I call it point and squirt. The DCI has oodles of torque and overtaking is great fun. There is a bit of turbo lag but its manageable. She does eat front tyres for breakfast if you do that too much.
Tthere are a couple of basic things to remember about diesel engines, and about turbo engines and now they are turbo-diesel engines.
Diesel is low revving. The nature of what makes it work is the key. Not going to get technical, but I want to die when I hear someone go past 3500 rpm. All you are doing is making noise, wasting fuel and ruining the engine. Up to 3000rpm the internal temps stay at about 600C.Above 3500 rpm they go up to 900C. Try and stay under 3000.
They want to work hard. Change gear early and make the torque do the work.
Brake against the engine as much as possible
TURBO.
That is a word that has scared me away from buying one for years.
Once I learned how they work, it actually made sense and now I love them. Not getting technical, but......
They must get a chance to cool down and slow down. Normal driving will make the compressor spin up to 60 000+ rpm. Hard driving and it can reach 100 000 pm( depending on lots of factors). If you switch the engine off right after revving it, you are cutting off the oil supply from the engine to the turbo's bearings. Once is enough to start you on a very expensive road.
I did that about two months ago, and am seeing the results now.
The impeller side runs off exhaust gas, and it gets red hot. Idle the car for about 30 seconds and let it all calm down. I open the gate, let the car roll down to the parking space and then get out, before switching the engine off.
Modern turbos are very reliable, so look after it and you are safe.
Micra Turbo-diesel
Love the car. Its comfortable, has every bell and whistle I want, except cruise control and is fun to drive.
I don't know much about the customising and modification opportunities you guys have, but in my part of the world there are none. The Micra is not a car they customise here. From that perspective I think the Lupo is easier( although they don't sell them here, I think its called something else.)
Speed is a small issue, you hit 120kph (don't know what that is in English) at just over 3000 rpm, but anything faster than that just invites trouble, you don't want to sit in our jail and wait to explain anything. They have no sense of humour.
Its very comfortable on the open road, I did a 2000 km round trip last weekend, with very little car fatigue.
I am extremely happy with my Micra, and reckon its the best car I have ever owned.
