Shouldn’t we buy diesels?

[Skeptisk]

For almost ten years I had diesels (BMWs - 3 and 5 series). They were brilliant as I was doing about 35,000 km per year.

Later this year or next year we may need to buy another car. I’ve been thinking that a 3 series, diesel touring would be ideal…but are there any reasons not to do so? Any extra costs being heaped onto diesels because of the push to swap to EVs?

[Resolutionary]

Skeptisk said:

For almost ten years I had diesels (BMWs - 3 and 5 series). They were brilliant as I was doing about 35,000 km per year.

Later this year or next year we may need to buy another car. I’ve been thinking that a 3 series, diesel touring would be ideal…but are there any reasons not to do so? Any extra costs being heaped onto diesels because of the push to swap to EVs?

I was under the general impression that diesels had become increasingly unfashionable in the last 10 odd years - I guess owing to the rise of the EV, more economical small petrol + turbo lumps, and more and more cities essentially outlawing soot-chuckers.

While you may be able to easily purchase a new (to you, at least) diesel to meet your requirements I wonder about its longer-term viability, and even resale.

[AmyRichardson]

You can get heavily hit if you park in certain London boroughs.

That and diesel; a recent 100 mile drive a 4-pot petrol Volvo was a but of an epiphany, jumped straight into my own 330d and it seemed rough as a navvie's ar&e. The balance of an I6 can't safe you from automotive damnation...

Edited by AmyRichardson on Wednesday 7th February 19:14

[Earthdweller]

AmyRichardson said:

You can get heavily hit if you park in certain London boroughs.

Edited by AmyRichardson on Wednesday 7th February 19:14

I don’t think he’s gonna give two hoots about that

[Roger Irrelevant]

Our next family car will almost certainly be a diesel, but then I do live in a rural area where ULEZ and additional parking charges are of no concern. I really don't think resale will be a problem provided it's something vaguely practical - virtually nobody is buying diesels new now thanks to their tax treatment, which will greatly restrict supply on the secondhand market, but there will be a fair few people for who diesels do make sense for a good while yet. Case in point is my XC70 - it's not even Euro6 which I've been informed means it's virtually worthless. Except that it's not - in fact in 4 years and over 60000 miles it's depreciated by about 4 grand, which makes it the cheapest family car I've ever run by some distance.

[Earthdweller]

Roger Irrelevant said:

Our next family car will almost certainly be a diesel, but then I do live in a rural area where ULEZ and additional parking charges are of no concern. I really don't think resale will be a problem provided it's something vaguely practical - virtually nobody is buying diesels new now thanks to their tax treatment, which will greatly restrict supply on the secondhand market, but there will be a fair few people for who diesels do make sense for a good while yet. Case in point is my XC70 - it's not even Euro6 which I've been informed means it's virtually worthless. Except that it's not - in fact in 4 years and over 60000 miles it's depreciated by about 4 grand, which makes it the cheapest family car I've ever run by some distance.

The next car I buy will probably be for my house in the EU where you can still buy diesel versions of cars only sold as petrol/EV in the U.K. and diesel fuel is actually cheaper than petrol

My house is very rural and I have long journeys to do and need at times to drag a trailer around .. so it’s likely that the next car will be a diesel

[Sheepshanks]

Skeptisk said:

For almost ten years I had diesels (BMWs - 3 and 5 series). They were brilliant as I was doing about 35,000 km per year.

Later this year or next year we may need to buy another car. I’ve been thinking that a 3 series, diesel touring would be ideal…but are there any reasons not to do so? Any extra costs being heaped onto diesels because of the push to swap to EVs?

Costs heaped on by whom? If you mean manufacturers as the volumes get smaller, then possibly, but you can decide that at the point of purchase. Maybe if volumes really fall away then spares might get tricky but that seems unlikely unless you're looking 10+yrs away.

Of course there may be local political type issues but you'd be best placed to be aware of those.

[Gordon Hill]

Like others I'm quite rural so the answer to the question posed is yes you should and in 6 cylinder guise, mine is wonderful.

[ZX10R NIN]

Earthdweller said:

AmyRichardson said:

You can get heavily hit if you park in certain London boroughs.

Edited by AmyRichardson on Wednesday 7th February 19:14

I don’t think he’s gonna give two hoots about that

As long as your car is euro6 you don't pay more.

[ZX10R NIN]

Skeptisk said:

For almost ten years I had diesels (BMWs - 3 and 5 series). They were brilliant as I was doing about 35,000 km per year.

Later this year or next year we may need to buy another car. I’ve been thinking that a 3 series, diesel touring would be ideal…but are there any reasons not to do so? Any extra costs being heaped onto diesels because of the push to swap to EVs?

I've just bought another diesel, admittedly it's a six pot diesel hybrid but it's bloody brilliant & suits MY needs to a tee, if your usage suirs then go ahead & buy one.

[trumpton7291]

Diesel still perfectly viable.

[7 5 7]

It's pretty simple, buy what car suits your needs, not what others think your needs are.

[Caddyshack]

Big and heavy cars work well in diesel, small and light cars or smaller capacity work best in petrol Imo.

[Roger Irrelevant]

Our next family car will almost certainly be a diesel, but then I do live in a rural area where ULEZ and additional parking charges are of no concern. I really don't think resale will be a problem provided it's something vaguely practical - virtually nobody is buying diesels new now thanks to their tax treatment, which will greatly restrict supply on the secondhand market, but there will be a fair few people for who diesels do make sense for a good while yet. Case in point is my XC70 - it's not even Euro6 which I've been informed means it's virtually worthless. Except that it's not - in fact in 4 years and over 60000 miles it's depreciated by about 4 grand, which makes it the cheapest family car I've ever run by some distance.

[OutInTheShed]

There's a few cities making noises about outright bans on diesels.
Most clean air/ULEZ etc zones already charge anything below euro 6.

So, I think diesels will be unpopular within the foreseeable future.

If you'rehappy to buy something, get your value out of it within 2 or 3 years, some diesels are still a good package.
If you're hoping to keep something a long time or expect great residual value in 5 years, I think there is a risk with diesel.

It might turn out to be an expensive way of saving a few pence per mile on fuel.

Some petrol hybrids are pretty good on fuel. And nice to drive.

[ZX10R NIN]

I plan on keeping my diesel for at least four years & plan to buy another after that.

[Chris Hinds]

I've actually deliberately done so. I'm going to be migrating from an X3 M40i to an X3 M40d sometime in late March/early April. It was a conscious choice to do so, even though, yes the M40i will be the revvier/smoother/quieter power plant. I've driven Diesel on and off since I started driving - in total probably 2/3 of the miles I've drive are Diesel powered miles.

Things I love about my M40i would be it's smooth, quick, sounds great and if you aren't hurrying it's surprisingly economical (high 30s on a long trip is realistic). Things I don't love about my M40i are the dreadful range unless you're careful, the fact that the gearbox is geared to kick it up to 8th all the time for economy but means the slightly incline or growth of a toenail causes the revs to rocket, it's really loud on cold start due to the open wastegate to heat the cats which means no quiet early morning departures... though yes it does sound awesome.

I went M40d for range, for the ability to start up without waking the kids and because I do actually miss the ability to waft along at hardly any revs and not have the gearbox shift down at the first sign of trouble. I also feel like it's going to be the last time I can buy a diesel car - they're already almost all but gone, and the fact that the government is encouraging me not to do it is as good a reason as any to do it!

[Calite]

I've just bought one, Dacia Duster 4x4 to replace my old work van. I do about 25k/yr around Scotland so the fuel costs will more than make up for whatever charges Edinburgh inevitably add in their efforts to just be a stter London.

Edited by Calite on Thursday 22 February 20:22

[yellowbentines]

Shouldn't we? Hmm, we should buy what we want and what suits our needs, but choice is being taken from us.

The one size needs to fit all agenda isn't workable - I reckon diesel might be around for a long time yet though perhaps not welcome in the city centres.

Diesel suits my annual mileage, types of journey I do, and the fact getting a charger fitted would be a real pain due to the house layout.

Love my current Volvo, however they now no longer sell new diesels so I'll be pushed into buying something used or a different brand for my next car, when Ideally I'd have just taken another of the same.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

I've jaut bought a diesel. My second ever diesel. I wouldn't buy a EV. I honestly don't see them as the future, it's either hybrid or Hydrogen.