This is also true. Even the M54 sounds pretty grim on idle.
The current Mini Cooper S sounds like a proper bag of spanners though. I thought there was something wrong with one I was looking at..
"You can't tell it's a diesel"
- Thread starter Rilot
- Start date
The current Mini Cooper S sounds like a proper bag of spanners though. I thought there was something wrong with one I was looking at..
Don
Same with my Civic, the noisiest thing about it is the tyre noise on the road and the turbo makes a lovely noise when accelerating. Far quieter than any comparable petrol I've driven at 70mph. It is noiser at idle when cold though.My Diesel does not shake at idle and is not noisy at all on the motorways.. I can hear the turbo whine over the engine noise. You can tell its a diesel but its hardly a tractor. If BMW diesels are as bad as you are making out thank god I got a Vauxhall....
Soldato
Most 'normal' modern four pots sound terrible at idle - the Ford Duratec in particular, as in my car, horribly noisy top end (tappety/injector clicking) especially when cold. Diesels sound rubbish too but I dont think theres that much difference really when you're talking mass produced, 2.0 or less four pots...with few exceptions they sound rubbish, petrol or diesel.
Permabanned
My e60 530i is much quieter than my e46 325i. I haven't noticed modern petrol BMWs being especially loud.
You've sold that horrible old tractor now anyway, you don't have to keep justifying it.
Soldato
The e92 335i msport was MUCH louder than my e46 330i sport....not that that's a bad thing
One of the quietest diesel engines I've heard has to be the latest Merc six-pot; on a few occasions I've watched a car with this unit sweep past (albeit at 20 mph or so) and I've not heard the engine at all.
Most of us on here have a different degree of toleration to the general public though, our definitions of "quiet" and "powerful" are a lot stricter.
Most of us on here have a different degree of toleration to the general public though, our definitions of "quiet" and "powerful" are a lot stricter.
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Soldato
Got a 330cd in the household, sounds like a boat engine and is noisy on start up!
Neil.
Neil.
Caporegime
My Scania (12 litre in-line 6) is extremely diesel sounding, especially when stone cold.
Once its upto temperature, from the inside of the cab at least, its very un-diesel like in terms of sound.
Quite different from the biggest of car turbo diesels I assure you! its much more of a rumble than diesel rattle.
Saying you can't tell a diesel is a diesel, be it a BMW or Scania is like saying you don't notice somebody sawing your leg off
On the other hand, my Scania (08 reg) and especially some of the newer 10 & 60 plate trucks were getting now are incredibly quitet given that they are diesels, especially truck engines, but thats quite different.
Once its upto temperature, from the inside of the cab at least, its very un-diesel like in terms of sound.
Quite different from the biggest of car turbo diesels I assure you!
its much more of a rumble than diesel rattle.Saying you can't tell a diesel is a diesel, be it a BMW or Scania is like saying you don't notice somebody sawing your leg off
On the other hand, my Scania (08 reg) and especially some of the newer 10 & 60 plate trucks were getting now are incredibly quitet given that they are diesels, especially truck engines, but thats quite different.
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Not this again. A discussion which will be largely filled with opinion tainted with the fact the people posting it will have spent thousands based on said opinion, therefore have convinced themselves whether true or not that they bought the best car.
The good thing about diesel is the ability to return more miles per gallon of fuel than a petrol engined equivilent. This means longer tank range and less spend on fuel overall. Whether this is worth it or not depends entirely on the amount of miles you actually drive versus the potential reliability issues on the diesel v the petrol.
Rilot is correct in that 'You cant tell its a diesel' is a load of rubbish, it is, of course you can tell its a diesel in much the same way that anyone with half a brain can tell the difference between a V8 and a Straight Six, or a turbo and a non turbo, or whatever.
As for people going on about noise levels at motorway speeds - way to miss the point. Diesel engine noise at 70mph cruise has never been an issue - it wasn't an issue in my crappy old Xantia 1.9TD so it certainly isn't an issue with todays cars. When people talk about noise, it's at lower speeds - around town, you can tell, and some of us find that intrusive, end of.
I much prefer the creamy smoothness of a nice petrol engine around town. It's quiet, it isnt instrusive and you cant tell the engine is running when sitting in traffic. This is lovely.
When it became clear that the life of our E39 530d had become one not of long trips but of general day to day town use, it went and was replaced by a petrol six instead. Obviously this is because diesel is better.
But that isn't to say I'd never have a diesel - if when I come to buy my next car a 245bhp variant 330d appears with the right spec and colour combo I'm hardly likely to dismiss it just because its a diesel. What I wouldnt do is buy it then go on a crusade to convince everyone else you cant tell its a diesel. Insecurity much?
The good thing about diesel is the ability to return more miles per gallon of fuel than a petrol engined equivilent. This means longer tank range and less spend on fuel overall. Whether this is worth it or not depends entirely on the amount of miles you actually drive versus the potential reliability issues on the diesel v the petrol.
Rilot is correct in that 'You cant tell its a diesel' is a load of rubbish, it is, of course you can tell its a diesel in much the same way that anyone with half a brain can tell the difference between a V8 and a Straight Six, or a turbo and a non turbo, or whatever.
As for people going on about noise levels at motorway speeds - way to miss the point. Diesel engine noise at 70mph cruise has never been an issue - it wasn't an issue in my crappy old Xantia 1.9TD so it certainly isn't an issue with todays cars. When people talk about noise, it's at lower speeds - around town, you can tell, and some of us find that intrusive, end of.
I much prefer the creamy smoothness of a nice petrol engine around town. It's quiet, it isnt instrusive and you cant tell the engine is running when sitting in traffic. This is lovely.
When it became clear that the life of our E39 530d had become one not of long trips but of general day to day town use, it went and was replaced by a petrol six instead. Obviously this is because diesel is better.
But that isn't to say I'd never have a diesel - if when I come to buy my next car a 245bhp variant 330d appears with the right spec and colour combo I'm hardly likely to dismiss it just because its a diesel. What I wouldnt do is buy it then go on a crusade to convince everyone else you cant tell its a diesel. Insecurity much?
Soldato
I honestly can't tell that my e60 is a diesel.
Until I start the engine
Until I start the engine
What Reliability issues I have fixed far more petrol cars than Diesels. Modern Diesels are no more unreliable than petrol equivelent's.
Must be a BMW Diesel thing as my Vectra (Oh no not a vauxhall) is almost silent when sat in traffic, and town driving could not be easier as you don't need the throttle or clutch as much as a petrol.
Of course you can tell its a Diesel they sound completely different to a petrol. But its no louder than your average petrol, it does not shake or vibrate at idle and does not sound like a tractor upon starting.
There seems to be a huge Diesel hating on these forums and tbh I have no idea why. They offer better MPG if you look in the MPG thread nearly every diesel is getting better MPG results than the petrols.
I,m in no way biased my car did not cost me thousands and I have owned mainly petrol cars of varying engine sizes blown or not blown. I personally prefer petrol engines but modern Diesels can offer just as good a drive.
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Soldato
I've been in diesels where there's so much soundproofing that you can't hear the engine at low RPM, but you can certainly tell from outside.
Don
The impression I get is that the BMW diesel range isn't too hot. As I mentioned before mine is noisy when cold idling, but other than that it is no more intrusive at low speed than a 4pot petrol, and better at high speeds, particularly when accelerating.
Caporegime
theres a term that sums this up nicely, most commonly heard in the graphics card forum
PJS - purchase justification syndrome.
PJS - purchase justification syndrome.
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Must be an VX thing. The CDTi must be good in the 'quite' stakes? Seems buy this thread BMW diesels are quite noisy? Just an obversation no way am I saying its a fact!
I doubt it there. To be fair most 'petrol' heads are just that. Into petrol cars. No purchase justifcation in here I can see.
This is simply not true - modern diesel engines have the following failure prone items not fitted to petrol engines*:
a) Direct Injection
b) Turbochargers
c) Diesel Particulate Filters
They also have disprooprtionately high failure rates on dual mass flywheels as a result of the higher flywheel torque outputs.
* Some petrol engine cars these days are now supplied with things like direct injection. Somewhat unsuprisingly they are also proving less reliable than petrol engines without this technology.
I can't think of a way to put this without upsetting you, but your diesel Vectra is not 'almost silent' at all. I have driven numerous diesel engined cars from various manufacturers and the only one that came close to being 'almost silent' was the very latest F10 530d. Even that STILL had the diesel thrum at idle.
Sorry, but your Vectra isn't some sort of rare exception to the rule. If it's a 1.9 CTDI 150 then I can personally attest to the fact it isn't virtually silent.
Wait so its an older Vectra diesel? And you still think it's silent, quiet, is no less refined than a petrol engine and offers flawless reliability? Just lol.
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Soldato
Just realised that I've never owned a diesel. ZOMG!