Why buy new diesel cars?

[Deleted member 65149]

I know this has been discussed within many other threads, but I still fail to understand why people continue to buy new diesel powered cars. I'm not really interested in whether or not they cost less to run (debatable) or provide greater torque (not something that most drivers will appreciate). My worries are over the now much publicised health concerns.

I can perhaps understand why reading something like this "A Mercedes Benz CLA (2.1l) diesel emitted 8-12 times the limit on the road" (https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ew-diesel-cars-far-higher-than-official-limit) has little influence on buyers' decisions. For most I suspect the reaction is "So what?". But why oh why do people ignore the often repeated headline:

"Diesel pollution blamed for 12,000 early deaths a year" (http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/n...amed-for-12-000-early-deaths-a-year-6fh6ns9vm)

"Almost 12,000 people a year die prematurely in Britain because of exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is largely produced by diesel engines, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said."

Don't the people who buy new cars ever take notice of these warnings? Or is it just that they don't care about anyone else? Don't they realise that they're also putting the lives of their loved ones at risk? Or is it simply that they don't think about such things, preferring instead to concentrate solely on their own pockets?

I've heard all the excuses such as "The CO2 levels are lower in diesels so fit within my company car limits", or "The manufacturers don't provide enough choice of petrol cars", or "People die from drinking, smoking and all sorts of other things". To me, they all sound like shrugging shoulders - "Not my problem"

So is that it? People just don't care!

 

[alzieboy]

Here we go again

 

[steve333]

Respect everyone's opinions but without diesel the shelves in the local supermarkets would soon be empty.......

 

[NDFR]

michaeljacksonpopcorn.gif

 

[Harrythedog]

I don't know all the ins and outs but what is as sure as day follows night if there is a hint of damage to either health or the environment there'll be a price to pay by the consumer

 

[S205-FTW]

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Lack of choice.

 

[Rory]

"Almost 12,000 people a year die prematurely in Britain because of exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is largely produced by diesel engines, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said."

What does this mean in practice?

And are these people who are suffering from something that might have caused them to die prematurely anyway?

With a rapidily aging population surely it's a bigger problem that more people are living too long.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

What does this mean in practice?

And are these people who are suffering from something that might have caused them to die prematurely anyway?

With a rapidily aging population surely it's a bigger problem that more people are living too long.

I don't think that Knighterrant is that old.

 

[Dryce]

"Diesel pollution blamed for 12,000 early deaths a year" (Diesel pollution blamed for 12,000 early deaths a year | News | The Times & The Sunday Times)

"Almost 12,000 people a year die prematurely in Britain because of exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is largely produced by diesel engines, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said."

I think people just don't believe (or relate) to these sorts of statistics.

My observation would be that people who are vulnerable to pollution of one sort are also vulnerable to other causes. Chances are that the '12000' overlap with a number of other causes - and if they weren't assigned this cause then they'd be assigned something equally tenuous.

Also did you notice that it's a European agency. That means zero credibility.

We are bombarded with loads of negative messages about health. And yet .... and yet ..... despite all this perpetual doom and gloom life expectancy has risen.

But cancer has gone up they say. Well sure. If you get to 80+ then your probability of getting cancer is pretty high. Longer living leads to its own statistics.

If they said that 12000 people who were on the verge of dying from other causes were fragile enough to be killed by pollution - then I might believe them.

As for choosing diesels. This is a MB forum. MB mainly sell diesels here in the UK. Because that's what the government has persuaded us to buy through taxation - and it's become self fulfilling. Anything that's 2.0 litre or more tends to be a diesel or a much larger performance petrol car.

They made it that way.

So I don't care? Well I'm suspicous of the likes of the EEA. And I take a different tack. I set out to drive fewer miles by eliminating unecessary journeys - I try and take the most economical routes and drive appropriately - and I try and avoid urban areas. - and where possible make long journeys with passenger(s) to mitigate the energy consumption / emissons per mile per person.

I would also observe that when the most polluted streets are listed - they are typically bus routes. Diesel buses and even diesel trains pollute rather more than people realise.

 

[400ixl]

Petrols also emit harmful emissions which are absorbed into the human body much more easily than those from diesels so require fewer parts per million to do as much damage.

Neither are good for us and as to which kills more is debatable as there are reports that claim different all over the place, so which do you believe.

 

[Lennox]

^ what he said!

Plus the government is hardly pushing us to adopt electric they put small tax benefits but taxation on petrol and electric is still highly affordable.

If they really want to remove poluting cars and reduce harmful gases including carbon dioxide they need to crest s directly related tax. Beef burger (and all red meat) for example would be heavily taxed.

Also manufacturers are not helping. I'm considering a new Landrover discovery, 3 diesel options (2X2.0 & 1X3.0) and one high performance petrol?? No hybrid and no electric variant.

 

[190]

Although I've never owned a diesel, I'll be honest and say I had few concerns about vehicle pollution. Then one day while pushing my 6 month old granddaughter alongside a busy road it occurred to me that no one has the right to flaunt emissions laws in a way that could contaminate those virgin lungs. It amazes me that modern parents are hyper sensitive about the safety of their offspring then go out and buy a diesel.

Diesel exhausts need to be genuinely cleaned up, including lorries buses and trains.

 

[219]

I would also observe that when the most polluted streets are listed - they are typically bus routes. Diesel buses and even diesel trains pollute rather more than people realise.

I remember reading a report on Friends of the Earth or some similar greenie website that Hope St in Glasgow was the most polluted street in Europe and being invited to sign a petition to ban cars from it .

I don't think it went down well when I posted a comment that a good part of said street was already BUSES AND TAXIS ONLY , and that these same vehicles , together with vans and trucks , constitute the majority of traffic there .

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Respect everyone's opinions but without diesel the shelves in the local supermarkets would soon be empty.......

How much produce is delivered to supermarkets by diesel CARS. The subject of this thread is cars!

 

[Dryce]

Diesel exhausts need to be genuinely cleaned up, including lorries buses and trains.

They are way way cleaner than they used to be.

I think people forget how common it used to be to have diesel vans and buses belching thick grey clouds of fumes and particulates.

Plus when you were in a pub, restaurant or train you used to be in a fog of cigarette smoke.

 

[davidjpowell]

In my case I bought a diesel for a number of reasons.

1. I needed raised ground clearance - an SUV if you like, albeit only 2 wheel drive. Petrol options are near enough nil. Hybrid's don't have the range to do 600 miles in a day.
2. I don't believe the statistics. Everyone seem's to have an axe to grind. All of these groups tend to be funded by someone with a stake in the outcome. It is impossible to judge for one's self.
3. If it was that bad it would be banned. I'm assuming that modern diesels are far cleaner than they were 20 years ago. (Actually we can tell this from the smoke from the exhaust).
4. Economy. Makes a difference over 30k a year.

 

[flowrider]

I own a 3.0 litre V6 ML but if i could buy a 3.0 litre V6 petrol i would. In the MB SUV market it used to be either a 3.0 litre diesel or a 5.5 litre petrol. Now that the GLC 43AMG is out i might consider one.

 

[moonloops]

I bought a diesel as a legal way of killing off people

 

[markjay]

If you are buying diesel, then new (with new car warranty) is the only way to go.

A member here was quoted £3k repair for a B-Class just out of warranty because the flaps in the intake manifold broke.... MB UK offered 10% goodwill contribution because the car had full dealer service history... scarey stuff.

And you don't want to know the cost of a new diesel pump... or misrefueling (which is not covered by warranty anyway).