300C CRD (diesel) Owner experience

[groovyjay]

Originally Posted by diarmaid

This sure is one hell of a car. Coming from an Audi A6 I,m not used to all this attention. Everywhere I go people come over to study it - not a car to move about discretely in.
I,m getting about 28mpg on short trips. Haven'y done a long trip yet. What are other owners getting?
Pity the front number plate intrudes apon the grill. Is there any way round this?
Also what do people think of the Bently style grill? Too bling?

I also thought the front place intefering with the grille was a real eyesore. Here's what I did: (scroll down to see the pics)

Potential new UK owner

[Murphy The Cat]

Originally Posted by diarmaid

This sure is one hell of a car. Coming from an Audi A6 I,m not used to all this attention. Everywhere I go people come over to study it - not a car to move about discretely in.
I,m getting about 28mpg on short trips. Haven'y done a long trip yet. What are other owners getting?
Pity the front number plate intrudes apon the grill. Is there any way round this?
Also what do people think of the Bently style grill? Too bling?

Hi Diarmaid

would you like to say hello to your new best friend in England ?

First job, lets sort out your numberplate mount, for free and in about 2 minutes start to finish.

This mod WILL ONLY WORK ON A CRD, as the extra vents underneath the numberplate make it possible.
Unscrew the 2 screws which hold your numberplate in place.
Remove the numberplate.
undo the 2 bolts which hold the numberplate mount in place
remove the numberplate mount
turn it upside down
replace the mount
replace the numberplates.
Job done, bish bosh. time to go out driving again.

As for the grill. I confess that I love my new grill and I think it adds to the car in a positive way. Saying that it is a very personal thing. Have a look at this picture of Arnie which shows the numberplate mount turned upside down as well as my new grill.
& here is a stock set up next door to Arnie.


and a close up of how the numberplate holder looks turned upsidedown.




I am currently getting 28 mpg in my general motoring (like you) and on a recent 150 mile round trip I got 30.1 mpg (mostly motorway cruising at 80-85mph)

hope that I've helped

MTC

[Belmont CJ]

Mr Murphy, you sly old rogue! I meant to chastise you sooner, but was distracted by your splendid gallery of Arnie! What is this grill! Fog light inserts? I ask you! This was kept distinctly quiet my old mucker. Ha, looks great though!

Just a quick update for those ordering the Startech grill, ours arrived with a flat surround perfectly fitted for insertion below the mesh as part of the kit, so no need for any upsidedownedness!

[Geordie]

I am currently getting 28 mpg in my general motoring (like you) and on a recent 150 mile round trip I got 30.1 mpg (mostly motorway cruising at 80-85mph)

hope that I've helped

MTC [/quote]


Hey there MTC...

Hard to keep track of you these days re the number of forums and threads you are popping up on since 'Arnie: got commissioned!

Regarding your current MPG I presume the reading is from the vehicle's computer readout?

Just a thought...when I had the test drive in the 3.5 petrol model the sales guy told me that the car was recording the MPG in US gallons! I believe the US gallon is 3.7853 litres whereas the Imperial gallon is 4.5461 litres (I think).

If all Euro / UK spec vehicles are similarly configured then surely the MPG will show the US figure? Perhaps this aspect requires clarification from your dealership or DC UK.?

Regards
Geordie

[Murphy The Cat]

Originally Posted by Belmont CJ

Mr Murphy, you sly old rogue! I meant to chastise you sooner, but was distracted by your splendid gallery of Arnie! What is this grill! Fog light inserts? I ask you! This was kept distinctly quiet my old mucker. Ha, looks great though!

Just a quick update for those ordering the Startech grill, ours arrived with a flat surround perfectly fitted for insertion below the mesh as part of the kit, so no need for any upsidedownedness!

Thanks for the nice comments Belmont. The grill is an E&G classics stainleess steel with centre bar & the mesh inserts are again from E&G classics.
Now I am being very careful about how I am going to write the next bit.
I (personally) have not seen the Startech grill in the flesh or on a car - but there is a car around our area which does have the startech grill fitted. Several people who have seen both cars tell me that they think that the E&G grill is a far suprerior product and looks a lot better on the car. I must stress that this is what OTHER people have said and I repeat that I have not seen t'other car. One of the big differences is that the badge on the Startech is not as (looking for the right word here) aesthetically pleasing to the eye or as regards the fitting. When I adtually see it for myself I'll let you know.
The Startech is plastic based as well - don't know if that will add/lessen it's long life good looks.

As for the numberplate mount. AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH.
This will be the numberplate mount that Startech told Geordie and I that they no longer do and would not be able to supply us with.

Hope all is well with you.

MTC

[Murphy The Cat]

Originally Posted by Geordie

Hey there MTC...

Hard to keep track of you these days re the number of forums and threads you are popping up on since 'Arnie: got commissioned!

Regarding your current MPG I presume the reading is from the vehicle's computer readout?

Just a thought...when I had the test drive in the 3.5 petrol model the sales guy told me that the car was recording the MPG in US gallons! I believe the US gallon is 3.7853 litres whereas the Imperial gallon is 4.5461 litres (I think).

If all Euro / UK spec vehicles are similarly configured then surely the MPG will show the US figure? Perhaps this aspect requires clarification from your dealership or DC UK.?

Regards
Geordie

Hi Geordie

when I picked up Arnie from my dealer (E.S Hartley at Ings. 01539 822450. ask for Robert in sales - they are a GOOD company to deal with), it was pointed out to me at handover that the only 2 options in the EVIC were US readings or Metric, but that they expected a Mod to be available at some stage and they would advise me in due course.

Sooooooo. I'm getting 30.1 mpg (but of course it may be actually neraer 36 mpg), but I held off making this differnce known because
a) it would send our cousins across the "pond" into a frenzy of they knew what a diesel could do to the gallon and
b) i didn't want to make myself look a **** by posting the wrong info.

If i get the chance later I'll do a quick fuel fill and get a better guide as to what Arnie is doing at the moment.

cheerio

MTC

[Geordie]

Originally Posted by Belmont CJ

Mr Murphy, you sly old rogue! I meant to chastise you sooner, but was distracted by your splendid gallery of Arnie! What is this grill! Fog light inserts? I ask you! This was kept distinctly quiet my old mucker. Ha, looks great though!

Just a quick update for those ordering the Startech grill, ours arrived with a flat surround perfectly fitted for insertion below the mesh as part of the kit, so no need for any upsidedownedness!

Hey there Belmont CJ...

Hope you are well?

You are aware my CRD is due in March and I would like the number plate aspect clarified.

As MTC stated, Startech said they no longer supplied the number plate mount re the various number plate sizes worldwide did not make it financially viable?

Can you indicate if it is available to purchase seperately and if so do you have an order code. A pic would be worth 'a thousand words'!

Regards
Geordie

[diarmaid]

Originally Posted by Murphy The Cat

Hi Diarmaid

would you like to say hello to your new best friend in England ?

First job, lets sort out your numberplate mount, for free and in about 2 minutes start to finish.

This mod WILL ONLY WORK ON A CRD, as the extra vents underneath the numberplate make it possible.
Unscrew the 2 screws which hold your numberplate in place.
Remove the numberplate.
undo the 2 bolts which hold the numberplate mount in place
remove the numberplate mount
turn it upside down
replace the mount
replace the numberplates.
Job done, bish bosh. time to go out driving again.

As for the grill. I confess that I love my new grill and I think it adds to the car in a positive way. Saying that it is a very personal thing. Have a look at this picture of Arnie which shows the numberplate mount turned upside down as well as my new grill.
& here is a stock set up next door to Arnie.


and a close up of how the numberplate holder looks turned upsidedown.




I am currently getting 28 mpg in my general motoring (like you) and on a recent 150 mile round trip I got 30.1 mpg (mostly motorway cruising at 80-85mph)

hope that I've helped

MTC

Thanks a lot for that information. I,m going to try it out tonight. I think your grill looks great. I see you have additional chrome inserts beside the fog lights. Do they come with the grill?
My car cost 63,000 Euro here in Ireland with the satnav. Good value by comparison with other more mundane metal. The road tax is a killer at 1140 Euro - it is dependant on CC. The mpg reading is US miles and you need to add on about 20% for here. I use the litres per 100km to get a more accurat reading. It seems hard to get more than about 31 mpg. I imagine that this will improve with age.
My car is magnesium by the way. Thanks again for the info.
P.S. Where did you get the grill? Did you fit it yourself?

[diarmaid]

Originally Posted by groovyjay

I also thought the front place intefering with the grille was a real eyesore. Here's what I did: (scroll down to see the pics)

Potential new UK owner

Thanks a lot. I hope it's not too cold in Suomi!
What do you think of the Bently grill? What does your car cost in Finland? I paid 63,000 Euro with satnav.

[groovyjay]

Originally Posted by diarmaid

Thanks a lot. I hope it's not too cold in Suomi!
What do you think of the Bently grill? What does your car cost in Finland? I paid 63,000 Euro with satnav.

We just barely survived 8 day period of -25c or colder, Now it turned into pretty mild for this time of year +-0c.

I like the Bentley grille, but to be honest I have yet to find the one that looks better than the OEM.

My car cost came out total of 58.500 euros, didn't go for the sat nav, since it really doesn't work here yet and splashing out 4K for something that doesn't work is bit rich for my blood. I like the idea of satnav, maybe in the future, when the satellites finally put us on the map