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Turbo diesel drives like an under powered petrol, Diesel drives like a tank.
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Modern turbo diesels are almost as good in all aspects of performance as a petrol engine of the same cubic capacity and far far better to drive in town. (less gear changing)in other words a lot more pulling power at lower revs.One other thing far far better economy.
Alan Kearn
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BF, your comments are totally incorrect and unhelpful.
Unfortunately others of similar limited experience might take what you say as gospel so I suggest you respond to queries only when you have at least some knowledge in the subject.
Sorry to be a bit harsh, but lots of people rely heavily on this forum to answer their questions sensibly and we don't want to lose the good reputation that we have built up in that respect.
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My experience of an Audi A4TDI 110 hp was huge torque meant town driving/slow moving traffic was a doddle. For speeds 20-25 mph engage 4th and no accelerator on a flat road.! Official tests shows accleration better than 1.8 petrol and fuel consumption 30% better.
BF shows his/her total ignorance of the subject and should be ignored:-)
madf
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I was in a similar position to novice about a year ago, unsure of what a diesel offered in terms of driving/servicing/costs etc. a friend persuaded me to go for a 306 TD instead of a petrol and i have never looked back! Apart from slightly more regular oil changes, the idea of diesels being more expensive to service is a total myth and i have had no trouble from it, turbo or otherwise in 25,000 miles. I have actually started changing my own oil and filter now and can do it all for £12. (5L texaco havoline £8.90 from asda and a mahle filter £3 from local motor factors) Bargain!
I agree with madf about town driving/traffic being a doddle, using no feet in traffic jams is much easier!
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Sorry, but I find it very hard to believe that you have ever actually driven a modern TD car(eg VW /Audi PD or Ford TDCI).
Modern turbo-diesels are, in fact, noticably quicker in real-world driving than an equivalent size petrol engine, while using >30% less fuel. TDs are still less refined than petrol engines, but the gap is closing rapidly. An increasingly large proportion of buyers believe the large benefits outweigh the relatively small downside.
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To clarify, the above response was directed at Beetlefreak
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The Ford TDCI engines are literally a world apart from the watered down tractor engines which used to be plonked in Ford cars. They outperform the petrols in nearly every department. I find them extremely forgiving to drive but on the other hand, when pushed, the acceleration is almost unbelievable.
In real world day to day driving you'd be hard pushed to buy a petrol over one of the new technology diesels. Even my mother, a petrol stalwart couldn't believe it after driving one of the new Mondeo TDCIs.
I do believe that in the not too distant future, diesel sales will (especially in class C and above cars) start to outstrip petrol.
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I have driven a ford TDCI mondeo and while i thought my 306 TD was pretty nice to drive, it is nowhere near the ford in terms of speed and driveability.I find it incredible how far diesel engines have come in the last ten years, or even five years. I think if diesel technology continues to develop in the next ten years as it has in the last decade, then diesels will be so good as to completely outcompete petrols.(and maybe even convert the unenlightened beetle freak).
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Prior to this year, I too thought that diesel powered cars were horrible, noisy and slow.
I consider that I drive probably more miles and a more varied selection of cars than quite a lot of thread readers on here - eg since October 2002: Mondeo (P), Zafira (P), Mazda6 (P), Mazda6 (D), Vectra (P), another Vectra (P), another Vectra (P), another Vectra (P), Lagune Sort Tourer (D), another Laguna Sport Tourer (D) - a total of 40000 miles in 10 months altogether.
I can quite safely say that a) The Mazda6 is an excellent car, if a little noisy and the plastic titanium centre console scratches too easily, b) I don't like Vectras and c) The Laguna diesels are some of the finest diesel cars I have ever driven.
Performance is excellent, mid range acceleration beats a petrol car with similar engine size/bhp, fuel consumption is good (even with my lead right foot), you can cruise along the motorway at 70mph (!) at not much more than idle speed in 6th gear and the engine is quiet in all situations.
Incidentally, since 1993 I have driven over half-a-million miles in various cars, mainly with the blue oval on the front.
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This C5 is my first diesel car, Like most folk, I always believed that diesel owners were just plain tight and were so carried away with saving cash that they developed habitual deafness and insensitivity to smell.
After much soul-searching (and higher annual mileages due to a career change) I decided to try a diesel. Even then, I was so convinced that I'd regret it if performance was a let down, I decided to move from a 1.8 petrol to a 2.2 HDI (with particle filter)
Result? Daily day, I marvel at the silence, the acceleration, the wonderful torque and the fact that I get 43 mpg without pussyfooting, over Scottish hill roads, the spotless exhaust pipe (interior!) after 20,000 miles. The mileage could be bettered if I tried - but I don't want to change my driving habits into a homage to economy. I enjoy driving and with the HDI I now enjoy it even more!
An HDI is as different from a 'conventional' diesel as it is from a petrol.
Graeme
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Friend has recently acquired an A6 TDI: 45mpg overall and much more poke than the Volvo S60 petrol he had before, and with the Tiptronic transmission cf a manual. M-way speeds in near silence, and push in the back all the way up to cruising. I think he's pleased!
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Just to add my support and experience for modern-day TDi's. I had "often wondered" about diesel and whether they really are all that they're cracked up to be. So, just under a year ago, after many and varied petrol cars, I got my Toledo TDi 110 and would echo all the positive comments re performance, acceleration, refinement and, oh yes, 50+ mpg!
100mph really does sound and feel like, ooh officer, 60!
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