diesel cars.

Diesel cars make excellent road cars, it's like the v twin of the cages

Originally Posted by Razor

Diesel cars make excellent road cars, it's like the v twin of the cages

Having both a V twin and a TDi, I would say that analogy is pretty accurate.

I do miss having a petrol company car for one reason. A free jerrican for the the bike every couple of days

perhaps thats why i like the diesel so much (ploddy like the sv v twin)

I've been driving an oil burner for the last four years, 130 ponies is a real hoot at 3 n 1/2 thousand RPM, lots to the gallon as well. A downside, well a short first gear is about all I can think of and about half a second turbo lag. For a daily wagon I'll stick with Diesel.

I have never owned a diesel car but I've been pretty damn certain for a number of years my next car will be a diesel - as I see it as the only way to affordably get a comfortable amount of oomph. Dear old Dad has a 320d touring and my sister a A3 TDi so I'm familiar with the performance and economy arguments. I almost cry as I potter around in my little 1.4 Polo, which driven daintily still only gives me 48mpg.

As for whether I'd have a diesel bike - Oh Yes! I'd love one. I like low down grunt and economy. That basically sums up why I bought the SV. I've been keeping an eye on the diesel bike area of things for some time but they are either only military supply or else too expensive for my budget. Had I been able to buy one for £5k I would have. But I think the only I found worked out as nearer £10k which is too much for me. I'm not ready to try one of the conversions people have done.

Back to the Petrol vs Diesel car thing. The motoring press would have you believe that the trend towards diesels will decline and reverse. The reason - Economics. The development and build costs of the diesel engines are getting higher and higher, so we're at a point where for less money they can find ways to make and build better petrol engines. It was for this simple reason that we got these good modern diesels in the first place. I'm sure that things will swing back towards clever petrols, but equally at some point they'll find there's more to be had from diesels again. Either way - I'm looking forward to driving my next car

The only thing that makes me sad about all this is how long fossil fueled vehicles are sustainable for. Still I'm likely to be dead by the time it 'really' hits (though I'm sure I'll never earn enough to be able to afford to run a gas guzzler ) I'm no Green but I think increased awareness of the environment is a good thing and waste of our resources does make me angry, especialy when it serves no purpose other than to turn a profit for someone somewhere at the expense of the rest of the future.

Originally Posted by 2mths

The only thing that makes me sad about all this is how long fossil fueled vehicles are sustainable for. Still I'm likely to be dead by the time it 'really' hits

Watch the video in my signature, I think you'll still be very much alive...

the amount we use in cars is dismal in comparison to the forces. don't think i'd ever be tempted by a diesel, too tractor like for me.

Originally Posted by Razor

I want a diesel hybrid that runs on the whiff of a rag used to wipe an oily smear from a garage floor.

Peugeot Citroen group (PSA) will be launching soon a diesel hybrid. It is a 1.6HDi with multiple cells. They tested in a Berlingo in order to attempt to break the 100g/km tax threshold and succeeeded. As the Berlingo has a higher co-efficient of drag than a smaller hatchback, the users are expected to have extremely low fuel costs! The HDi on its own can achieve 60mpg or more so a hybrid would certainly break the 100mph barrier. I can say this in confidence as my father had a Honda insight the petrol hybrid, it had an onboard current mpg display and by slipstreaming behind tall vehicles at the right speed and waxing the car 110mpg was achieved quite easily. On a journey to south wales i believe we averaged over 80mpg. However, the journey takes a little longer if you stay at optimal effiecient velocity ~50mph. It is also quite boring, but bikes are for fun, cars are for transporting people and things in my eyes.

2002 'new' shape fiesta 1.4 tdci 500 miles on £30 of fuel, £35 a year to tax, cambelt at 100k and 12.5k service intervals. takes 4 adults to lakes for long weekend with luggage. had it a couple of years and have no intention of changing it.