# Buying a diesel, what's different from petrol?



## Muffinb (25 Oct 2009)

Ok apart from the obvious being the fuel!

I believe the diesel engine will be more costly to repair as it takes longer, ie timing belt...

What else?? Am I just saving money of the fuel to end up paying for it in higher maintenance costs???

Insurance & tax the same??
Yearly service more expensive?

Anyone know??


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## Gulliver1 (25 Oct 2009)

*Re: Buying a diesel, whats different from petrol?*

Hi there

I have two cars - one being petrol, the other diesel.

The diesel is way more economical. Same price for services, the fact that one is diesel and one is petrol does not effect the price of the maintenance at all.


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## Muffinb (25 Oct 2009)

*Re: Buying a diesel, whats different from petrol?*

Mechanic told me that the timing belt on it would take twice as long and cost about 800 euro.... I presumed that the other stuff would be as expensive maybe its just the timing belt though?!

How much more fuel efficient is it, twice, one third, any idea??

Im thinking of buying a 2l diesel automatic and Im driving a 2L petrol at the mo so hoping to halve my fuel bills!! I reckon I get 260 miles from 50-55 euro , how would your do??

Thanks for the reply!


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## vandriver (25 Oct 2009)

I get 500 miles in my diesel for €60 (all city driving)


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## Gulliver1 (25 Oct 2009)

My diesel is 1.9 and 45 Euro gets me 630 miles exactly.

My timing belt was done last week for 75 euro (mechanic friend did it for me at cost price) - 800 is scandalous!!!


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## crabbybear (25 Oct 2009)

Diesel Mondeos 2001 version don't a timing belt but chain which doesn't need to changed every x amount of miles.


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## Brighid (25 Oct 2009)

I own a suzuki diesel and I am told that I dont have a timing belt just a chain that doesnt require servicing for quite some time!!


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## Ancutza (26 Oct 2009)

Once you drive a diesel you'll never want to drive a petrol car again.


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## krissovo (26 Oct 2009)

Every engine is different, some will taker longer than others to change the timming belt.  If fact most tasks on all cars will have variable tasks.

Diesel engines have numerous advantages over petrol engines from the top of my head some these would be

- Efficiency, in diesels more of the fuel is converted to useable energy hence the mpg is much higher.  Put your hand over the exhaust of a petrol and compare that to a diesel you will find the petrol exhaust much hotter.  This is due to more of the hest being converted to power.
- Reliabilty, damp electrics generally do not trouble diesels and a heavier construction of the engine means they can keep going for longer also there is less to go wrong


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## Mpsox (26 Oct 2009)

Ancutza said:


> Once you drive a diesel you'll never want to drive a petrol car again.


 
Absoolutely agree with that. 

I have a Peugot 308Tdi, wife has the petrol version of it, (she does far less mileage then me). We've found no difference in servicing costs between the 2

As for mileage, I drive around 600km a week and normally top the tank up on a monday morning and have change out of €40


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## gipimann (26 Oct 2009)

If you buy a newer diesel which is road taxed under the CO2 table, you could pay a lot less than a petrol car - I'm hoping to change my 07 petrol (1.5l - road tax 360 per year or so) for an 09 diesel (nissan note 1.5l - 104 road tax per year) if the price is right!


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## tosullivan (26 Oct 2009)

gipimann said:


> If you buy a newer diesel which is road taxed under the CO2 table, you could pay a lot less than a petrol car - I'm hoping to change my 07 petrol (1.5l - road tax 360 per year or so) for an 09 diesel (nissan note 1.5l - 104 road tax per year) if the price is right!


don't do it.....gotta be better options than the Nissan Note


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## Muffinb (26 Oct 2009)

Thanks everyone for such positive replys!! delighted with that!!

Im going to test drive & get it checked over and hopefully buy this week!!


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## gipimann (26 Oct 2009)

tosullivan said:


> don't do it.....gotta be better options than the Nissan Note


 
There may be better options, but they've got a bigger price tag than my budget will allow


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## MandaC (26 Oct 2009)

Ancutza said:


> Once you drive a diesel you'll never want to drive a petrol car again.



I second this.  I was driving a 1.4 tsi petrol car up to a couple of weeks ago and was costing me average 35/40 for 500kms.  I switched to 2.0 tdi and 500km costs  around 25.  I did a stretch on the N7 yesterday and my fuel consumption which shows up on the computer dash was 4.7L per 100km.  That is excellent.  I dont think I would go back to a petrol car again.

Prior to the 1.4 petrol I had a 1ltr runaround.  I never measured the fuel consumption on this but was putting 25 per week petrol into it and doing similar mileage.

I took a bit of a bump in the insurance though as I went from 1 ltr to 2 ltr.


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## Guest128 (26 Oct 2009)

I think its worth mentioning that there is more to a car than its fuel consumption, which is a rather drab measure (though totally practical).
I drove a diesel for a week recently, 2.0 TDI Avensis - hated it. Turbo lag was the most thing I disliked, didnt like the sound of a diesel, fuel consumption was the only plus.


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## Bell Butts (27 Oct 2009)

Important to check the oil regularly on a diesel.  You will change up a gear sooner on a diesel (about 1750-2000 reves Vs near 3000 revs on a petrol). Also with the turbo, don't give it full welly until it's up to normal operating temperature and allow the car to idle to about 30 secs before turning off the engine.


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## serotoninsid (27 Oct 2009)

FLANDERS` said:


> I think its worth mentioning that there is more to a car than its fuel consumption, which is a rather drab measure


Different criteria for everyone, of course.  But I'll go with drab next time if it gives me more total mileage and cuts tax and fuel bill in half!


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## MandaC (27 Oct 2009)

Nothing drab about mine, I can assure you!


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## Guest125 (27 Oct 2009)

FLANDERS` said:


> I think its worth mentioning that there is more to a car than its fuel consumption, which is a rather drab measure (though totally practical).
> I drove a diesel for a week recently, 2.0 TDI Avensis - hated it. Turbo lag was the most thing I disliked, didnt like the sound of a diesel, fuel consumption was the only plus.



You were unfortunate in that you drove probably one of the worst diesels out there.Fuel consumption is no great shakes either!!


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## onq (27 Oct 2009)

The PSA Diesels [Peugeot/Citroen] once led the way, but the Honda Diesel is supposed to be amazingly refined.
We've seen a lot of Nissan Quasqai [sp?] 1.5CDi Diesels around and people speak well of them in terms of style, substance and fuel consumption.
Other diesels like the Volve V50 look the part but performance figures seem poor in comparison and the heavy doors make the interior relatively cramped for my frame anyway.

However if you're considering economy driving in narrow city streets and unless you're lugging a large family everywhere, the 1.4litre TSI DSG Golf Petrol with 7-speed transmission should be on your list of cars to check out.
Far nippier than the diesel opposition its reportedly just as frugal - plus its a Golf!
Like any hi-tech engine this should be well warmed up before giving it throttle, and this one has both a supercharger for low end power and a turbocharger for top end, regulated electronically to give a good power spread.

Don't judge on economy alone and make sure you take whatever car you're considering on a full test drive representative of the type of driving you do before making that final choice.

ONQ.


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## sse (27 Oct 2009)

Diesels are not the paragons of reliability they once were.

Avoid any diesel that has a particulate filter (DPF).
Avoid any diesel that has a dual-mass flywheel.
Avoid any common-rail diesel that has been run after mis-fuelling (modern Fords, for example. prevent this). If buying from a dealer get a cast-iron guarantee from them that this hasn't happened.
Avoid any diesel that has had its service intervals stretched to the full 2yrs/30000km.

A standard (torque converter) auto gearbox will be *much* less efficient than a manual gearbox - which will have long-legged higher gears. Check out the CO2 ratings. Many CVT gearboxes have had problems with the torque of a diesel engine in low gear - Audi's multitronic in particular. Buy an after-market warranty as a failure will probably write the car off. If test driving an automated manual make sure you try low-speed manouevers such as parallel parking or trickling forward in traffic, you may change your mind.

Can't go wrong with a nearly new 320d!

SSE


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## Guest128 (27 Oct 2009)

caff said:


> You were unfortunate in that you drove probably one of the worst diesels out there.Fuel consumption is no great shakes either!!



Compared to the 20MPG from the Mazda RX-8 i'm looking to buy i'd say the Avensis wasnt too bad on fuel


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## krissovo (27 Oct 2009)

sse said:


> Avoid any common-rail diesel that has been run after mis-fuelling (modern Fords, for example. prevent this). If buying from a dealer get a cast-iron guarantee from them that this hasn't happened.
> Avoid any diesel that has had its service intervals stretched to the full 2yrs/30000km.



You made some interesting points but surely you need to be psychic to tell if it has been filled up with petrol? 

Also what is the issue with the servicing interval?


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## sse (27 Oct 2009)

Well you're always taking the risk that the car has been mis-fuelled if you buy second-hand. The problem is that any warranty claim for the fuel system will likely be rejected unless you get a specific guarantee from the dealer. For a private sale there's nothing you can do.

Regarding service intervals a diesel contaminates its oil (jet black after 100 miles) and after 30000km even a fully synthetic oil will be wrecked. Most if not all diesels have gas recirculation valves which will result in engine runaway if they stick open. I'm always amazed at the number of people who pay 40k on a car and skimp on €50 oil changes.

SSE


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## MandaC (28 Oct 2009)

onq said:


> However if you're considering economy driving in narrow city streets and unless you're lugging a large family everywhere, the 1.4litre TSI DSG Golf Petrol with 7-speed transmission should be on your list of cars to check out.
> Far nippier than the diesel opposition its reportedly just as frugal - plus its a Golf!
> 
> 
> ONQ.



Combined Figures for the 1.4l TSI DSG Golf are approx. 6.0L per 100km, where its diesel equivalent  returns 5.4L per 100km.  Without the DSG option, the Golf 2.0 tdi returns 4.9L per 100km.  Its a cracking car to drive.  

I had a 1.4tsi engine (without DSG) in my last car(not golf) and I was averaging 35 for 500kms.  Now with a 2ltr diesel engine, my fuel consumption for 500kms is 25 per week.   The 1.4 tsi would be faster off the mark than the 2.0Ltr diesel I have now, but there is not much in it.

The comment about not bothering to do the oil could be directed at me, thanks for the tip!


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## OkeyDokey (28 Oct 2009)

sse said:


> Diesels are not the paragons of reliability they once were.
> 
> Avoid any diesel that has a particulate filter (DPF).
> Avoid any diesel that has a dual-mass flywheel.
> ...



Interesting post. Can you suggest any other brands and models in addition to the 320d?


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## sse (28 Oct 2009)

530d?

As other posters have said, the latest Honda 2.2 is supposed to be very good, plus there's an auto on the way for the Accord and CRV (we will almost certainly get one of the latter).

From personal experience I've had a Clio 1.5dCi which never put a foot wrong, plus a Golf 1.9TDi PD which was like driving a rattly tractor, although it was fast. From test drives I was amazed how unrefined the newish VAG 2.0 TDi was, at least in an A4 and the less said about the ancient 1.9 the better.

Check out honest john for the scoop on DPFs and DMFs, and why you need to tread carefully when buying a diesel 2nd hand.

SSE


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## positivenote (29 Oct 2009)

Im considering upgrading to a 320d or a 530d at the moment although they will be older models (03-04). Apart from the obvious tax diff and power is there a huge amount of diff between the two. Id cover about 600miles a week mostly secondary roads with some motorway. Im also seeing cars of 100K + on their clocks should i try and stay below this mileage? ive around 10-12k to spend.
Thanks in advance


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