Would you buy a diesel car now?

[Bunkermagnet]

As per the title. would you?
I'm a lover of diesels and their driving characteristics, and still slowly going though my process of choosing my next car for the next 10 years or so.
I don't belive the total enviroment damage is worse in a diesel compared to any other fuel type, but obviously the current poll tax like target is diesel cars. So would you buy one?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I haven't bought one but I've just ordered one on a 3 year lease. The current issue is with old diesels not new ones.

Who knows how any car will be viewed in the future. Petrol could be evil again in 3 years time.

 

[Tarkus1212]

If I was buying a car to keep for ten years then my choice would depend on my likely annual mileage. I wouldn't be bothered about the residual value but I'd have to factor in the increased road tax, which could possibly get even higher if DERV continues to be demonised by all and sundry.

On balance, I probably wouldn't buy a new diesel car.

 

[Slime]

In a heartbeat.
I have two cars, both diesels. I'm just about to sell one of them and will be replacing it with another diesel.
I love 'em.

 

[Norrin Radd]

in short .no.
mpg on petrol cars is pretty much on a par with the diesel counterpart these days ,add that to the higher tax per year petrol would work out cheaper in the long run ,and any way common rail is rubbish and very expensive if they go wrong.

 

[ger147]

No, not now.

I love the one I have but wouldn't get another one these days.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm sorry but I've yet to genuinely see real world evidence that petrol cars now match diesel for mpg. Forget claimed figures, all hooey for both styles. I reckon the difference is still around 20% or so.

Small cars may be better but the larger the car the bigger the gap. Hybrids should help reduce this in the near future. I'll be disappointed if my next car is not a hybrid at least. I'm hoping for some good advances in that area in the next few years.

 

[Scotty Cameron]

Had one diesel car in 40 year of driving, would not have another. I will stick with my focus 1 litre ecoboost, nice and economical, £20 road tax, cheap to insure and its a great drive as well.

 

[DCB]

Yes, modern engine is so much better. Current car has £0 road fund license although I'm sure that will change over time.

 

[GreiginFife]

No, had diesels for my last 3 cars and while they were fine, they were a bit boring. Now got a petrol 3.0 twin turbo and it's way much more fun and power is incomparable with diesel coupled with no lag makes it far superior for me.
Ok I only get 30mpg on a good day but that's not why I bought it.
The new VED rules are less about the emissions and more targeting premium brand drivers. £310 "supplement" if your car is worth more than £40k regardless of its emissions. So a £38k petrol turbo had cheaper VED than a Tesla Mosel S with minimal to no emissions. Farce.

 

[Oxfordcomma]

No. I've got a diesel right now which I think is a lovely car, fantastic to drive. It has 9 months to go on the PCP, and much as I love the current car I've already told the guys trying to sell me the next one that I won't be replacing like for like and will be switching to petrol.

That's because of a few reasons I guess. My mileage is so low that mpg doesn't matter, the political landscape is changing, the 2 litre petrol engine will (on paper at least) match the torque. And most important, it is starting to become apparent that diesels really are worse on particle emissions that are bad for health. Not fully proven yet, but the evidence is starting to stack up.

 

[IanM]

Lots if dithering from me at the moment about changing my car. No necessarily over the diesel issue, just cant see something I like for sensible money..... My brain is preoccupied with trying to retire early so preferring to squirrel away the money... Was looking a Disco Sport, until my mate bought a 5 Series Touring for 10k less money.

 

[Gentabout]

Ive just changed my Diesel C200 auto Merc that was coming up for 10 years old for a rear old E350 Diesel estate, fuel economy on the new one is better even with the bigger engine and the road tax is lower! I plan to keep it for 5-6 years as by then the hybrids should be a much better option.

 

[Khamelion]

MY current car is a 2.2L diesel, only £20 road tax, gets cracking mileage on a long run and is not to shabby around the doors, all my cars bar my very first when I was 18 have been diesels, but when my current motor is up for renewal in 18months I think I'll be heading down the petrol route.

But then, I do love the turbo kick when you boot it.

 

[backwoodsman]

Had a diesel for past 10 years. No probs at all. In process of leasing a new car and am going down petrol route but only because my motoring - low mileage, high proportion of short journeys - doesn't suit a diesel engine. Different circumstances, I'd happily go diesel.

 

[ScienceBoy]

No, looking at my journey types I would be best suited with an electric.

Got to look at what, how and where you drive.

Hour+ commute cross country every day vs chugging through city streets at 15mph for 20 mins.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Yes I would, pick up my new one on the 20th.

 

[pool888]

What's annoying is the UK government pretty much encouraged the purchase of diesel cars by having one of the highest fuel prices in Europe and then charging road tax based on CO2 emissions which diesels are better at than petrol.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Mine are all company cars so I'm looking at the way they will be taxed in the future. I expect the government will try and persuade company car drivers through the tax system to switch to hybrids or full electric.

Wife just got a BMW hybrid as a company car and her benefit in kind and therefore tax bill is under half of my diesel, despite the fact the list price of hers is a good 6 or 7 grand more. The MPG you get in hybrids are nowhere near whet they claim unless you do a lot of driving over short distances and can recharge easily. But even when the battery runs out on hers, a nice BMW petrol engine kicks in which is very economical. So I will seriously consider a hybrid when mine is up for renewal later this year.

 

[USER1999]

No. I am concerned that the london mayor is going to push the ULEZ out to the North Circular in a few years time, at which point it will cost me 12 a day to drive to work. Scary. I tend to keep my cars a long time, so i will still have my current car at this time, and will probably have to buy a second cheap runabout to commute in.