Petrol Vs Diesel - which is better ?

[Barakka]

What with all fuel prices dropping/dropped over the last 6 months and diesel still staying more expensive than petrol is it better to be driving light footed with black plumes from the rear ? or heavy foooted and guzzling like crazy?

Recent report by Parkers compares Diesel and Petrol cars with some surprising results...
Special Report: Diesel Vs Petrol - where's the Break Even

For Example:
BMW 318d SE Vs 318i SE - break even point for the diesel is 287,356 miles So if you did 10,000 miles a year you would have to keep the 318d for 28 years for it to pay for itself in comparison to the 318i petrol version.

Personally i've moved from a diesel to a petrol and with my low mileage I think i've saved on fuel ...

[kalniel]

Better at what?

I love the low-down pull and hill-munching ability of a diesel, regardless of the fact I only do average milage. The fact my car won't drop as much in value is also a bonus (and the parkers thing doesn't take this into account, which is odd given the majority cost of a car is actually it's depreciation), given there was no premium to buy mine at the time.

But if I lived somewhere flat and dry then I wouldn't mind a petrol.

[dave87]

In the car I chose, short of the TypeR, the 2.2 is the better engine.

The purchase price difference was immaterial, as in this case, the 1.8 did not figure into my thoughts at all.

However, I would find it a much harder task to choose between a 3l straight 6 petrol vs diesel in the BMW range.

[Howard]

Diesels have their place, and they should stay there. Sporty Diesels are pointless, and anyone who claims that cars with derv engines are enjoyable to drive/thrash around is just trying to make themselves feel better about being stuck with a Passat TDI 130 or something

Diesels in small hatchbacks are also totally pointless - why would you want an engine designed for economy over 25k+ a year in a car designed to go to the shops and back? The engines hate small journeys, which is what little cars are meant for Diesel convertibles? Yeah I'd love to hear a rattly engine over a nice smooth petrol with the roof down...

Around town, the difference in economy between equivalent petrol and Diesel engines diminishes anyway. If you're doing 25k+ on the motorway then yeah they represent fairly significant fuel bill savings. But buying them solely for the "OMG 50MPGZ!" is silly. The extra purchase price, servicing costs, more complicated mechanics and lesser reliability and price of fuel itself detracts from this.

I'm probably not putting forward a balanced enough argument as I do truly hate Diesel engines, and no doubt Zak will be along shortly to tell me how naive I am but ho hum. As long as I enjoy driving I'll only ever own petrol engined cars Unless some kind soul wants to buy me a 335D coupe, but then there's exceptions to every rule

Not quite sure what living somewhere flat and dry has anything to do with it though I'm pretty sure my cars work uphill when it's raining!

[Bugbait]

Living in London I couldn't stand owning a manual any more. For an automatic box with power at any rev's a petrol just doesn't compare to a diesel. It's a bonus that BMW make great diesels.

[kalniel]

Not quite sure what living somewhere flat and dry has anything to do with it though

Simply that diesels are easier to drive up hills and when it's snowy I've driven a lot of petrol and diesel cars, and my revvy mk2 golf gti was great fun in the states, but here in the hills it would be more tiring than a nice diesel where you don't even have to adjust throttle position.

[Howard]

When it's snowy you want as flat a torque curve as possible, I reckon

[Bugbait]

Diesels have their place, and they should stay there. Sporty Diesels are pointless, and anyone who claims that cars with derv engines are fun to drive is just trying to make themselves feel better about being stuck with a Passat TDI 130 or something

I agree, having owned a Honda Prelude VTiR (all about rev's) and currently driving a BMW 330D, diesels are boring to drive but I'm into cruising and comfort these days. I find diesels a very "flat" drive but that's what I want at the moment from my daily car. Fuel savings? You have to do a lot of motorway miles to make it worthwhile. I bought a diesel for the drive, not for depreciation or fuel savings.

[Guy]

Just get a nice V6 quite torquey low down, with a wonderful soundtrack. *I might be slightly biased*

[dave87]

Didn't your previous v6 have an interesting idea that it should run on 3 cylinders?

[Guy]

Perhaps, it was just trying to be extra frugal.

How many times have you been back to a dealer!?

[dave87]

At least the engine works!




Well, it does after the injector seals were replaced. On Christmas Eve. Ooops.

[Guy]

So it doesnt ha

Remind me Dave, what car do you have atm?

[dave87]

My own thank you very much.



Earlier in the week it may have morphed itself from a diesel manual 2006 to an automatic petrol 2009, but that is a marketable skill right?

[Guy]

Earlier in the week it may have morphed itself from a diesel manual 2006 to an automatic petrol 2009, but that is a marketable skill right?

Ahh I see so you dont need to get 2/3 new cars in old age.

Late 60's/70's get the derv manual where ZOMG 1000 million MPG is the goal, then as the years creep by and Dave slowly gets frailer he needs a nice auto box to pootle to and from tescos once a week on pension day.

Your right, Honda have got there key market wrapped up there.

[Gerrard]

Well, I'm thinking about getting a new car (thanks to Rasta ); a Mondeo. I'm not sure whether to get the V6 petrol ST220, or the diesel 2.2TDCi ST. I don't do many miles to be honest (6000/year). The diesel is cheaper on tax and insurance, and could hold its value better. I also believe diesel engines handle a higher mileage better, but then I'm not looking to do a lot, nor planning on buying a high mileage car (thinking around 60,000 for a 06 plate sort of range). I think it's pretty much going to be a case of "6 of one, half a dozen of the other" in the long term, but all this talk of breaking even is making a once fairly straight forward choice a bit of a dilema now!

Having the diesel ST at the next LAN would mean I can get slated by both Rasta for having a diesel and dave for having a Mondeo.