To think Diesel fuel is obviously a dirty fuel ...

[greenthings]

so why were so many people taken in? I've had cars for years and would never get diesal for that reason.

Of course Volkswagen lied and lied (scum). I'm not into consumer boycotts normally but their decipt on this was disgusting, up there with BP oil spills.

I hope they get fined f* £ billions btw.

[greenthings]

deceit

[PossumInAPearTree]

Well petrol isn't exactly green. Both cause emissions, pollution. When car companies say they've put filters in to mop up most of the shit and the government back them up it's not unreasonable to believe it.

I only have to pay £35 a year vehical emissions tax as my diesel is so "green". Not a VW, but a Ford. No idea if they've been lying as well or if my diesel really is clean. I suspect maybe it isn't but have no idea. Ford haven't been in the news for lying so Maybe it is ok?

[greenthings]

Diesel causes way more problems because of the extra pollutants in its emissions. Of course petrol not zero carbon print. Though I am surprised at people's naievity, my main anger is directed at VW who cooked the books. Maybe you are right about Ford though. When I went to buy a car I was constantly told diesel was cheaper to run, but we're talking pennies here.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Agree with Possum. Until the emissions scandals hit, there probably wasn't a huge difference in most people's minds and a lot of us need cars to function effectively due to shit public transport provision.

I have a company car, and diesels are much cheaper due to the tax regime. My work strongly encourage people to use diesel cars, because it was believed that they were greener - you would have to justify a petrol car and in my employer's eyes, few could come up with an acceptable reason.. For years, the government has encourged people to use diesel by charging them less. Also diesels are more efficient, so another way that they are cheaper.

[BackforGood]

Same as Possum - when the Gvmnt are making the tax as low as £20 (for our diesel), you tend to believe them that the technology is now such that the emmissions are the lowest available - to most - possibly electric cars beat them.

[celtiethree]

Errr because the information out there was that it was better for the environment in terms of co2. The government gave tax breaks and the car manufacturers lied. Well done you for not being taken in, enjoy polishing your halo.

[greenthings]

Agree Barbara they were presented as "cheaper" (very little difference, but as you say maybe the tax breaks if you had a company car). But I still stand by what I said. Anyone with common sense can see its a dirty fuel, more so than petrol, so people were fooled in the most dreadful way. No-one in the business questioned it, though they must have known.

[greenthings]

I'm not polishing my halo! I'm really angry with VW! But also a bit well its a bit obvious isn't it? I think people deep down guessed, but it was cheaper so why ask difficult questions. Of course VW cooked the books, but seem to live a charmed life as their sales have gone up in the last year.

[KickingKat]

I love my diesel. They're workhorses, go for 150k miles and more, cheaper to fix, what's not to love!

[EweAreHere]

Anyone with common sense can see its a dirty fuel, more so than petrol...

...its a bit obvious isn't it?

Wow.

[celtiethree]

No it's not obvious it's not a cut and dried argument. In some scenarios diesel is better in others petrol. It certainly isn't common sense, the move away from diesal will see a rise in co2 tail pipe emissions. Most diesal pollution comes from vans, lorises, buses, taxies. Solve for those and you solve the biggest problem. Don't shame car users who have made the most informed choice based on government policy, information available and their ever dwindling budget in the current environment.

[BackforGood]

Do you realise how rude and patronising you are sounding ?

People have replied.
Why do you think people should have been so suspicious of the facts that were presented at the time, that they somehow ought to have all employed private investigative engineers to produce reports into any car they might buy, rather than believing what all press reported, and even the Government were prepared to MASSIVELY cut the road tax on, because the information was the technology was now better for the environment than petrol engines ??

[Whisky2014]

I have only ever owned diesel cars. They were "eco" so no tax required. Also, for the distance I was commuting I could fill up once a week. I had to use a couple of courtesy cars which were petrol and felt like I was filling up every 2 days.

[Whisky2014]

I assume you have an electric car, OP?

[specialsubject]

even an electric car doesn't run on fairy dust....

diesel makes sense for those doing lots of long journeys where they are much more economical.

the fact that London can't breathe is bad, but a separate issue.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

diesel cars emit less hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and lead pollution than petrol cars, but produce more noxious gases and significantly more particulates.

So its not a clear cut as you would like to believe.

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

Because the government touted it as the most economical option for years and now look where we are

[DianaMemorialJam]

I love my big diesel. Sorry op.

[Ecureuil]

Anyone with common sense can see its a dirty fuel, more so than petrol

Err... I generally pride myself as having common sense, but no I didn't know this. Our (diesel) car is a company car and we were told it was cheaper as it was greener. I had no reason to think otherwise really. I have lots of responsibilities, demands on my time etc and researching the pitfalls of diesel sadly hasn't yet been at the top of my priority list.

[pointythings]

I think the promotion of diesel pushed a lot of people to buy diesels who really shouldn't have - people who lived in cities and only ever drove short distances, and in those circumstances diesels really are worse. Diesels are for long distance driving. And yes, lorries and vans are a huge issue.

[Donostia]

I have a diesel, admittedly I know very little about cars but it's a low emissions car, so much so that my import tax when I brought it overseas was exempted when it would have been over €2K for my petrol car I didn't bring. On the continent it's much cheaper and goes further too, although I didn't know that when I bought it.

I've heard Diesel cars are bad for the environment and seen they are to be banned in Paris etc, I'm just confused as mine was treated very much as a greener vehicle. It's a Renault if that makes a difference.

[MongerTruffle]

Blame Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and their cabinets. They reduced vehicle tax rates on diesel cars because they emit less carbon dioxide, which made diesel cars more appealing.

[ExplodedCloud]

VW are the only ones who'vwho've been rumbled and only because of California. Don't kid yourself that VW have perpetrated some heinous crime whilst all other manufacturers are good guys.
I don't think you understand what VW have done tbh.

[ToastVacuum]

No, it isn't just "common sense" or "obvious" to anyone except the "naive".

HTH

[QuestionableMouse]

Electric batteries for cars are much worse for the environment than diesel cars.