Petrol or Diesel. Which car do you prefer and why?

Question

I've always had diesels. I had to fork out £400 quid to service my car and I just crashed it last night. Diesels are mor expensive to maintain but last longer. Although petrols have higher performance I think the have less torque and pulling power in diesels and rev too high and therefore rev out at high speeds. By revving out I mean they go over 3000 rpm and thus lose torque.

I'm thinking of changong to petrol when I get new car but I cant decide.

Answer 1

Diesel lasts longer IN A TRUCK, not in a car. I have never understood this fasanation for diesels in cars. A diesel engine works on compression, so HAS TO BE VERY BIG!! It's got physical strength then. It's less complicated than a petrol so can last longer that way, but in a 2.2 litre engine it simply does not have the physical strength to maintain the compression for more than 200,000 miles. Most petrol cars easily manage that today barring GM engines.

Also a diesel is very expensive to fix when it goes wrong and costs more to maintain.

As for fuel consumption, I'm less than convinced they even have that. On a holiday this year my friend used her car first time, a 2.2 Diesel, that used £45 of diesel to complete an approx 400mile trip. Last year on similarly priced petrol we did a longer trip in a 2.0 Turbo petrol car on similar roads for £42petrol. So I am less than convinced that they are as cheap as the books suggest.

Answer 2

For out and out performance a petrol engine is generally best, but some of the new diesels are pretty quick. Diesels do last longer, and seem more reliable. The engines last longer because they are lower revving, I never need to go over 3000 revs. My Discovery has 124k on the clock, and just gets regular oil changes. All nthis talk of regular service history being essential is rubbish. You can't beat the sound of a diesel engine, ever heard a Deltic railway loco?

Answer 3

I would have a Diesel, but if I was to do less than 13000miles a year I would have a petrol, it's not worth the extra costs. Yeah okay it gives better miles to the gallon, how much more is the car going to cost. It's all relative.

Answer 4

I would stick to the diesel. I have had diesels for about 10 years now and would hate to have to go back to petrol. I would be stopped at every other petrol pump. Diesels now are just as quick as petrol especially if they have the turbo and have a high bhp.

Answer 5

had you asked this 10 years ago one answer petrol but to-day they have come a long way with the diesel engine so either is good and a few more miles with diesel but price is higher for fuel against unleaded

Answer 6

i only run diesels now [in uk] as i have found they are cheaper to maintain my last service oil ,fuel filters and air filter around £40 where as my last petrol cost 3 times that only thing i hate is cost of diesel as it cheaper to make , less pollution the garages still insist that it should be dearer 20 year ago derv was 2/3 the price of petrolnow it near 10p dearer

Answer 7

Diesel's last longer?
The last car I had I could not wear out the engine, gasoline of course.
The only reason diesel last longer is because of the high amounts of oil in the crankcase.

Answer 8

if you do alot of journeys then i wud go for diesel all the way. For performance it has to be petrol

Answer 9

Try LPG for once or perhaps Electric personally I prefer a horse.Although to ease the unemployment situation in this country perhaps start up a rickshaw business no fuel required there except human fuel rice,pasta!!