Giving up on diesel, going back to petrol

Stallingrad · 18-07-2012 11:15AM #1

I recently sold my diesel. While I really enjoyed the economy and torque I never warmed to the narrow power band, noise and inherent lack of refinement compared to petrol. My mileage is also around 12k a year so petrol was a viable option again. So I bought a b7 Passat 1.4TSi and it is a revelation. Ultra smooth, inaudible at idle, super quiet at cruise, quite swift when pushed, yet happy to amble around town at 2000 rpm and under all day. I'm getting 7.0l per 100 versus 6.6l per 100 in the diesel (Focus). No more concerns either about all the modern diesel related issues. Build quality and comfort are, to be expected, in a different league. So very happy to be back on petrol. The only problem now is to remember green pump, not black.

18-07-2012 11:47AM

Fair play, the diesel boys will claim modern stuff is refined but in comparison to petrol engines diesels are anything but.

Anan1 · 18-07-2012 11:50AM

Stallingrad wrote: »

The only problem now is to remember green pump, not black.

Just go for the clean, dry, not-stinking one.

MugMugs · 18-07-2012 11:51AM

Good call OP.

I however believe that if you can't hear your engine in traffic then you're doing it wrong though

Stallingrad · 18-07-2012 02:46PM

Glad to see I'm not alone!

deandean · 18-07-2012 02:59PM

Interesting thread OP, I feel there will be more people moving back to petrol for the type of reasons you mention.

I'm keeping an eye on the latest Ford Focus, it's a 3cyl 1.0L turbocharged petrol engine, the block apparently fits onto an A4 sheet of paper! 100 or 120HP, 55+mpg.

Review here:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motors/2012/0718/1224320295813.html

MuppetCheck · 18-07-2012 03:04PM

Diesel is only really viable at extremely high mileage in my opinion. A dmf or particle filter failing can wipe out any savings at a relatively moderate mileage. At 12k a year you are much better off in the petrol.

unkel · 18-07-2012 03:27PM

Stallingrad wrote: »

So I bought a b7 Passat 1.4TSi and it is a revelation. Ultra smooth, inaudible at idle, super quiet at cruise, quite swift when pushed, yet happy to amble around town at 2000 rpm and under all day. I'm getting 7.0l per 100 versus 6.6l per 100 in the diesel (Focus).

Had that engine in a rental Seat Leon on a recent holiday. Also had it a few years ago in a Touran MPV

Very impressive engine, very frugal for a petrol. And the 1.4 was easily powerful enough to keep both cars with 5 people and luggage in it going. The one thing I didn't like was the total lack of pull at very low revs. I'd say the 0-20km/h acceleration time is slower than a pushbike

unkel · 18-07-2012 03:31PM

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Diesel is only really viable at extremely high mileage in my opinion.

So who were the muppets who convinced 80% of Irish low miles drivers to buy diesel instead of petrol? :eek:

They must hate the environment. Oh wait.....

coolisin · 18-07-2012 03:32PM

Had an oul lad going nuts with his new diesel (well '11) in a petrol station lately, the regen light keeps coming up, he's only doing between 7-10,000km a year with lots of short hop's and wont drive it hard, as it'll kill the engine.

I suggested he should've got a petrol, but everyone is saying diesel to him.

Fairplay OP.

I personally dislike diesels for those exact reasons, naturally if i needed a diesel id get one.

Unless you've got the money for a nice BMW 535d/640d

dcr22B · 18-07-2012 03:37PM

Just done similar myself last week. Sold my 2005 Mondeo ST TDCi and bought a 2006 Nissan Almera 1.5 SXE.

Obviously miss the grunt of the Mondeo but it was bought to do daily 50 mile round trips to work for my wife but she only stayed in the job for 6 weeks after we bought it.

The main driver however were the constant big bills for drivetrain related items (will never go diesel again for that reason alone).

MugMugs · 18-07-2012 03:49PM

unkel wrote: »

So who were the muppets who convinced 80% of Irish low miles drivers to buy diesel instead of petrol? :eek:

They must hate the environment. Oh wait.....

Don't get you here.

Are the Diesels bad for the Environment on low mileage runs?

Big Nasty · 18-07-2012 03:50PM

Congrats OP!

BostonB · 18-07-2012 03:57PM

deandean wrote: »

Interesting thread OP, I feel there will be more people moving back to petrol for the type of reasons you mention.

I'm keeping an eye on the latest Ford Focus, it's a 3cyl 1.0L turbocharged petrol engine, the block apparently fits onto an A4 sheet of paper! 100 or 120HP, 55+mpg....

I seem to remember some comments on reviews where people weren't getting anything like the claimed fuel economy. I can't find them now.

recyclebin · 18-07-2012 04:06PM

Here is an article busting the diesel myth for the UK.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175111/Great-diesel-myth-They-DONT-save-money-petrol-models-economical-makes-car.html

Anyone care to do the same for a few sample cars using irish prices and tax rates?

fletch · 18-07-2012 04:20PM

I have kinda done the same albeit I went from a simple diesel (no DPF but did have a DMF, 80k+ miles and still going strong on original clutch, over 30k of which was remapped) to a complicated petrol (supercharged, turbocharged, two clutches etc)

Pottler · 18-07-2012 05:02PM

I've 295000km up on my main car, a petrol 1.6 '04 Citroen, nothing bar servicing and belts. I have work gear in the boot and often drive it 5 up, it uses feck all more fuel than any of the diesels I've had, needs servicing less often and at less cost, apart from standard wear items on the front(drop links once, roll bar bushings once) and is nice to drive.

I'd probably rather a diesel car, but not at the cost of sliding into the sights of DPF, DMF etc etc. Also, just 1 high pressure pump failure with a diesel, and you can forget all about cost savings - you will limp out a sore puppy at the bill and savings will be a distant memory. I see the sore bills my mate hands out from his garage for major diesel engine farts on a daily basis and think I will stick with my "gas guzzler".

I've never, ever(and I've had loads) had a diesel car that met the claimed economy figures anyway, nor has any diesel I've had ever stunned me with their economy. A few have stunned me with just how quick they dispatch a tank of fuel though.

cadaliac · 18-07-2012 05:17PM

Pottler wrote: »

...........

I've never, ever(and I've had loads) had a diesel car that met the claimed economy figures anyway, nor has any diesel I've had ever stunned me with their economy. A few have stunned me with just how quick they dispatch a tank of fuel though.

I had a 406 HDi that did exactly what the manufacturer said it would do (and then some).
There is a market for Diesel cars, and there always will be.
New car owners that hold on to their cars for 1, 2 or 3 years. They pay less at the pump and usually get away without any nasty Diesel engine failures of the modern era.
I too however agree with the OP. When dealing in second hand cars over a certain age, petrol is the way to go. I have also migrated back to petrol 2 years ago. I just don't do the mileage any more.

stimpson · 18-07-2012 06:01PM

recyclebin wrote: »

Here is an article busting the diesel myth for the UK.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175111/Great-diesel-myth-They-DONT-save-money-petrol-models-economical-makes-car.html

Anyone care to do the same for a few sample cars using irish prices and tax rates?

Diesel is more expensive than petrol on the UK. And VRT negates much of the difference in sticker price here.

If you save 3l/100 km then over 15000 km you save 450 litres. And diesel is 10c cheaper. And then there's road tax too. And better residuals.

I reckon if you had a large bill every 2 years in a diesel you'd probably still be ahead.

Veloce · 18-07-2012 07:14PM

Welcome back OP

ofcork · 18-07-2012 08:12PM

I think some of the new diesels are still noisy even though the technology meant they were supposed to be quieter,was beside a 12 astra coupe at the lights and could hear it loud and clear.

Leonard Hofstadter · 18-07-2012 08:43PM

ofcork wrote: »

I think some of the new diesels are still noisy even though the technology meant they were supposed to be quieter,was beside a 12 astra coupe at the lights and could hear it loud and clear.

They *are* still noisier than their petrol equivalents, despite what their fans say.

For me, modern diesels are just way too complex and too many of them are turning out to be potential ticking timebombs.

That said, petrol engines are getting increasingly complex so in the long term reliability of those is going to suffer as well.

I just prefer the sound of a petrol engine, plus the fact that they are much better for human health than diesel engines are.

MuppetCheck · 18-07-2012 08:56PM

The worst thing about diesels in my opinion isn't the narrow powerband (although some are almost petrol like at this stage) or the possible issues, its the sound when you turn the key on a cold morning. No amount of sound deadening can hide that.

MugMugs · 18-07-2012 09:19PM

MuppetCheck wrote: »

The worst thing about diesels in my opinion isn't the narrow powerband (although some are almost petrol like at this stage) or the possible issues, its the sound when you turn the key on a cold morning. No amount of sound deadening can hide that.

It's a country V8

MuppetCheck · 18-07-2012 09:33PM

Antares wrote: »

It's a country V8

Only if you have the country diesel to match;)

unkel · 18-07-2012 09:44PM

Antares wrote: »

Don't get you here.

Are the Diesels bad for the Environment on low mileage runs?

Diesel causes cancer

But the greens couldn't care less. They only care about bringing CO2 (a compeltely harmless gas) down. To save the planet. :rolleyes:

MugMugs · 18-07-2012 09:46PM

unkel wrote: »

Diesel causes cancer

But the greens couldn't care less. They only care about bringing CO2 down. To save the planet :rolleyes:

This came up over breakfast this morning.

To be fair, tuna fish out of a tin with blue wrapping on it gives you cancer at this stage but it's interesting nonetheless.

I also love the smell of the burnt diesel

unkel · 18-07-2012 09:53PM

Antares wrote: »

tuna fish out of a tin with blue wrapping on it gives you cancer

Did the World Health Organisation officially state that? Nah, didn't think so

shawnee · 18-07-2012 09:58PM

unkel wrote: »

So who were the muppets who convinced 80% of Irish low miles drivers to buy diesel instead of petrol? :eek:

They must hate the environment. Oh wait.....

The muppets were those who traded in decent petrol cars and spend 15 to 20 grand buying a diesel because of the lower tax bracket

18-07-2012 10:01PM

shawnee wrote: »

The muppets were those who traded in decent petrol cars and spend 15 to 20 grand buying a diesel because of the lower tax bracket

Don't forget these muppets....

captainspeed wrote: »

They *are* still noisier than their petrol equivalents, despite what their fans say.
...............

:pac:

volvoman480 · 18-07-2012 10:10PM

Can't wait to get my 07 2litre crdi kia back from the garage complete with repaired DPF, new high pressure pump and new fuel rail. Should be back tomorrow so I can give them back the poxy, under powered, cramped, lifeless but extremely frugal 1.2 corsa they very kindly lent to me for the last few weeks.

There's diesel running in my veins, petrol is the p1ss of the devil!!!!!!

Giving up on diesel, going back to petrol

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