Diesel cars - yay or nay? (3 Viewers)

[seremify007]

Thought it was time to start up a thread asking what people here think of diesel cars. Now that I've had mine for a few months, I'm really loving it. The pulling power, the fuel economy, etc... but then on the other hand, sounds rubbish (thankfully my car has eco stop at traffic lights) and is useless when you are trying to rev it.

 

[boris]

what do you have again

diesel cars are so good. Diesel landcruisers and hiluxes yeah. Common rail is the greatest invention of the 20th century and with the introduction of variable geometry turbos man they are so good now.

The new passenger diesels are finally better than petrol ones i think. Small capacity diesels with massive amounts of torque and variable geo turbos, so fast so nice to drive and so economic.

 

[seremify007]

I've got a C250 CDI which has a 2.1L twin turbocharged diesel engine (150kW/500Nm). It pulls amazingly well (but not violently so like the Evo did), yet I can average under 6L/100km in a mixture of city and highway (i.e. M4) driving.

 

[Azure]

Performance is unquestionably better than what was available on diesel ten years ago, although I guess petrol is what you'd stick with if performance is a big thing to you. It's still pretty important to remember that the diesel has come a long way. The foul smelling after trail for example is long gone remnant of the past.

I'd probably go with diesel, especially on something like a Golf.

 

[Havox]

Meh. Depends on the car.

 

[bouncingfire]

I woulds actually buy a diesel for the sole reason that they can run off vegetable oil

 

[seremify007]

I woulds actually buy a diesel for the sole reason that they can run off vegetable oil

I seem to recall reading in my manual specifically NOT to try that!

 

[boris]

i dont think it would be advisable to do on anything new

maybe give a 30yr old cruiser a try

it would probably run off dust anyway

 

[seremify007]

Thought I would share my latest run from the Hills District to the city:

Man, I love diesels. It's a good 1/3 of the fuel usage of my manager's 911 Carerra, and mine is much easier to live with ... but I wouldn't necessarily say no to a swap!

 

[boris]

just have both

 

[Azure]

4.5L/100KM hahaha amazing.

 

[seremify007]

I dyno'd my car today... after 17 runs just to make sure it was getting a consistent result.

147kW at the wheel. Not bad given that the brochure advertises 150kW (i.e. not at the wheel).

Better yet, the torque figure was 600Nm (way above the 500Nm in the brochure).

Here's a clean dyno readout of the Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI with factory tune on the OM651 engine (hopefully this helps Google pick it up):

 

[seremify007]

This is what the brochure had btw:

 

[SnowFox]

I really should get the 650R derestricted and dyno'd, will love to see what the Korean donk can put out.

 

[Havox]

I seem to recall reading in my manual specifically NOT to try that!

Challenge accepted?

 

[seremify007]

Havox, now that I've let you drive my diesel car..... I hope I've changed your views

 

[Gary_Oak]

At least diesel prices are a bit more stable.....

 

[wannaspoon]

yay!

 

[seremify007]

At least diesel prices are a bit more stable.....

Agreed. They've gone up in recent times ($1.50-$1.60/L) but are still cheaper than 98!

 

[anomalousdecay]

Agreed. They've gone up in recent times ($1.50-$1.60/L) but are still cheaper than 98!

I remember the days when diesel was 20c per litre more than 98 and 25c more than E10 lol.