General Finally Taken the Plunge - Now a 169-model Forum Refugee...

[R1NGA]

Hi Folks,

Just a quick and excited post to say that I finally made the decision to move my 169 model 4x4 on, as a PX for a 5 month old new model 4x4 TwinAir, in Tuscany Green. Felt a bit like some turncoat as I did the deal, but technology has moved on a lot since I got my 2006 model and I loved the way the new car drove. It's a good spec too - Winter Pack, Auto Climate, Reversing Sensors - and has only 2000 miles on it. Looking forward to getting to know it once collected, next week.

One question though. I failed to pay attention during the drive to the ECO button and its behaviour on the current cars, which is a concern on account of the Autocar roadtest from last year which claims the ECO mode is enabled by default each time and needs cancelled. Is this actually the case? The car felt pretty good and if it was indeed in ECO mode, then it bodes well for the full fat flavour. Would someone bee so kind as to let me know what I should expect from a Mar-2014 car please?

 

[triumph7]

Nope eco has to be engaged manually. Thank god! Great choice. U won't be disappointed

 

[Palio]

Nope eco has to be engaged manually. Thank god! Great choice. U won't be disappointed

:yeahthat:

Once disabled the Eco button stays off.

My Mum has tried it twice & hated the way it drove - it's permanently disengaged now! I think it reduces the bhp and cuts throttle response or some such witchcraft - anyway it kills the fun stone dead & if you wanted economy you'd have bought the 1.2 presumably.

Great choice - same colour & spec as Mum's & she's delighted with it.

 

[babbo_umbro]

:yeahthat:

Once disabled the Eco button stays off.

My Mum has tried it twice & hated the way it drove - it's permanently disengaged now! I think it reduces the bhp and cuts throttle response or some such witchcraft - anyway it kills the fun stone dead & if you wanted economy you'd have bought the 1.2 presumably.

Great choice - same colour & spec as Mum's & she's delighted with it.

Great choice, really like mine, though I still think it's ugly, even in Tuscan Green. It sets of for its third trip to Umbria next Monday. As others have said, Eco button stays as selected, but it's really dull - or may even be dangerously slow - in Eco mode.

 

[R1NGA]

Thanks for the info folks - good to know that all things ECO it can be ignored. I also get the slightly ugly thing, but I can see a certain something in the design, so for me that puts in towards the good end of the ugly-pretty scale - not pretty, but attractive. Just as my old Dad used to say about Barbara Streisand in fact......

 

[babbo_umbro]

Thanks for the info folks - good to know that all things ECO it can be ignored. I also get the slightly ugly thing, but I can see a certain something in the design, so for me that puts in towards the good end of the ugly-pretty scale - not pretty, but attractive. Just as my old Dad used to say about Barbara Streisand in fact......

Actually, the shape of the nose is not dissimilar.

 

[Aikidoamigo]

Did you buy it from Slough?

Sounds identical to th one we almost bought a week ago!

 

[R1NGA]

Did you buy it from Slough?

Sounds identical to th one we almost bought a week ago!

Maybe! Anything I should know?!?!

 

[Aikidoamigo]

Lol.... Only that it was awesome!

Well done great choice, it was the best one I could find nationwide, so if you got it you did well. The reason we didn't get that one is they wouldn't squeeze the price any for me.

We held off only to see the new Cross next month.

Ps I also thought Barbara was a hottie in her time! Lol

 

[TwinAir Newbie]

I actually wonder if the ECO button is worth it.

I just drive carefully in normal mode and once out onto the main roads get going on for 50 to the gallon.

In town I want a better response especially at lights and at junctions, so again the ECO button stays off.

I hope that you get to really enjoy your 4x4.

Ours (sorry, the misses' ) is great fun.

 

[deeyup]

Eco schmeco!

My best every mpg records were gained with that off in bothe my panda and 500.
To me, all it does is extend the throw of the throttle pedal so as you can only get to 1/2.
Others on FF have said it does more, it also alters cam lift durations act.
That may or may not be?
I can only go on the fact that using the throttle carefully in non eco mode returns better mpg potential for me then letting the ecu restrict throttle/cam.

Congrats on the new car btw R1NGA

 

[Moultoneer]

Eco schmeco!


I can only go on the fact that using the throttle carefully in non eco mode returns better mpg potential for me then letting the ecu restrict throttle/cam.

Congrats on the new car btw R1NGA

I agree, the eco mode isn't beneficial, IMO. I've just managed to get 67MPG
on a 48 mile run after refuelling with regular BP unleaded just yesterday

This does require a high degree of restraint to achieve, but I was going
at normal A and B road speeds, and not dawdling!

Another button I find useless is the City mode for the steering- this makes
it ridiculously light- I can't imagine anyone who'd need it (OTOH a button
to lighten the clutch in queuing traffic would be useful )



Chris

 

[The Pretender]

What about pictures.

Would probably look like this.

 

[Goudrons]

I've found a use for the ECO mode.

When dragging my bike trailer.
If I turn the ECO on when traveling on the motorway/A roads, it makes it easier to cruise at 60mph.

Last week, went from London to the back end of Northampton (M11/A14) and back with my trailer to pick up a new bike, I got 57 mpg out of my 4x4 TA with the ECO on.

I think it did pretty well, considering the weight and drag of the trailer and bike.

It seems the more my car has run in, the better ECO performance seems, the first few months it felt like someone grabbed the handbrake, but it's not really noticeable now on a 60/70 mph cruise.

 

[babbo_umbro]

......

It seems the more my car has run in, the better ECO performance seems, the first few months it felt like someone grabbed the handbrake, but it's not really noticeable now on a 60/70 mph cruise.

I've found the same - I tried ECO when the 4x4 had only done a few hundred miles and it felt dreadfully slow; trying again recently - very briefly - it was bearable. Presumably the internal losses within the engine are a much greater factor relatively in ECO and when the engine - and everything else - is still tight.

 

[The Pretender]

I'm told, that the TA need at leased 5K under it's belt before it losses up completely.

 

[R1NGA]

What about pictures.

Would probably look like this.

Unsurprisingly it does! Felt very guilty as I did the swap, but hopefully the red car has gone to a caring new owner....... maybe.

 

[Goudrons]

Felt very guilty as I did the swap, but hopefully the red car has gone to a caring new owner....... maybe.

I know that feeling, I had a lump in my throat when the Mrs swapped her Active for her new Lounge, maybe not guilt so much as a feeling of being disloyal.

Funnily, I was over the moon when they took my old X type off me for my Antarctica, changed my phone numbers too, just in case they changed their minds and wanted to give it me back!

 

[The Pretender]

Unsurprisingly it does! Felt very guilty as I did the swap, but hopefully the red car has gone to a caring new owner....... maybe.

Very nice.