Stunning New Diesels From Mb

[hawk20]

I accept the residuals on diesels are higher - the roadtax on petrol is higher but the servicing costs on diesels are higher too...

All I was trying to say was that too many people get lulled into buying diesels on the grounds of better fuel consumption whereas for SOME this isnt relevant if they are not driving high mileages....

OK. I accept the arithmetic, of course. But I think it unfair to assume that diesel will remain at 9% above unleaded as it is now. Not long ago they were almost the same price. BUT I accept that it could remain like it is now and make the choice more difficult.

I have found diesel cheaper to service (no plugs to change etc) and the intervals between seem much longer (15-18k miles).

Having said that, and back to thread, the new MB diesel is so efficient that it will still be a winner if the price remains comparable with petrol engines as on MB at the moment.

 

[crockers]

if price remains comparable to petrol engines - I agree its a "no brainer".....but diesel for the guy who does say 5 - 6k a year isnt perhaps the panacea to cost that he may think it is...

Yes I agree these new engines look very interesting....and I love the torque of my car..

 

[hawk20]

if price remains comparable to petrol engines - I agree its a "no brainer".....but diesel for the guy who does say 5 - 6k a year isnt perhaps the panacea to cost that he may think it is...

Yes I agree these new engines look very interesting....and I love the torque of my car..

Sadly there is much in what you say. What has happened is that endless increases in emissions controls have meant that diesel engines, although still more economic than petrol, are none the less nothing like as economical as they used to be. I can remember when the rule of thumb was that diesels did 30% more mpg. Now it is generally about 20% more mpg.

Then on the fuel cost side, a few years back petrol and diesel were either the same price or only 1p difference per litre. Now, round here, it is 109.9 for unleaded and 119.9 for diesel. So the gap is that diesel is 9% more.

Roughly then, we have diesels doing 20% more mpg, but the fuel –for the time being at least—is costing 9% more. So broadly diesels now only cut your annual fuel bill by about 10%.

A 10,000 per year man spends £1,429 on fuel if he uses petrol and does 35 mpg and spends £1,299 if he does 42mpg (20% more) and uses diesel at today’s prices. So the saving is a pretty unexiting £130 per year. Or put another way at today’s prices petrol cars cost about 10% more to fuel.

I certainly hope the price differential will drop back to near parity. And apparently there is no technical reason why that should not happen. It is just extra demand for diesel that has driven the price up for the time being.

In addition, this new MB diesel suggests that the boffins may soon take us back to diesel being very much more economic once again.

 

[glojo]

When we bought our 320CDI, it was over £1k cheaper than the 320 petrol. Fuel economy is far superior, plus the residuals have completely reversed.

John

 

[hawk20]

Mind you I suppose now we should also allow for the saving on VED that a diesel gives as size/performance for size it gives less CO2 emissions.

 

[glojo]

I have always respected the old each to their own adage and this petrol vs diesel issue is a great example. Folks tend to become obsessed and try to convince everyone else that their decision is the right one. My thoughts are that both options have pro's and cons and if one fuel was the all singing all dancing answer, then that that would rule the roost.

Regards
John

 

[television]

I have always respected the old each to their own adage and this petrol vs diesel issue is a great example. Folks tend to become obsessed and try to convince everyone else that their decision is the right one. My thoughts are that both options have pro's and cons and if one fuel was the all singing all dancing answer, then that that would rule the roost.

Regards
John

This bares out for me,,I lke the SL and I would like to try a diesel,but that is not possible, so just have to wait till the V70R is sold off, but I am not one on those who will spend £10k to save £150 a year

 

[glojo]

This bares out for me,,I lke the SL and I would like to try a diesel,but that is not possible, so just have to wait till the V70R is sold off, but I am not one on those who will spend £10k to save £150 a year

Your not looking at the big picture.

If you keep the same cars for a hundred years then you will make a tiddy little profit.

R U fik or sumthink!

Regards
John the skinflint

 

[jadefox]

Wonder how the petrol v deisel works out on used/older cars.......

 

[Dragon]

Taxation increases on higher emission cars will help make the case though, although they will only further destroy the values of older "gas guzzlers".

Some countries pay a subsidy for drivers to dump their old cars and switch to lower emission models.

Why is this government not doing it? Didn't I saw on the BBC 10 o'clock news last night, US are getting a special tax rebate and their interest rate is only 2% in contrast to ours of 5%.

 

[Roger Jones]

I'd bet that the countries subsidising the destruction of older cars are protecting the new-car business in one way or another.

Taking the manufacturing process into the calculations, I've seen plenty well argued cases for running a well maintained car for many years rather than scrapping and buying new -- not only on cost grounds but environmental impact too. Trouble is, too many old cars are not well maintained, and that goes for a fair few younger cars too. With rising VED and insurance costs, that's all going to get worse, as maintenance is more avoidable than VED/insurance/etc. and residuals on models 5-7 years old are going to decline.

 

[hawk20]

I'd bet that the countries subsidising the destruction of older cars are protecting the new-car business in one way or another.

Taking the manufacturing process into the calculations, I've seen plenty well argued cases for running a well maintained car for many years rather than scrapping and buying new -- not only on cost grounds but environmental impact too. Trouble is, too many old cars are not well maintained, and that goes for a fair few younger cars too. With rising VED and insurance costs, that's all going to get worse, as maintenance is more avoidable than VED/insurance/etc. and residuals on models 5-7 years old are going to decline.

It would be such a great loss to us all if the older cars were gradually subsidised, or regulated off the roads. Part of our heritage and such beauty.

 

[hawk20]

Back to the new engines for a second. In the links I gave earlier, MB say that the engine is suitable for fitting east/west or north/south. Wonder if that means it might be in the new A and B class models eventually. The economy and performance would be incredible by today's standards.

 

[Dieselman]

B class is gone and it won't fit an A, and given the current fuel economy issues they won't install a 2.2, 200Bhp unit into an A, it's unneccesary and probably unsafe.

 

[Carrotchomper]

When we bought our 320CDI, it was over £1k cheaper than the 320 petrol. Fuel economy is far superior, plus the residuals have completely reversed.

John

I'm quite surprised about that, I always had an idea that diesels had a price premium compared to petrol. I know which engine I'd rather have.

Clue- Pulls like a train and sips fuel

Am I weird? I really do actually prefer diesel engines. The V6 diesel lump in my last Audi was superb, but couldn't help thinking an autobox would have been the preferred option- To stop constant gearchanging due to the silly 6-speed box and narrow powerband.

 

[hawk20]

B class is gone and it won't fit an A, and given the current fuel economy issues they won't install a 2.2, 200Bhp unit into an A, it's unneccesary and probably unsafe.

B class has certainly not gone. Doing well and the facelift version coming out this autumn.

And 200bhp in an A class will not be a problem. The current one already goes up to 193 hp (before Brabus).

In any case they could use a slightly detuned version. Why else would they say about mounting it east/west unless they intended fitting in the next A and B models?

 

[Dieselman]

Thanks for that info.

I would have thought for vans.

 

[Diesel Benz]

I'm quite surprised about that, I always had an idea that diesels had a price premium compared to petrol. I know which engine I'd rather have.

Are you more familiar with Hondas and Audis? My 211.026 had exactly the same price tag as the equally performing (acceleration, max speed, not fuel economy) 211.065. Later on the new E350 appeared a bit more expensive, the current German price for the E350 is a bit higher than the 211.022 E320CDI. My 221.122 was significantly less expensive than the corresponding S350. These are MB diesels, one should not expect the same as for most other cars.

 

[hawk20]

News this morning said diesels are now 45% of new car sales in the UK.

 

[NewMB]

News this morning said diesels are now 45% of new car sales in the UK.

I am not suprised. That figure keeps rising.... almost at the same speed as the price of diesel fuel!