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Petrol verses Diesel debate

5K views 92 replies 27 participants last post by  Mr Dunamis 
#1 ·
Check out alfawolf76, what new 147 shall i buy, for a Diesel versus Petrol debate, looks
like the petrol engine is taking a bit of a hammering.:wow:
 
#41 ·
I think one thing everyone is missing here is for a derv Alfa have produced an absolute gem, I actually look on it as an Alfa derv rather than derv as compared to other derv's is quite different!

As Clarkson said " The Alfa Diesel's think there petrols"......

Why Fuss??? Its one more Alfa on the road FFS, Which is what we need considering poor sales over the last decade forcing more and more Fiatism's into the Alfa build. Is it me or does the new Guiletta look identical to the bravo platform???
 
#42 ·
Not a fuss, it's a debate :lol: If you like derv then that's up to you :thumbs:

I drive on power not torque and love spending my time driving above 5k rpms I love the sound of my car twin spark or V6.

Does a diesel sound like this? squeaky belt at first, (had wrong belt fitted)

This is why I drive petrol over derv ;)

 
#43 ·
With the greatest respect I think your missing the point of my "why fuss" comment mate. With Alfa not being at its strongest for a while now, why the fuss over true Alfisti that drive derv??? Is my point!

If I could afford to run a GTA, Chuff me Thats my dream and I'd be there in a heart beat but until then the derv's won hands down over performance and then some over my twinnie, economy and tbh the noise and that bad or not notably unless on tick over.
 
#48 ·
I think you will find it will all be hydrogen fuel cells soon. Honda already have one for sale (in Japan) and it provides massive benefits in performance and range over electric cars. And the only emmision is water. Just a case of getting hyrdogen pumps into filling stations....which will be a while!
 
#62 ·
Very true, however im working with a company supplying electric charging stations. Level one charging will be available in most areas within the next few years, so for now it looks like going fully electric and then probably hydrogen.

The electric car industry is now being given a big push by the electricity suppliers who are keen to sell units instead of us buying any alternative fuel.:p
 
#68 ·
Very true, however im working with a company supplying electric charging stations. Level one charging will be available in most areas within the next few years, so for now it looks like going fully electric and then probably hydrogen.

The electric car industry is now being given a big push by the electricity suppliers who are keen to sell units instead of us buying any alternative fuel.:p
In a country where most electricity comes from fossil fuel burning power stations.....great! Might as well burn it direct....in the cars engine!
 
G
#50 ·
We are all obviously car lovers on this forum and if we could all afford it a 4.2 V8 would be the smallest engine we would drive :lol:...at the end of the day it's about what you can afford. I'm lucky to only need to do about 7k a year so a V6 is what I can have but if I were doing lots of miles then I would have a diesel (which I have had before when I did more miles for work and wirh a remap it was a fine performance car)
 
#51 ·
well said! - I have asked numerous questions trying to kid myself about real world fuel consumption of V6s but I have to be realistic - the diesels or the new 1.4 multiairs are the only way for me to still retain Alfa ownership on an everyday high mileage basis! :)
 
#53 ·
I find the petrolheads constantly knocking diesel for the sake of it rather sad really. The fact is the competition (the Germans et al) are providing a strong range of engines, BMW in particular are producing some very strong diesel engines with remarkably low emissions.

Alfa Romeo and the Fiat Group need to do the same, and in many respects are having a good stab at it. The new TBi engines are a great development and when MA is applied across the range these will be truly competitive engines. I'm sure we are all looking forward to the 1750 MA version rated at least 265bhp. Similarly plans are afoot to apply MA to the new 2.0 JTDm, the single turbo version will be 190 and the twin turbo possibly as high as 245bhp. The Fiat Group and Alfa need to develop a wide range of strong competitive engines, both petrol and diesel, simply to survive.

For those who think of just petrol, and spend the weekends polishing their Arese V6 inlet pipes, or clean up their alloy or plastic top TS camcover, sorry you're living in the past. The constant boyish harping on about petrol v. diesel is simply missing the complicated market forces that are at play today. There will always be strong marketing and sales forces for both petrol and diesel. But to go on in such a pathetic way about the outright superiority of petrol over diesel just proves that many on here are just living in the past. Or rather they refuse to believe the realities of the present.
 
G
#58 ·
I find the petrolheads constantly knocking diesel for the sake of it rather sad really. The fact is the competition (the Germans et al) are providing a strong range of engines, BMW in particular are producing some very strong diesel engines with remarkably low emissions.
I'm ready to be corrected, but my understanding is that all the
anti-lag and scavenging techniques used in the TBi are just
not possible on a DERV as you can't play with ignition timing.


So the DERV is now at a major disadvantage when it comes to advanced
ignition/valve timing techniques.


No? :confused:
 
G
#54 ·
If Alfa had a 3.0 litre diesel engine similar to that in the Mercs, Audi's or BMW's then I would have been sorely tempted. At the end of the day I just want the fastest/most modern Alfa that I can afford be it petrol or diesel (true I'm yet to grow up :lol:)...I am also a sucker for the sound of a V6 but I can live without it. Unfortunately it had to be 5 doors hence why I'm no longer a 147 GTA/GT owner
 
#65 ·
arent we reasonable enough not to have these threads?

i preffer petrol, but would not run away from a good diesel. IMO a massive petrol with LPG is the best option.

Anyway, I have a TSpark - it was fun for the first few months and then I started to summarize my bills. And to put a LPG in a 105 bhp 147 isnt really a progress.

So, this is my conclusion and my view:

- 4 cylinder cars - diesel all the way
- 5,6 and more - petrol with LPG

And, if I could afford two cars at the moment, i would go with diesel 147 and a petrol weekend car. A perfect combo IMO.
 
#71 ·
Have both -

Petrol for that weekend B road mission, the iffy unsighted road, the instant response, the sound, the noise, for maximum fun whilst wearing trousers

diesel - for the longer run, the A to B, the weekday grind, MPG, for the family, for getting more than 17 mpg on a good thrash

Both have their advantages and disadvantages - Both are great

Andy
 
#75 · (Edited)
pffft... diseasal engines are the work of satan himself, pure witchcraft I say, combustion without a spark is a dark art practised by shiny suited reps discussing cupholders and mpg in little chefs all over the land..................... your clattering,oil burning soot blowers are best kept in the third world irrigation pumps,agricultural vehicles and mass transit systems that they were designed for.:cheese:
 
#78 ·
pffft... diseasal engines are to work of satan himself, pure witchcraft I say, combustion without a spark is a dark art practised by shiny suited reps discussing cupholders and mpg in little chefs all over the land..................... your clattering,oil burning soot blowers are best kept in the third world irrigation pumps,agricultural vehicles and mass transit systems that they were designed for.:cheese:

Dont ENTIRELY agree :cheese: but funny none the less!:cheese::cheese::cheese:
 
#83 ·
I have one of each you cant beat the 156 JTD for economy around town, 46mpg thats not at all bad for urban commuting and its fun to drive on the open road as well.

I also have a GTV that is far more expensive to run, it sounds good and I tend to drive it too hard but love it to bits, I guess the GTV is more fun, but I love 'em both.:inlove::inlove:

It's like having two children they are different and better at different things but you still love 'em both the same.
 
G
#86 ·
I think the diesel Alfa's are and were ground breaking in their day. Great driving machines with good economy. Simples!

New TBI engines may however be a real alternative! Huge Power, improved turbo powered torque and new to petrol diesel economy.

That Guilietta Cloverleaf is looking very tempting!!
 
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