emcubed
14th April 2018, 07:10 PM
... I'm seriously considering ... no, let's be honest; I've all but talked myself into getting a Y62 (and after driving one it wasn't too difficult after the first few minutes). However, I do have reservations about whether or not I can afford to keep it in fuel. I would like to hear some factual and actual experience from owners, rather than listen to rumour, hearsay and scuttlebutt that as often as not comes from those with a different axe to grind.
The old Y61 (3 litre auto) could be nursed up to around 7 km/l (14/100) with a tailwind on a flat highway, occasionally maybe 8 (12.5/100) if very fairy-footed. It dropped back to around 6 (16-17/100) in the 'burbs, and 5(20/100) (rarely less) if towing a trailer (not over 2tonnes all up) or getting off road without a trailer. Less consumption would be nice, but being realistic, shifting 3 to 5 tonnes around the countryside does require energy, especially with a rig having the aerodynamics of a brick.
I could happily enough live with the equivalent consumption in petrol from a Y62, and if the claimed 14.4 km/l (7/100) is a fair and representative average I would be a very happy new owner. I've read a couple of test reports and other articles that suggest this claim may not be too far from the truth, perhaps with a couple of qualifications. But I've also seen about the same number of test reports suggesting consumption in worst case scenarios getting up to around twice this, figures as bad as 3 to 3.5 km/l (28-30/100). I strongly suspect that some of these test reporters, put into someone else's vehicle, just can't help themselves - especially with a fun-mobile to flog - and really give it the treatment that an owner would not. But then I might be wrong, too.
My options? I've looked around a bit and won't criticise the competition. Let me just say that after the Y61 I'm now 'over' having a small diesel engine. Add to this that with every new vehicle that comes onto the market they are getting smaller and more over-worked with every new technological 'advance' and every new emissions clean-up demand.
The Yanks got the formula right years ago: 'cubes = grunt'. No qualification was needed when fuel was cheap and the 'global warming' religion had yet to be born. I won't get into the qualifications that are needed today. Suffice that even the 'big cubes' diesels seem to now be suffering some sort of religious fervour-induced fever, and fuel cost is irrelevant if you can pass it on to the next bloke, as can most commercial consumers of diesel. Governments know that only too well!
So it's pretty obvious what I would rather not consider as options to my Y62 first choice, (i.e. any new diesel-driven tug with any size diesel engine but especially recently born midgets)
Another current reservation concerns the new, softer(??), independent suspension (especially rear.) Generally, I see independent suspension as great news. But let me say that I absolutely detest load levelling or weight distribution hitches. I refuse to use them and try to keep tow-ball load to 200kg or under - subject to trailer sway considerations. Questions: what's the standard Y62 system like around full tow-ball down-load (350kg) and at somewhere around half that (say 175kg +/- 25) ??
Hoping for favourable responses on both issues,
The old Y61 (3 litre auto) could be nursed up to around 7 km/l (14/100) with a tailwind on a flat highway, occasionally maybe 8 (12.5/100) if very fairy-footed. It dropped back to around 6 (16-17/100) in the 'burbs, and 5(20/100) (rarely less) if towing a trailer (not over 2tonnes all up) or getting off road without a trailer. Less consumption would be nice, but being realistic, shifting 3 to 5 tonnes around the countryside does require energy, especially with a rig having the aerodynamics of a brick.
I could happily enough live with the equivalent consumption in petrol from a Y62, and if the claimed 14.4 km/l (7/100) is a fair and representative average I would be a very happy new owner. I've read a couple of test reports and other articles that suggest this claim may not be too far from the truth, perhaps with a couple of qualifications. But I've also seen about the same number of test reports suggesting consumption in worst case scenarios getting up to around twice this, figures as bad as 3 to 3.5 km/l (28-30/100). I strongly suspect that some of these test reporters, put into someone else's vehicle, just can't help themselves - especially with a fun-mobile to flog - and really give it the treatment that an owner would not. But then I might be wrong, too.
My options? I've looked around a bit and won't criticise the competition. Let me just say that after the Y61 I'm now 'over' having a small diesel engine. Add to this that with every new vehicle that comes onto the market they are getting smaller and more over-worked with every new technological 'advance' and every new emissions clean-up demand.
The Yanks got the formula right years ago: 'cubes = grunt'. No qualification was needed when fuel was cheap and the 'global warming' religion had yet to be born. I won't get into the qualifications that are needed today. Suffice that even the 'big cubes' diesels seem to now be suffering some sort of religious fervour-induced fever, and fuel cost is irrelevant if you can pass it on to the next bloke, as can most commercial consumers of diesel. Governments know that only too well!
So it's pretty obvious what I would rather not consider as options to my Y62 first choice, (i.e. any new diesel-driven tug with any size diesel engine but especially recently born midgets)
Another current reservation concerns the new, softer(??), independent suspension (especially rear.) Generally, I see independent suspension as great news. But let me say that I absolutely detest load levelling or weight distribution hitches. I refuse to use them and try to keep tow-ball load to 200kg or under - subject to trailer sway considerations. Questions: what's the standard Y62 system like around full tow-ball down-load (350kg) and at somewhere around half that (say 175kg +/- 25) ??
Hoping for favourable responses on both issues,