The big diesel con

[cort16]

Modern diesels are way to complex. My c class had it's eml pop on and when they put it on the diagnostics it came back saying a software update on the exhaust system had failed. WTF, it's a car not windows 8.

What they meant was the software that controls how the DPF burns off had done a wobbler and it was now clogged up like your grandad after 3 days of eating turkey.

 

When it's all working the mpg is great for a car of it's size. I get 48mpg from a 170bhp diesel and a I drive it pretty hards. I also managed to get 93mpg from that 1.6 diesel Civic when I got roped into that mpg challenger earlier in the year and although that was torture I recon that car would do 70mpg in daily service.

[trigger]

My local Honda dealers doing some kinda MPG challenge at the moment in the CRV 1.6 CDTi, according to the leader board everyones getting 60-65mpg over a 10 mile test drive. 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

My local Honda dealers doing some kinda MPG challenge at the moment in the CRV 1.6 CDTi, according to the leader board everyones getting 60-65mpg over a 10 mile test drive.

 

That has got to be a challenge to see how low you can get it !

[cort16]

That's the same motor as in the civic. It must be well under gunned in the CRV it's only about 115bhp.

The Civic was quite a nice car to drive but it's bloody horrible on the outside. I did the challenge over 100 miles.

 

I've told myself a million times not to exagerate. It was actually 86.5 mpg. I only got this as I pretty much free wheeled about 20 miles back into Glasgow

 

 

IMG_0039 by cort16, on Flickr

[skattrd]

I've said it before, but I prefer diesels of the 90's to the newer ones. They're less complicated, have reasonable power (I don't do na diesels) return good mpg (see VW in sig) and most can run on veg. Yes they are slightly more agricultural, but that can also mean comedy amounts of black smoke.

 

VAG pre-pd

Rover L series

Isuzu TD  - as found in certain Vauxhalls

PSA TD - pre hdi

[Skizzer]

Sorry for veering off topic, but...

 

I must agree about the Rover 75/MG ZT diesel though. They are nice motors and getting 49mpg feels wrong in a car that size. I'd still like to try a V6 though...

 

Noted - my 2.0 V6 Club will shortly (Jan/Feb?) be available as I'm running out of space.  I'll get nothing for it on eBay because it's scruffy, but I refuse to scrap it because it runs well and is a nice old thing.  Expect a super bargain. 

[dugong]

My local Honda dealers doing some kinda MPG challenge at the moment in the CRV 1.6 CDTi, according to the leader board everyones getting 60-65mpg over a 10 mile test drive. 

I reckon I could lower that average a fair bit. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

[Skizzer]

Some thoughts on my OMG VAG I MUST BE ASSHOLE experience.

 

I like the diesel engine in my Yeti.  I like it because it's got LOTS of torque, unlike the 1.4TSI petrol which needs shitloads of revs to do anything.  It also comes with 170 horses, which is also significantly more than the petrol, and while my racing days are behind me, I do like to get my passing manoeuvres over and done with nice and swiftly.  It's not just a VAG thing, either; I recently rented a 1.4 Astra petrol and it was the weediest car I've driven in years, struggling to get up the moderate hill by the Angel of the North in 3rd gear.

 

I don't mind the diesel noise - and you can hear it in the Skoda because it doesn't have 250kg of soundproofing like an Audi would. It reminds me fondly (but slightly) of my old LR Ninety 2.5TD.  

 

The cost saving thing is a bit rubbish because the extra economy is mostly outweighed by the extra cost of the car and the fact that diesel is about 5% more expensive than petrol in the UK (unlike almost all of Europe, where the diesel love started and where it makes more sense).  I get about 40-45mpg overall; never seen the fabled 60mpg+.  Didn't see it in an A4 Avant I once rented, either.  Maybe I drive like a tit - it is an OMG VAG TDI U R WANKR, after all.  

 

What I don't like is that the DMF failed in less than 3 years, at about 55,000 miles.  The main dealer replaced it under warranty, so I'm not out of pocket, but it took them hours and I'll be annoyed at having to do this again in another 3 years.  (I wanted them to replace it with a solid flywheel, and the dealer was up for that, but factory said no and since it was a warranty thing it wasn't really my choice.)  When these VAG diesels are 12 years old, people will be scrapping them for DMF failure (real or imagined).  

 

VAG DMF - it's the KV6 cambelt for the Facebook generation.

[ProgRocker]

A lot of folks I know whine on about getting 35mpg in petrol so go off in a panic buying some clapped out common rail diesel. I'm sure I'd be right in thinking that if they did 10k pa they would be at a loss as soon as the inevitable injector/dmf/pump/dpf went bang?

 

Not clapped out exactly but mine has had a few hard early years. 16 months into ownership I forked out £1100 (inc recovery) for a new clutch and DMF.

 

Really made me wish I bought that newer Corolla 1.6 VVTi instead.

 

My next car will be petrol. I don't do the mileage to justify going diesel.

[Bren]

My vec C CDTi can do around 56 mpg on the motorway (I have seen 60), and high 30's around town.

 

There will be plenty of bullshitters who drive equivalent petrol models who claim to get 40mpg around town, and high 40's on a run.

 

Which is bollocks.

 

Petrol vectra and mondeos', even in 1.8 form, will only return about 25 mpg around town - they may get mid - 30's on a run. If they were as good as some people claim, taxi drivers would avoid diesel full stop.

 

Modern diesels are complicated, but they are also powerful and economical. The manufacturers have caved into the demands of the modern motorist, who constantly want more.

 

Us who frequent this site acquire cars after their first flush of youth, and get with them the problems. For me, the service intervals are too long for a modern diesel - they also do not like being constantly run low on fuel by people who don't know how to look after them.