Will I get away with a diesel?

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 17:20
Will I get away with a diesel? - balleballe

I enjoy driving turbo cars, but petrol turbo cars are thirsty. The only exception I am aware of is VAG's 1.4 TSI but that's currently above my budget.

I work generally work 7 days a week and trying to figure out if my driving pattern will be ok with a dpf

5 days a week I am local - so 2.5 miles to work. The other 2 days a week I am approx 40 miles away from home.

the supermarkets/butcher are 5 miles away

2 times a month I travel to my in-laws who are 120 miles away, and once every couple of months I travel to my parents who live 220 miles away.

I do around 17-20k miles a year.

Should I stick to petrol or will I be ok with a diesel? Opinions please

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 17:36
Will I get away with a diesel? - S40 Man

If it was me at 17k miles I'd go for diesel. You will spend a lot less on fuel for an equivalently sized model. Lots of people here say your runnung costs will be a lit higher with the likelihood of expensive failure. I've had a mk 1 focus diesel tdci a Volvo s40 d and currently a mk4 Mondeo tdci. I haven't had any common diesel issues such as dpf or fly wheel problems. A petrol will cost more to run if the equivalence diesel doesn't break down. If you like a regular drip drip drip for petrol or risk of occasional flood for diesel. I am an optimist and hope the car I choose is reliable. Diesel for me.

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 17:59
Will I get away with a diesel? - balleballe

Thanks for the reply.

I know BMW's generally dont have many DPF issues so very tempted. Can pick up an 07 plate 318/320d with 100k on the clock for only £5000

The other car which is on my radar is the Mitsubishi Lancer with the VW diesel engine, but there's not a great deal of info on the web regarding potential issues which puts me off a little

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 18:16
Will I get away with a diesel? - scot22

I have suffered significant expense with a diesel. The majority of my posts are no to diesel.

However, with your driving needs I would think a diesel will probably be fine. Do make sure the needed temperature for the engine and keep any dpf O.K is achieved when you can.

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 21:49
Will I get away with a diesel? - Avant

(Post appeared in the wrong place)

Edited by Avant on 07/12/2014 at 21:51

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 19:37
Will I get away with a diesel? - craig-pd130

That's similar to my driving pattern (3.5 miles to work, 3.5 miles home again 5 days a week, with occasional longer journeys). No DPF regeneration problems in the past 6 years (Mondeo IV 2.0TDCI, Volvo V60 D3 and D4).

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 20:54
Will I get away with a diesel? - scot22

I'm envious ! just goes to show how people's experiences can vary. I like Volvos but most seem to be diesels. Have I just been unlucky ?

Apologies for going off thread but do diesel or petrol engines suit automatic more ?

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 21:35
Will I get away with a diesel? - oldtoffee

>>>Can pick up an 07 plate 318/320d with 100k on the clock for only £5000

Check out BMW owner forums for failed turbos on that engine series, especially so at that mileage. Plenty of owner experiences.

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Mon 8 Dec 2014 08:46
Will I get away with a diesel? - balleballe

>>>Can pick up an 07 plate 318/320d with 100k on the clock for only £5000

Check out BMW owner forums for failed turbos on that engine series, especially so at that mileage. Plenty of owner experiences.

Thanks. I'll check it out. I've seen a few on autotrader that have already had the clutch/DMF replaced but curiously none with the turbo recently replaced. Perhaps this is the reason people are getting rid?

Any idea when the turbo issue was rectified?

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Mon 8 Dec 2014 09:28
Will I get away with a diesel? - gordonbennet
Any idea when the turbo issue was rectified?

IMO turbo (and other) issues won't be rectfied whilst these frankly ridiculous oil change intervals continue, plus a bit of driver care in the form of gentle warming up and cooling down doesn't go amiss, problem being that the vast majority of turbo Diesels are bought leased or rented with the intention of being shifted on once warranty expires or before, so driven and serviced with long term durability of no concern.

Many turbos are replaced unecessarily, many might only require a clean up or some variable vane specific parts fitting, but we live in the throwaway age so a complete unit it is.

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 22:04
Will I get away with a diesel? - gordonbennet

I'm envious ! just goes to show how people's experiences can vary. I like Volvos but most seem to be diesels. Have I just been unlucky ?

Apologies for going off thread but do diesel or petrol engines suit automatic more ?

Powerful Diesels make excellent autos, preferably 6 cyls, but then the same can be said for petrols.

The only 4 cyl Diesels i've found that sound right are the 3.0 litre Toyota units found in Hilux/Landcruiser, properly set up you hear the turbo spool up nicely from just over 1000 rpm, provides a pleasant backing track to the engines which do not sound strained even when pushed hard, old school lorry-like.

I think you have been unlucky, most of us have had excellent service from our older Diesels, i ran them from the 80's without any serious problems** i couldn't fix myself, but DPF's and DMF's are a step too far for me.

**the 07 plate 3 litre Hilux injectors started to rattle (no running issues just excess noise) and Toyota shoved a new set in under goodwill...known problem...so maybe that was writing enough on the wall for me.

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 21:51
Will I get away with a diesel? - Avant

There are plenty of good diesel automatics, Scot, but you have to make sure you can live with the droning noise that you get with a combination of 4 cylinders, diesel and automatic. I had a Mercedes B200CDI a few cars ago and it was truly awful, but there are quieter diesel engines around and you may be able to live with one.

Balleballe, I agree wth the others: if the new generation of efficient, economical petrol engines is too new to be within budget, your mileage justifies a diesel. From experience of reading posts on here, the make with the best chance of providing you with a reliable used diesel is Ford.

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 22:20
Will I get away with a diesel? - RT

There's something rather leisurely about a high-torque turbo-diesel putting it's output through a torque converter that can double the already high torque - and keep the power on during traffic light grand prix gearchanges.

With the exception of the Japanese ultra-high revving petrol engines, no 4-cylinder sounds any good, petrol or diesel so get one that's quiet - the less you hear it the better.

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Sun 7 Dec 2014 23:31
Will I get away with a diesel? - Bromptonaut

Those mileages should be fine for a diesel with DPF. As long as it gets thoroughly warmed up one or twice week it'll be fine.

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Mon 8 Dec 2014 12:31
Will I get away with a diesel? - gordonbennet

Thats an interesting report from HJ, i'm shocked at how much petrol was used, and can't but wonder why petrol is being used at the same time as propane.

My own two LPG'd cars use petrol to start and they run on petrol till warm, after that they swicth to gas and use no petrol at all as far as i know, in practice unless its very cold by the time i've sorted me windows out and got me bits and pieces together the changeover will normally have happened before i drive off, even in the coldest weather from an instant start/drive within two miles.

Whats the catch with this Focus, it can't be for the extra power needing additional petrol as both my 6 pot cars are over 200hp and, taking into account the slight loss of sparkle with gas running, neither are appreciably lacking in oomph...to be fair i wouldn't want an already underpowered petrol car converting to LPG, that would be a miserable thing indeed.

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Tue 9 Dec 2014 15:50
Will I get away with a diesel? - hillman

I suggest the you firstly read through the post by Brum, Death of the Diesel Car.

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Tue 9 Dec 2014 20:16
Will I get away with a diesel? - balleballe

I suggest the you firstly read through the post by Brum, Death of the Diesel Car.

It's ok, I'm nowhere near London, and I'll probably have gotten rid of it in a few years anyway

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Tue 9 Dec 2014 21:21
Will I get away with a diesel? - Bobbin Threadbare
The HJ report is interesting. I'm running a manual petrol hybrid for what looks like it'll be 20-22k miles pa. Three months in...
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Wed 10 Dec 2014 00:27
Will I get away with a diesel? - Avant

Interesting, Bobbin - I thought that all hybrids were automatics. Clearly not - do let us know what sort of car it is, and is it good for the mileage you're doing?

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Wed 10 Dec 2014 17:52
Will I get away with a diesel? - Bobbin Threadbare

Interesting, Bobbin - I thought that all hybrids were automatics. Clearly not - do let us know what sort of car it is, and is it good for the mileage you're doing?

It's a Honda CR-Z. I think they are the only manual hybrid out there (in the UK at least). So far, so good. I am not known for my slow and economical driving style however, but I am getting a decent mpg out of it and it's better than the mpg on a MX-5! Ugh I couldn't have gone for an automatic! Diesel never entered my mind, either. A chap I work with runs a very lovely Octavia VRS petrol, and gets very good mpg out of it; he also never entertained a diesel.
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Wed 10 Dec 2014 19:16
Will I get away with a diesel? - hillman

I'm a converted auto fan, but not so with diesel (smelly stuff).

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Wed 10 Dec 2014 21:15
Will I get away with a diesel? - hillman

I must admit that diesel in safer than petrol to handle. My father was called up during WWII and put to work on vehicle maintenance. He was used to petrol engines and when he saw the GIs (Americans) starting their diesel engined trucks during the very cold winter of 1943/44 he felt very unsafe. They would stuff newspaper and rags around the inlet manifold and set it alight to warm the manifold before attempting to start the engine. You couldn't do that with a petrol engine.

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Thu 11 Dec 2014 06:57
Will I get away with a diesel? - Happy Blue!

I have a Ford 2.0TDCi with auto in an S-max. 10,000 miles a year, similar driving otherwise to the OP. No problems, no issues, nothing. Inside it is quiet, smooth and comfortable. Who cares about outside noise? It is powerful yet economical. Whats not to like?

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Thu 11 Dec 2014 18:52
Will I get away with a diesel? - balleballe

Looking at an s40 2.0D. lovely car inside, shame it's discontinued

In 2008 some were euro 4 with no DPF, trying to track a decent one down!

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Thu 11 Dec 2014 20:25
Will I get away with a diesel? - RT

British truckers were doing something similar in the bitter winter of '63 - lighting a small bonfire under the fuel tank to get the diesel to flow.

Russian truckers have to leave their engines running all night otherwise they'd never start before spring!

Of course, petrol doesn't suffer from the cold in the same way.

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Fri 12 Dec 2014 12:39
Will I get away with a diesel? - dieseldogg

68,000 miles on a 4 year old 1.6TDI Octavia.

A lot of short/very-short week-a-day runs with longer drives at the weekends.

But I DO NOT KNOW the DPF exists.

But this engine/DPF installation was "designed-from-scratch" by VW.

Not a retro-fit bodged solution like earlier iterations.

Simples!

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Sat 13 Dec 2014 22:33
Will I get away with a diesel? - Avant

That sounds right, Dieseldogg. I believe that the chamber, or whatever you call it, for particulates was bigger in the post-09 VAG diesels, and DPF problems are therefore fewer.

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