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Diesel or petrol

  • 10-04-2012 02:59PM
    #1
    Slattsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭


    Hey lads,
    This could be asked a lot but i couldnt find a thread (too many), if it is then maybe a Mod can merge.
    I've always had a petrol car, Im thinking of upgrading and would be tempted by a diesel, maybe a 520D or an A4 TDI.

    However, we dont put many miles on the car, there could be maybe 3 days a week when the car is not used. Once a month we drive from Dub to Sligo and then maybe a few spins for a weekend away during the year. The rest is short distance, i'd say typical Dublin driving (shops, football training, visiting folks, that kind of stuff)..

    Will a diesel car be lost on us if we're not racking up huge miles per year ?

    Thanks in advance.


Comments

  • #2
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,060 ✭✭✭✭biko


    You're right, it has been asked a lot.
    I think the consensus is - petrol for city, diesel for long distance.


  • #3
    Slattsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    biko wrote: »
    You're right, it has been asked a lot.
    I think the consensus is - petrol for city, diesel for long distance.

    Thanks.
    Seems to be an awful lot more diesels out there on carzone !!


  • #4
    bazz26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,849 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    Slattsy wrote: »
    Thanks.
    Seems to be an awful lot more diesels out there on carzone !!

    There was a huge swing from buying petrol cars to diesel cars since 2008. People who didn't need a diesel bought them because they were cheaper to tax.


  • #5
    Slattsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    bazz26 wrote: »
    Slattsy wrote: »
    Thanks.
    Seems to be an awful lot more diesels out there on carzone !!

    There was a huge swing from buying petrol cars to diesel cars since 2008. People who didn't need a diesel bought them because they were cheaper to tax.

    Yeah wasn't thinking that.

    I'd be looking at a 2008 on and about
    80% of them are diesel.

    I think petrol is my better option, it just narrows my options down I guess. And as they say the fewer of something there is the dearer they come.


  • #6
    Victor Meldrew
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 767 ✭✭✭Victor Meldrew


    biko wrote: »
    You're right, it has been asked a lot.
    I think the consensus is - petrol for city, diesel for long distance.

    also, heavy cars = Diesel if modern (2008 onwards) unless you like 2L + road tax.

    Caveat here though. Do you like the drive of one over the other?

    Wife just got Audi diesel. I don't like it**. Too peaky compared to petrol and the noise is so uncouth. I don't do much mileage so I can tolerate a petrol and it is worth the €600 road tax

    **It's also an A1, so it is a bit embarrassing to be seen driving. :o


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  • #7
    Slattsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    Victor Meldrew wrote: »
    biko wrote: »
    You're right, it has been asked a lot.
    I think the consensus is - petrol for city, diesel for long distance.

    also, heavy cars = Diesel if modern (2008 onwards) unless you like 2L + road tax.

    Caveat here though. Do you like the drive of one over the other?

    Wife just got Audi diesel. I don't like it**. Too peaky compared to petrol and the noise is so uncouth. I don't do much mileage so I can tolerate a petrol and it is worth the €600 road tax

    **It's also an A1, so it is a bit embarrassing to be seen driving. :o

    Only diesel I've driven was a Passat long distance automatic and also Audi A4 for a spin.
    I certainly noticed the take off speeds are slower from the petrol but not huge difference once on the motorway other than noise levels.


  • #8
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    Tbh perils can be smooth as can more modern common fail diesels.

    I've just gone from a passat TDI to a common fail BMW unit and found the new car a lot smoother.

    The latest one is auto too and makes it more relaxing to drive when in normal mode


  • #9
    Slattsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    johnos1984 wrote: »
    Tbh perils can be smooth as can more modern common fail diesels.

    I've just gone from a passat TDI to a common fail BMW unit and found the new car a lot smoother.

    The latest one is auto too and makes it more relaxing to drive when in normal mode

    Can I ask common fail means exactly?


  • #10
    mickdw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,985 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    You should be able to buy a petrol version for significantly less than the diesel at 4 years old. I think you could go for either really. You need to consider also whether you are keeping this car long term or want to get rid in 2 or 3 years. If getting rid in 2 years, I would say diesel but a diesel without a diesel particulate filter as you should avoid the problems caused by short journeys then. I know 08 passat etc without this filter come in at 300 tax on the 1.9 tdi.
    If keeping long term and resale is not an issue, Id get a petrol. The cheaper purchase price should cover any increased fuel costs for a long time at your small mileage and also, the tax is not bad on many 08 petrols. My 08 audi 1.8T petrol is band D - 450 approx. The petrol in general is less likely to go wrong too not to mention being a much nicer drive.


  • #11
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    Slattsy wrote: »
    johnos1984 wrote: »
    Tbh perils can be smooth as can more modern common fail diesels.

    I've just gone from a passat TDI to a common fail BMW unit and found the new car a lot smoother.

    The latest one is auto too and makes it more relaxing to drive when in normal mode

    Can I ask common fail means exactly?
    My term for common Rail diesel engines which seem to suffer a high failure rate.

    They aren't suitable for low mileage or anything worse than perfect fuel.

    Sorry it's a joke to me really but lots of folk who want cheap running costs but modern common rail diesels and end up with huge repair bills


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  • #12
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,990 ✭✭✭mathepac


    Slattsy wrote: »
    Can I ask common fail means exactly?
    It's a feature of BMW diesels - they commonly fail !. Sorry couldn't resist it after the poor poster's Freudian slip.

    Common rail is an alternative means of getting fuel to the cylinders - common rail direct injection or CRDi as you'll see on modern Hondas, Kias, Skodas, VWs, MBs, etc, the ones that don't commonly fail :D


  • #13
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    mathepac wrote: »
    Slattsy wrote: »
    Can I ask common fail means exactly?
    It's a feature of BMW diesels - they commonly fail !. Sorry couldn't resist it after the poor poster's Freudian slip.

    Common rail is an alternative means of getting fuel to the cylinders - common rail direct injection or CRDi as you'll see on modern Hondas, Kias, Skodas, VWs, MBs, etc, the ones that don't commonly fail :D
    Slip my arse! :)

    My pd passat ate its engine but I'm happy to agree I had bad luck

    Diesel is great if you are covering the miles


  • #14
    Slattsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    Cheers lads, getting some great info here.


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