Is the diesel backlash about to start?

[david_h]

Purchased my first ever diesel just over a year ago, bmw 120d. I hate the smoke that it throws out the back, the servicing costs -I decoked the entire top end and egr. As an auto I have averaged 34mpg mixed driving, which isn't great.

I trade it in on Saturday for a 3l petrol bmw with higher miles. I cannot wait.

If the cost of petrol becomes punitive I will just LPG it.

[heebeegeetee]

neil1jnr said:

marmitemania said:

I would not own a Diesel as long as I have a hole in my arse. Dirty overated stinking things that people think are fast but really just give you a huge dollop in one go and run out of puff. Yes a 6 cylinder tractor on full chat sounds nice and the V8 lorries can be tuneful but your average 4 pot VAG eurobox is rubbish. I also wonder why people buy diesel Range Rovers when you are spending a minimum of £72,000 on a car what does fuel consumption matter. The sooner Diesel dies out the better. Its just the same with people not being able to think for themselves when buying anything, Oh you must have Apple this and Apple that, got to have a VAG car, must get all your clothes from Next, all rubbish.

Totally agree, I really don't understand diesel versions of Range Rovers and 6 series BMW's etc.

Well let me educate you both.

Firstly, the diesels don't run out of puff if you know what you're doing and don't buy a manual version (who wants a manual in a big, wafty barge?).

Secondly, these vehicles (petrol or diesel) need big fuel tanks which take a long time to fill up, which means you don't want to be filling up too often. That's why consumption matters.

It's you guys who can't think for themselves.

Mercury00 said:

There was an article in the Daily Mail (I know, I know) complaining about how politicians have misled the public into buying diesels. It just goes to show that most people are sheep and can't think for themselves. The information about diesels has been widely available for years, do a bit of fking research for yourself before spending your money instead of blaming people for your own stupidity.

Eh? You are quoting a piece of abject nonsense from the Daily mail and then saying that it is other people who are like sheep? How the hell does that work?

Here is the piece from the Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2720341/Th...

At the very start the writer infers that he knows little about cars and then goes on to write exactly the article that someone who knows little about cars might write - which you guys swallow wholesale. It's ridiculous.

As I posted earlier, here's another article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/11018725/...

Mercury, I'd be interested to know which article you think is the most informative.

Edited by heebeegeetee on Tuesday 12th August 10:33

[Ranger 6]

Stenn said:

Ranger 6 said:

Backlash? Not from me (yet )

At the moment I'm happy with my wafting 500nm and 500 miles to a tank. For my next car I'd like to see a petrol car with; 500 mile range, 300+ bhp, 40+ mpg and a sub 6-sec to 60 and £180 VED - then I may be interested....

Ah yes, because driving is all about numbers of course.

...and your suggested car is??

I thought not.


The numbers make up an abbreviated spec, if I added in my other wants such as, big enough for four adults in comfort, decent ground clearance, four wheel drive and estate car boot space that begins to narrow it down somewhat. Look around, very few if any cars will hit those numbers, not even the 4.2 V8 diesel in the Cayenne, Touareg, A8, etc. can hit the VED or mpg targets.

It's been touched upon by a poster that range is important, yes, it is. After my 911 and 130 had to be filled up every few days I enjoy not having to stop as often. I enjoy the grunt, but am in no way suggesting they're direct competitors, and my current car is very much a real world alternative. It goes when I want it to, it wafts on journeys and I can get from Calais to Geneva without having to stop for fuel, ultimately I'm happy

[Ranger 6]

You need to take the full stop out of the link to make it work, like this;

heebeegeetee said:

...here's another article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/11018725/...

[heebeegeetee]

Ranger 6 said:

You need to take the full stop out of the link to make it work, like this;

heebeegeetee said:

...here's another article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/11018725/...

Ta.

[Mr GrimNasty]

david_h said:

Purchased my first ever diesel just over a year ago, bmw 120d. I hate the smoke that it throws out the back, the servicing costs -I decoked the entire top end and egr. As an auto I have averaged 34mpg mixed driving, which isn't great.

I trade it in on Saturday for a 3l petrol bmw with higher miles. I cannot wait.

If the cost of petrol becomes punitive I will just LPG it.

If you buy a dog, it doesn't matter if it's diesel or petrol, it's still a dog.

If you are getting noticeable smoke or smell (even on start up) or tractor noises or only 34mpg from a modern diesel - then it's knackered.

[heebeegeetee]

david_h said:

Purchased my first ever diesel just over a year ago, bmw 120d. I hate the smoke that it throws out the back, the servicing costs -I decoked the entire top end

You took the cylinder head off?

[david_h]

Mr GrimNasty said:

If you buy a dog, it doesn't matter if it's diesel or petrol, it's still a dog.

If you are getting noticeable smoke or smell (even on start up) or tractor noises or only 34mpg from a modern diesel - then it's knackered.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the car, it is an 8 year old diesel that has been used on short journeys so is coked up. Diesel cars are lovely and clean and efficient when new but as they get older they just seem to get more and more clogged up. Admittedly this car doesn't have dpf so isn't as clean to start with.

[bodhi]

david_h said:

Purchased my first ever diesel just over a year ago, bmw 120d. I hate the smoke that it throws out the back, the servicing costs -I decoked the entire top end and egr. As an auto I have averaged 34mpg mixed driving, which isn't great.

I trade it in on Saturday for a 3l petrol bmw with higher miles. I cannot wait.

If the cost of petrol becomes punitive I will just LPG it.

I did the same, traded my old 330d in for a 125i. Best thing I ever did. The 125i is only just worse on fuel (37-39 mpg plays 30-33 in the 125i), much cheaper on servicing and insurance, 100x nicer to drive, the engine appear far more flexible (the 330d needed a coupe of dropped cogs to go if the turbo wasn't spinning, the 125i just goes, all the way up to 7000 glorious rpm), and good heavens it sounds epic.

Only the 1'ers smaller tank is proving a pain, and has knocked far more off the range than the consumption difference. Luckily I do around 20k a year, so I'm not filling up too often. It's a much more pleasant experience when I do though.....

[austinsmirk]

don't know why everyone is also worrying about diesel reliability, I bet I've had them for 20 some years now with no bother and I also usually have two cars at once....... i.e the derv for boring stuff and something fun on the side.

show me a really big comfy petrol car that will do 55 + mpg at a nice speed on the motorway and 40 mpg around town, school run, shopping etc and I'm sold, but I suspect there isn't anything yet.

I'd like to know all the journeys you lot are doing that you can use all these excess's of power on a day to day basis......... my journeys of being stuck behind others on windy rural roads, or in towns littered with cameras mean fun driving is somewhat limited.

[bodhi]

austinsmirk said:

don't know why everyone is also worrying about diesel reliability, I bet I've had them for 20 some years now with no bother and I also usually have two cars at once....... i.e the derv for boring stuff and something fun on the side.

show me a really big comfy petrol car that will do 55 + mpg at a nice speed on the motorway and 40 mpg around town, school run, shopping etc and I'm sold, but I suspect there isn't anything yet.

I'd like to know all the journeys you lot are doing that you can use all these excess's of power on a day to day basis......... my journeys of being stuck behind others on windy rural roads, or in towns littered with cameras mean fun driving is somewhat limited.

Given my colleague's Jag XF 3.0D is currently showing 30 mpg, I'd like to see where these big comfy diesels that will do 55 mpg are.

[Monkeylegend]

I love my diesel.

All in the interest of balance, once again.

Can't wait for diesel prices to fall below unleaded. Supply and demand and all that, so the more of you who give them up the better for us lovers.

I am paying 128.2 for diesel this week plus 53 mpg from a car with 220k miles on it and still running well with none of the issues you lot keep spouting on about.

Horses for courses, diesel is still best for high mileage drivers.

Petrol is for low mileage wimps

[ORD]

austinsmirk said:

don't know why everyone is also worrying about diesel reliability, I bet I've had them for 20 some years now with no bother and I also usually have two cars at once....... i.e the derv for boring stuff and something fun on the side.

show me a really big comfy petrol car that will do 55 + mpg at a nice speed on the motorway and 40 mpg around town, school run, shopping etc and I'm sold, but I suspect there isn't anything yet.

I'd like to know all the journeys you lot are doing that you can use all these excess's of power on a day to day basis......... my journeys of being stuck behind others on windy rural roads, or in towns littered with cameras mean fun driving is somewhat limited.

You don't have to be stuck behind anything if you've got enough power

In seriousness, nobody is denying that diesels are more fuel efficient. My point is that diesel should not, despite that efficiency, work out cheaper than petrol. The environmental damage needs to be priced in such that nobody would run a diesel car unless they absolutely have to. It's bonkers not to capture the external costs and have people merrily knackering their local environment to save money.

[Captainawesome]

bodhi said:

austinsmirk said:

don't know why everyone is also worrying about diesel reliability, I bet I've had them for 20 some years now with no bother and I also usually have two cars at once....... i.e the derv for boring stuff and something fun on the side.

show me a really big comfy petrol car that will do 55 + mpg at a nice speed on the motorway and 40 mpg around town, school run, shopping etc and I'm sold, but I suspect there isn't anything yet.

I'd like to know all the journeys you lot are doing that you can use all these excess's of power on a day to day basis......... my journeys of being stuck behind others on windy rural roads, or in towns littered with cameras mean fun driving is somewhat limited.

Given my colleague's Jag XF 3.0D is currently showing 30 mpg, I'd like to see where these big comfy diesels that will do 55 mpg are.

I second this, I had a 3.0 Tdi A4 and rarely saw above 30 and never above 40 on a motorway. I must be doing driving wrong. Or are you talking about when you lift your right foot slightly???? In that case I can get about 80mpg out of a 3.2 petrol.

[heebeegeetee]

ORD said:

You don't have to be stuck behind anything if you've got enough power

In seriousness, nobody is denying that diesels are more fuel efficient. My point is that diesel should not, despite that efficiency, work out cheaper than petrol. The environmental damage needs to be priced in such that nobody would run a diesel car unless they absolutely have to. It's bonkers not to capture the external costs and have people merrily knackering their local environment to save money.

And imo the reason it isn't is because you're wrong.

[Fastdruid]

Monkeylegend said:

I love my diesel.

All in the interest of balance, once again.

Horses for courses, diesel is still best for high mileage drivers tanks, barges, boats, poor people and those to whom range is more important than performance.

Petrol is for low mileage wimps people who actually like driving

FTFY.

[Fastdruid]

Mr GrimNasty said:

If you are getting noticeable smoke or smell (even on start up) or tractor noises or only 34mpg from a modern diesel - then it's knackered.

I've had two diesel hire cars this year, both 14 plates under 5k. Both sounded like tractors, one I got all of 31mpg from, the other was far better with a worst of 43mpg (claimed not measured). Both stank if you had the windows open.

Didn't noticeably smoke though.

[heebeegeetee]

Fastdruid said:

Both stank if you had the windows open.

Stank of what?

[Fastdruid]

heebeegeetee said:

Fastdruid said:

Both stank if you had the windows open.

Stank of what?

Diesel fumes. Wtf else would they stink of?

[Monkeylegend]

Fastdruid said:

Monkeylegend said:

I love my diesel.

All in the interest of balance, once again.

Horses for courses, diesel is still best for high mileage drivers tanks, barges, boats, poor people and those to whom range is more important than performance.

Petrol is for low mileage wimps people who actually like driving

FTFY.

I preferred my original post

I have an open mind to the benefits and suitability of both petrol and diesel, and I love driving both.

So many on here condemn diesel without really appreciating the things they are good at, a very narrow minded, prejudiced view point. You have my sympathy.