Should I get shut of my Diesel car?

[Ray Scully]

Having succumbed to the external pressures to give up smoking, and the concern for my health and the perceived effect it could have on others.
I now find myself with another dilemma. Current wisdom indicates that Nitrogen Oxides and particulates from diesel car exhausts is killing nearly as many people as cigarette smoke. Can driving around in a diesel car be any longer justified?

Ray

[towny44]

Probably not Ray but the VW scandal is going to damage resale values of all diesels, not just VW's, so you could lose out when changing.
My VW Golf SV is only 12 months old, does not have the rogue software, according to their websie checker, but I imagine I will have to keep it for several years if I'm not to suffer a trade in hit. Unless VW offer compensation to all their diesel owners then I think I am stuck with it for quite a while.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We bought our diesel car when the environmental lobby was telling us they would save the world. I'm not going to change it prematurely just because they've now changed their minds. With the improvement in petrol technology we'll probably go back to that next time, but when the time is due, not tomorrow.

On a related topic I was almost throwing things at the telly last night when the One Show was showing us a hydrogen powered car with "zero emissions ". Yes the car has zero emissions, other than water. But the fuel is produced by electrolysis, which uses electricity, whose production produces emissions. Dohhhhh.

[oldbluefox]

I bought a diesel car partly influenced by the increased mileage per gallon I could enjoy and partly because science had told me it was better for the environment. Now they are telling us diesel fumes are harming our world. Isn't it time they made their minds up? Presumably science is based on fact and evidence so how can our boffins get things so wrong?
I'm happy with my diesel car, with its performance and its economy and will not be changing it. After all a couple of years down the line they could well change their minds again.

[Manoverboard]

Have always opted for the petrol option ... only have to view / breathe in / sniff the exhaust coming out of most lorries and buses to appreciate the crap that comes out of a diesel engine, especially one that is poorly maintained.

Particulates r Us

[Quizzical Bob]

It's much more environmentally friendly to keep the same car than to replace it with a new one.

[poole boy]

qb
even if it kills hundreds of people in the mean time with what is coming out of the exhaust, It is certainly making us think about our next car due in march next year.
graham

[anniec]

Now they are telling us diesel fumes are harming our world. Isn't it time they made their minds up? Presumably science is based on fact and evidence so how can our boffins get things so wrong?

Because they are all so busy guessing what the climate is going to do in 10, 200 or 3,000 years time that they forget about what's right under their noses now?

[GillD46]

We have both diesel (husband)and petrol(me) cars. The diesel is considerably cheaper to run, using FAR less fuel, despite having a much more powerful engine. Our mileage is generally fairly low anyway, my car especially, so we don't feel so bad about using the diesel. When my car has had its day, we probably shan't replace it in any case.

[Quizzical Bob]

qb
even if it kills hundreds of people in the mean time with what is coming out of the exhaust, It is certainly making us think about our next car due in march next year.
graham

That's quite understandable, but the point is that manufacturing a new car is more harmful than keeping the one you already have because of what's emitted whilst it's being made. What is so special about next March?

[qbman1]

What is so special about next March?

I presume the new 16 reg ?

[ITWA Travel Writer]

Help ma Bob!!

Lady Macbeth has said she wants a new car next spring and we were seriously considering a diesel. Now this has got us wondering!!

Her initial choice was the BMW i3 Range Extender which is an electric/petrol car. The petrol engine never actually drives the 19in wheels. There’s a rear-mounted, two-cylinder, 647cc scooter-derived engine that works as an on-board power station, coming on stream to charge up the floor-mounted, 230kg battery pack. The rear wheels are only ever driven by the 168bhp electric motor.

BMW claims the parsimonious engine’s fuel consumption equates to a combined 470mpg, and emits just 13g of CO2 per kilometer. So naturally, its road tax exempt, and costs less to fill up at every rest stop than a thirsty driver.
The only drawback is the cost to buy £29,000 or there abouts, for a small car.

So it may well be a diesel after all. On second thoughts the only thing that the diesel particles might kill, way up here in God's country, are the midges so may be not so bad after all.

[poole boy]

qb
march is when our next new car is due I must admit we have a diesel at the moment when we got it everybody was saying diesel was better for the environment and you got more mph, But if this new research is true I would not want to get another diesel so I am hoping somebody will clear this up one way or the other before we order a new car in January to collect in march

[Quizzical Bob]

qb
march is when our next new car is due I must admit we have a diesel at the moment when we got it everybody was saying diesel was better for the environment and you got more mph, But if this new research is true I would not want to get another diesel so I am hoping somebody will clear this up one way or the other before we order a new car in January to collect in march

That's fair enough, but it depends on where and how you drive. Crawling along in a city might very well be noxious (do you see what I did there?) but bundling along in the wilds of Dorset is another issue.

[Quizzical Bob]

Help ma Bob!!

Lady Macbeth has said she wants a new car next spring and we were seriously considering a diesel. Now this has got us wondering!!

Her initial choice was the BMW i3 Range Extender which is an electric/petrol car. The petrol engine never actually drives the 19in wheels. There’s a rear-mounted, two-cylinder, 647cc scooter-derived engine that works as an on-board power station, coming on stream to charge up the floor-mounted, 230kg battery pack. The rear wheels are only ever driven by the 168bhp electric motor.

BMW claims the parsimonious engine’s fuel consumption equates to a combined 470mpg, and emits just 13g of CO2 per kilometer. So naturally, its road tax exempt, and costs less to fill up at every rest stop than a thirsty driver.
The only drawback is the cost to buy £29,000 or there abouts, for a small car.

So it may well be a diesel after all. On second thoughts the only thing that the diesel particles might kill, way up here in God's country, are the midges so may be not so bad after all.

All I would say is that 470mpg is a load of billhooks.

[Mervyn and Trish]

In any case as a Scot you should be buying a gas guzzler to support the folk of Aberdeen!

[qbman1]

Apparently, we're all slaughtering the bees as well now:

http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/m ... 4011657256

[Dark Knight]

why this comes as a surprise to anyone is beyond me, the car industry has lied to consumers almost since day 1
I though it was common knowledge that all the tests were faked?

[Stephen]

The only thing a diesel is good for is pulling a plough

[Frank Manning]

I am not going to let it bother me. After the 19 years I spent selling heavy oil burners to industry, my little bit of diesel exhaust pales into insignificance.

[Frank Manning]

Incidentally as far a NOx is concerned any form of intense combustion will convert Nitrogen in the combustion air into NOx. Are they going to ban all diesel trucks, buses and trains? What about all those gas fired powerstations, they will produce NOx.

[Big Bob]

Might I suggest an alternative - Toyota hybrid Prius, Auris or Yaris - £16,000 to £25,000. Fuel consumption is superb PROVIDING you work out how to drive it. As soon as you take your foot off the accelerator the engine cuts out so going down hill for example you burn no fuel and recharge the battery. Same deal approaching a red light or traffic hold up.Inregularly get over 70 mpg from a Prius on journey of about 12 miles. This is better in summer when the petrol engine warms faster and worse in winter. Take a look but unless you read up on how it works you will join the ranks of hybrid moaners saying they cannot get the mpg.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm certainly tempted Big Bob. I hate the look of the Prius, but like the Auris a lot. But if I were to buy one tomorrow I can guarantee the green lobby will point to the environmental and energy cost of manufacturing the batteries and want to get them banned by the weekend!

[ITWA Travel Writer]

Merv, I think that after the Bentley, you will find the Auris a tad small and the chauffeur will probably object and leave your service meaning that it will be left up to you to drive Trish to all those coffee mornings.

[Mervyn and Trish]

A good point John. These staff can be very difficult when they get above themselves.