Petrol versus Diesel - The Myths Explored!

[pascal]

Pascal
You may have missed the smilies in my post
Perhaps it is you who isn't reading ?
I made my remark in a light hearted fashion
I was merely amazed to see how people get on the box so easily :?:

No problem Glyn. Yes I did see the one 'Smile' smiley after the first line.
After that it sounded serious, but as you say now it was meant to be light hearted, and I accept that.

Actually, if you read my posts, I agree with most sides of the arguement. Have had 4 diesels alltold, 3 4x4s from new, and they were what I wanted at the time.

Pascal

 

[SLinKyjoe]

there is no argument here. it is about choice..the point i was making earlier for thos who missed it, was that some people need educating about deisels. they have advantages that petrol dont, and vice versa. its the uneducated about cars who need telling, not us.

and I am not ever buying an SLK with a diesel engine. Same as I probably wouldn't buy a c class estate in petrol. nothing wrong with either as they are both geared up for different jobs...but that how i would chose. no myths here then.


have seen a JCB with a 5.7L V8 petrol...called the JCB GT. it isnt the same tho is it?

oh, and as regards better performance from a petrol.....I like this new diesel Formula One dont you? and how many porsche, ferraris and TVR's have diesels...or lotus come to that.

 

[GlynC]

Before this Merc I dabbled with a new Audi Cab for a while after 3 years fighting with Lexus
When I was looking I saw the diesel version which appeared Ok
But when you popped the roof down.... nOOOOOOOOOO! Didn't sound right!
I bought a 3 litre Sport which sounded the puppies bits and gave me 30 to the gallon
But sadly I didn't find her a good motorway beast and she went off to someone who would appreciate her finer points... bit girlie too and I couldn't get the misses out of the damn thing.
Saw a lovely 500sl today..... also saw the new Cls on the road.. looks better in the flesh than in the pictures!
Oh well!

 

[blassberg]

But would you say they have achieved absolutely equal performance of its petrol brother?

In terms of comfort, quiteness and overal performance, I guess not.

Until now, the whole point is about SAVING money on fuel. So here comes my suspecion of its relevance to S-class users.

Or have I missed out anything in the diesel-petrol debate?

you've omitted to remember the "until now" comment in your own post and you should test not guess.

C320 petrol V6 manual 218bhp, 310Nm, 100kmh in 7.7, max 154
C320 CDI V6 7 sp auto 221bhp, 510Nm, 100kmh in 6.9, max 155

Comfort - no data (no difference)
Quietness - petrol please, everytime
Overall Performance - diesel beats (previously available) petrol

Yes - there are financial gains to a diesel but previous diesels were underdeveloped.

Web press considers more to come from petrol engines too so should prolong the debate for a few years yet. Seems that we should be glad of this particular technology race?

I drove the Sub Legacy Spec B and concluded that "high" powered petrol cars are like women with nice figures. Cars with "high" torque are like women who can cook. The up to date diesels look nice and can cook.

 

[pascal]

Overall Performance - diesel beats (previously available) petrol

'Previously available' 320cdi engine had only 197bhp, 7bhp more than 230k.
Previous 320 V6 petrol had 221bhp. Stick a turbo/supercharger on it, about 300/350 Bhp. LOL

Pascal

 

[SLinKyjoe]

i see that it is still about choice. the merits for both are obvious but it seems to me that people are attempting to defend the diesel and suggest they are better than petrol. chips on shoulders spring to mind here.

 

[davidsl500]

Well I have 2 diesels and 1 Petrol. Lets face it the V8 petrol is a glorious sound and with the top down its like Beethovens "symphony for engines" - not that he ever wrote it..well he couldnt could he?

My Golf GT TDI does 50mpg if I drive it and 60mpg if the better half drives it. It also goes like stink but you know its a diesel. I drive the Golf in the week for my 50mile daily commute and the SL comes out on the weekend - just economic sense really. Makes me appreciate the Petrol V8 even more.

In the old days to get the same performance out of a diesel engine it would have to be 50% bigger, not the case now though thanks to the turbocharger or supercharger and this explains why 3litre petrol and diesel engines are now so similar in performance - its the turbo that makes the difference along with the developments in diesel engine technology. Stick a turbo on the petrol and the gap will be in favour of the petrol again in terms of performance.

Mind you in heavy rain and when the local village floods then there's nothing like a diesel to pull the waterlogged petrol engined cars out of the deep bits...

Petrol or diesel, manual or automatic - you still own a mercedes so just enjoy it!

 

[pascal]

Mind you in heavy rain and when the local village floods then there's nothing like a diesel to pull the waterlogged petrol engined cars out of the deep bits...

Well I have never heard of anyones engine being totally ruined from driving through floods. But I know several people who done thousands in damage afer their breather inhaled H2o. The MBs are better than most in this respect, but if someone coming towards your ML270 creating a bow wave, its advisable to switch off your engine.

I think modern petrols can withstand splashing water a lot better than older ones, where the fan splashed up water onto the distributer cap, causing some or total power loss.

The new diesels have as much electrics as the petrols. My dads 03 C220cdi, was running badly, and MB changed the whole ECU.

It has being recalled for a faulty battery now. (the old C had a similar problem in 99 I recall). I see the 180s are being recalled also. No-one on the forums seems to have got these letters from MB. I know three people here that have got the in the last few weeks. http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=11232 I haven't found anything on the www either. Can someone ring MB in the UK to find out more on this.

As most of you know I've been unfortunate enough to have had a self-combusting battery in the past.

Pascal

 

[blassberg]

Can someone ring MB in the UK to find out more on this.

Found this on www re a different recall

Mercedes-Benz has set up a special hotline to answer customers´ questions:
Hotline for Europe: 00800 1 777 7777

 

[pascal]

Em, all RHD W203s are affected. Suppose I better put up a new notice.

Pascal.

 

[angus falconer]

See this month's Car magazine - features on upcoming bi- and TRI-turbo SL and SLK diesels......

Interesting.......

 

[peterchurch]

See this month's Car magazine - features on upcoming bi- and TRI-turbo SL and SLK diesels......

Interesting.......

Woops You was doing so well a Diesel SL is like a virgin bride! A nice idea but not much fun in practice Convertibles have no soundproofing and as such the engine note _MATTERS_. No if you need more poke than a 350 then you buy an SL500 or SL55. There is no market for a diesel SL as anyone that can buy one new and lose 40K doesn't need to worry about 50mpg vs 20 - 30 mpg...

An SL is one place that should never see a Diesel....

 

[littlebrooklyn]

I actually like diesel and petrol cars equally and I agree with whoever it was that said that if you aren't going to doing lots of mileage then you may as well stick with a petrol model.

My sister has the same C Class Estate that we have, although hers is a diesel. She travels from Surrey to Devon a lot, so having a diesel makes a lot of sense. We only did 19,000 in 5yrs in our last car, we don't really go heavy on the mileage as you can tell, so a petrol car suited us.

But hey I'm female, what would I know

Lyn

 

[pascal]

See this month's Car magazine - features on upcoming bi- and TRI-turbo SL and SLK diesels......

Interesting.......

What is the point though. I think that its more got to do with public relations.
People see the word diesel, and they think 'half price fuel'
But the fact is, when they add bi & tri flow turbos etc., the actual saving, (like for like) is nearer to 25% (or less).
Put a tri-flow turbo on an SL350, and you have a Supercar.
What people are forgeting is that the development of petrol engines is also being improved (for economy) at the same time.

Pascal

 

[angus falconer]

In reply to Peter Church I was only trying to balanced (or aleast pretend to be) as there was a sense of humour loss earlier in this thread.

You (and Pascal of course) are correct of course about the depreciation issue wiping out any fuel savings. And as they say in the test if you reverse at high speed with the roof down the SL stinks. So it's a like a vigin bride with flatulence. Nice.

I look forward to hiring my next tri-turbo diesel seven speed Mercedes van.

There, is that better?

 

[peterchurch]

In reply to Peter Church I was only trying to balanced (or aleast pretend to be) as there was a sense of humour loss earlier in this thread.

You (and Pascal of course) are correct of course about the depreciation issue wiping out any fuel savings. And as they say in the test if you reverse at high speed with the roof down the SL stinks. So it's a like a vigin bride with flatulence. Nice.

I look forward to hiring my next tri-turbo diesel seven speed Mercedes van.

There, is that better?

Sorry my dry whit was getting the better of me this morning my post was ment tongue in cheek

 

[angus falconer]

Hi Peter - No offence taken!

I also have a dry wit

By the way look out for a new thread I am about to start - I suspect I have though of an equally contentious topic.....

 

[blassberg]

Peugeot have outlined ambitious plans to become the first company to win the Le Mans 24 Hours with a diesel car.

Link Here

 

[996jimbo]

What's a tri flow? Is it just three turbo's? Bi turbo's I've heard of (as in Maserati), but never tri's.

 

[peterchurch]

What's a tri flow? Is it just three turbo's? Bi turbo's I've heard of (as in Maserati), but never tri's.

Yes Three Turbos