Buying a car

ronnyb

Yes it’s quite common if they don’t get hot enough.

LastMantra

Fair enough. Still don't think that modern diesels are as problematic as some are making out.

LastMantra

They are great for slow moving busy town driving IMO. Don't need to rev them up to pull away and don't need to change gears as much.

SteveRobinson

Emp_Fab said:

Sesh said:

Jeeeeeeeez.
I've just read through this entire thread.

There are government funded support organisations that can help you.  You've had a traumatic experience.

Nope, they've all been shut down because of austerity. You're on your own now.

LordOxygen

Diesels are good for slow town driving. I've heard it all now. 

Laters. 

RaymondLin

LastMantra said:

They are great for slow moving busy town driving IMO. Don't need to rev them up to pull away and don't need to change gears as much.

it's very uneconomical to run a diesel round town, that's how you kill the DPF.

What you want is an electric car for town driving, instant 100% torque, quiet and smooth.  Failing that, a small petrol.  Actually a big petrol engine with an automatic box is great for town driving.

LastMantra

 

See I would say a large automatic anything would be the worst for that kind of driving. Not very nippy.
Diesels have torque. 
Electric should be ideal but I've never tried any.

Funny how people have such different opinions about these things.

LastMantra

Not pointing at anyone in particular, but there seems to be a lot of misconceptions about diesel powered cars.

RaymondLin

LastMantra said:

 

See I would say a large automatic anything would be the worst for that kind of driving. Not very nippy.
Diesels have torque. 

Funny how people have such different opinions about these things.

A 3L 6pot twin turbo petrol have torque too lol

Hell, my 2.5L turbo also have torque, plus it's very quiet as well, so quiet you can hear the turbo spooling.

hywelg

ICBM said:

Emp_Fab said:

Why not diesel?

Because small diesels are shit. They always have been, and no amount of government tax incentives changed that. The things they need to pass emissions regulations make them complex, prone to expensive repairs and actually no more economical than petrol in typical town driving. They will also soon be worth about as much as yesterday’s newspaper once pollution zones come in in many cities, so paying over the odds for one now is stupid.

Thats bollocks @Emp_Fab , just ignore him and buy the fucking thing.

I've got a 2.0 150PS diesel in my VW and its great. Quiet, very economical, (40+mpg round town, 55+ on a run) bags of torque and plenty quick enough. If I want to go quicker I'll get the bike out.

LastMantra

RaymondLin said:

LastMantra said:

 

See I would say a large automatic anything would be the worst for that kind of driving. Not very nippy.
Diesels have torque. 

Funny how people have such different opinions about these things.

A 3L 6pot twin turbo petrol have torque too lol

Hell, my 2.5L turbo also have torque, plus it's very quiet as well, so quiet you can hear the turbo spooling.

I'm sure it has but a similar diesel should produce more.

RaymondLin

LastMantra said:

RaymondLin said:

LastMantra said:

 

See I would say a large automatic anything would be the worst for that kind of driving. Not very nippy.
Diesels have torque. 

Funny how people have such different opinions about these things.

A 3L 6pot twin turbo petrol have torque too lol

Hell, my 2.5L turbo also have torque, plus it's very quiet as well, so quiet you can hear the turbo spooling.

I'm sure it has but a similar diesel should produce more.

So does a 40 tonne lorry but torque isn't everything, you are accelerating slowly.  My old Yaris can go around town just fine.

LastMantra

RaymondLin said:

LastMantra said:

RaymondLin said:

LastMantra said:

 

See I would say a large automatic anything would be the worst for that kind of driving. Not very nippy.
Diesels have torque. 

Funny how people have such different opinions about these things.

A 3L 6pot twin turbo petrol have torque too lol

Hell, my 2.5L turbo also have torque, plus it's very quiet as well, so quiet you can hear the turbo spooling.

I'm sure it has but a similar diesel should produce more.

So does a 40 tonne lorry but torque isn't everything, you are accelerating slowly.  My old Yaris can go around town just fine.

I'm not disagreeing with any of that. 

Doesn't mean that all diesels drive like a 40 tonne truck though.

Veganic

Calm down, calm down.

There those who like diesels and they have their reasons.

There are those who dislike diesels and they have their reasons.

Then there is @Emp_Fab who is determined to have a diesel but doesn't know why.

Bridgehouse

I have a diesel. 

Its a Volvo. 

I actively chose a diesel. It’s a new one so it’s Euro 6 or whatever the heck it is.

Why? I do 40,000 miles a year mostly on motorways. It’s cheaper and actually more efficient. 

Mrs B had a diesel and she does about 7,000 miles a year. It was crap, inefficient and the DPF kept blocking. She now has a hybrid and it’s brilliant. 

By the time I replace the Volvo they won’t do diesels so I’m hoping they have a super duper long range hybrid job.

steveledzep

Bridgehouse said:

I have a diesel. 

Its a Volvo. 

I actively chose a diesel. It’s a new one so it’s Euro 6 or whatever the heck it is.

Why? I do 40,000 miles a year mostly on motorways. It’s cheaper and actually more efficient. 

Mrs B had a diesel and she does about 7,000 miles a year. It was crap, inefficient and the DPF kept blocking. She now has a hybrid and it’s brilliant. 

By the time I replace the Volvo they won’t do diesels so I’m hoping they have a super duper long range hybrid job.

This summarises a lot of what has been said.

I run a 3.5 litre V6 hybrid automatic which is very quiet and comfortable with around 35mpg.

The stumbling block on this thread has been the £6k budget, compromises have to be made.

Bridgehouse

steveledzep said:

Bridgehouse said:

I have a diesel. 

Its a Volvo. 

I actively chose a diesel. It’s a new one so it’s Euro 6 or whatever the heck it is.

Why? I do 40,000 miles a year mostly on motorways. It’s cheaper and actually more efficient. 

Mrs B had a diesel and she does about 7,000 miles a year. It was crap, inefficient and the DPF kept blocking. She now has a hybrid and it’s brilliant. 

By the time I replace the Volvo they won’t do diesels so I’m hoping they have a super duper long range hybrid job.

This summarises a lot of what has been said.

I run a 3.5 litre V6 hybrid automatic which is very quiet and comfortable with around 35mpg.

The stumbling block on this thread has been the £6k budget, compromises have to be made.

£6k will buy a decent used mid sized petrol engined reliable car that does a job. 

Either you want a car that does a job or a car that is a toy. If it’s for doing a job then it needs to be reliable, comfortable and (relatively) efficient. Everything else is hundreds and thousands and shouldn’t be a factor in the decision. When cars are for a job then boring = good. 

LastMantra

I do agree that a lot of diesels are crap but that's more about the makers and the demand for petrol rather than diesel being inherently bad.
Google diesel engine misconceptions you might be surprised. 

jaytmon

About two pages ago I had an awful premonition that this thread would degenerate into a petrol vs diesel argument.... I worry this will lead to @Emp_Fab holding his head and rocking in a corner somewhere... 

Dare I ask Emp, did you buy the aforementioned civic or can we start on season two?!

iseverynamegone

Yes it’s a bit unfair. EMP has been nothing but clear of purpose and decisive in the course of the hunt. We wouldn’t want to go setting him off on a tangent.