Would you buy a diesel car?

[Ididtry]

I keep reading about how polluting they are (after years of being told they were the mire efficient option) and that they should be heavily taxed/banned in city centres but if youre looking to buy a new large family car there doesn't seem to be much choice.

We're looking for something in the mould of the Nissan Xtrail, Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Edge, but they're all only available with diesel engines. It seems to get a petrol engine you need to get a luxury sports version like the Jaguar or Porche, which sadly isn't going to happen for us.

What do you think is going to happen about diesel vehicles?

CO2 is only one emission

PM5
PM10
Nox
are equally bad - and I suspect that tax bandings on diesels will be pummelled in the next couple of years

That is part of the issue Mungo, both our diesel cars are £0 road tax because emission tests are based on CO2. They spew out NOx instead.

We did 2 years ago because the tax was loads less than the petrol version of the same car.

Whoever asked about whether their car was one of the poor ones in terms of emissions, these are good places to look.

Type your car make, model and year into this one

www.emissionsfinder.com

and then look at the standard here

www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/euro-emissions-standards

Ours are both 5 as long as our car maker hasn't fabricated the stats.

We have just upgraded our pickup truck from a 5.3L petrol to the 6.2L diesel.

We are in the USA so don't have the same restrictions we would have had in the UK

Diesel is more efficient and better for the environment- it's worse for People (health)

The US is a very different place with a completely different mentality/mindset to cars. Not one I could embrace.

I lived near DC for a few years but still had a Volvo and a Mini !

I have an old diesel (03). I'm keeping it till it dies because the finances of buying an equivalent petrol don't stack up vs any increased taxes that I'll have to pay.

Not to mention the environmental impact of a new vehicle production far outweighs the impact of keeping an existing one on the road. So it's not juts as simple as diesel = bad, petrol = good.

Also, those of you with DPFs - I was led to believe that regular longish runs at decent speed (i.e. the kind of driving that diesel is most fuel- and cost- efficient for) would negate issues with them going wrong? If all you are doing is short urban runs, why did you chose diesel?

If all you are doing is short urban runs, why did you chose diesel
This is exactly my problem now. That's the type of driving I do, very little mileage only 6000 miles a years. I drive a diesel now because the ONLY cars which were big enough to fit 3 car seats in were Diesel engines. I'm looking for a new car now, no longer have car seats but have three bigger children who will soon be teenagers so still need a large car. And guess what, hardly any have petrol engines. I really don't want a diesel car, but I can only buy what's available.

Also, those of you with DPFs - I was led to believe that regular longish runs at decent speed (i.e. the kind of driving that diesel is most fuel- and cost- efficient for) would negate issues with them going wrong?

That's the idea, although they can still cause issues. Our DPF equipped diesel no longer has a DPF and has had it mapped out.

I replaced a 1.4 petrol with a 1.6 diesel.
I commute an 85 mile round trip. The diesel is more fuel efficient by around 10-15mpg. It's also an "eco" model and thus I pay less tax as it has fewer emissions - and yet it's considered more polluting simply because it's a diesel?

Not to mention the environmental impact of a new vehicle production far outweighs the impact of keeping an existing one on the road
Interestingly it doesn't
as so much of a new car comes from recycled bits of old cars
and the efficiency differences are amazing now

Is it more environmentally friendly:

• to buy a new car and drive it for its entire lifespan (15 years or so at 150,000 miles)

or

• to trade the car in every 3 years for a more efficient model?

It has to be the first, right? Just on common sense? Or am I wrong?

No dont buy a diesel we have always had diesels but now because of the omissions it is problematic also new diesels have issues with diesel particulates bunging up the pipes we have this issue due to me driving only short runs for the job I do. However have spoken to numerous people who have had the same issues. I wont be buying another diesel, cant afford to change car at moment though, this one will be run into the ground.

shovetheholly
blog.nature.org/science/2016/04/14/old-car-or-new-car-energy-transportation-battery-fuel-efficiency/
Across a range of size, the energy it takes to manufacture a new car is equivalent to about one year of the energy used to power it.

shovetheholly

You are right Reduce-Recycle-Reuse

Just bought a new Tiguan diesel.

We could just ban all Diesel engines but then we'd all be fucked. Trucks, Buses, vans, tractors,Ships, Trains, Power stations etc. Not sure banning cars is likely without a new soliton. Could go back to steam for trucks, boats and trains I guess.