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| Thread ID: 135839 | 2013-12-17 08:29:00 | Anyone with any experience of owning a small car with a diesel engine? | John H (8) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1362898 | 2013-12-17 20:11:00 | They are not exactly the zippiest things around to, although that may not bother you. This was true years ago, but modern diesels can go extremely well, the 2L Corolla is a good example of this, even the 1.4 feels like a 2L petrol to drive. |
Alex B (15479) | ||
| 1362899 | 2013-12-17 21:05:00 | I think if you run a cost analysis you find a second hand diesel car would cost more to run per year than a petrol. You well may not know stuff about about diesel Its cheaper per litre because there is more of it in refinery distillation stack Diesel has more heat energy (calories) than petrol by volume. Diesel engine more efficient because of higher compression. But all of this undone by road tax and servicing costs, take a diesel engined car to the garage and they will sock it to you with the bill then some. If some one brings me a diesel engined family car to fix all I see is a Gold Coast holiday next month I am a heavy diesel mechanic and own a petrol car |
prefect (6291) | ||
| 1362900 | 2013-12-18 01:41:00 | Modern diesels huh.....compare apples with apples. A 2L petrol corolla versus the 2L diesel corolla. As for autos, I have to say I prefer manuals....but....if you drive in peak Akld traffic it's a fast way to kill your clutch. Which is why I now have an auto. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 1362901 | 2013-12-18 02:09:00 | Modern diesels huh.....compare apples with apples. A 2L petrol corolla versus the 2L diesel corolla. As for autos, I have to say I prefer manuals....but....if you drive in peak Akld traffic it's a fast way to kill your clutch. Which is why I now have an auto. OK, the 1AD-FTV diesel found in the Corolla makes 95kw with 310nm Torque, the 1.8 petrol 2ZR-FE (they don't make a 2L) makes 95kw and 171nm Torque. Want to take a punt on which one will go better given the torque difference? Even if you take 10% off to make way for displacement size you still end up with loads more torque. How do you like them apples? |
Alex B (15479) | ||
| 1362902 | 2013-12-18 02:09:00 | Modern diesels huh.....compare apples with apples. A 2L petrol corolla versus the 2L diesel corolla. As for autos, I have to say I prefer manuals....but....if you drive in peak Akld traffic it's a fast way to kill your clutch. Which is why I now have an auto. Indeed.. the joyous car parks or the North Western, Southern and Northern motorways at various times of the day. Not to mention the most magnificent inventions of on ramp traffic lights. |
Webdevguy (17166) | ||
| 1362903 | 2013-12-18 03:23:00 | What are traffic lights please? I acknowledge that automatics have their place if you live in a car infested swamp like ChCh, or the insanity of Auckland, and most taxi drivers seem to prefer automatics, which tells you something. However, out here in the boondocks I have yet to think of an advantage over manual. I spoke to someone I know out here about the diesel/petrol conundrum for a small vehicle, and he told me to talk to his car mechanic. I did that this am whilst the mechanic was trying to break into the diesel tank cap on our old campervan... He said he was not a diesel man, and wouldn't have one largely because of more expensive registration and the RUCs. However he said, "talk to my boss - he has had a Corolla diesel for some time and he loves it". I am beginning to suspect that this may not be an argument where the outcome is black and white! |
John H (8) | ||
| 1362904 | 2013-12-18 04:12:00 | I just am too wary of potential repair costs myself, my Father had a small diesel corolla for a while and loved it until it developed problems with the head, the repair bill was going to be $1-2K at least so he got rid of it. As for the automatic thing, I always preferred manual myself but have owned two automatics and they have both been perfectly fine. It's great in traffic and I find cruise control a lot more useful than I expected. I think saying they totally suck and are always in the wrong gear is an exaggeration. I'd translate that into "I prefer a manual and I don't always agree with the gear choice" myself. A lot of people manage to spend a great deal of time in the wrong gear even in a manual :P The one time I'd agree is when you find a hill at just the right angle to cause the auto to continuously change gear, very irritating but easily fixed by turning off overdrive or selecting a lower gear usually. (shock horror you can change gear yourself in an Auto). The thing is of course that Autos sell better in Japan and America so that's what the manufacturers make the most of. Tiptronic has gotten popular over the last few years because people like to be able to change gears themselves, not fussed on it personally. |
dugimodo (138) | ||
| 1362905 | 2013-12-18 04:51:00 | A friend of mine had two Hilux utes, one diesel, one petrol. The petrol one was cheaper to run due to fuel costs, RUC, registration extra and way over the top regular servicing costs. Neither broke down in the time he had them, but the petrol accelerated quicker, the diesel held speed on the hills better, the diesel wore out front tyres quicker. The petrol was just start, drive, and by the end of the drive the heater was working, the diesel was start, warm it up for a while, and the heater will start to work 3 or 4 km down the road. With the petrol, the trailer and the stuff on it were not covered in black powder. His neighbour was not aware of what time he left in the morning with the petrol, diesel - - err @#&!. So, he only has diesels for his tractors and boat now. Neighbours with diesels cold be regard as antisocial noise and air polluters; with eurotrash diesels; similar but also road oilers. In favour of neighbours with euro cars, the things are off a lot of the time awaiting parts and expensive labour, which makes a pleasantly enjoyable break from the noise and fumes. |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 1362906 | 2013-12-18 18:02:00 | the diesel held speed on the hills better, the diesel wore out front tyres quicker. The petrol was just start, drive, and by the end of the drive the heater was working, the diesel was start, warm it up for a while, and the heater will start to work 3 or 4 km down the road. With the petrol, the trailer and the stuff on it were not covered in black powder. . Husband had diesel utes for the last 20 years. He found, the acceleration is non-existent. Slow on hills, large trucks would pass us. The last one - a 2.3l - eventually got smokey and yes, it puts black filth all over everything. I could tell when he came home though, I could hear the tractor sound from way down the road. Heater worked great, didn't "warm up" his diesel, just wait for the glow plugs then starts. Glow plugs by the way cost a small fortune. It had pulling power and once, when he first got diesel utes they were cheap to run - not anymore. He used to pay 60c a litre....and normal rego costs. Now, he likes the acceleration and petrol isn't worse taking into account road tax and regos. Now he has the 1.6 Corolla |
pctek (84) | ||
| 1362907 | 2013-12-18 21:57:00 | I think the negatives are outweighing the positives about now! Thanks everyone. I don't think I would sleep well if I bought one, after having heard all the negative press they are getting. Pity, because I love the common rail diesel engine in the campervan. | John H (8) | ||
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