[AlanHo]

My current car is petrol - but my previous 4 cars were all diesel. Ten months into ownership of a petrol car I have noticed that the majority of problems posted on forums are with Diesels.
There are quite a few problems mentioned - especially problems  with ISG and DPF savaging economy, a few about the DMF and some about dirty fuel or water in the fuel filter.  Limp home mode seems to be a diesel speciality.

In the UK the difference in price between diesel and petrol fuels is steadily getting smaller and there is evidence that for mixed motorway and town driving the diesel fuel consumption is not as great as people anticipate. For sure - on long motorway runs, diesel has a great advantage in fuel consumption - but for town and mixed journeys the difference is much closer.

Hence - if we chuck in the number of diesel problems reported on the forum - I am beginning to think I made a wise choice.

Responses on a postcard please - expressed in respectful terms. I'll now get 'me' coat and leave you to it.

[Shambles]

I'll now get 'me' coat and leave you to it.

That's akin to throwing a grenade over the fence


I'm just loving the response of my current diesel engine (and previous FD model)... means a lot more to me than either economy, servicing costs or potential problems. The torque simply blows my mind. Not something experienced (by me) in any petrol car I've owned, apart from possibly my XJ6, 732i or Scorpio Ghia 4x4.

[The Gonz]

No problems in 5 years of driving Firty.
Whatyoutalkinabout, Willis!

[Phil №❶]

You're a bit late with that grenade Alan. Nov 5 is already in the past.

Quote from Alan.

"there is evidence that for mixed motorway and town driving the diesel fuel consumption is not as great as people anticipate."

Yes, I agree, thanks for the balanced statement.

I don't have DMF or DPF, so I'm very happy with our selection. Like all things, it depends on the type of driving and for us with freeway driving necessary quite often, the Diesel is ideal.

I can tell you, that having driven a variety of petrol engined cars up the hills around here, they are sadly lacking in grunt @ 2.5 to 3.5 k rpm, just where you need it. That covers various makes on offer these days, too. The only thing that will stop me buying Diesel in future will be DPF, or death, whichever comes first.

[Dazzler]

I think a diesel makes more sense in Australia while you can still get some without a DPF. Plus if you live outside the bigger cities you get plenty of opportunity to enjoy the greater economy.

On the other hand my experience with larger engine Hybrids shows you can get similar economy and torque with more refinement and they are reliable too...

From my experience the best overall drivetrain of anything I have had or driven is a Petrol Hybrid with CVT transmission...

All things being considered my last hybrid had an amazing combination of economy/refinement/driveability and reliability.

The 1.6 litre CRDi motor is absolutely brilliant for its size and my current 3.6 V6 is very smooth and powerful, but the 2012 Camry hybrid had a better overall drivetrain than both of them.

Edit: Before Beerman or anyone else says "why did you trade it then?"

If only I could take the drivetrain out of the hybrid and put it into my Calais V.... I would have the perfect car in looks / performance and economy!

[The Gonz]

my Calais V.... I would have the perfect car in looks / performance and economy!

Bloody sacrilege.

[Doggie 1]

Gee, Alan, I always thought your reporting was totally unbiased. 
But now you've gone over to the dark side, they're infiltrating your thought processes too. 
Come back to the light side quickly, or you might be forever lost. 

[Surferdude]

Alan's right. 

[Doggie 1]

Alan's right. 

Wow, we have bias in Australia too.   

[Surferdude]

Alan's right. 

Wow, we have bias in Australia too.   

Yep. And mistaken posters (oilers). 

[cruiserfied]

Alan's right. 

Surferdudes right.

Alan's right. 

Wow, we have bias in Australia too.   

I'm petrol biased too. Nothing against Diesels they are good and fun in the right vehicles (my opinion) but prefer petrol engines.

[diablo]

"Horses for courses" isn't it ?  If I commuted 60 miles a day or did regular long runs, maybe with steep hills then I'd get a diesel.  If there were still diesels without DPF in the UK then maybe I'd get one - but they are more complicated and seem to go wrong slightly more often.

As I use the car mainly for local shopping and social purposes, with few journeys over four miles - I'd have been an absolute idiot to get a diesel with a DPF.

[CraigB]

If I was expecting to do a lot of towing I'd choose a diesel but for everything else petrol would be my preference of choice.

[AlanHo]

It seems that us persistent petrol people have projected our personal preferences perfectly and outnumbered the oily brigade.   

[Asterix]

If I was expecting to do a lot of towing I'd choose a diesel but for everything else petrol would be my preference of choice.

The modern petrol turbo engines will do the towing just as good as the diesels and even with the same fuel economy.

On a caravan forum I also frequent quite a few have bought the new Skoda Octavia 1,4 TSI 140 HP / 250 Nm @ 1500-3500.

They have done trips very similar to our summer vacations, ca 4000 km towing ca 1400 kg and with a petrol turbo using only 9 L/100 which is the same as I can get in my Diesel..  
They even claim that everyday driving will get them around 5,5L/100 and my diesel do around 5,0L/100.

[asathorny]

I have to agree with Alan in 'LITTLE ENGLAND'/Oops The UK...    There is little advantage to diesel and I would have been seriously out of pocket over the last few years had I gone down that route.

In Awstraialiaa where to roads go in a straight line for a thousand miles at one go, obviously diesels prolly make sense.

Yeah I know, slight exaggeration.

well said Alan, now get another grenade outa the bucket and chuck another at um 

[Phil №❶]

Diesel's are legislatively doomed over there in the big smoke. Where as over here in the wide open spaces, a Diesel comes into it's own, I mean, 30 miles and you're in another crowded country speaking a foreign lingo. 

[The Gonz]

30 miles and you're in another crowded country speaking a foreign lingo. 

Murray Bridge?

[Lakes]

Love Diesel Alan, i drive a Diesel down here & a petrol in Sydney, the pretrol good but have to re fuel too much for my liking. also cost of diesel seems to have dropped here.
but we understand, next we will here Hyundai have all the problems its Kia thats reliable, just funny you lift the Hyundai diesel hood & you got Kia Power.

[mcmonte]

If I was expecting to do a lot of towing I'd choose a diesel but for everything else petrol would be my preference of choice.

On a caravan forum I also frequent quite a few have bought the new Skoda Octavia 1,4 TSI 140 HP / 250 Nm @ 1500-3500.

This, Asterix is the answer, and it's the difference to the i30 NA 2.0L (or 1.8) petrol. Those engines don't achieve their peak torque until much higher revs.
I'm sure the Skoda 1.4 is a twin-charged (SC & turbo) unit. So the torque spread available will make it easier to save fuel, ie you don't need to rev the bejeesus out of it. The Alfa multiair engines are similarly flexible.

[mcmonte]

I think a diesel makes more sense in Australia while you can still get some without a DPF. Plus if you live outside the bigger cities you get plenty of opportunity to enjoy the greater economy.

...

If only I could take the drivetrain out of the hybrid and put it into my Calais V.... I would have the perfect car in looks / performance and economy!

Here's what ya do:
1. Get thyself to a Jag wrecker.
2. Buy the 3.0 TD from the XF (Jag, not Falcon!).
3. Hack/fab as required to swap it in.
4. Beer o'clock. 

OR

Sacrifice some boot space for an LPG conversion 

[Asterix]

If I was expecting to do a lot of towing I'd choose a diesel but for everything else petrol would be my preference of choice.

On a caravan forum I also frequent quite a few have bought the new Skoda Octavia 1,4 TSI 140 HP / 250 Nm @ 1500-3500.

This, Asterix is the answer, and it's the difference to the i30 NA 2.0L (or 1.8) petrol. Those engines don't achieve their peak torque until much higher revs.
I'm sure the Skoda 1.4 is a twin-charged (SC & turbo) unit. So the torque spread available will make it easier to save fuel, ie you don't need to rev the bejeesus out of it. The Alfa multiair engines are similarly flexible.

Yes, Hyundai is sticking in the brakes.!
They need to start offer Turbocharged petrol engines if they want to keep up with the competitors.

The 1,4TSI 140 HP is not twin-charged, only single turbo:



Volkswagen TSI Engines Explained - autoevolution

[Lakes]

I think a diesel makes more sense in Australia while you can still get some without a DPF. Plus if you live outside the bigger cities you get plenty of opportunity to enjoy the greater economy.

...

If only I could take the drivetrain out of the hybrid and put it into my Calais V.... I would have the perfect car in looks / performance and economy!

Here's what ya do:
1. Get thyself to a Jag wrecker.
2. Buy the 3.0 TD from the XF (Jag, not Falcon!).
3. Hack/fab as required to swap it in.
4. Beer o'clock. 

OR

Sacrifice some boot space for an LPG conversion 

Oh you badge snob LOL
i read Jag now owned by TATA that Indian company
so are they …. or do they have more curry ?

[Lakes]

If I was expecting to do a lot of towing I'd choose a diesel but for everything else petrol would be my preference of choice.

On a caravan forum I also frequent quite a few have bought the new Skoda Octavia 1,4 TSI 140 HP / 250 Nm @ 1500-3500.

This, Asterix is the answer, and it's the difference to the i30 NA 2.0L (or 1.8) petrol. Those engines don't achieve their peak torque until much higher revs.
I'm sure the Skoda 1.4 is a twin-charged (SC & turbo) unit. So the torque spread available will make it easier to save fuel, ie you don't need to rev the bejeesus out of it. The Alfa multiair engines are similarly flexible.

Yes, Hyundai is sticking in the brakes.!
They need to start offer Turbocharged petrol engines if they want to keep up with the competitors.

The 1,4TSI 140 HP is not twin-charged, only single turbo:



Volkswagen TSI Engines Explained - autoevolution

Asta your probably right about that ,
just a good friend i worked with had a 50th birthday & at the party he was telling me his new VW TSI was very thirsty, & he moved from an old Toyota V6 so i'm wondering myself.

[Lorian]

If i ever went back to petrol i'd miss the fun of the torque, doing the legal speed limit at 2100rpm on the motorway, and the fact i can generally do my 80 mile airport run with barely a gear change.

[bumpkin]

You all know that I am an advocate of petrol for the type of driving that I do and for all the reasons outlined by Alan.  I do agree however that Hy/Kia need to take the step forward into the next generation of engine by charging them, the VW group engines are proof that you don't have to be stuck around the 130bhp mark using an extra 200cc!  I suspect though that this will further elevate their costs OR reduce the gadget list accordingly and put them in [more] direct competition with the marques who have established a firm foothold in the various segments already.  Perhaps that is one of the Korean problems, there is always just an element of catchup going on??

Chum of mine has just bought a Seat Ibiza 1.4 Cupra which is twin charged (output is 180bhp).

Nice toy, the engine is very flexible and is coupled to a 7 speed DSG box.  I did notice however that at 70mph in 7th the engine is pulling the same revs as mine at 70mph in 6th, so the final drive is the same, it must be the ratios between which are differently configured. 

[Aussie Keith]

Fuel consumption is only one of the potential advantages of the diesel engine. Round here we have given up worrying about fuel consumption/price of diesel fuel/theoretical running costs and just get on with enjoying driving the cars. The diesel engines are a nice thing for propelling a car down the road.

In any case, no matter which drivetrain you buy and for whatever reason, the i30 is a good and fairly cheap option compared to other cars. Same for the equivalent Kia's too by all accounts.

Regarding supercharging, Mercedes have backed away from this approach about 10 years ago now preferring turbo's instead stating "Turbochargers are superior to superchargers in terms of noise and cost". I guess VW missed the memo but then Mercedes were never trying to wring the neck of a 1.4l engine. VW's solution of both turbo and supercharging a small engine sounds expensive to me. I'm doubting many of those will get repaired out of warranty when they inevitably explode wear out.

Mercedes-Benz C200 CGI review: Car Reviews- CarsGuide





 

[Dazzler]

  Keith 

[The Gonz]

 

[Doggie 1]

Karn targew withatt.