Petrol vs Diesel

[kiwifruit]

petrol
or as kickaha said, LPG

[Quasievil]

Kiwis are of course almost paranoid about buying European car. They seem to think that they are fragile or that people will think you're a wanker or a deviant.

I drive a Fiat Stilo Arbarth, and Im a wanker and a deviant, so what ya saying?

[Motu]

The Euros are just car blocks too - the Ford diesel is just the good old Kent block that first came out in the Anglia.I pulled the dead engine out of my Escort van and fitted a 1600 crossflow out of who knows what.Both bare blocks had the same length and height,bolted straight onto the gearbox,bolted on the diesel flywheel.VW Golf was the same,it was the petrol block.As an ex truck mechanic I am disgusted with all these small diesels - FFS,dry liners,alloy heads,cambelts - real diesel engineers just laugh at these things,none of them are made for a long life,the engines last about as long as a petrol engine.Euro vehicles have a much shorter lifespan than Jap cars - no way are they going to put a 20 year motor into a 7 year car.

[Quasievil]

Get LPG Fitted from new in a ute you won't loose too much space and now days the installers can fit them in some amazing places.

But where would the front wheel of my motorbike go if its got a LPG tank fitted there?

[Lou Girardin]

I had a diesel Discovery in the dim, dark past before I saw the light. It was cheaper to run than my MX5 (slightly). But I flicked it before I had to do any serious maintenance.
I'd consider a modern diesel though. I like nice torquey engines.
Perhaps a 5.5 litre V12 Audi TDi?

[ManDownUnder]

On the topics of diesel and comfort

Check the Peugot 407 SW diesels. They're nice to drive and pull like a schoolboy. Quite roomy and a 2nd hand one ain't too pricey

[James Deuce]

I was about to suggest the 407 MDU.

Motu - Euro Ford aren't European. They're a subsidiary of a US company that still thinks live axles are cool, and that 12 hectares of black plastic that splits in the sun is the best upholstery ever.

[James Deuce]

I drive a Fiat Stilo Arbarth, and Im a wanker and a deviant, so what ya saying?

I like those Stilos. The 5 door is like a Tardis.

I like the Alfa 147 too - does that make ME a deviant?

My kind of deviant I suspect.

[igor]

I had a diesel Discovery in the dim, dark past before I saw the light. It was cheaper to run than my MX5 (slightly). But I flicked it before I had to do any serious maintenance.
I'd consider a modern diesel though. I like nice torquey engines.
Perhaps a 5.5 litre V12 Audi TDi?

MX5 what

I suppose ya sit when ya go Number 1's or r ya GAY

[Kickaha]

But where would the front wheel of my motorbike go if its got a LPG tank fitted there?

Go lpg dedicated and put the lpg tank where the petrol tank used to be

[cowpoos]

On the topics of diesel and comfort

Check the Peugot 407 SW diesels. They're nice to drive and pull like a schoolboy. Quite roomy and a 2nd hand one ain't too pricey

I was about to suggest the 407 MDU.

I second that....fuckin brillent handling cars peugots....

I have a consultant I have used for years has one.....got over 470,000km on it....and only does minor servicing.....cheap as chips to run apparently!!!

I also have and uncle with a BMW 330d [i think thats what its called] deisel 3lt six....that thing hauls arse....it almost far to bloody quick for a deisel!!

but yeah...if it were my $$$ and for your reasons....I'ld be picking up a peugot

[Motu]

Carefull what you call a European diesel too - a lot of Opel and Vauxhall diesels are Isuzu engines....

[cowpoos]

Carefull what you call a European diesel too - a lot of Opel and Vauxhall diesels are Isuzu engines....

not that theres anything wrong with modern isuzu engines???

[XTC]

How about a Ssangyong? 5 cylinder diesel.
And they support motorcycling in NZ
http://www.ssangyong.co.nz/

[inlinefour]

Many moons ago the AA did a cost comparison and the big killer for the diesel was maintenance. Newer diesels may require less frequent and/or less expensive maintenance I don't know. But in their testing you had to run up about 100,000km before diesel became cheaper to operate.

As I say this was a long time ago and a lot can change, however I would still check out the maintenance costs vs a petrol vehicle.

Although my hilux surf is cheap to run, unlike the 4wds mentioned earlier, I have to get it serviced every 5000km. If your doing alot of km, then its likely to be getting serviced often if its anything like this. However it does not cost that much, but yes its a pain in the arse as Im a shift worker. I do know that when the hilux is replaced, Im going for someting smaller, lighter and faster. Preferablly it wil be running on petrol, unless the fuel costs have gone totally supid. Then I'll just sell the hilux and ride eveywhere on the magic. I reckon a diesel that could hold its courner speed and handle well would be a go. But unless your going offroad, stay away from those Remuwera tractors...