Why buy new diesel cars?

[Deleted member 6183]

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" (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."

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!

What do you think of the responses so far then?

 

[Lennox]

I've got an E220D on order for March delivery (and I'm not an OAP!).
What am I meant to drive other than diesel if I want to stay in the executive sector?

Tesla S. Stunning car, well made (lots of Mercedes interior parts) very very quick and sure footed.

 

[Dippo]

Tesla S. Stunning car, well made (lots of Mercedes interior parts) very very quick and sure footed.

Nowhere for an overnight charging point.

 

[Lennox]

Nowhere for an overnight charging point.

Buy a better house then! Lol

 

[Yugguy]

Surely if emissions are such a worry, you would be driving a much smaller engine car / hybrid / EV or even better, riding a bicycle instead of going for the 350 petrol? :fail

Best response so far...

Let him who is without sin etc....

 

[tangey]

"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."

Shouldn't your question be why doesn't the government ban this stuff that's killing 12000 of its citizens a year.

Why didn't people stop drivng leaded petrol vehicles when it was patently obviously for decades that it was terribly posionous ? I think you'd find that people would still be driving leaded petrol cars, if leaded petrol wasn't banned.

These sort of things need government initiatives.

 

[David404]

Diesel buyers did EXACTLY what the Government encouraged us to do, we purchased diesel cars. Now the Gov are saying Oh sorry, we made a mistake, tell you what lets just give the problems AND the bill to diesel drivers, the people who did what we told them to do! Drivers are just mobile ATMs so lets shaft them.

The car manufacturers also followed Government encouragements and expanded the range of diesel cars available...

So the emissions test is flawed, it nowhere near reproduces real world results, who designed and mandated the test? Why the Government. So who do the Government want to blame, why the car manufacturers and the buyers...

Yes I agree with you given current knowledge from an environmental and health perspective diesel perhaps isn't the best solution but the Government got us here they should be stepping up to the plate and doing more to fix the problem and at their cost not the motorist.

Have you noticed that despite the vast sums they pay to senior people because 'its necessary to attract top talent' the States answer to every problem is to charge the public ever more.

So my question, who's the British equivalent to Donald Trump, coz I'm voting for him/her.

 

[David404]

Except when it comes to statistics .... which aren't always what they seem - particularly when quoted with no supporting context.

87.367% of all statistics are made up on the spot

Otherwise a well considered response that makes much sense.

About a year ago I used the bus service in Birmingham, standing behind drivers waiting to get off it looked suspiciously like the 'Add Blue' warning light was on, on ALL the buses. Makes you wonder...

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Surely if emissions are such a worry, you would be driving a much smaller engine car / hybrid / EV or even better, riding a bicycle instead of going for the 350 petrol? :fail

I do ride a bike, and I walk a lot. So does my wife. That's why our only car covers an average of around 4000 miles a year. :success

 

[Deleted member 65149]

A report from the PC liberal elite who tell you stuff you don't want to hear https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/file/2915/download?token=fV_ubz8n the short version https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/file/2914/download?token=NZzDVymh the long version PLUS a heartfelt apology from VW

Interesting as an aside that one of the RCP recommendations is "Lead by example in the NHS". During very many hospital visits over the last couple of years I couldn't help but notice how many staff were significantly overweight. Not much of an example to the obese!

 

[Lit91]

I do ride a bike, and I walk a lot. So does my wife. That's why our only car covers an average of around 4000 miles a year. :success

Missing the point here, as the choice of the car could be far more environmentally friendly (if this was the main concern).

The same type of response can be given in answer to your question, with a diesel car which only covers an average of 4000 miles a year.

 

[Stratman]

Interesting as an aside that one of the RCP recommendations is "Lead by example in the NHS". During very many hospital visits over the last couple of years I couldn't help but notice how many staff were significantly overweight. Not much of an example to the obese!

and smoked...

 

[John]

When I was changing car recently, the cars I considered were pretty much all diesel only as I had no option. Either that or another AMG / M6 type variants which I didn't want again.

So I stuck with petrol as I didn't need or want an oiler.

As much as I'm not a fan of diesel, I wonder how much the evolution of diesels has accelerated due to the governments tax incentives to push the public towards them though - which must have gone some way to clean up the environment even if it hasn't solved it by any stretch.

 

[DSB SL AMG]

 

[Dryce]

As much as I'm not a fan of diesel, I wonder how much the evolution of diesels has accelerated due to the governments tax incentives to push the public towards them though - which must have gone some way to clean up the environment even if it hasn't solved it by any stretch.

The European situation is created by government policy combined with a public reaction on value / pricing of diesels that compounded it further with the manufacturers further acting and delivering what the public 'wanted'.

I have stated in the past that I think VED should be based on vehicle weight. That combined with fuel duty would incentivise manufacturers to create lighter vehicles which were inherently more economical - and finding ways of addressing safety that didn't incease vehcle weight.

 

[grober]

Interesting as an aside that one of the RCP recommendations is "Lead by example in the NHS". During very many hospital visits over the last couple of years I couldn't help but notice how many staff were significantly overweight. Not much of an example to the obese!

Interesting observation could you break that down perhaps in terms of staff seniority/remuneration? --- how many obese consultants did you come across for example ? Might I suggest that perhaps it merely mirrors the pattern of obesity in the general populace where it's often but not exclusively a reflection of socio-economic status?
http://www.noo.org.uk/uploads/doc/vid_16966_AdultSocioeconSep2012.pdf

 

[Dryce]

https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/file/2914/download?token=NZzDVymh
the long version

Which intelligently covers a lot more than diesel - and then lets itself down somewhat with a stereotypical image with a fast food restaurant.

 

[markmifsud]

Shouldn't your question be why doesn't the government ban this stuff that's killing 12000 of its citizens a year
.

Should they ban Alcohol also? year ending 2015 there were 54,000 deaths related to that, over four times the number related to Diesel.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Interesting observation could you break that down perhaps in terms of staff seniority/remuneration? --- how many obese consultants did you come across for example ? Might I suggest that perhaps it merely mirrors the pattern of obesity in the general populace where it's often but not exclusively a reflection of socio-economic status?
http://www.noo.org.uk/uploads/doc/vid_16966_AdultSocioeconSep2012.pdf

Of course I don't have any statistically acceptable study results that will even come close to satisfying the objectors to pretty much everything that's posted here. All I can relate is my experience, whereby the weight distribution appeared to be a fairly even spread (pun intended) from nurses through to consultants. The most obese of all was a registrar. We only saw three consultants, with just one not looking overweight and the other two not excessively so.

 

[HB]

Tesla S. Stunning car, well made (lots of Mercedes interior parts) very very quick and sure footed.

Cheap rent interior

80K for that , no way.