150 ps or 240ps

[audio2]

About to order tomorrow an Ocean automatic, which engine should I order. Although we have another vehicle will also be used as 2nd vehicle as well as for camping. Current vehicle BMW530i Petrol 25mpg so either should use less fuel. Previously owned a split screen 45 years ago & a hymer a class 2.5 diesel manual. Interested in performance & driving differences. We have to get out onto a busy main road with a cold engine. Also turning right with a roundabout about 80 yards to the right. Cars coming round the roundabout fast only seen at the last minute, also just after our turning 30mph ends. No trouble getting out with BMW, how about automatic Ocean.

 

[Borris]

Don't you mean 204ps?

Just be patient and either will be fine. First and foremost they are a leisure vehicle.

 

[Hotel California]

Lots been discussed before in other topics and it always ends up with the fact that most 150bhp owners are happy as are the ones with more horses .
It's like 2wd against 4wd , Beach vs ....

All personal preference , do you realy think a 150bhp verhicle is not enough for you then go for 204 .
Mine has only 140bhp (T5 ) and very happy with it done + 50.000 km and never thought needed more HP . But however if i had the money now i swap it for a T6 Coast 4M DSG (204bhp) ....i keep dreaming

 

[Ocean Spirit]

With the greatest respect, if a 150 can't be driven safely in relation to traffic conditions there is a problem with driving skills and patience.
However, in your specific case not bing overly bothered about the fuel consumption from either engine and being used to having a certain amount of grunt I think you would prefer the 204 and you would regret getting the very capable 150.

 

[GrannyJen]

If getting off from a standing start is the problem then I do believe the 204 is about 3 seconds quicker to 62, might even be more.

I personally go for horses every time but that is just my preference and no particular logic to it.

The downside to extra horses is extra complexity and cost so a judgement call as to whether it's all worth it.

 

[frenchie]

I have driven both the 150 and the 204bhp dsg. I find that the 150 was just too slow pulling out into busy roads and was driving me mad. The lack of go was one of the reasons I looked at the more powerful Mercedes marco polo 250d. But the 204 is a totally different animal,no delay on pulling out into traffic. I know people come out with its a leisure van, not too be driven fast, but I wanted something that needed less then a calender to plan pulling out into traffic. Drive both, back to back and see which works for you. F

 

[Kmann]

I think many of the arguments about how much slower the 150 is compared to the 204 are over the top.

It is a big van and the initial acceleration from 0 to 50 km/h has really not much of a difference to it. I drive a 102 and never ever had problems following the traffic I cities, even where traffic gets aggressive and I was fully loaded. The new 2.0 engine is so dynamic and well made.

The real difference is uphill, overtaking, towing and top speed. Here the more power gives you the extra.

I have driven motorbikes for ages and fast cars too. But at the end of the day, I adapt to the given vehicles DNA. And drive accordingly. Remember the car will never have a handling compared to normal cars, so with more speed and aggressive driving you get a lot more vulnerable to an accident if you have to make sudden maneuvres.

 

[frenchie]

I dont think anyone is talking about top speed here bar you. Its the reaction time of the gear change which is the factor. And the 204 gearbox is faster on the pick up from standing start and this is a factor when pulling out into fast traffic. If you have driven, ridden cars or bikes you would know this. I just don't understand why people can't just accept it.F

 

[Kmann]

"but I wanted something that needed less then a calender to plan pulling out into traffic"

This is actually a good example of an "over-the-top" statement when comparing the 150 to the 204. And my post is not so much about top speed or non-acceptance as you point out.

No one is denying the one with the most horsepower is faster. If you read my post again, you will figure out that I actually just point out that the difference is more significant in other driving situations than starting at an intersection, or when going thru a roundabout like the OP is worried about. And that this type of car not is suited very well for sporty and aggressive driving anyway.

I have driven the 102, 150 and 204.

 

[Meoncoast]

I found the 204 just pulled away so fast that all the pots fell of the cooker. So went for a 150 it works for me. It has not run out of steam or oil yet for me.

Buy what you want , At my age my ego was ok with a down powered 150 campervan

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I accept that the 150 is fit for purpose if you can read traffic and I accept that the 204 will give you more options.
I've owned a mini metro 1300, a fiesta 950, A Porche 2.7 Boxster, a Honda Fireblade, A Yamaha R1(etc) and a 50cc Peugeot step through. Then I drove/rode accordingly, not once has it mattered.
I hold the 150 in reasonable regard. There are many slower vehicles out there from a standing start.

 

[Borris]

I think many of the arguments about how much slower the 150 is compared to the 204 are over the top.

It is a big van and the initial acceleration from 0 to 50 km/h has really not much of a difference to it. I drive a 102 and never ever had problems following the traffic I cities, even where traffic gets aggressive and I was fully loaded. The new 2.0 engine is so dynamic and well made.

The real difference is uphill, overtaking, towing and top speed. Here the more power gives you the extra.

I have driven motorbikes for ages and fast cars too. But at the end of the day, I adapt to the given vehicles DNA. And drive accordingly. Remember the car will never have a handling compared to normal cars, so with more speed and aggressive driving you get a lot more vulnerable to an accident if you have to make sudden maneuvres.

I agree. I have often heard people say that having that extra power can get you out of trouble. Well, it can also get you into it but a lot quicker.

 

[audio2]

I accept that the 150 is fit for purpose if you can read traffic and I accept that the 204 will give you more options.
I've owned a mini metro 1300, a fiesta 950, A Porche 2.7 Boxster, a Honda Fireblade, A Yamaha R1(etc) and a 50cc Peugeot step through. Then I drove/rode accordingly, not once has it mattered.
I hold the 150 in reasonable regard. There are many slower vehicles out there from a standing start.

Thanks for the responses, which I have found most interesting & helpful. I also have risen motorcycles & quite a lot of other vehicles. People with low powered vehicles seem to struggle getting out of the village. Also the volume of vehicles keeps on increasing & seem to always be in a hurry. Closing up the gap between you & the next car seems essential & showing courtesy by letting people out happens less & less. With my car with 270 bhp I do not see to have a problem. However over £2000 for an additional turbo seems a lot of money, but then £50,000 is a lot of money & I don’t want to make the wrong decision. I will think on overnight & then make a decision.

 

[frenchie]

Sometimes its nice to be over the top. But more power is always better. Know ones says you need to use it. But if its not there you can't. Anyway bored now of this conversation. F

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Thanks for the responses, which I have found most interesting & helpful. I also have risen motorcycles & quite a lot of other vehicles. People with low powered vehicles seem to struggle getting out of the village. Also the volume of vehicles keeps on increasing & seem to always be in a hurry. Closing up the gap between you & the next car seems essential & showing courtesy by letting people out happens less & less. With my car with 270 bhp I do not see to have a problem. However over £2000 for an additional turbo seems a lot of money, but then £50,000 is a lot of money & I don’t want to make the wrong decision. I will think on overnight & then make a decision.

In addition to your experiences, I also find that many times speed is taken out of my hands. I have to drive to the traffic conditions. As an example I'm sure everyone can relate to I come home from work and filter onto the M27. I really want to get up to speed of of the inside lane and I choose the right hand lane of the 2 that filter onto the inside lane but nearly always I can't get up to speed. Not because my car wont do it but because 2 or 3 of the cars in front of me should frankly have stayed in the near side slip road lane as they attempt to join the motorway at under 50 MPH. That is not because their cars wont get up to speed. It's because they are poor drivers who lack the consideration or ability to understand and comply to the filtering concept thats in the highway code.
Once again a 150 is way more capable than situations it finds it's self in.
But @audio2 only you can be happy or regretful. Good luck.

 

[Kmann]

Personally, with this type of car I would any day prefer 150 with 4 Motion, then 204 without. ;-)

 

[RodCouncil]

I guess you can always chip the 150 at a later date, we Bluefin'd our 140 and it's much nicer in 3/4 gear where you might want to make a safe single lane overtake, at the end of the days it's horses for courses, i stepped out of a Honda Elise when we bought our first California and you drive the car you're in.

 

[Hotel California]

We had some reactions by now and it's pretty clear as i stated above ...all personal preferences...
If you want to be the first away at traffic lights you better not buy a Cali .
Is there anybody out here who can compare both ? Having had or has a 150 and/or a 204 bhp ....is there realy that much difference when pulling away ?
Guess It should , but everyone drives diffrent and uses trotlle diferent .
Even then there's the difference between manual and DSG ....
This is gonna be a loooong tread

 

[B J G]

Can't comment on 150 as only driven a 204.
In motorway traffic it behaves pretty much like a medium performance car in that I find I can watch for a small gap in the outside lane and easily accelerate into it matching that lane's speed, no upset drivers.

I run at 70mph in cruise mode & it will hold that with DSG assistance all day.
The turbo action can be a bit fierce when pottering about unless you keep a light right foot touch.

Probably like you I prefer to have reserve power for when you've been blocked in and want to get going again. I didn't have the top power spec for maximum top speed and will never know what it could be.

 

[CampervanTime]

We have just hired a 150 manual 2 weekends ago (an ocean) and we have just ordered a 204 DSG.

My wife drives an Audi S1 (230hp) and I drive a BMW M140i (335hp) and a BMW i3 (170hp).

We went to the North Yorkshire Moors and we just found we were welding the pedal to the floor to get up some of the hills at a pace that was keeping up with the cars, and we're just not used to having to use full throttle to keep up with things.

On the motorway the 150 was absolutely fine on cruise at 70mph, no issue at all. In town up to 40 - 45 it was fine too. Going from 50 to 70 was not good and it felt lacking. Doing 60 to 70+ on the motorway to pull out into lane 2 or 3 to overtake also felt a bit like 'purchase order' power. Put your request in and it will come... in time.

The 204 just has more grunt and more overall power too. It picks up from 60 with gusto in a way that you'll be more used to with your 530i. It won't need to rev as hard to get it out of it either. I used to have a Z4 3.0i with that same engine and you had to wring the performance out of it, the Cali will feel quite quick, especially with the DSG.

It's cornering you need to be thinking about too. Both the 150 and 204 can carry speed in to roundabouts etc but they do lean somewhat. You might want to order the Heavy Duty Anti-roll bars (factory option, in the price list) and maybe consider the VW lowering springs (the supplying dealer can fit those for c.£450). Lots of people say that this really helps control the body roll and make it more car like to drive.

Hope this helps

 

[phillme]

thinking about starting a poll .... who has the smallest penis

 

[Kmann]

If you look at the agility in the city situ isolated. Its only 3.4 seconds from 0-100 km/h between the 150 and the 204 DSG (on the paper). From 0-50 km/h (wish is a speed limit in most European cities) the difference is less than the half (maybe 1-1.5 sec).

Like I tried to explain in my earlier post. The difference is more significant in other driving situations. Like uphill, overtaking, etc. It is agiler to drive than the 150, and quite more than the 102. But with the limits that the suspension, etc. give for sporty driving.

The 204 is a better drive experience overall if you view it solely, no doubt. But DSG, 4M, following weight limits and consumption, and the initial and ongoing cost will all be part of the consideration I guess.

At the end of the day, I agree with @hotel california. It will come to personal preference and feel good.

 

[WelshGas]

If the cost of purchase and the servicing costs between the 2 engines was EQUAL, hands up who would have picked the 150 over the 204 engine?

The 102, 150 and 204 are all capable of cruising at 70 mph, capable of keeping up the traffic in town but in the mountains, twisty roads , overtaking on any road etc: they can ALL cope but the 150 can cope better than the 102 and the 204 better than the 150. That’s why there are different engines with different power outputs AND unfortunately different costs . Each owner buys the one he can realistically afford at the end of the day and drives accordingly.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Amen

 

[Annik]

Am I on the wrong forum? This is a campervan at the end of the day!