small diesel cars, way of the future?

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Fair comment I don't know what you drive, but on my Nissan service intervals are the same on the petrol models. Injectors don't last as long as what? spark plugs? The fuel pump (more accurately compressor) may wear, but I've never had one start to go at less than 150K miles, plenty of petrol cars are on new fuel pumps at that stage. And any turbo'd car, petrol or diesel, if the turbo lets go it can be big money (waits for a rant from Ralph about BMW turbos ).

I'm not having a pop, just I don't think the 'expensive to service' argument stands up.

+1

However it is a fuel pump, fuel is as near to incompressible as makes no difference.

I specifically went looking for the most basic diesel engine I could find. No worries about turbo's or anything else.

Mine has done 135k miles and with the timing belt just changed, I expect it to roll past 200k easy.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by ravingdavis

Scrap road tax and increase fuel taxes?

In theory it is correct as it is. Comparing the old jag doing a low mileage to a high mileage fuel efficient car. the Jag is being wasteful* of the resources of fuel & the emissions it produces so it should be taxed higher than simply the use of fuel.

*it is obviously a luxury to the consumer so is more correct to be taxed on it than a necessity (of having to drive far but you chose the most fuel efficient vehicle).

Fiat Panda 1.3 Turbo Diesel here.....£35 a year road tax and 70 mpg, not that slow either!

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by LK-SV

Very late on to this thread ..... but small diesels aren't the future ..... but small (turbo and supercharged) petrols are

Being slightly anal in the way I compare things like this I have a big spreadsheet detailing my driving miles and situation witha huge range of cars on it. Got to agree the small petrol argument is gaining strength for me.

I too hate the way diseaseals drive and have noticed that the new 1.4T petrol units from vauxhall and VW are not far off the emmissions of a 1.9/2.0 TD unit, which is good for the tax I pay on my fuel card. They are also much cheaper to insure. They are allegedly as good to drive as a normally aspirated 1.8 petrol unit and in something the size of a Golf/Astra/Focus will be fine for general use. In a Polo/Corsa/Fiesta they'd be a hoot.

I'll be test driving the new shape Astra estate when it (hopefully) comes out later this year with a 1.4T petrol engine. I need to replace my trusty eight year old 1.6 Astra petrol at some point soon due to the miles I do. I'll try the (also new to the Astra) 2.0TD 160hp unit for comparison though...

Originally Posted by Triv650

With a greater need for arable land to produce food for a growing world population, growing bio-diesel just takes too much land to become a viable alternative.

That is a fair point, I'd have thought that farming developments will make some difference. The same probably applies to petrol alternatives as well. Since oil is running out, welcome to the transport of the future.

Zero MPG, comparable load space to Yaris. London to Brighton in a (very long) day!

Originally Posted by carternd

That is a fair point, I'd have thought that farming developments will make some difference. The same probably applies to petrol alternatives as well. Since oil is running out, welcome to the transport of the future.

Zero MPG, comparable load space to Yaris. London to Brighton in a (very long) day!

Hydrogen fuel cells and a nuclear power source to create them! Low carbon at generation at least.

I want a Corsa B, but remove the engine and put one of the new generation 1.9 CDTi engines in it, with remap.

200bhp, 300lb ft, in a car weighing about 950kg.

Mega fun.

For comparison, the other halfs Petrol 2.0 turbo corsa with 210bhp and about 240lb ft, is quick enough to leave an E46 M3 Frequently....

Performance, and economy.

Problem is the engine management won't suit so would need a completly custom ECU Muchos dollarz

Originally Posted by Daimo

I want a Corsa B, but remove the engine and put one of the new generation 1.9 CDTi engines in it, with remap.

200bhp, 300lb ft, in a car weighing about 950kg.

Mega fun.

For comparison, the other halfs Petrol 2.0 turbo corsa with 210bhp and about 240lb ft, is quick enough to leave an E46 M3 Frequently....

Performance, and economy.

Problem is the engine management won't suit so would need a completly custom ECU Muchos dollarz

Hells bells ... I wouldn't care if it was faster than a Veyron, and you got paid to drive it .... you wouldn't catch me in a Corsa - let alone a chav' up Corsa

Well that depends if your a snob or not, and the quality of the car.

If its some chav'd up (please expand on chav'd up, or are you branding anyone with a modified car a chav?) car, stupid kit that doesn't suit the car, stupid stickers and 6x9's, sure.....

If it was in a shell like my other halfs, or my old car, then no not at all. Im not a snob.

And to be fair, whats the difference from driving the bottom end of the car list, opposed to riding a bike thats at the bottom end of the list??

Branding, being done in the UK since 0AD.