# First Drive in the Mountains



## q2bruiser (Jun 8, 2014)

First drive in the mountains yesterday. Car load of people and gear. If you have ever driven I70 West out of Denver you will know it is a steep grade uphill for miles. The car did great and handled the mountains much better than I expected ... with the car being full.

Gotta love that torque. Great little motor.


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

Nice country out that way. Was on that road two summers ago, very steep for an interstate. Would be a real fun drive with a CTD.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

My ECO MT just loves our mountains. Were you running 87 or 91 octane?


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

obermd said:


> My ECO MT just loves our mountains. Were you running 87 or 91 octane?


q2 drives a CTD


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

PanJet said:


> q2 drives a CTD


Whoops - I didn't see we're in the diesel area. Obviously octane isn't an issue. ccasion14:

Remember, in Colorado a gallon of gas doesn't go as far but a pint of beer goes further.


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## warloc (Dec 10, 2013)

I drive up and down a mountain every workday and the CTD is by far the best car I've owned while living on the "hill". Works very well downhill even in the snow, gotta love the manual mode for keeping it in the right gear.


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## Slammed2014Eco (Feb 13, 2014)

q2bruiser said:


> First drive in the mountains yesterday. Car load of people and gear. If you have ever driven I70 West out of Denver you will know it is a steep grade uphill for miles. The car did great and handled the mountains much better than I expected ... with the car being full.
> 
> Gotta love that torque. Great little motor.



I've taken both the CTD and 1.4t all the way up to vail to hit the slopes, I'm not sure which one I prefer honestly lol they both take the mountains very well the tourqe from the diesel is fun but it's not a manual :'(


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

How's the CTD handle the down slopes from the Eisenhower tunnel and Vail Pass? I have to keep my ECO MT in 3rd gear and still use my brakes.


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## Slammed2014Eco (Feb 13, 2014)

obermd said:


> How's the CTD handle the down slopes from the Eisenhower tunnel and Vail Pass? I have to keep my ECO MT in 3rd gear and still use my brakes.


I honestly just coast it, seems to handle it pretty well. The diesel loves those steep grades without keeping the rpms to high, like the OP said when you first hit the mountains coming from i70 it feels like it was made for being there.


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## q2bruiser (Jun 8, 2014)

obermd said:


> Whoops - I didn't see we're in the diesel area. Obviously octane isn't an issue. ccasion14:
> 
> Remember, in Colorado a gallon of gas doesn't go as far but a pint of beer goes further.


Wiser words have never been spoken.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

obermd said:


> How's the CTD handle the down slopes from the Eisenhower tunnel and Vail Pass? I have to keep my ECO MT in 3rd gear and still use my brakes.


where i live there is a 8 mile 8% hill, to keep it under 70 mph, 3rd gear and hardly any brakes


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

boraz said:


> where i live there is a 8 mile 8% hill, to keep it under 70 mph, 3rd gear and hardly any brakes


So the CTD actually has engine braking - cool. There is almost no engine braking above 2nd gear in the ECO MT and even in 2nd it's iffy.


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## Slammed2014Eco (Feb 13, 2014)

obermd said:


> So the CTD actually has engine braking - cool. There is almost no engine braking above 2nd gear in the ECO MT and even in 2nd it's iffy.


That would be correct, It takes those hills in the mountains and doesn't even look back lol. The engine braking is far more noticeable on the CTD than the Eco in pretty much all aspects from what I've experienced.


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## q2bruiser (Jun 8, 2014)

obermd said:


> So the CTD actually has engine braking - cool. There is almost no engine braking above 2nd gear in the ECO MT and even in 2nd it's iffy.


I would say there is some, but not a lot. I geared down a time or two to avoid the policy enforcers and their paper money magnets.


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