Is it just me that prefers the drive of a diesel car?

-Mike- · 9 Jul 2013 at 00:47

I've owned my petrol drinking car for around a month and a half now and have come to the sad realisation that I genuinely prefer the drive of a diesel car over the petrol one.

Perhaps it's because I'm driving a low powered, low torque petrol car with a pretty small engine, but am I alone in preferring the drive of a diesel car over a petrol car?

I'm going to live with it for another couple of months but I can see this being my shortest period of car ownership and unfortunately going back to a vag tdi based car :eek:

Prophet · 9 Jul 2013 at 00:54

I only have a diesel car because I commute 90 miles a day. With personal mileage I'm hitting over 600 miles a week.

If I get a job close to home I'll immediately go back to a petrol.

Just about any modern diesel will feel quick and powerful compared to a low power petrol. Drive something half decent before writing them off.

-Mike- · 9 Jul 2013 at 01:00

Prophet said:
I only have a diesel car because I commute 90 miles a day. With personal mileage I'm hitting over 600 miles a week.

If I get a job close to home I'll immediately go back to a petrol.

Just about any modern diesel will feel quick and powerful compared to a low power petrol. Drive something half decent before writing them off.

I want something that achieves 40 mpg which probably rules out most petrols with any torque and power!

pepsilol · 9 Jul 2013 at 01:04

Yes you are massively deluded.

-Mike- · 9 Jul 2013 at 01:07

pepsilol said:
Yes you are massively deluded.

Thanks mate

Rotty · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:01

correct, it's just you

other than cost there is no excuse

Matt82 · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:55

Please tell us what car the petrol engine was in

Meridian · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:56

Yes, it's just you. At least of those people who actually like driving.

Gaygle · 9 Jul 2013 at 07:03

Matt82 said:
Please tell us what car the petrol engine was in

sovietspybob · 9 Jul 2013 at 07:19

get a decent petrol engine and no idea how you could prefer diesel.

A friend in work just got an A3 with a 2.0 TFSI, got all the low down shove of a diesel but the revs to sustain it like any good petrol. Best of both worlds.

Participant · 9 Jul 2013 at 07:24

As if I needed reminding, I had a 2.0 diesel Beetle as a courtesy car yesterday. Brand new and very nicely specced and trimmed etc., but hated the sound of the engine and the way it runs out of puff so quickly.

Was so glad to get back into my petrol golf (with very similar power) and it felt like a glorious drive home, quiet at idle and low speeds, and a much nicer sound when pushing it a bit . Accelerating from lights in town it was silent, with the diesel giving a tractor-like roar for the gentlest of getaways.

I acknowledge that even the latest vag diesel isn't going to be the most refined example, especially in a Beetle, but it shouldn't be that bad either.

I'll only buy a diesel if I had to for cost reasons. That said, it was quite fun having it permanently in S mode and gunning it everywhere whilst still going no lower than 37mpg.

EddScott · 9 Jul 2013 at 07:34

I have an A4 TDI 170 which has been mapped and had various bits removed in an attempt to improve reliability and performance and it's not an unpleasant car to press on with. However given a choice I'd take a turbo petrol engine.

panthro · 9 Jul 2013 at 07:46

Recently on another forum I asked someone that "I hope you bought a 640i instead of a 640d" and got a backlash of hate. It reminded me why I don't make friends or acquaintances with people who think diesels are genuinely better than petrol engine cars.

Matt82 · 9 Jul 2013 at 07:49

What really worries me are the people who drive 4 pot diesel convertibles. Ive seen some grotesque things on the internet before, but nothings turns my stomach more than the thought of a 4 pot diesel with the roof down.

Dr Who · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:04

I understand where you are coming from, many small petrol cars are pretty hateful and the lazy torque of a larger engined diesel can seem much more appealing, especially the BMW and VAG diesels which are pretty darn good.

However, drive a decent petrol engine and there really is no comparison, I adore driving my v6 Merc either at low lazy speeds or getting a move on, and the sound compared to any diesel is so much better.

Howard · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:13

Even when I had my modest 2.0 petrol Accord (with about 145bhp), and I had been driving diesel-powered hire cars for work, getting in to it and driving home was a joy.

If we're talking about something like a 2.0 diesel versus a <1.6 petrol (in regular sized hatchbacks) then perhaps I'd take the diesel, but otherwise, no thanks, unless we're talking about the particularly powerful 6 cylinder german diesels. Lower capacity 4 cylinder diesel engines are just not flexible to drive. Sod all power low down, sod all power high up, just a big annoying lump in the middle.

Matt82 · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:13

The conclusion ive come to is that you need at least 200lbft (in a sensible sized car, not a Scania) to have enough shove to make it easy/comfortable to drive.

The further itll rev the better, though

Jester* · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:20

Petrol foreeeeeeeeeeeeeever.

Went for a test drive in a Merc SLK55 AMG yesterday top down V8.....

Literally had a lob on the entire way. No diesel can match that (in a road car

)

Dr Who · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:23

Matt82 said:
The conclusion ive come to is that you need at least 200lbft (in a sensible sized car, not a Scania) to have enough shove to make it easy/comfortable to drive.

The further itll rev the better, though

Amen to that :cool:

LiE · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:27

Sounds like you have a pretty low powered petrol car. I'm not surprised you prefer the diesel tbh (I assume it had more go), low powered cars of any fuel type are horrible to live with.