Should I go diesel?

[richardfrost]

And don't forget, you would have to stop indicating and learn to push in front of people in queues.

Many a true word said in jest ....

Most of the time I am very calm and well mannered as a driver, I frequently let people out from side roads and whatnot. Even BMW and Audi drivers.  But you should see the look on their faces when I do it. It's a sort of combination of relief and disbelief that someone has been courteous to them.

As for the being green argument, I do what I can. The car I drive (my Jazz is my son's now) is a Toyota Hybrid and I feel I am doing a bit for the environment. But this is countered when a yummy mummy neighbour bought a Audi Q8 5 litre car to do the school run and work commute in. Words fail me.

[peteo48]

On the pollution issue it might be a no no for me but that's because I genuinely would be belching out lots of stuff near schools and in residential areas due to my driving pattern. The arguments change a bit if you are doing more motorway and A road work. I understand Euro 6 Diesels are much better but, if memory serves, they came in in 2015.

Co-incidentally, I was looking at the Next Green Car website. Newer BMW diesels get a very good green score - better than the Jazz for the smaller engines!

The other issue might be ultra low emission zones coming in in some towns and cities.

I can see why you are tempted though!

[MartinJG]

And don't forget, you would have to stop indicating and learn to push in front of people in queues.

Many a true word said in jest ....  I knew a bloke who always owned Jaguars and Fords,  he bought a BMW and only kept it a short time,  he told me he had never been subject to so much road rage and people would no longer let him out at junctions and give way, in fact they went out of their way to block him in. It is true that people do really hate BMW drivers... and when you see how a lot of them behave you can see why.  Have you checked insurance and VED ?   BMW are not really that reliable and parts are expensive.

Modern Diesels are horrendously complicated - nothing like the older ones that will keep on going for ever with no maintenance  - Old Massey-Ferguson Diesel tractors are in massive demand in developing countries because they are easy to fix and run on any old fuel.

I would second this. I had diesels. They were very reliable, uncomplicated and relaxing to drive with plenty of mid range poke on tap. One step up from agricultural. However, if things go wrong, they are more expensive to fix, injectors, turbos, but the main issue for me is the DPF and increasingly complicated electronics. I would hate to see BMW prices. If you are thrashing up and down the motorway/dual carriageways etc they are great but there are potential issues for those with a featherlight foot, not to mention EGR probs. Truth is that environmental constraints are gradually choking the life out of diesels.

[Jocko]

BMW diesels are Euro 6 from 2012. All new diesels have to be Euro 6 from 2015. With regard to depressing the price. I have been offered it for £7K under what garages are selling it and £3K under the cheapest private sale I can find on Auto Trader (for the identical car). I am rather concerned about the X-Drive transmission, which I have no need for. Chances of me being out in snow is very slim. If it is forecast I just stay home!

It is a lot of money, but I have a couple of weeks to make up my mind. He doesn't collect his Range Rover until January.

[MicktheMonster]

I'd go for it if I was you, if it's to be your last car, make it a good one which this one sounds like. Earlier in the year I drove from Norfolk to Peterhead twice in BMW's and I was impressed by them (320 estate and 218 mpv).
The only issue I could foresee in the future would be problems with the DPF if you go to low mileage use, this is a common problem with all DPFs, you could always sell it and recoup your money if that becomes a problem, I recently replaced my mk1 Jazz with a 2009 diesel Civic (no DPF, I think) and I am really enjoying the extra power and comfort, the old Jazz is soldiering on bravely in the hands of a workmate.

[richardfrost]

Isn't worrying about the DPF a bit of  overthinking/scaremongering? Don't you just need to do an 'Italian tune up'* every now and then to burn off the build ups?

*A phrase I picked up from this site

[sparky Paul]

You probably remember that I changed over to a big Vauxhall diesel estate some time ago. It is complex, but the only thing that really bothers me is the DPF. However, the diagnostic tool allows me to monitor soot levels, regens, etc.

Otherwise, it's great. It does a bit more mpg than the Jazz, almost double the mpg of my old petrol Ford Galaxy, tax is £30 a year, 160bhp so goes like the clappers, and is supremely comfortable on long journeys when it returns 62-63mpg according to the fibometer. I reckon that the car will nearly pay for itself in two years in fuel and tax savings alone, and I've had it 16 months already.

Isn't worrying about the DPF a bit of  overthinking/scaremongering? Don't you just need to do an 'Italian tune up'* every now and then to burn off the build ups?

You need a sustained (30 minutes or so) high speed motorway type run every 2-4 weeks to allow the DPF to regenerate, but it all depends upon driving style, numbers of short journeys, types of roads, etc.. If all your mileage is around town, you don't really want anything with a DPF.

One of the problems is that all this normally happens invisibly, and you don't really want to be getting to the point of the DPF warning light on a regular basis, that's the path to a blocked DPF.

[Jocko]

I do an 80 mile round trip, at least once a week (sometimes two or three times a week), on motorway and dual carriageway. The car currently is a motorway cruiser, so perhaps I should not be worried about the DPF.

It's the same as this one.

[Basil]

Nice looking car, the tyres on my daughters car are £150 each.

[Jocko]

Kwik Fit currently list tyres for it from £52.50 to £209.50, but the cheapest "quality tyre" is £172.50. Bruce recently fitted four new tyres and it cost him £900. Makes your eyes water.

[John Ratsey]

Will it fit in the garage?

Personally, I wouldn't go the diesel route. Even though new vehicles claim to be cleaner than old ones I still notice some nasty smells coming out the back end of diesel vehicles, probably when the engines aren't properly warmed up.

[Jocko]

I have a large garage but it would need the junk cleared out first. The junk has increased to fill the space left behind the Jazz. When the Volvo was in the garage it was relatively tidy!

[John A]

I was a fan of diesels, but the current climate (pun intended) against them has put me off getting another one. They used to be relatively simple, now there's Adblue, DPF, turbo-chargers, all expensive things to potentially go wrong. When running they're great, but the cost, eg a turbo had to be replaced on a Qashqai I had, it would have been over £2000 for it.

[Jocko]

Turbo chargers have been used on trucks for almost 100 years and are reliable as long as you follow the manufacturer's instructions such as not thrashing it then immediately switching off. You have to let it tickover for a spell to cool. As it says in the manual.

[culzean]

I am rather concerned about the X-Drive transmission, which I have no need for. Chances of me being out in snow is very slim. If it is forecast I just stay home!

Better 'X' drive than only rear wheel drive with wide tyres,  BMW with RWD only are hopeless in slippery conditions, and get hopelessly stuck when front wheel drive even with summer tyres on are fine.