Anyone else find diesel not worth the effort?
Discussion
I've got a petrol which will average about 25mpg.
I've borrowed a 2011 Avensis diesel and driven it for the last few days and it averages 34mpg. It's a lovely car, the sat nav and reverse camera are perfect, but really, just 9mpg more than a 3.0 petrol?
I thought these modern diesels were meant to get me to the moon and back on half a tank?
The car's only done 15,000 miles if thats something to do with it?
Either way, i've been driving carefully, a/c is off and i've not been driving like an idiot. Kept the revs nice and low (but not too low) and im just seeing no real big increase in economy...
I've borrowed a 2011 Avensis diesel and driven it for the last few days and it averages 34mpg. It's a lovely car, the sat nav and reverse camera are perfect, but really, just 9mpg more than a 3.0 petrol?
I thought these modern diesels were meant to get me to the moon and back on half a tank?
The car's only done 15,000 miles if thats something to do with it?
Either way, i've been driving carefully, a/c is off and i've not been driving like an idiot. Kept the revs nice and low (but not too low) and im just seeing no real big increase in economy...
Wafflesmk2 said:
I've got a petrol which will average about 25mpg.
I've borrowed a 2011 Avensis diesel and driven it for the last few days and it averages 34mpg. It's a lovely car, the sat nav and reverse camera are perfect, but really, just 9mpg more than a 3.0 petrol?
I thought these modern diesels were meant to get me to the moon and back on half a tank?
The car's only done 15,000 miles if thats something to do with it?
Either way, i've been driving carefully, a/c is off and i've not been driving like an idiot. Kept the revs nice and low (but not too low) and im just seeing no real big increase in economy...
Think diseasels make more sense for steady motorway speeds, I'm dissapointed by my 26mpg around town in my 530DI've borrowed a 2011 Avensis diesel and driven it for the last few days and it averages 34mpg. It's a lovely car, the sat nav and reverse camera are perfect, but really, just 9mpg more than a 3.0 petrol?
I thought these modern diesels were meant to get me to the moon and back on half a tank?
The car's only done 15,000 miles if thats something to do with it?
Either way, i've been driving carefully, a/c is off and i've not been driving like an idiot. Kept the revs nice and low (but not too low) and im just seeing no real big increase in economy...
Wafflesmk2 said:
I've got a petrol which will average about 25mpg.
I've borrowed a 2011 Avensis diesel and driven it for the last few days and it averages 34mpg. It's a lovely car, the sat nav and reverse camera are perfect, but really, just 9mpg more than a 3.0 petrol?
It's still quite a lot better - every 100 miles you'll be a gallon better off.I've borrowed a 2011 Avensis diesel and driven it for the last few days and it averages 34mpg. It's a lovely car, the sat nav and reverse camera are perfect, but really, just 9mpg more than a 3.0 petrol?
The Toyota D-4D diesel's aren't noted for good economy though. But you should be getting 40MPG+ on a run.
Deva Link said:
It's still quite a lot better - every 100 miles you'll be a gallon better off.
I think I'd want a tad more than 6 quid saving every 100 miles to go from 6 cylinder petrol power (as per the OP) to 4 cylinder taxicab power.Especially as that £6 per 100 miles will need to go into the new turbo/injectors/dmf/dpf bucket rather than my pocket.
I applaud your enthusiastic driving of the diesel - either that or there's something wrong with it.
I run a fleet of 5 Fiat Ducato vans (2.3 JTD), and we're averaging better than that with delivery drivers!
My wife is getting nearly 50 mpg out of her A5 TDI (drops to 40 mpg with me at the wheel). I can even get over 30 mpg out of my LR Discovery on a long motorway run.
ETA: I'm in Belgium so we work on litres/100km. Hopefully I haven't messed up the conversion.
I run a fleet of 5 Fiat Ducato vans (2.3 JTD), and we're averaging better than that with delivery drivers!
My wife is getting nearly 50 mpg out of her A5 TDI (drops to 40 mpg with me at the wheel). I can even get over 30 mpg out of my LR Discovery on a long motorway run.
ETA: I'm in Belgium so we work on litres/100km. Hopefully I haven't messed up the conversion.
The 15k miles might be something to do with it, either that or theres something wrong with it!
Before, I had a Lupo which was doing circa 50mpg doing 60-65mph on my commute of 130miles. I was filling it up 3 times a week, costing me aroun £90-100 at the time.
Have got myself a 110 TDI Toledo now, which is £50 to fill every week, and it manages to do 50 mpg all day long and thats with me not hanging around!
In my opinion diesels work best on the motorway if you - like me - cant afford to run a usual petrol car day in day out, but in town they're probably not as good?
Before, I had a Lupo which was doing circa 50mpg doing 60-65mph on my commute of 130miles. I was filling it up 3 times a week, costing me aroun £90-100 at the time.
Have got myself a 110 TDI Toledo now, which is £50 to fill every week, and it manages to do 50 mpg all day long and thats with me not hanging around!
In my opinion diesels work best on the motorway if you - like me - cant afford to run a usual petrol car day in day out, but in town they're probably not as good?
CatfishCKY said:
Before, I had a Lupo which was doing circa 50mpg doing 60-65mph on my commute of 130miles. I was filling it up 3 times a week, costing me aroun £90-100 at the time.
Have got myself a 110 TDI Toledo now, which is £50 to fill every week, and it manages to do 50 mpg all day long and thats with me not hanging around!
Errr?Have got myself a 110 TDI Toledo now, which is £50 to fill every week, and it manages to do 50 mpg all day long and thats with me not hanging around!
Your 50mpg petrol car cost you £100 a week but your 50mpg diesel car costs you £50 a week? How does that work, given you are using the same quantity of fuel and petrol costs less?
Maybe im driving it wrong?
Im keeping the revs as low as possible and in the highest gear i can manage, without the engine starting to struggle.
Im usually sitting around 1100rpm, 5th gear at 30mph as an example.
Am i sitting it to low, causing the engine to work harder? (even though it feels like its working ok).
Im keeping the revs as low as possible and in the highest gear i can manage, without the engine starting to struggle.
Im usually sitting around 1100rpm, 5th gear at 30mph as an example.
Am i sitting it to low, causing the engine to work harder? (even though it feels like its working ok).
The new Focus with a one litre engine really does beg the question.
It is` a turbo it does perform well and has remarkable performance and exceptional MPG.
There are none of the disadvantages of diesel in a car like this.
Theses are IMO
1) Significantly more initial cost,
2) Not a lot better mpg see above,
3) Smell and unpleasant handling of diesel,
4) Greater servicing costs
5) Significantly more expensive fuel
Overall cost benefit of diesel?
Small IMO unless you do big mileages and not much good then.
Diesel engines should last longer but I have seem modern petrol engines happily exceeding 250,00 mile4s without engine change. How long do you want?
It is` a turbo it does perform well and has remarkable performance and exceptional MPG.
There are none of the disadvantages of diesel in a car like this.
Theses are IMO
1) Significantly more initial cost,
2) Not a lot better mpg see above,
3) Smell and unpleasant handling of diesel,
4) Greater servicing costs
5) Significantly more expensive fuel
Overall cost benefit of diesel?
Small IMO unless you do big mileages and not much good then.
Diesel engines should last longer but I have seem modern petrol engines happily exceeding 250,00 mile4s without engine change. How long do you want?
It's an eye opener to do the maths on usage - I don't do enough miles to make an oil burner worth while, esp as derv is now circa 10p a litre more than petrol - modern petrol lumps tend to be not far off their diesel equivalents these days - most recent example for me is the 105bhp 1.2 tsi vag engine vs the 105bhp vag 1.6 tdi. Fuel use wise I got 50mpg average out of the tdi on a run from Norwich to Bristol, the petrol (both were golfs) managed 46mpg on the same journey - performance wise, the tsi petrol was in a different league in terms of responsiveness and driver enjoyment
morgrp said:
It's an eye opener to do the maths on usage - I don't do enough miles to make an oil burner worth while, esp as derv is now circa 10p a litre more than petrol - modern petrol lumps tend to be not far off their diesel equivalents these days - most recent example for me is the 105bhp 1.2 tsi vag engine vs the 105bhp vag 1.6 tdi. Fuel use wise I got 50mpg average out of the tdi on a run from Norwich to Bristol, the petrol (both were golfs) managed 46mpg on the same journey - performance wise, the tsi petrol was in a different league in terms of responsiveness and driver enjoyment
Precisely. Diminishing returns with diesel IMO.
Overpriced initially and expensive to fuel up, not great performers except on Autobahns where the lugging power is impressive.
Cross country and everyday driving?
Not for me.
Steffan said:
Precisely.
Diminishing returns with diesel IMO.
Overpriced initially and expensive to fuel up, not great performers except on Autobahns where the lugging power is impressive.
Cross country and everyday driving?
Not for me.
All wrong , put this way . Would you rather drive a 1.2 fiesta with 80bhp or a 2l tdi saloon with at least 140 bhp. It's really quite easyDiminishing returns with diesel IMO.
Overpriced initially and expensive to fuel up, not great performers except on Autobahns where the lugging power is impressive.
Cross country and everyday driving?
Not for me.
Wafflesmk2 said:
Maybe im driving it wrong?
Im keeping the revs as low as possible and in the highest gear i can manage, without the engine starting to struggle.
Im usually sitting around 1100rpm, 5th gear at 30mph as an example.
Am i sitting it to low, causing the engine to work harder? (even though it feels like its working ok).
I wouldn't drive at such low revs in a 4cyl car whatever the MPG implications. It can't be good for the bottom end, engine mounts etc, and the car won't respond at all if you eed it to. My 5 cyl diesel auto Merc can't even be manually put into 5th below about 45MPH.Im keeping the revs as low as possible and in the highest gear i can manage, without the engine starting to struggle.
Im usually sitting around 1100rpm, 5th gear at 30mph as an example.
Am i sitting it to low, causing the engine to work harder? (even though it feels like its working ok).
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff