Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Open discussion about any topic, as long as you abide by the rules of course!
Post Reply
User avatar
Whiskey 7
Posts: 9709
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2001 7:00 am

Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Whiskey 7 »

You are about to buy a new or a second had car......

I know the year is 2010 and there is the option of hybrid electric cars, but the question I pose is, do you consider diesel as a first fuel option or stick to petrol?

I am considering updating my wheels and ask your opinion as to a fuel choice at this time.

Diesel here is about the same price per litre/gallon as petrol and diesel cars are a little more expensive to buy (I think) so it nearly doesn't matter.

What's your thoughts?
[color=#FFBF00]Physicist [/color][color=#FF4000]of[/color] [color=#0000FF]Q3W[/color]
User avatar
Eraser
Posts: 19177
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Eraser »

Here in Europe diesel is far cheaper than petrol and these days diesel cars perform quite well. I'm not really up-to-date on the whole eco-friendliness of diesel but I thought the gap to petrol is mostly closed in that aspect.
Having said that, I do think road taxes are slightly higher for diesel cars here though.
DTS
Posts: 2879
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2000 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by DTS »

You do realise you'll get better mileage with deisel, so you'll save money that way, don't you?

Edit: Reading Eraser's post made me realise I should add that this is for new cars, old deisel cars are diffrerent, your mileage may vary :sly:
User avatar
seremtan
Posts: 36013
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by seremtan »

buy a velomobile, for laughs
phantasmagoria
Posts: 8525
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2003 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by phantasmagoria »

in the UK diesel's about the same price as petrol (even though it's cheaper to produce because it's less refined :offended: ) it goes further and with turbos etc it's got the same performance as petrol, so why you'd get a petrol car I don't really know :/
[size=85]
Don Carlos
Posts: 17509
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Don Carlos »

Diesel FTW

You can have a 200 bhp car that gives you 60mpg
werldhed
Posts: 4926
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by werldhed »

I would have preferred to buy a diesel... but here in the Land of the Free (Corporations) we just don't have the options.

In the end, the car we wanted only came w/ a petrol/gasoline engine, despite the fact that Audi is know for making nice TDI powerplants.

The only diesel vehicle that was close to what we wanted was a Jetta Sportwagen, but that was eliminated from our list for a variety of other reasons.

So yeah, I only have petrol/gasoline cars, but I wish that wasn't the case.
User avatar
Eraser
Posts: 19177
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Eraser »

You're calling a Jetta a sportscar? Or did you mean to say volkswagen?
werldhed
Posts: 4926
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by werldhed »

Eraser wrote:You're calling a Jetta a sportscar? Or did you mean to say volkswagen?
Neither.
http://www.vw.com/jettasportwagen/en/us/

:)
User avatar
Eraser
Posts: 19177
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Eraser »

oic. Didn't know they had that.
Doombrain
Posts: 23227
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2000 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Doombrain »

I had a BMW 330d, 260bhp, 0-62 <6.5sec and faster to 50mph then the new M3. i always got 46mpg out of it.
Don Carlos
Posts: 17509
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Don Carlos »

The 3 litre BMW diesel is a top engine. the 3.5 is a monster...
Nightshade
Posts: 17020
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Nightshade »

I would very seriously consider getting a diesel (especially a BMW) for my next vehicle. Diesel prices are much higher than gas in the US, have been since Katrina, much I think the mileage increase would more than offset that.
One of my clients drive a diesel Mercedes wagon and he runs it on biodiesel or waste cooking oil. In addition to that awesome french fry smell, I have to admit that there's a lot to be said for not going to a gas station anymore. Securing the oil supply might be a pain in the ass, but it's beats paying $3 a gallon at the pump.
m4shke
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:11 pm

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by m4shke »

Diesel is about 4$ cheaper here so I'd go with it
User avatar
PhoeniX
Posts: 4067
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2000 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by PhoeniX »

Doombrain wrote:I had a BMW 330d, 260bhp, 0-62 <6.5sec and faster to 50mph then the new M3. i always got 46mpg out of it.
What was the yearly running cost like of those? I'm seriously considering one as my next car but I hear BMWs are expensive to maintain.
Doombrain
Posts: 23227
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2000 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Doombrain »

indeed, kiss good buy to your expendable cash.

BMW 330d SE
Price: £29,390
Engine: 2993 cc 24 valve straight six turbodiesel
Power: 231 bhp at 4000 rpm
Torque: 339 lb/ft at 1750 rpm
0-62 mph: 6.7 seconds, 155 mph top speed
(electronically limited, official figure.)
43.5 mpg combined, 175 g/km CO2

mine was a company car on a year lease but got rid quickly because the tax band shot up on emissions.
Don Carlos
Posts: 17509
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Don Carlos »

Nightshade wrote:but it's beats paying $3 a gallon at the pump.
:olo:

$3 = £1.96
1 Gallon = 4.5 litres
Your fuel is £0.435 per litre

I pay £1.26 per litre
1 Gallon = 4.5 litres
£1.26 * 4.5 = £5.67
$8.65 a Gallon
Where were you when the West was defeated?
[url=http://profile.mygamercard.net/doncarlos83][img]http://card.mygamercard.net/gbar/doncarlos83.gif[/img][/url]
prince1000
Posts: 1892
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2001 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by prince1000 »

PhoeniX wrote:
Doombrain wrote:I had a BMW 330d, 260bhp, 0-62 <6.5sec and faster to 50mph then the new M3. i always got 46mpg out of it.
What was the yearly running cost like of those? I'm seriously considering one as my next car but I hear BMWs are expensive to maintain.
any german car in the us is expensive. i average around $142 per month in repairs on my aging passat, which i've owned for 4 years.
Nightshade
Posts: 17020
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Nightshade »

Don Carlos wrote: :olo:

$3 = £1.96
1 Gallon = 4.5 litres
Your fuel is £0.435 per litre

I pay £1.26 per litre
1 Gallon = 4.5 litres
£1.26 * 4.5 = £5.67
$8.65 a Gallon
Annnnnd you're laughing for what reason exactly? :olo:
phantasmagoria
Posts: 8525
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2003 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by phantasmagoria »

because it's fucking ridiculous :(
[size=85]
Don Carlos
Posts: 17509
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Don Carlos »

Nightshade wrote:
Don Carlos wrote: :olo:

$3 = £1.96
1 Gallon = 4.5 litres
Your fuel is £0.435 per litre

I pay £1.26 per litre
1 Gallon = 4.5 litres
£1.26 * 4.5 = £5.67
$8.65 a Gallon
Annnnnd you're laughing for what reason exactly? :olo:
Laughing at you bitching about $3 a gallon good sir
Where were you when the West was defeated?
[url=http://profile.mygamercard.net/doncarlos83][img]http://card.mygamercard.net/gbar/doncarlos83.gif[/img][/url]
User avatar
Whiskey 7
Posts: 9709
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2001 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Whiskey 7 »

Thanks all for your thoughts thus far.

I had my petrol A160 serviced the other day and my loan car was one of these..

Image

Brand new beast with something like 1,000 k on the odometer :paranoid: and they gave it to me for the day.

Having some shopping to do in a centre miles from home I just had to take it for a run. It wasn't until the return trip I thought this could be a diesel, and I was right. Kinda changed my mind on diesel as a fuel choice.

Just for interest they added I needed to spend $4,000 (AUD) on basically a $15,000 vehicle so I am seriously considering an upgrade soon. There is a strange but random fault on the little beast in the transmission :yawn:

Funny too, I've never heard a bad car diesel story, so if you have one please tell :)
[color=#FFBF00]Physicist [/color][color=#FF4000]of[/color] [color=#0000FF]Q3W[/color]
Nightshade
Posts: 17020
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Nightshade »

Don Carlos wrote:
Laughing at you bitching about $3 a gallon good sir
Not bitching exactly, but I'm definitely laughing at what you have to pay.
User avatar
Whiskey 7
Posts: 9709
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2001 7:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by Whiskey 7 »

Nightshade wrote:
Don Carlos wrote:
Laughing at you bitching about $3 a gallon good sir
Not bitching exactly, but I'm definitely laughing at what you have to pay.
:smirk: Just as a matter on international money interest.....

I did say petrol and diesel here are about the same price. On the weekend it was $1.37 a litre, that's about $6.20 (AUD) a gallon.
[color=#FFBF00]Physicist [/color][color=#FF4000]of[/color] [color=#0000FF]Q3W[/color]
AmIdYfReAk
Posts: 6926
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2000 8:00 am

Re: Diesel or petrol - What's your fuel choice?

Post by AmIdYfReAk »

Well, i love my VR6, And I'm waiting to swap a 1.8T in to a car.

but I've recently bought, repaired, and have been driving a B4 Passat with a diesel... And its making me second guess my 1.8T swap.

To be able to deliver ~250Ft.lbs of torque basically off idle, AND Still get ~5.9L/100km+ blows me away. ( thats ~40mpg for you yanks )
Post Reply