Warming up a diesel?

[flat04]

Would just like to say a big thank you for the useful information in this thread. Thanks for your time contributing.

Andrew

[Frankenstrat]

This is all new to me since my 103TDI is the first diesel I've driven.

My typical day's driving comprises the following;
Drive slowly out of my garage down the driveway (I live in a complex of four townhouses).
Approximately 5 minutes of 50km/h in a built up area.
Two to three minutes sat at the lights waiting for them to change.
Three minutes of 60km/h then I'm on the freeway (if I get through the second set of lights).
Approximately 17 minutes of mostly 100km/h
Leave the freeway then fifteen minutes that varies from 80km/h, 70km/h, 60km/h, 40km/h, 60km/h 80km/h, 60km/h. Then I'm at work.

In future I will make a conscious effort not to use the cruise control on the freeway, although I have to override it fairly often usually when traffic is entering.

The display on the dashboard tells me when to change gear, and sometimes when I lob it into 6th, it feels to me like the engine is labouring, so I drop it back down. The fact that you guys recommend giving the engine a bit of stick is very welcome news to me, particularly since it won't adversely affect the fuel consumption. On the odd occasion when I've had to jab the throttle, the car responds really well, so it's gratifying to know we're both deriving benefit from that!

[NovaArtist]

Regarding the auto "upshift" indicator in the dash - you're doing 70 in 5th at about 1200 rpm and it tells you to up shift to 6th. You can feel that you just on the edge of the engine being happy at that speed in 5th - so going to 6th does not make sense to me. I think you have to pick your times when to believe the computer display, and when to say "yeah right - as if"