Would you still buy a diesel now?

[Monty Python]

So here's the dilemma - I have 2 cars in mind - an 18-month old 340i and a 12-month old 330d X-drive, both almost identical in terms of colour, spec and price. The 340i has more power (but poorer fuel economy), while the 330d can be remapped to the same power as the 340i while giving better economy (plus the extra traction from AWD).

Question is, with all the focus on diesel emissions, would you still buy one today?

[randlemarcus]

Depends on how long you are going to keep it, and the driving you are going to do.

Suspect demand for them will wane as tax nudges and the media moaning starts to hit, but if you have long commutes or cross country driving to do, they make sense for the time being.

[bitchstewie]

I'd be working out what the saving in fuel costs of the diesel is vs. any possible additional "it's a diesel" hit in depreciation, which seems a bit of a crystal ball job.

I went from diesel to hybrid because for the the MPG was about even and this was around the time of the VAG emissions thing where there was increased focus on diesel - of course things like if you frequently drive into any major cities where they may be introducing penalties for diesels should also factor in somewhere.

[A500leroy]

Depends if you go into a city regularly, if your thinking of using in London I'd go petrol now

[Monty Python]

It's mainly a daily commute of 30 miles, 2/3 on motorways.

[HoHoHo]

A500leroy said:

Depends if you go into a city regularly, if your thinking of using in London I'd go petrol now

But the additional charge to drive into london only affects cars older than 2005 so why worry?

A year old BMW or any diesel is Euro 6 compliant which makes a huge difference.

[Don]

A500leroy said:

Depends if you go into a city regularly, if your thinking of using in London I'd go petrol now

As far as I can tell "dirty diesel drivers" are about to become persona non grata in town centres and cities, with many charging more for parking, additional congestion charge etc.

Add that to the fact that the exhaust "filter" that burns the sooty deposits into fine ash can easily break at a cost of £2.5K + on recent diesels I'd be thinking twice about one.

The right car, driven away from town centres and cities might still be a good bet provided you are buying pre-depreciated and will drive the car into the ground and that your journeys are not sub ten minute (killer for the filter, apparently).

I have a mate who recently was on the bitter end of the "filter fiasco", not a happy bunny. No warranty claim, either. "Driven Incorrectly, sir".

[Don]

Monty Python said:

It's mainly a daily commute of 30 miles, 2/3 on motorways.

You'll be fine on the filter problem then.

[BoRED S2upid]

Yes just bought a Volvo v60 still £30 a year tax and 50-60mpg. I don't live near London though so no additional penalty to owning one.

[motco]

In short, no. They've been the staple of my daily travel since 1997 but the time has now passed.

Edited by motco on Sunday 26th March 10:16

[Croutons]

I think I'd read last week's thread first. Or the week before, or...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Ahbefive]

A no from me. Diesels are st.

[wemorgan]

Monty Python said:

It's mainly a daily commute of 30 miles, 2/3 on motorways.

That's only 600miles per month. Any diesel efficiency gains are going to be modest savings.
If you want to save money consider the depreciation instead.

[Monty Python]

wemorgan said:

That's only 600miles per month. Any diesel efficiency gains are going to be modest savings.
If you want to save money consider the depreciation instead.

Sorry - 30 miles each way, so ~300 miles per week.

[Don]

Personally I would not buy a diesel now. There again I have never bought one. Don't get on with them. I know this because I have had a couple of diesel company cars in my time and they weren't my cup of tea.

If I am trying to get something super-efficient for cheap motoring now I'll do electric or hybrid depending on "use case scenarios".

If I am buying something fun to drive I'll buy electric, if they make the right car, or something ludicrously petrol guzzling for the hell of it and the fact that the number of "fun" miles I do a year is < 2000 typically so fuel consumption doesn't matter so much.

[Momentofmadness]

wemorgan said:

That's only 600miles per month. Any diesel efficiency gains are going to be modest savings.
If you want to save money consider the depreciation instead.

+1

[hairyben]

I wouldn't be suprised to see more cities and even towns try to jump on the demondiesel bandwagon to scam some tax revenue with clean air zones etc, which apart from anything else is likely to drive down residuals.

Frustrating for me as I really need a new van but want to fit it out and cost it over ~ten years - but no sensible/practical non-diesel vans are really out there. Any number of supercars, hypercars, suvs, luxury sedans and virtue-signalling mobils etc but nothing people who y'know, have an actual unarguable need for a vehicle in a city centre.

[anonymous-user]

Your mileage is pretty much on the bubble for where a diesel makes sense, obviously affected by the exact figures for each car.

TBH I'd drive both and buy the one you like the best. If the financials are enough of a concern for it to make a substantive difference between those two then I'd look older/cheaper as you'll be a lot better off that way.

[andy43]

I think the 340i still has a six cylinder engine, albeit turbo'd. And it's rwd.
Could either be desirable and rare come sale time, or impossible to shift as easily as a diesel.
I'd still pick petrol, bet it drives and sounds better

[Muddle238]

Given that the goalposts are constantly being moved, I can't get excited about petrol or diesel. One minute we're told we must all buy diesel, the next we must all buy petrol. It's a bit like smart motorway gantries, the limits change and the public looses faith in the system.

My car is one of the last Euro5 versions made before they moved across to Euro6, I'm very glad because it doesn't have the adblue gubbins or start stop malarkey interfering with the car. Subsequently running it north of 200k will be easier as there will be less bits needing replacement.