Are diesels truly dead?

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Sun 24 Jan 2021 21:32
Are diesels truly dead? - movilogo

Typically people bought diesels for following reasons:

1. High torque at low RPM. Modern turbo diesels have similar kind of torque. So this is no longer a diesel only feature.

2. Better mileage. Now with pandemic 5 days long commute every day is not coming back. So need for long commute will be much less. More so, when people are not commuting long, especially the situation now, car will be used for short journeys which is bad for DPF.

So why one would go for diesel - unless having specific needs like large 4x4 in farms etc.?

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Sun 24 Jan 2021 22:05
Are diesels truly dead? - RT

Some jobs will move and be home-based but the vast majority won't.

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Sun 24 Jan 2021 22:21
Are diesels truly dead? - alan1302


2. Better mileage. Now with pandemic 5 days long commute every day is not coming back.

You only need to look at the roads during the week to see plenty of travelling still taking place.

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Sun 24 Jan 2021 22:55
Are diesels truly dead? - pd

Values of used diesels still very strong, in fact have strengthened this year even more than a very strong market for used car values.

They tick loads of boxes in the way others don't.

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Sun 24 Jan 2021 23:28
Are diesels truly dead? - Avant

I think this will depend on the extent to which people start driving long journeys again. Sales people will need to be on the road again, and even those who drive to meetings may find that building relationships is never quite the same with Zoom.

So I'd ask the question again at, say, the end of the year. Small diesels will disappear I'm sure: modern petrol engines like the VAG TSI 1.0 and 1.5 are almost as economical as diesels, and nicer to drive. Diesel may have a few more years in bigger cars where you can do a long trip there and back on one tankful. OK, you need to stop for your own refreshment, but you don't want to buy fuel at motorway service prices.

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Mon 25 Jan 2021 11:03
Are diesels truly dead? - Alby Back
We have three cars here, a large diesel estate that is mostly mine, a medium sized petrol SUV that is mostly my wife's, and a petrol hatchback that is mostly my son's. But we do mix and match their usage depending on who needs what type of vehicle and when.

I'm keeping the diesel for now on the assumption that I will eventually return to high mileage usage, but who knows. We are deliberately trying not to use it for short runs anyway at the moment in case that upsets it, so it's really only going out if the journey will get the engine fully warm.

In truth, the one that is getting used the most right now is the petrol Qashqai. Big enough to get people and stuff in, old enough that I'm not that bothered if it dislikes the short runs, and it has Crossclimates on it which at least feel like a good idea in current cold weather.

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Mon 25 Jan 2021 17:10
Are diesels truly dead? - skidpan

modern petrol engines like the VAG TSI 1.0 and 1.5 are almost as economical as diesels, and nicer to drive.

Totally agree.

We have had 2 1.4 TSi's (a 140 PS Leon and a 150 PS Superb) and currently have a 1.0 TSi 110 PS in a Fabia. The Leon replaced a 143 PS BW 118D, the Leon was faster, more flexible, more refined and instead of the 48 mpg (calculated) that the BMW averaged the Leon still averaged 45 mpg (calculated again). Factor in the price difference of about 6p a litre and that gap closes slightly.

The Leon was replaced by the Superb which despite being a much bigger and heavier car still managed to average 45 mpg (it surprised me).

The comparison I will use for the Fabia is our old Golf Mk 3 TDi. The 2 cars are virtually identical in size but with the addition of modern safety kit etc the Fabia is much heavier. Both have identical 148 torques but those in the Fabia are available over a much wider rev band. The Fabia does have an extra 20 PS and certainly feels far more lively and does not sound like a tractor. Over the 7 years we owned the Golf it averaged about 48 mpg, we have only owned the Fabia coming up 3 years but it averaging 49 mpg so far.

So to your question is the diesel dead, it is for us. Especially when you consider how much more a diesel costs to buy new.

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Mon 25 Jan 2021 18:24
Are diesels truly dead? - RT

Diesels are certainly dying for those buying new cars, but for those who buy used or keep their cars a long time, diesels are far from dead - I've added a small petrol city car to our fleet to use for the short journeys so our big diesel SUV is likely to outlive me.

We have long towing trips a few times a year - whilst there are EVs that will tow, their range is reduced considerably from published figures to around half so the extended breaks to recharge would make them trips to be endured rather than enjoyed.

I think my daughter-in-law will need to look at an EV to replace her petrol Hyundai I30 and my son could probably use a PHEV to replace his diesel Octavia but neither of them will be changing any time soon.

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Mon 25 Jan 2021 21:42
Are diesels truly dead? - daveyK_UK
Diesels will continue due to manufacturers having Co2 targets in the EU

Some very good pre reg deals on diesels
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