Petrol or Deisel

mmalaka

Friends;

Which is better to have a deisel car or petrol car???

Thanks

gyppo

How long is a piece of string?

Both types have their advantages and disadvantages - the choice of whether to buy a diesel or petrol car is going to be influenced by a number of factors, probably the most obvious one being that of economy.

Diesel cars are more fuel efficient than their petrol counterparts.
Diesel cars are more expensive than their petrol counterparts.

You need to weigh up the initial cost of purchase versus the fuel savings returned when choosing the type of car. A rule of thumb at one stage was driving 20k miles + annually to justify buying a diesel.

there are other factors, but I'm getting tired of typing, so I'm sure other posters will fill you in.:)

Hotwheels

Diesel only really pays for itself if you are doing a lot of miles/Km's...

+++
Good fuel economy
Slightly better depreciation than petrol
Insurance can be cheaper, depending on car
Excellent Mile Munchers

---
Initial cost can be dearer than petrol
More frequent servicing
Dearer Tax bracket
Nosier than a petrol

If you are doing a lot of miles diesel is the way to go, it pays for its self with the fuel economy. My 1.9 JTDm is returning 46MPG at the moment, and I expect it will get better as the miles climb..
Once ya turn to the dark side, there's no going back :cool:

JHMEG

Depends on the size of trailer. One with multiple heads of livestock.. a diesel would be better.

maidhc

For most ordinary vehicles (e.g. non supercars) diesel makes more sense. That is why the majority of new cars sold in europe are diesel.

It has more energy per litre, and as such can deliver more power and more economy when compared with an equivalent petrol engine.

Many new diesel engines in medium sized cars are quite low capacity e.g. 1.3 JTD, 1.4D4D while still returning a respectable 90bhp, something which once requried a 2.0. MPG in diesels also has increased dramatically, with 50 - 60 MPG being achievable in Astra/Focus/Golf sized cars.

The downside though is cost, they cost more to buy, although servicing is now roughly on a par with petrol. It is unfair though to compare a diesel directly with a petrol and base your calculations purely on the extra economy. A diesel will recoup a fair proportion of the initial outlay on resale, and will be a much more enjoyable car to drive due to having far more torque.

The thing about old diesels which might be lost on the new ones is reliability. A big cast iron block turning out 70bhp at lowish RPMs was a relaxed affair, and as such they tended never to die, the newer engines cannot have the same tolerances.

Personally I can't see myself ever buying a petrol as a daily driver (maybe for something fun though.. old Merc, or a capri). Diesel just makes more sense, even if you do sod all driving.

Moanin

Hotwheels wrote:

Diesel only really pays for itself if you are doing a lot of miles/Km's...

+++
Good fuel economy
Slightly better depreciation than petrol
Insurance can be cheaper, depending on car
Excellent Mile Munchers

---
Initial cost can be dearer than petrol
More frequent servicing
Dearer Tax bracket
Nosier than a petrol

If you are doing a lot of miles diesel is the way to go, it pays for its self with the fuel economy. My 1.9 JTDm is returning 46MPG at the moment, and I expect it will get better as the miles climb..
Once ya turn to the dark side, there's no going back :cool:

Not true regarding ''Dearer Tax Bracket''.Road tax is the same whether you have a petrol or diesel.I presume you mean road tax?

Not true regarding ''More frequent servicing'' Some diesels have long life servicing.Mine has a 20k interval

Hotwheels

Not true regarding ''More frequent servicing'' Some diesels have long life servicing.Mine has a 20k interval

I change the oil out every 10K...advisable with any TDi...even though the service intervals are 30K on the JTDm...helps prolong Turbo life..

Try and get a TDi out for a weekend, as a short test drive does not do them justice... you won't be disappointed...:)
Good luck in your hunt...

Irish Salfordia

I got into diesels whan i last changed my car. Car is used for driving school so lots of miles 35,000+ every year. Use 1.9 Diesel Skoda Fabia not turbo. Getting 50 ish miles per gallon around Dublin on lessons.

Previous car was Ford Fiesta 1.2 petrol. With that averaged 25 miles per gallon doing same job.

• Yes initial cost is higher on new car, maybe €2,000.
• Tax can be dearer as on non turbo you need bigger engine
• Diesel is cheaper to buy in Ireland - at present between 5 and 10 cents per litre less
• Certainly better trade in value
• Because of lower engine torque it will go and go and go and go

I'm a convert

Big Nelly

Diesel for me

Everyone on here knows it, had a petrol before I changed last year to a 1.9Tdi Passat 90Bhp, loved the milage I was getting from a full tank, cost about 60 euro to fill the tank but would get close to 500 miles in Dublin driving and over 600 with country driving, swapped it this year after putting 15k miles on it and only losing 500 for a 02 19Tdi 130Bhp. Love the extra Bhp, she is an animal to go and when I stick on the cruise control its running at about 55-60Mpg according to the onboard computer

JHMEG

Don't forget that the emissions from diesel cars are very dirty. Because of the dirt they are banned in California (for health reasons: asthma etc)

My own (petrol) car manual states: "You may need to wash your car more often if you live in an area with a lot of ongoing construction work, or if you live in an area with a lot of diesel-powered vehicles"

Big Nelly

JHMEG wrote:

My own (petrol) car manual states: "You may need to wash your car more often if you live in an area with a lot of ongoing construction work, or if you live in an area with a lot of diesel-powered vehicles"

To be honest I think that is the biggest pile of cr*p I have heard in my life!! why would living in a st with diesel cars make your car more dirty? also saying about the US where they all have massive engines and are one of the worst countries for polution isnt the best

what type of car is it?

maidhc

JHMEG wrote:

Don't forget that the emissions from diesel cars are very dirty. Because of the dirt they are banned in California (for health reasons: asthma etc)

That is wrong.

A modern diesel emits very little carbon (similar level to a Prius), and only small quantities of soot. A car with a diesel particulate filter emits only the most minute and irrelevant quantities of soot.

Part of the reason diesel cars are banned in CA is because they don't have low sulphur fuel, that and sheer ignorance!

leeroybrown

JHMEG wrote:

Don't forget that the emissions from diesel cars are very dirty. Because of the dirt they are banned in California (for health reasons: asthma etc)

As was pointed out in the post above me the diesel available from most US pumps is a far lower quality fuel than that you find in Irish/Eu pumps and would not be of a high enough quality for use in most modern turbo diesel cars. Some oil companies (I think Shell were first) started rolling out higher grade diesel to US 'gas' stations in the last couple of years.

It made sense not to sell it for years because the average American wanted a big petrol engine and oil companies made far more profit by selling 'gas' for large engined petrol cars. Costs and to a certain degree new found environmental concern has changed that.

JHMEG wrote:

My own (petrol) car manual states: "You may need to wash your car more often if you live in an area with a lot of ongoing construction work, or if you live in an area with a lot of diesel-powered vehicles"

This actually has some truth when you're running a US spec diesel car with US spec diesel but is meaningless in Ireland/EU.

scoobynutta22b

It's a bit of a vague question. What usage do you require from a car. Do you do many miles etc etc ?

JHMEG

When comparing similar sized petrol and diesel engine cars in the UK:

"diesel produces nearly 40 times more NOx than the petrol and produces particulate matter which the petrol does not."

http://www.ecotravel.org.uk/fuels_5.html

Petrol engine produces more CO, but that doesn't dirty the place. Some diesel cars have particle filters, which require maintenance.

EDIT: Ever wonder why the tailpipes on diesel cars point downwards, and they don't on petrol cars? (Ans: The soot from the diesel would dirty the back bumper)

maidhc

JHMEG wrote:

Petrol engine produces more CO, but that doesn't dirty the place. Some diesel cars have particle filters, which require maintenance.

CO2 does cause climate change!

DPFs only need servicing every 80k or so miles.

JHMEG wrote:

EDIT: Ever wonder why the tailpipes on diesel cars point downwards, and they don't on petrol cars? (Ans: The soot from the diesel would dirty the back bumper)

Toyota don't put a curl on the end of their diesel car tailpipes. The bumper of our silver avensis doesn't get dirty either! I suspect though the curl helps keep the (very small amount of) soot down under heavy acceleration.

prospect

JHMEG wrote:

EDIT: Ever wonder why the tailpipes on diesel cars point downwards, and they don't on petrol cars? (Ans: The soot from the diesel would dirty the back bumper)

I have a diesel car, and the tail pipes are straight.

Big Nelly

JHMEG wrote:

When comparing similar sized petrol and diesel engine cars in the UK:

"diesel produces nearly 40 times more NOx than the petrol and produces particulate matter which the petrol does not."

http://www.ecotravel.org.uk/fuels_5.html

Petrol engine produces more CO, but that doesn't dirty the place. Some diesel cars have particle filters, which require maintenance.

EDIT: Ever wonder why the tailpipes on diesel cars point downwards, and they don't on petrol cars? (Ans: The soot from the diesel would dirty the back bumper)

Seriously man you are digging a hole, would type more but have to go wash my car cause its diesel and both neighbours have diesel as well!

overdriver

You can adapt your diesel to run on vegetable oil. That's carbon neutral.

Wishbone Ash

Irish Salfordia wrote:

[*]Diesel is cheaper to buy in Ireland - at present between 5 and 10 cents per litre less

Over the past few days, in my part of Dublin, all stations have diesel and petrol at the same price (106.9).

Tony Danza

overdriver wrote:

You can adapt your diesel to run on vegetable oil. That's carbon neutral.

But isn't there something stupid that makes that illegal because there's no fuel tax on veg oil?? I could be wrong.

Plus I doubt too much people are actually going to do that anyway.

JHMEG

Big Nelly wrote:

Seriously man you are digging a hole, would type more but have to go wash my car cause its diesel and both neighbours have diesel as well!

What part of "diesel produces particulate matter which the petrol does not." don't you understand?

sk8board

only diesel i've ever been impressed with is the 185BHP D5 engine in the volvo's. I drove an S60 down at the motor-mile in waterford a few months back. amazing low power and acceleration.

Irish Salfordia

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Over the past few days, in my part of Dublin, all stations have diesel and petrol at the same price (106.9).

I still see most stations selling diesel 3 to 5 cents per litre lower.

See thread on ptrol/diesel prices

el tel

mmalaka wrote:

Friends;

Which is better to have a deisel car or petrol car???

Thanks

For having sex in the back it shouldn't really matter.