Who would buy a Diesel

[John Lloyd]

Having a family chat about cars today, the posh 'uns amongst us drive newish diesels. (I prefer rag bag and cheap). One Corsa has just cost a coupla hundred pounds due to the particulate filter not being fully 'cycled'.

A Mini has cost a coupla hundred pounds for the same.

The Particulate filter collects the cold start soot and needs to be burnt by running the engine in excess of 2000rpm for anything up to 25 minutes without stopping the engine.

Running the car at speed on a motorway no problem

Running the car round town, shopping/school run? prepare for trouble.

Vauxhalls inject additional diesel into the combustion chamber to increase the combustion temperature in order to aid the particulate burn. If you don't complete the 2000rpm for 25 minute trick when the warning lamp illuminates, the diesel seeps past your rings and into the sump.

Read this and consider if you see the diesel as the answer to your needs

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/diesel-particulate-filters/

 

[Stevienics]

That, the carciogens, the environment, the fuel cost and the endless derision of JC et-al should be sufficient.

personally, I believe that diesels belong between the furrows or trundling their tracks across enemy corpses.

My company believes different, somehow rationalising this as being eco-friendly (VERY eco-friendly as a company thing).

This is why I opt out of the Company Car scheme and leave the 5 series tractor to those who love it, and instead plod through life in a 10 year old unmelodic Mitsubishi 4x4.

 

[Ghandi's Flip-Flop]

And what do you expect will happen to a petrol engine if it's used only on short trips where the oil never gets up to operating temperature?

Will be interesting to see what the maintenance outcomes are if the current trend of downsizing engines but fitting forced induction continues.

 

[Fu Fu Valve]

If i had to do a commute i'd think about a small diesel. Personaly though i hate the bloody things, the other half has a 2 litre citroen and it's a hateful machine. Sounds like farm machinery and handles like it.
Hopefully if i get redundancy my scooby will be replaced by a newer, faster one and if needed a small filth machine. Though a nice 4x4 would do just as well thanks to the nice winters we've had recently

 

[Teh Wal]

I've just got myself a 'new' motor (well, 3 years old but new to me!), I went to the local ford dealer with a specific car in mind with a diesel donk. Anyhoo after a quick conversation with the salesman he talked me out of the diesel based pretty much on what JL points out above because it was going to be used mainly for short trips. Additional to that he reckoned that you need to be doing somewhere in the region of 15k miles a year for 3 years to gain any financial benefits over a petrol engined car (fuel costs, servicing costs and initial purchase price all being part of the calculation) - I'm probably only going be doing about 7k at the most. Got a new respect for this bloke as the original car I wanted was on his forecourt and cost quite a bit more than the one I eventually bought... which is another factor of diesels over petrol at the moment - like-for-like models can be anything up to 1500 quid extra for diesels.

 

[John Lloyd]

Talking to an AA recovery guy he tells me these issues appeared when diesels needed to meet the latest EU emissions requirements. Peuguot/Citroen have an additive reservoir with the additive release mechanism being operated by a magnetic sensor in the fuel filler neck, put in the nozzle and a calibrated squirt is issued. Problem being that the same sized squirt is issued for a tenners worth as for a 70quid tankful.

Latest Mondeo diesel injector reported cost of £500 each, one goes guaranteed the others are close. That's a £2000 parts charge with £75 an hour main dealer labour charges.

Cheap motoring, I think not.

 

[Ex-Bay]

Taking aside, for a moment, the better MPG figures with a diesel, the makers and the fuel firms are (as always) taking us motorists to the cleaners. Diesel costs more (still: the last excuse was it costs more to produce and the fuel depot had just blown up), and engines are getting more complicated than they need be (for one reason or another).

As for an electric car - forget it (unless you [a] have a large bank balance OR are an eco-warrior, or [c] don't drive very far and have supplies at each end of the journey.
See this evening's Top Gear about it ?

 

[Ghandi's Flip-Flop]

However with the new road tax regime the old argument of a diesel car costs more to buy is also a moot point after 3 years. The latest 3 series diesel costs £20 a year to tax whilst still putting out 170 bhp and returning over 60 mpg. I bet a 316 costs over £200 a year to tax and will return 40 mpg at best.

Lets face it they are pushing us toward small diesel engines. Particulate filters and special fuel additives are going to become commonplace on petrol cars soon too. All in the name of ever tougher EU emission regulations. So placing these costs solely at the foot of diesel is a mistake.

 

[Rigga]

Diesel does not COST more than petrol, but the price has been jacked up (by the producers with comensurate tax rises) to make up the difference.
There was a a time when Diesel was far cheaper than petrol, but the rise in its popularity has driven up the revenue by about 50p/ltr.

The same popularity story can be said of LPG which has gone from 18p/ltr to 80p/ltr to my knowledge.

Eco-wise Diesel is "greener" than petrol if used properly - but you can only polish a turd so-much!

Having said that I have two 2.5 diesels and two petrol cars (1.4 & 0.8) in my family.

I don't see the point of buying a large petrol car anymore.

 

[John Lloyd]

Latest generation diesels will become a liability to private owners once the warranty period has run out.

Now is the time to start buying up 10 year old Volkswagens and Citroen/peugeots.

Anything that burns chip oil will be worth buying. A colleague gets better MPG with chip oil/diesel mix

 

[grumpyoldb]

Now is the time to start buying up 10 year old Volkswagens and Citroen/peugeots.

Anything that burns chip oil will be worth buying. A colleague gets better MPG with chip oil/diesel mix

Spot on, mate. I used to have a 2ltr montego with 330k miles on the clock that still did 65mpg. The bugger just wouldn't get through MOT's on the bodywork.

 

[pie sandwich]

Ive had Diesels for the past 6 years. And they are dam near indestructible.

Ive has 2 406's so far and I can go from Swindon to Düsseldorf and back on 1 tank of fuel. ( just over 800 miles, ask wobbly he will back me up )

Top that in a petrol!

But servicing is easy, I do it once every 6 mths just because I want to look after it, and I get it done again when the MOT is being done, just for convenience.

But apart from that, no extra cost, but then again I am not after going as fast as I can, but then again where can you rip the t1ts off your car now days.

 

[John Lloyd]

Spot on, mate. I used to have a 2ltr montego with 330k miles on the clock that still did 65mpg. The bugger just wouldn't get through MOT's on the bodywork.

AA mans favourite, Perkins diesel, first 100mpg/100mph diesel. unfortunately smoked like a steamer and BL bodywork by British steel and BL staff.

Ive had Diesels for the past 6 years. And they are dam near indestructible.

Ive has 2 406's so far and I can go from Swindon to Düsseldorf and back on 1 tank of fuel. ( just over 800 miles, ask wobbly he will back me up )

Top that in a petrol!

But servicing is easy, I do it once every 6 mths just because I want to look after it, and I get it done again when the MOT is being done, just for convenience.

But apart from that, no extra cost, but then again I am not after going as fast as I can, but then again where can you rip the t1ts off your car now days.

A good old fashioned simple diesel with a turbo. Non of this Euro V emissions crap

 

[Mickwreay]

Still running my 2001 1.9TDI Passat with 180K on the clock.
Still delivers >700 miles per 65Ltr tank.

Would never go back to petrol.

 

[John Lloyd]

I had a 97 Passat 1.9 TDI with 110ps. one of the best cars I've driven. Driven carefully the mileage was exceptional, driven like you'd stolen it and the performance was enough to see most off.

 

[Richf]

Lot of nonsense spouted about DPF's , its true that regeneration can be difficult if the car is NEVER run for more than 15-20 minutes but my Octavia VRS PD engine (w/dpf) only does 5-6000 miles per year mainly short trips and has been troublefree we have owned it for 5 years and 70,000 miles , the 170hp engine produces almost 200hp and is totally unmodified (VAG engines often punch above their stated claims) and the average consumption was 44.9mpg over the last tankful and I certainly dont take it easy, I like being able to do 500 miles between fills

We also have a newer Skoda Superb 170 common rail diesel (again w/dpf) thats done 35,000 miles in two and a half years also trouble free and again on the dyno produced 200hp, its even better on fuel and will easily get into the 50+ on a decent run

Only problem is that they are both dull as ditch water you only need a petrol for sh8ts and giggles so i have a weekend toy for that goes through a tankful in 160 miles but puts a smile on my fact

 

[SORRY CJ]

I had a 97 Passat 1.9 TDI with 110ps. one of the best cars I've driven. Driven carefully the mileage was exceptional, driven like you'd stolen it and the performance was enough to see most off.

I got a 51 plate Golf 130PD...Love it to bits 125k and goes like a steam train....Just drove back from Southampton 55MPG at 80MPH.
I will be very sad to see it go, but that day will come, but not for a few years yet. (I Hope).

SCJ

 

[Craig855s]

I gots me a diesel. A 2003 Volvo S60 D5. 50MPG AVERAGE, 163BHP, cheap to buy (£2500 last november) and its a perfect car all round.

It doesnt have a dual mass flywheel which is also a problem most modern cars have (they cost a heap and go wrong after several years) and im not sure it even has a diesel particulate filter. It does have expensive injectors but hopefully they wont go wrong in my ownership.. Getting 600 miles plus between fills is saving me a whole heap of money of a petrol car anyway so to spend some of those savings on an injector at some point is no biggy.

And old diesels are even better, i owned a 306 DT(intercooled) last year and it done even higher MPG, still had good in gear acceleration, and had nothing that could go wrong expensively

Veg oil isnt worth putting in cars any more, if you can be arsed to get the fat USED from your local chippy and filter it then you may save some money but its the hassle.... and to buy veg oil new from the supermarket is near as damnit as expensive as buying actual diesel...(£4 for a 3 litre bottle of tesco own brand stuff)

 

[MQ-9 Reaper]

Looking at this from the wrong angle......

Looking at this from the wrong angle......

It seems that most posts here are concerned about pollution and fuel economy which seem to be the classic reason sensible folk turn to diesel cars whilst the boy racer youth prefer petrol..... well no longer is this the case with modern diesels. I know this because I am a young 'boy racer' and I chose to buy a brand new car. I really wanted something german but after looking around for a long time I decided to go swedish believe it or not. I wanted a good looking powerful car that was cheap to buy, run and insure. This led me to a brand spankin 4 wheel drive SAAB 93 sport saloon Aero 1.9TTiD(thats twin/bi turbo) with the inhouse factory 'Hirsch Performance' tuning upgrade. Im 24 and it only costs £275 a year to insure fully comp! It was cheaper to buy than the Germans, cheaper to tax cause of the low carbs and most importantly far more powerful than any other similar sized diesels on the marked. 200bhp and 430Nm torque and I think 7.9s 0-60mph is pretty good for a big car with a little diesel engine! but its the motorway 50-90mph acceleration time that truly astonishes, nothing else in the same class will keep up! Linky Plus it seems to average around 65mpg and I have a lead right foot!

View attachment 11494
This is what I bought!
​

So Diesels are better than petrols (unless its somethin like a ferrari obviously!) and thats coming from a boy racer!

 

[Tashy_Man]

This is what I bought!

I still wouldn't buy one......It's not a Jag DT_Xtremez_14:

Crack on................DT_Xtremez_09: