Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Ten years ago about one in every ten cars sold was a diesel.....In 2008 that figure has risen to almost 50%...or  one in two.....Why?

I have had the opportunity recently to try out a couple of diesels.
The first one a Ford Focus..a hire car ...the second being a friends Honda Accord CDTi.

I have to say both cars left me cold.....give me petrol anyday.

Why do people buy these things......They cost more both new and used.....they run on diesel which is about 15% more than petrol,which takes a big chunk out of their inbuilt economy advantage.

Also they sound coarse and rough when extended....nothing like as good as a V6 petrol Omega.

On top of this I do not like the way the power is delivered....Sweet Fu#k all at low revs .......then a welcome big lump of torque in the mid range...and then just when it seems to be getting better....then sweet Fu#k all again after about 4500rpm.

Diesel great for smoky buses and Taxi's.....but best to keep it that way in my opinion.

[Jay w]

at one point diesel was less than petrol at the pumps, that coupled with better MPG ment that the negatives, many of which you covered, were outweighed.

Today they still give better MPG that a equivalent petrol engined car over a certain mileage, hence the reason a lot of fleet buyers will only have diesels, thus the 50% of the market share

[cem_devecioglu]

no offense..but I'm tired of smelling their smoke in everyday traffic ..

on the road walking.. and cleaning their spills from the cars paint  

[serek]

many people buy diesel becouse tax is lower then for petrol cars, one of my friend own audi a3 1.9 tdi 02 plate hi just pay 120 quid tax for year

[STMO123]

Diesel was touted as a cleaner alternative to petrol as well as being more ecomomic. However, once it was discovered that diesel cars throw out damaging particulates, the government, seeing an opportunity, stuck a 'dirty tax' on it.

[Kevin Wood]

You love them or you hate them. I personally dislike them because the useful rev range is so narrow however, I have mates who are equally into cars who get on with them because they don't tend to use the top end of the rev range anyway, so something with bags of torque at 2,000 - 3,000 revs turns them on more than something that revs to 6 1/2. Depends on your driving style.

You also have to remember that they are favourable on company car tax, and reps will put up with anything to get a slightly flashier / faster / bigger car for their money IME.

CO₂ emissions are of little consequence to me. To equal the fuel costs for my 3.2 on LPG I'd be looking for a tractor that averaged 47.5 MPG on my commute. Can't see it being that entertaining to drive.

Kevin

[amigov6]

I've driven a few modern denzils, VW, Ford etc & they have that mid range punch (as mentioned) but just when you're starting to enjoy it, that's it all done. Yes you can change up earlier to catch the next burst but it's not the same somehow.
   Also whilst they're economical on a run they're not that much better than a petrol round town. (& they sound shite) 8-)

[MickAP]

Around mid 30's MPG towing a caravan, petrol Omega shudder to think if it would get above 15 MPG judging what some get solo.
That's why I have a diesel Omega.
Mick

[TheBoy]

Once you get used to the different driving to get it to go, they can be equally quick.

Modern overblown diesels produce lots of power, but over such a narrow range that you're thrashing the box all the time.

As everyone here knows, I have a soft spot for my tractor, making it a difficult decision which car to get rid of  :-/

[Omegatoy]

Once you get used to the different driving to get it to go, they can be equally quick.

Modern overblown diesels produce lots of power, but over such a narrow range that you're thrashing the box all the time.

As everyone here knows, I have a soft spot for my tractor, making it a difficult decision which car to get rid of  :-/

I know that feeling !!got a damn good offer for mine yesterday after the bloke drove it and was astounded how quick and smooth it was
(more than i paid for it 4 years ago)
suddenly realised how good it is so  turned him down
doh!!!!

[Jay w]

if i could find a low mileage 2.5td Elite i would have it in an instant.....

yes it would mean me having to put an AR35 in it, but that's about all i would have to do though

[TheBoy]

Once you get used to the different driving to get it to go, they can be equally quick.

Modern overblown diesels produce lots of power, but over such a narrow range that you're thrashing the box all the time.

As everyone here knows, I have a soft spot for my tractor, making it a difficult decision which car to get rid of  :-/

I know that feeling !!got a damn good offer for mine yesterday after the bloke drove it and was astounded how quick and smooth it was
(more than i paid for it 4 years ago)
suddenly realised how good it is so  turned him down
doh!!!!

Your's is a nice tractor!  If it hadn't been an estate, I would have offered you your asking price myself

[Omegatoy]

Once you get used to the different driving to get it to go, they can be equally quick.

Modern overblown diesels produce lots of power, but over such a narrow range that you're thrashing the box all the time.

As everyone here knows, I have a soft spot for my tractor, making it a difficult decision which car to get rid of  :-/

I know that feeling !!got a damn good offer for mine yesterday after the bloke drove it and was astounded how quick and smooth it was
(more than i paid for it 4 years ago)
suddenly realised how good it is so  turned him down
doh!!!![/quote]
Your's is a nice tractor!  If it hadn't been an estate, I would have offered you your asking price myself [/quote]

thanks for the kind words, I know its got a few mods on it which wouldnt suit some people but its done the way i want it cos it suits my driving style, gave up on the idea of a merc estate couldnt find one without eiter a million miles on it or severe rust!!! so sticking wiv me mig!!!!

[JSW888]

iv got a soft spot for diesels...better mpg, fairly big torque figures which are good fo overtaking with ease. a friend of mine is/ or second biggest uk imorter of american cars/ trucks. his job is mustangs and dodge trucks and vipers etc.....when my dad went to collect a saleen mustang for him he laghfed at my dads skoda 1.9tdi fabia vrs. but once he drove it, he was amazed....my dads had a few bits done to his: its running 200bhp from 130, and 480nm or torque!
this importer only bought a fabia vrs days later as he thought it was a good balence between acceleration and ease of driving for him and his wife.
check this fabia out if you want at:
http://www.supercars.net/PitLane?viewThread=y&gID=1&fID=1&tID=157744

[dieseldean]

a diesel will outlive any petrol as long as it is looked after. 8-)
my old car (2.5td) covered 351???miles but shell was rusting away, the engine now lives on in a newer car and still running sweet.
my mistake was buying a replacement diesel mig with very little history and only buying it due to its extra comforts and its been trouble.
old tractor managed 45+mpg on work commute every day 40%motorway 60%uphil and downdale.
and a good diesel with a manual box pulls a caravan with very little effort.