New Alhambra??

engle

Guest
I had a Tuning Box which took my 115 to 150bhp and 275lbft. I tried a std 130 for comparison and it didn't feel nearly as strong, especially in the lower ranges (where you really want it).

The Tuning Box was fitted for over 60k miles and I never had any reliability issues in that time. Driving it around without it fitted, in the last week or so of ownership, it felt completely castrated and nowhere near as nice to drive. Fuel consumption didn't appear to take much of a hit either - in the 68k miles that I had the car, I averaged a true 41.7mpg (I don't think I drive quite as hard as you do!)

The 140 is a 16 valver and the lower rev range feels a little less substantial. The piezo injectors on the 170 seem to have sorted that if the torque curves I've seen are anything to go by. Chipped, Superchips are getting 213bhp out of the 170! That would make an Alhambra shift. ESP is standard on the 140 now (?) so I'd hope that would keep things between the green bits for me.

DSG is superb - FAR better than a standard Atuo box for my money, and fuel consumption doesn't take a hit either. The speed of changes on the DSG has to be felt to be believed. On A roads, where I do most of my driving, it would undoubtedly be quicker than a manual or 'old' auto. It also gives the choice between manual and full auto to suit your mood/traffic, and has paddleshift.

I've read that DSG is near the limit of its torque handling capabilities, so it may not take too kindly to a chipped motor....
 
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MrRob

Guest
Its the feel of a car and engine when I drive it that is important to me. The 140 feels "right"... and the figers are not too far off your TBd 115. Ive not driven the 1.9 130 but i thought a bigger turbo was used to up the power .... naturally resulting in less low end grunt ..... the 140 is fine lowdown and builds up strongly .... its fun ;)

I'll have to work out the true MPG i get ... what range were you getting from a tankful ? Its high motorway speeds that reduce my MPG I can get 40+ mpg if I stay off them :(

The ESP and EBD is unobtrusive and fantastic but the TCS acts too late inducing severe judder and scrabble as the system sorts itself out.... its no LSD. Its best not relied upon.

Perhaps its the price of the DSG and/or its toque restriction that that have prevented its inclusion in the Alhambra line up? .... now if that can be overcome AND combined with a 4x4 system:headhurt: ?!
 

engle

Guest
The 115, 130 and 150 are 8 valve, the 140 and 170 are 16 valvers. The 8 valvers work true to form and give good low end torque but start to run out of breath above 3000rpm (at which point they're not very nice to listen to anyway).

I moved away from the Alhambra because of the amount of engine noise that makes its way into the cabin - the price you pay for wrapping the passenger compartment around the engine bay I guess - and I just wanted a bit more poke for a while. I'd had MPVs for nine years on the trot up to then, seven of them in Alhambras (the BEST!).

I hate motorway driving and will do whatever I can to avoid it. I was typically getting 550-570 miles to a tankful from my 115. The best I ever got was 625 on a (lazy) trip to France.

I don't know why the DSG hasn't been offered on the Sharan/Alhambra. It would seem to be a perfect match to me. Besides, every other bloody VAG car seems to be available with it now (the grapes round here are very sour this time of year.....), so why not these?
 
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MrRob

Guest
cheers engle :) ... so it looks like the trip computer is more or less accurate 550/570 miles to a tank = 42ish mpg while I'm showing 38mpg overall now and getting up to 550 (if i keep my speed down ;))

That said I do rather like the rasp of the 140 as the revs climb :redface: ... and I do stay off motorways when I can honnest ... come on!... given a choice would you use the A1(m)/M1/M62 etc, or Yorkshires A, B and Unclasified roads ..... they're one reason I live here!!:D

.... when all is said and done a 170+ Quatro/Syncro/4x4 DSG version :drool: would make a great drive and flagship model BUT woldnt have been in my budget this time.
 

engle

Guest
Tuning Box or no Tuning Box, the MFA computer on most VAG products seems to be about 5-10% optimistic in my experience (Is this because most speedos are over-generous by the same amount?).

The 4x4 that VW put on the Sharan was (is?) the Synchro system, so it's by no means full time. Repairs on Synchro drivetrains get scary money-wise, so I'm quite happy to avoid them. A nice Quattro system with a Thorsen diff would be nice though....

When I chopped my Alhambra in, I was really looking for a 'step up' in performance and refinement (in the same type of vehicle). Such a thing doesn't exist in my view. The Espace is very over rated and massively overpriced (and doesn't handle very nicely either). I've got an estate now, and originally had my heart set on an A6 Avant (old shape, not the one with the Edsel c**t on the front) which is beautifully built and has the nicest interior going. But to drive (in any of the diesel guises - I tried all of them!) they are all completely anaesthetised.

So I had to look elsewhere. If the MPV manufacturing crowd had stopped pratting about with the interior arrangements (which are well sorted in the Alhambra to my eyes - apart from a few squeaks and rattles) and had majored on NVH and maybe a decent V6 diesel and DSG, they'd have had my money by now.
 

MrRob

Guest
... I'll do some MPG sums when I can be bothered :blink:

Id agree that the Alhambra is no premium exec substitute but they wont fit six + dog and luggage :cry: Its a van/car/workhorse with "reasonable" practicality, refinement, performance, and cost. I cant get away with less seats/space.

Quattro V6 Diesel with DSG it is then for our "Fantasy Flagship" :drool: .... it might help save the planet and make it safer too if it stopped some of the sheep buying Discos/RRSports/X5s/etc too ;)
 
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