Thread: What is better, diesel or petrol and why?

I used to be a pure petrolhead... but not so much now.

It does definitely depend on the application, each have their strengths.

For me though, I cant see myself buying a petrol 4WD ( Unless I scratch the itch and buy a series )

For pure performance, then it's petrol all the way. There are a few smaller cars where the performance line is blurred, like the Golf GT TD.

For bigger vehicles, where load carrying, distance travelling and pulling power is needed, then diesel it is every time.

Each fuel its pros and cons, one thing i dont understand is the diesel small cars we get now. The fuel usage between the 2 is minimal yet the costs of servicing, parts and repairs are poles apart.
As mentioned by Mick there are plenty of stories of diesel injectors that are gold bullion in value and DPF's that are the proce of a 2nd hand car.
To me a diesel golf is pointless since the petrol versions are so much better value ( just as an example).

From my own experience i went from a V8 RRC to the tdi disco so basically got the same vehicle with half the fuel usage and better service life.

If I had neither I would buy what suited my driving.If I drove around Perth with trips up and down the coast I would buy a Petrol,the price would be thousands below a diesel,that buys lots of fuel,a D1 with a 4.6 high comp motor,top hat liners,modern ignition and a 100ltr LPG tank behind the back seat,heaps of grunt,cheap to run and oil changes every 20,000km's,couldn't beat it.But I do lots of remote outback K's quite often towing so a good 4 cylinder diesel with a long range tank suits me.I would not spend the extra $20,000 Toyota charge for their diesel engines but would also not buy the latest petrol Patrol,both are not worth the cost. Pat

Don't think I will buy a petrol car ever again, unless its a dodge muscle car.
I own 4 cars, the only one we ever have trouble with is the non diesel

Petrol for the shopping trolley or weekend warrior, and diesel for the long distance tourer.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Well, it was the topic of discussion over coffee last weekend. You see a cow cockey friend fills up the family car and the work ute from the drums at the farm. Next thing you know, two stuffed cars with with eight stuffed injectors at $2,000 an injector. Worth more than the cars. "I'd never buy a diesel." says one friend. A discussion then ensued.
I have just made my first foray into the world of diesel. I'd be interested to know peoples thoughts.
As it is panning out, not a well thought through post. I'm sure it will improve when Dougal gets on board.

Just speculating... but I'll wager the issue here is the storage conditions of the farm diesel. ... quite possible/probable that condensation has developed in the drums plus a build up of other contaminants (rust,dust etc). Modern injectors are finely tuned complex electromechanical gadgets designed by wizards..

with the newer piezoelectric designs each injector is required to deliver a precisely timed squirt several times during each compression stroke through a laser drilled orifice/orifices. there are no physical drill bits small/strong/accurate enough to drill them the usual way.

with these constraints they don't take kindly to any contamination however slight.

an acquaintance who is dealer principal of a large Toyota outlet has long encouraged customers to choose the petrol versions of the Prado and LC200 unless there is a very good reason to go diesel (e.g.mine sites /farms etc). His experience is that over 10 yrs /150,00 km, the total ownership cost of the petrol variant is significantly less than the diesel...

Originally Posted by loanrangie

To me a diesel golf is pointless since the petrol versions are so much better value ( just as an example).

How'd ya work that out?? There's no comparison. A petrol Pacific Golf has a smaller purchase price yeah, but it uses more fuel, has a higher depreciation value, will only last half the kms the diesel will, and is no match for the equivalent diesel Golf. We have two diesel Golfs.. One is a 1990 MK 2 GTD with 500000kms on the clock. Its still my daily drive, does 5lt/100kms and goes as well as a V6 Commode. The wife's is a 2013 GTD DSG, and it does 5.5lt/100kms, goes like hell, will give a V8 Commode a run for its money and has done 70000 faultless miles in the first 15 months of ownership. Yes diesels have expensive injectors etc, but if they are serviced as per book, and looked after they will outlive any petrol. They have supreme torque and IMO improve a car. I've removed the thirsty lazy V8 out of the 101 and fitted a 6 pot diesel.. Yeah, it's bigger and heavier... but it is using half the fuel the V8 was and has twice the power. Diesel requires less refining, is less flammable, is more readily available world over. Diesel engines (some) can run on veg oil, and all but the wife's car here regularly do! (Before anyone starts the bio fuel debate, don't.. There's other threads for that!). So, I may have been dragged up in a country that's been diesel savy for years, so I might be biased, but IMO diesel is the only way to go. If Holden had realised this 10 yrs ago and put an alloy V6 turbo diesel in the Commode, I think they'd have probably sold a lot more cars.... and have a more secure future. All just my thoughts.... IMO their is only one option. Diesel all he way!