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Diesel VS Petrol- Your Preference?

I get the impression that a lot of learner drivers learn in a diesel, and then tend to go for a petrol after (cheaper, more common).


So if you've had experience in both, maybe you learnt in a petrol and then went with a diesel, how do you find the differences in the two?

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Most instructors use diesel due to it being cheaper to operate and less likely to stall at low speeds.

My own preferences :-

City cars such as KA or Up! or Aygo : Petrol.
Supermini : Petrol Electric hybrid or petrol.
Focus/Golf class : Petrol or Diesel Hybrid.
Repmobiles : Diesel.
Compact Executive : Petrol.
Midsize Executive : Petrol or Electric.
Large Executive : Petrol.
Pickup : Diesel
SUV : Petrol if it is for passenger carrying, diesel if it is for work.
Learnt in a petrol then my driving instructor changed car to a diesel, definitely preferred diesel because it just felt easier to drive and I felt I learnt quicker

Now I drive a petrol, and although I had a lot of issues to begin with I really love my petrol car :smile:
However I haven't drove a diesel since i learnt, but I do love how nippy and fast my little car is, and my instructors wasn't like that
instructors make the mistake of teaching young drivers in diesel cars, a mistake because its almost impossible to stall a diesel car so when that learner passes and gets a petrol car, guess what will happen? its like getting an automatic licence vs a manual.

diesel engines were made for vehicles that drive a lot/move heavy loads hence why you will see lorries and vans with them and people that work out of city have them and also why driving instructors started using them, for little city commuters it is actually so pointless.

Diesel engines get more miles per tank but costs more(and impossible to stall)
petrol is cheaper and can get more tanks but not as much miles
Original post by Legend Kaze
instructors make the mistake of teaching young drivers in diesel cars, a mistake because its almost impossible to stall a diesel car so when that learner passes and gets a petrol car, guess what will happen? its like getting an automatic licence vs a manual.

diesel engines were made for vehicles that drive a lot/move heavy loads hence why you will see lorries and vans with them and people that work out of city have them and also why driving instructors started using them, for little city commuters it is actually so pointless.

Diesel engines get more miles per tank but costs more(and impossible to stall)
petrol is cheaper and can get more tanks but not as much miles


Certainly isn't impossible to stall a diesel, what you on about?
Reply 5
Avatar for Steezy
Steezy
15
I drive a diesel but prefer petrol. Petrol just seems lighter... As in quicker off the mark, doesn't sound like a tank, doesn't feel like a lorry.

Not overly fussed though.

And trust me, you can definitely stall a diesel.
Reply 6
Avatar for aka r
aka r
petrol
Reply 7
Avatar for gbduo
gbduo
15
Petrol.

I have a diesel defender and its brilliant having a diesel engine in that for the torque, but I hate filling it up because there are so many mongaloids who have diesels and don't seem able to keep the diesel at the end of the nozzle and not all over the handle meaning my hands then stink of diesel for the next day or so. If you spill, wipe it up, it takes 2 seconds!

Grrrrrr!
Reply 8
Avatar for JC.
JC.
19
Original post by gbduo
Petrol.

I have a diesel defender and its brilliant having a diesel engine in that for the torque, but I hate filling it up because there are so many mongaloids who have diesels and don't seem able to keep the diesel at the end of the nozzle and not all over the handle meaning my hands then stink of diesel for the next day or so. If you spill, wipe it up, it takes 2 seconds!

Grrrrrr!


Dude, it's oil based - it creeps! Petrol just evaporates very quickly when exposed to atmosphere.

You could always wear one of those ****y plastic gloves... :wink:
Reply 9
Avatar for JC.
JC.
19
FWIW, a modern 4 cylinder diesel drives just like a petrol V8 - gobs of grunt low down but it doesn't like to rev.
All you folk that prefer diesels would be just as happy driving big petrol engines.

Personally, much like transmissions, you pick the engine to suit the vehicle. Like Graham, I've got a 4x4 - a Discovery 1. Previously I had a Discovery 1 with a petrol V8. It had LPG which made it cheaper to run if I could be bothered to use it. However, on petrol alone it was only doing 16mpg which, for the performance, was a bit disappointing. Sounded nice, though... The diesel, in contrast manages 30mpg and isn't as quick and is nowhere near as urgent when you pull away. It also tops out at 80mph.
That being said, it does everything you want with the bonus of going twice as far on the fuel.

Other than 4x4's and commercial vehicles I wouldn't bother with a diesel.
Reply 10
Avatar for gbduo
gbduo
15
Original post by JC.
Dude, it's oil based - it creeps! Petrol just evaporates very quickly when exposed to atmosphere.

You could always wear one of those ****y plastic gloves... :wink:


Yeh, I have a box of gloves in the car now as not all garages have them, but it is just a bit of a faff and I hate wearing gloves. Its a right pain in the ass!
Original post by gbduo
Yeh, I have a box of gloves in the car now as not all garages have them, but it is just a bit of a faff and I hate wearing gloves. Its a right pain in the ass!


You complain about the smell of diesel when you work in a ship??

Don't those engine rooms stink of that marine fuel oil? The only thing stronger smelling in terms of fuel is JP8, yuck.
Reply 12
Avatar for JC.
JC.
19
Original post by gbduo
Yeh, I have a box of gloves in the car now as not all garages have them, but it is just a bit of a faff and I hate wearing gloves. Its a right pain in the ass!


I haven't put fuel in a car in over 2 years.
I only do about 1500 miles a year - Nic tanks them up as she does a lot more miles than me!
Original post by Steezy
I drive a diesel but prefer petrol. Petrol just seems lighter... As in quicker off the mark, doesn't sound like a tank, doesn't feel like a lorry.

Not overly fussed though.

And trust me, you can definitely stall a diesel.



I know you can still stall a diesel but it is a lot harder to stall when pulling off because you don't need to put your foot on the gas. I've got a petrol car whilst still learning in a diesel and I've stalled in the petrol a couple of times because I don't apply enough revs, it just feels unnatural.


In terms of economy.. My mum keeps banging on about diesels being better because they have cheaper road tax, more mpg, but they are more expensive to buy in the first place and obviously diesel is more expensive. So do you guys think a diesel would work out more cost effective in a 1.4 supermini? Doing about 30 miles a day?
Original post by gbduo
Petrol.

I have a diesel defender and its brilliant having a diesel engine in that for the torque, but I hate filling it up because there are so many mongaloids who have diesels and don't seem able to keep the diesel at the end of the nozzle and not all over the handle meaning my hands then stink of diesel for the next day or so. If you spill, wipe it up, it takes 2 seconds!

Grrrrrr!


What's torque? :tongue:
Original post by TolerantBeing
What's torque? :tongue:


Turning force.
Reply 16
Avatar for gbduo
gbduo
15
Original post by Alfissti
You complain about the smell of diesel when you work in a ship??

Don't those engine rooms stink of that marine fuel oil? The only thing stronger smelling in terms of fuel is JP8, yuck.


Probably why I hate it, reminds me of work! If i'm home filling the car up, it means i'm on leave!

The engine room doesn't stink of fuel, if it does, you have a leak! But heavy fuel oil absolutely stinks. Really oily smell and just minging.
Reply 17
Avatar for Steezy
Steezy
15
Original post by TolerantBeing
I know you can still stall a diesel but it is a lot harder to stall when pulling off because you don't need to put your foot on the gas. I've got a petrol car whilst still learning in a diesel and I've stalled in the petrol a couple of times because I don't apply enough revs, it just feels unnatural.


In terms of economy.. My mum keeps banging on about diesels being better because they have cheaper road tax, more mpg, but they are more expensive to buy in the first place and obviously diesel is more expensive. So do you guys think a diesel would work out more cost effective in a 1.4 supermini? Doing about 30 miles a day?


I would definitely say that overall it will be cheaper with a diesel. I have a 2 litre golf and do about 17 miles a day and £60/£70 in diesel covers me the whole month. My previous car was a Peugeot 106, 1.1 litre, petrol and it was about the same cost in petrol as the golf per month. God knows how much petrol I'd buy in a month if my golf was a petrol car.
I like to drive both.

I drive a 1.4 petrol corsa, which is nice and nippy when you need it to be. Girlfriend drives a 1.5 TDCi Fiesta - which I drive on weekends. Diesel obviously gets you much further for your full tank; which is why she bought it. Another huge benefit is the fact it's really quite difficult to stall a diesel and I personally feel that you can stay in the lower gears for longer in diesels to build up that speed much quicker, when you need to.
Using the BMW 535i and 535d as an example, I'd take the 535d. Not only do you get a lot of power and great handling but you also get 40mpg. Compare that with the petrol where you'll struggle to get 30 mpg.

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