140ps or 180ps

[BerndRos]

What I like about my 180DSG.......is it keeps my blood rushing.....every time I take off from a roundabout or a 'T' junction......I feel that lag and fear the worst......lol.......

 

[cozmo1589]

The 180 comes into its own in situations like safe, efficient and quick overtaking when pulling out around a slow moving vehicle up hill for instance or if towing or any situation in fact where Bhp and or that dollop of extra torque gets you out of trouble especially when fully loaded with luggage, fuel and fresh water. Aside from those everyday real world situations I don't drive mine any differently to if it was a 140 Bhp unit.

 

[KernowLad]

Looking back at Kernows posts he seems like one of those people that come up to you and say the Cali is crap camper and my T5 home coversion i built myself is so much better.

I think deep down in his heart he wants a DSG but would never ever admit it.

We also live in an area with very narrow lanes and hills and the DSG is awsome for this, why would I want to waste my time changing gear when it can be done automatically?

Eh? How does not liking DSG bring you to that "conclusion?"
I just don't like it - at all.
Wasted time changing gear? How about all that time wasted pressing the throttle and steering too? Changing gear is part of driving.
In my car, the auto does a better job than I can. I this van, I can do a far better job than a DSG box can. So manual suits us way more.


You have to adapt your driving style to the California 180 DSG and when you do it's a hugely rewarding drive and that's from someone who drives a manual m135i .All your comments are based on driving a Caravelle 140 DSG ,passat and a VW up,but if you actually drove the 180 DSG you would appreciate that it's afine vehicle in its own right maybe not for you but nothing wrong with it . I accept that your car is an auto and your camper a manual that's a good combo but for me and my type of my driving I prefer it the other way round at the moment.

That's quite interesting - how are you finding the BM? Fun I hope?!

BTW, the Up! has an auto box that is beyond any help - it's utterly tragic (and not DSG).

The CC was 177PS so similar power to the 180 (but a slightly different engine). It was better suited to that car/engine but I still wasn't keen.

 

[IanE]

At 60 I can just about manage to change gears ... once my carer has hoisted me in.

 

[estresao]

I don't think DGS is related to age but just a choice. I guess it's similar, comparing with the photografy world, to an automatic camera with lost of automatic features and a reflex in manual mode saving ik raw to post process manually... there are people that don't like waste time in picture process and there arr people that enjoy tge full manual process.

I'm still choosing betwent 140 or 180, but in any case I alread choosen manual and 4motion, and only will change my mind if I see a really powerful reason.

 

[KernowLad]

Well manual and 4motion are both fine choices!

One thing about the 180 engine - if you plan to keep the van for a while, they are a lot harder to work on than the 140. Some jobs that are easy on the 140 takes many hours on the 180.

 

[JULIANLISMORE]

We have a 180 DSG. Just completed a 796 mile trip over 12 days on the east coast of Scotland (Fife to Dingwall and then to Cairngorm). No motorways, otherwise a mix of roads. Average fuel consumption was just over 36 mpg.

 

[Big Bloke]

We've just returned from our 20 night Euro road trip taking a 3250 mile route through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Monaco and finally back through France.
We drove on all types of road from, horrendous pot holed Belgian motorways, Autobhans,Italian Auto Strada, French Tolls, to The Grossglockner Pass over the Alps to D roads through the Pyrenees.
We have a 140 Beach that was FULLY loaded ( Outwell awning,clothes,cookers x 2 and fridges x 2, Bike rack and 2 adults) so I'm guessing not far off the weight of an SE, we returned an average of 37.8 MPG.
I found the 140 to be more than adequate driving pretty much to the posted speed limits on the respective roads.I found it needed a fair bit of gear changing going up and down the Grossglockner, which was the highlight of our roadtrip......Personally, I wouldn't of wanted an Auto of any description on the Alpine high roads anyway.
I'm very used to driving Autos, our last 2 cars (BMW 5 series touring and 4.0 litre Jeep Cherokee were Autos), as well as all of the fire appliances that I drove until retirement from the Fire service.
I'm not trying to suggest 140 is better than 180 or that manual is better than DSG. At the time of buying ours there wasn't an option of DSG on a Beach (I think) but I'd of liked a 180 !
My point is, it is all very much down to the individuals driving style/preference as to which suits best but the 140 manual works very well with the california Beach.

 

[ainrofilac]

This seems to be a lively debate- i think i'd prefer a 180 from a petrol head point of view but struggling to justify it if the 140 is adequate (after all, i won't be buying it to race)- Is there much of a difference in residuals? running costs appear likely to be similar as i'm likely to drive it on the motorway a lot at the speed limit (obviously not exceeding it ever, your honour). If it starts to slow down when the motorway goes up a hill it will probably bother me!

e.g. list price states that 180dsg is (approx) £4k more than 140 manual- anyone got an idea of how much more a 180 dsg would be worth compared to a 140 manual after 3 years?

 

[Martin]

e.g. list price states that 180dsg is (approx) £4k more than 140 manual- anyone got an idea of how much more a 180 dsg would be worth compared to a 140 manual after 3 years?

Judging by what sells on here that £4k gap does not change much in three years, so I guess if you can afford a 180 you might aswell go for it.

 

[sbmcd]

This seems to be a lively debate- i think i'd prefer a 180 from a petrol head point of view but struggling to justify it if the 140 is adequate (after all, i won't be buying it to race)- Is there much of a difference in residuals? running costs appear likely to be similar as i'm likely to drive it on the motorway a lot at the speed limit (obviously not exceeding it ever, your honour). If it starts to slow down when the motorway goes up a hill it will probably bother me!

e.g. list price states that 180dsg is (approx) £4k more than 140 manual- anyone got an idea of how much more a 180 dsg would be worth compared to a 140 manual after 3 years?

Why compare the 140 Manual with a 180 dsg, 180 Manual is better comparison.

 

[reserves]

The older the vehicles get the less the options add to the sell on price, 140 / 180 / DSG, it might make them sell a little easier but not for as much extra as you paid. Not to mention the fuel savings, the 140 is fine in my opinion, you are buying an experience and lifestyle.

The current California is 10 years old, personally I feel the residuals are not going to be as strong as more and more 2nd hand ones come to market, especially with the roof issues. Added with the T6 and more competition around the corner (Marco Polo, Westfalia Joker)

So go for what makes you happy right now, if you can afford the extra then amazing, if not get what you can afford, it's still a California and when you're camping it's exactly the same experience.

 

[DavidS]

Our 180 manual is doing 37 over the last 500 miles. Longer runs have helped. Mixed motorway and A roads. Better as mileage increases. Now done 7700 miles.

 

[cadger]

Sorry no substitute for horse power if you buy a 180 and only 140 bhp it will be same fuel consumption, but when you put out to pass that 40 footer you will glad you ordered it and could add years to your life

 

[sbmcd]

Sorry no substitute for horse power if you buy a 180 and only 140 bhp it will be same fuel consumption, but when you put out to pass that 40 footer you will glad you ordered it and could add years to your life

I agree 180 is much safer for overtaking.

 

[trev911]

Fully agree, best to test drive both, the 180 will blow you away