T
tanuie
Guest
Hi
Are diesels suitable for short local journeys?
Thanks
Are diesels suitable for short local journeys?
Thanks
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Hi, GraemeIf they have a DPF [ diesel particulate filter] fitted - and all new diesel engined cars have- then short journeys which prevent the engine and exhaust system from reaching operating temperature mean there is no chance for the DPF to " regenerate"-- that is burn off accumulated particulates- eventually this leads to the DPF blocking or partially blocking meaning reduced fuel efficiency or at worst engine damage. The driver is normally alerted before this by some form of warning on the dashboard. -- Provided the diesel owner is prepared to drive the car for a long enough distance / period of time to regenenerate the filter on a regular basis then this should prevent this blockage occurring Mercedes recommend a 30minute trip every 300 miles If this regime doesn't fit with the cars normal usage and factor in the increased price of diesel fuel then petrol may indeed be a more logical choice.
Hi, Graeme
Thanks for the reply. I was looking at 2006 cars, does this have a DPF, if not what would be the consequence. I don't see a problem with a 30 minute trip every 300 miles if need be with a DPF fitted.
Many Thanks.
Terry.
Diesels do take longer to warm up.
There is less waste heat with an efficient diesel engine.
Many (maybe most) taxis are diesels.
But, why would you want one ?
There's an inference that diesel is the wrong choice for low mileage users, and this argument always raises its head in the petrol/diesel low mileage discussion.
My car is a 2010 E350 CDI 265 bhp Avantgarde with some extras, which I bought from a main dealer for £23,000 at 2 years old with 8,000 miles on the clock and in showroom condition. VED is £175 a year and my latest insurance premium was £300. It does 0-60 in 6 secs top speed is 155 mph and it does 50 mpg 'on a run', according to the computer. (I've never been interested enough to check by any more accurate means. If consumption was an issue, instead of buying a big car and mythering about how much gas it's using, I'd have bought a Fiesta). I've put 7000 miles on the clock in 16 months. I've had one DPF issue in 5 years of diesel ownership, which was cleared with a short Sunday morning run up the motorway.
If any diesel detractor would tell me which petrol engined Mercedes fulfills all the above criteria, but would have been a better buy and cheaper to run, I'm all ears and willing to revise my decision making processes.
How about a 2001 C320 petrol, cost £3000 and gets 25 on my commute in London and 30+ on the motorway. Ok, its not mid 7s for the 60 time, but I'm still nearly £20000 behind you. How about that for a petrol to convince you?
Is my 2012 C350 CGI Sport saloon a good enough comparison then? VED is £175 a year (same as yours) and my latest insurance premium was £237 (£63 less than yours). It does 0-60 in under 6 secs, top speed is limited to 155 mph (although I've only ever taken it to 150mph) and it does nearly 40 mpg 'on a run, using cheaper fuel. I've NEVER had any DPF issues in 50 years of motoring. My car doesn't sound like a bag of nails when I start it up and it has a far flatter power curve that suits me better than the sudden drop off of a diesel.Not sure whether your comment is a serious contribution. I acknowledge the validity of your philosophy, but it's a bit of a cop-out in relation to the discussion. To be fair, in order for my query to be answered it has to be on a like for like basis in terms of the age and model etc. of the car. No one would argue against the fact that buying an older, cheaper car would reduce motoring costs overall - ignoring any additional maiintenance costs due to its age. My comments were in relation to a comparison between diesel and petrol cars of similar age and class. A diesel and a petrol side by side.
For your response to carry any weight you would need to make a comparison between your car and a 2001 C class diesel.
Is my 2012 C350 CGI Sport saloon a good enough comparison then? VED is £175 a year (same as yours) and my latest insurance premium was £237 (£63 less than yours). It does 0-60 in under 6 secs, top speed is limited to 155 mph (although I've only ever taken it to 150mph) and it does nearly 40 mpg 'on a run, using cheaper fuel. I've NEVER had any DPF issues in 50 years of motoring. My car doesn't sound like a bag of nails when I start it up and it has a far flatter power curve that suits me better than the sudden drop off of a diesel.
As Theo said earlier, there's not a one size fits all. We choose what suits us, or at least we should.
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