Petrol or Diesel??

In light of currently ridiculous fuel prices. Which one is 'better' to have?

Petrol is usually around £1.15/litre
Diesel is usually around £1.25/litre

It is likely that diesel will be as much as £1.50/litre by July!! However, you can expect petrol to be about £1.40/litre aswell...

Is it still worth going for the diesel? Surely they are still better for the money, as you are still getting the better economy?

So rather than choosing one over the other because you're a petrol head or diesel head.. Put some thought into it and select which you believe is better for the money.

Let's have a poll!!

I drive a petrol and can get some pretty amazing figures from it, but i think overall you cant beat diesel for economy. Regardless of the price difference its still cheaper tank for tank.

Much bigger gap between the 2 in SA

Petrol all the way, I am 100% Petrolhead, not Dieselhead.

Its about 12% more expensive for diesel, so for a start you have to get 12% more MPG, Diesels also wear out tyres faster due to the torque, they are more expensive to buy secondhand, and are more expensive to service.

I don't think you could break even unless you were doing a big mileage.

Diesels tend to be more reliable though.

IMO Petrols drive better, I prefer a nice revvy engine as opposed to a lower revving one with more torque, but I appreciate others prefer it the other way around.

diesel - but the higher miles you do the better it is with a diesel

Must admit I prefer a petrol engine. I run both - a 2.0 TS in my 147 & a 2.0 TDi in my Seat. The Seat is quick but not as fun, but it gives about an extra 20mpg so economy wise you've gotta think about a diesel

In auto express No 1011 which was out 2 weeks ago, one of their columnists said that they thought diesel as a road car fuel was dead. The reason being that the price is going to increase sharply even further in relation to petrol. The reason was that for enviromental reasons ships are being forced to switch to diesel from Fuel oil, and this will affect the amount of Diesel available and push the price up to £2 a litre.

I would scan in the article but I haven't got a scanner..

heart says petrol
head says diesel..

mike

Diesel. The power is more usable on todays roads.

Petrol all day long. If I want a clattering diesel powered vehicle I'll buy a van or a MKII golf. With a farmer at the wheel.

Originally Posted by Alfaspeed

.. but i think overall you cant beat diesel for economy. Regardless of the price difference its still cheaper tank for tank.

I bought my Alfa to have fun, not for the fuel economy Petrol all the way.

In Japan they don't sell diesel engines. Go figure.

Originally Posted by BigFoot

In Japan they don't sell diesel engines. Go figure.

Carcinogenic soot?

No idea because all trucks are diesel but not the road cars

It depends on what you want. Big mileage = diesel for economy eventually.

I don't do huge miles so a petrol makes more sense (and a nicer noise!)

Depends on the miles you do, the extra a diesel costs to buy and if your taxed on the CO2.

Voted Petrol, can't run my V6 on Diesel !!!

Id rather pay the extra (ie do less miles) with petrol than have a car that has more in common with a victorian steam engine than a car

Not that I've got anything against coal burners