles performance after being chipped maybe trying to justify to themselves the £400 odd quid they've spent-who knows?
don't forget your warranty will be invalidated also
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| 19th Feb 2006 12:43 am |
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afp001
Member Since: 23 Nov 2005
Location: Forest Of Dean, Gloucestershire
Posts: 161
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Martin wrote:How many miles did the demonstrator have? The TDV6 does loosen up nicely after approx 6k miles, giving extra power and flexibility.
Quite right Martin, my TDV6 auto now has 3500 miles on the clock and is freeing up nicely. When the car was new I was mildly dissapointed with the performance.
Now though it's brilliant and getting better. TDV6 SE auto, Java / Alpacca
2010 Mini Cooper S Conv. Pepper White, Blue roof
2010 Jaguar XJ, Caviar with Cashew seats, B&W 1200W Hifi
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| 19th Feb 2006 10:14 am |
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Andy4467
Member Since: 25 Nov 2005
Location: Kent - England
Posts: 203
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Did 600 miles two weeks ago back from French Alps, did 80 - 90 - 95ish all the way back no problem. However the fuel economy does suffer as you would expect - 22.8mpg was my average. Obviously if you sit at 60 it improves no end, we normally see 25-26mpg around the lanes here in rural Kent.
I find the acceleration is adequate for such a big vehicle, long travel on the pedal which works well when pushed.
As BN says perhaps its not exactly the right car for 90 -100 autobahn/autoroute cruising! but as an allround vehicle I wouldn't choose anything else.
Oh I forgot to mention the look on X5 and XC90 owners faces when being overtaken at 95mph - priceless! Some say the glass is half full. Others that it is half empty. I say 'Are you drinking that?"
Cairns Blue, Ebony Leather, SE
BMW 320d M sport
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| 19th Feb 2006 10:42 am |
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Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
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retired,
Although I don't do speeds such as yours I too was concerned about being left behind on some of the large autobahn hills and with slip-road acceleration.
Having looked at all the large 4x4s it had to be the 7 seat D3 - as the only negative (the performance) can be readily cured with a 'chip'. An extra £700 will not get an extra 2 seats in an X5, but it should give you the pace you are looking for in a D3.
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| 19th Feb 2006 11:13 am |
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Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
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Of course, I will be in a better place to comment after Thursday's Turbochip experience.
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| 19th Feb 2006 1:17 pm |
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retired
Member Since: 18 Feb 2006
Location: Surrey
Posts: 158
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Many thanks for all the replies. Think I'' try to find a dealer who'll let me have an extended demo in both a V8 and a diesel with a few miles under its belt.
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| 22nd Feb 2006 3:18 pm |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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From what I have been seen by being left by a TC car there is a big difference in performance with that chip compared to my standard car.
As for the brakes on a D3 it has a shorter stopping difference than most cars on the road as found in Auto Express particularly compared to a lot of the little hatch backs. I've hit a ton a few times in mine and it does get there with very little fuss but it is not clever and you shouldn't do it, oh and it does lower its suspension at that speed! DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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| 22nd Feb 2006 6:16 pm |
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