Which car guide and petrol/diesel engines

 

Thinking about buying an older second hand car I was looking through an old
'Which car guide 2005/2006' and got to wondering why under the heading of
*driving experience* cars with a diesel engine is always getting a higher
rating than the petrol model. (ie a red star as opposed to a circle rating)

I contacted Which quite some time and asked them, but never got a response.

Having never owned a diesel car I dont really know what they are like to
drive. I know people used to say that the 'power to revolution' curve was
different to a petrol engine and if you were used to driving a petrol
engine, it would take time to get used to the diesel. But it would never be
quite so satisfying to drive as the petrol engine. I guess things probably
have changed by now.

Since though 2005/2006 is not that long ago, is Which saying that diesel
engines are nicer to drive than petrol? (a better driving experience)
because they are getting a higher rating in this category than petrol
engines?   Thanks for any advice.

 

like they were saying:


Go and drive a couple of cars, identical apart from fuel type, and see
which YOU prefer.

 

On Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:25:54 +0100, john hamilton boggled us with:


In very simple terms -

diesel - lots of torque low down the rev range, no need to rev it hard to
make fast progress. Quite a thin powerband in most modern TDs I've driven.

Petrol,  - gutless low down, plenty of power up high in the rev range.

My personal preference is for a petrol turbo engine, and damn the
economy :-)

--
Mike P

 



Petrol is better for clean starts. Diesel (or any turbo) much better between
30-80.

Consider my last car, petrol of 85bhp/t. It was geared for 36mph in first,
with 30mph a comfortable maximum. In second, it had about 60bhp at 30mph and
maxed out at a noisy 60mph. 50-70 times were about 8, 11, 17
seconds in the three top gears.

Now diesel, also 85bhp/t. In 1st gear 24mph is possible, 20mph being a
comfortable maximum. That's the bit that takes getting used to. But in 3rd
gear at 30mph it has 70bhp, maximum power comes at a civilised 60mph and
if required can continue to 75mph. Thus 3rd is quicker and has
more top & bottom range than the old 2nd gear. It gets even better looking
at the
50-70 times: about 6, 7 and 10 seconds. Quite simply, motorway inclines no
longer exist and when a blocker moves out of the way I can now get air
between me and the tailgater.

 

Most of this is simply due to being turbod, try a petrol turbo...