Should I buy a diesel car

blorg

aodh_rua wrote:

Last thing - if you'd rather go for a dealer rather than buy and sell check out www.carzone.ie . It's got a pretty up to date list of what second hand machines the dealers currently have on offer.

This search will limit you to diesels; you can also select diesel only from the advanced used car search page.

knifey_spoonie

kbannon wrote:

brilliant idea except it is a prius!
http://www.jsonline.com/wheels/peak/autoshow2001/prius.jpg
http://www.ott.doe.gov/hev/images/prius.jpg
http://www.part.cz/images/auto-moto/vize36_toyota_prius_8t.jpg

Thats the old model one ,ive been to dublin in the new one the comp said an average of 59 MPG

http://www.toyota.ie/prius/index.htm take a look see

Lets compare prices
Avensis diesel with auto box climate control = 36,???

Prius with auto box climate control touch screen proformance of a 2l petrol =28000

dcGT

knife_fighter wrote:

http://www.toyota.ie/prius/index.htm take a look see

Fact number 3:
"Is driven by Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio"

Oh well that settles it, I'm getting one! *Runs to the Toyota dealer*

DC.

impr0v

dcGT wrote:

Fact number 3:
"Is driven by Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio"

Oh well that settles it, I'm getting one! *Runs to the Toyota dealer*

DC.

Was gonna quote that as well. What a stupid point, yet it makes number three on the priority list of all that's good about the car. I'm not in the market for a prius, but I would refuse to even consider buying a car when I'm treated like a dumbass by the marketeers hired to sell it. And the new one looks disgusting too.

BJsUs

Thinking along the same lines myself, family size car, diesel, purely for economical reasons until that is my search led me ino a Toyota showroom looking at a model I did not recognise. The showroom sales person introduced me to the above mentioned "2005 - Car of the Year".Haven't decided yet but I'm impressed. Down to Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi or the Toyota Prius

Any comments would be appreciated.

Also check www.fueleconomy.gov website (American) but there is some good data on diesel engines.

unkel

This must be the day of the Resurrection of the Dead Threads *shivers*

lomb

wasnt impressed by the MKV diesel golf, sounded like a tractor, theres no way id pay 27000 for that. diesel still has a long way to come.

also drove a s320cdi 04, and again was unimpressed by cabin noise, no way id spend 100 grand to listen to that crap. very powerful though but still noisy.

if u need to save money they are fine and have immensely improved but otherwise id veeer well away. might b worth looking into in the future

mike65

lomb wrote:

wasnt impressed by the MKV diesel golf, sounded like a tractor, theres no way id pay 27000 for that. diesel still has a long way to come.

I was at the Volkswagen/Audi/Mercedes dealer in town on Wednesday and outside the parts dept was a mk 5 diesel Golf, engine running. Iit was very noisy, it was proberly still not warm but nonetheless it was suprisingly
vocal. I would imagine its a lot quieter inside.

Mike.

lomb

mike65 wrote:

I was at the Volkswagen/Audi/Mercedes dealer in town on Wednesday and outside the parts dept was a mk 5 diesel Golf, engine running. Iit was very noisy, it was proberly still not warm but nonetheless it was suprisingly
vocal. I would imagine its a lot quieter inside.

Mike.

i know non diesel zeolets and on an honest comparison they are noisier inside but have plenty of power.
realistically every non molested petrol engined car ive driven, the engine is as smooth as a turbine. henry rolls would have been proud of even a modern 1.4litre engine for smoothness.
the s320cdi i drove was disappointing. the s320 petrol is a far superior car. in luxury cars noise matters. in repmobiles it doesnt, its that simple. different priorities for different people.

Renegade_Archer

You could do a lot worse than a 110bhp TDI Toledo - not the new shonky MPV looking thing, the one between 00 - 04 is the one to go for - closer gear ratios than the Octavia, looks better, and still cheaper than a Passat. Only drawback is the saloon boot - its big, but the entrance hatch isnt the biggest. Will still do 0-60 for you in under 10.



Regards


Ewan

lomb

i believe it is safe to say modern diesels are powerful and more refined than they have ever been.
however no diesel will probably ever be as smooth as a petrol, also no diesel will ever rev like a petrol does with the powerband much lower down.
there are many diesel company car drivers and van drivers singing the praise of the diesel engine because they have no other choice. yes they are fast but how many people tear away from traffic lights?
some people actually want refinement and diesels dont have it, not even the best that 100 grand will buy.

Mayshine

I think people should read up on gearing an its mutliplyer effect on engine torque at the wheels.

Simply put gears multiply (or in an overdrive gear they reduce) the amount of engine torque delivered to the wheels.

So acceleration felt by the driver is directly related only to the torque developed AND the gearing in use.

Because of the higher reving engine that petrol provides they can be geared to provide an increased multiplication effect on the engine torque at the wheels. I.e The Honda s2000 only produces 153lb/ft of torque but because it revs so high the car designed can alter the gearing to get a much larger torque increase at the wheels than a diesel car can even if the diesel engine provides 50% more torque

This also explains why the 30-70 statistic is so misleading. Unless it is through the gears, it will always favour a diesel because of the gear ratios used by typical diesel engine

Anyway lesson over for now but could you live with the sound of a diesel everyday. It is so soulless

DW

Dilbert75

After over four and a half years with a 2.0 diesel (Vectra Di), I've just moved back to 1.6 petrol (Picasso). As a 14k / year driver, the fuel savings were not quite up to the difference in tax and insurance (€170 pa on tax, probably €200 on insurance). The price per litre is only about 3c different around here. In the end it came down to the choice between a 2001 HDi, 60k, questionable history, lots of scrapes or 2002 petrol, 38k, well cared for. Both engines have 90 bhp.

Would I go back to diesel? Like a shot. The petrol is more refined, especially at idle (I've even mistaken the engine for not running when it was). But on the go its got less go, especially on hills. A diesel is louder at idle but more relaxed when on the go. Its got more pull for overtaking. Fewer gear changes.

It doesn't matter to me whether the multiplier effect increases the torque at the wheels, it doesn't matter whether the torque curve is flatter or peakier. Diesel is more comfortable to drive from day to day.

Capt'n Midnight

another reason for using a diesel is if you want to run alternative fuels
of course marked gas oil is illegal , but is waste chipper oil ?

lomb

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

...l is illegal , but is waste chipper oil ?

in a word yes.
alot of country folk fill their cars with marked gas oil. i think the gardai should be out dipping every diesel car on a fairly quiet country road, but maybe this would be politically unpopular :rolleyes: