Petrol Or Diesel

[rogersp]

Hi

New member here and considering buying a nearly new Avensis Tourer.

I retire next year but need to replace my 9 year old Passat 1.9 TDi. It's been a good car but not too sure VW is the car for me any more.

My dilema is that I have test driven the 2.0 diesel but wondered if the 1.8 petrol will do the job and be more reliable than the diesel?

All opinions will be appeciated especially from those who feel they made the wrong choice wishing they had purchased a diesel instead of the petrol option and visa versa?

Additionally, is the T27, what ever that is a better car ?

Thanks to all

[Heidfirst]

welcome :)

How many miles a year will you cover?

Several reports in the UK recently have all come to the same conclusion that diesels may no longer be cheaper to run if you do less than ~10-12K each year.

& modern diesels when they do go wrong are expensive to fix because they are more complicated (turbos, intercoolers, high pressure injectors, DPFs etc.).

The good news is that with a nearly new Toyota you'll have the remainder of a 5 year/100k warranty.

Me, because I'm no longer doing the big mileages that make a diesel pay, I'm planning on going back to a relatively simpler petrol when I change.

The T27 is the "new" (2009 on) Avensis, the T25 was the 2003-2008 Avensis.

[FordConvertAndLuvMyAvensis]

I've got a 99 est. admittedly its an old one but its petrol, very quiet and considering it has 145k on it, runs like a dream. I used to ne a taxi driver and always had diesels bar a Mondeo which went like a bullet and was a lot of fun. I don't think I would get another diesel, simple jobs mean a visit to the bank manager where as most petrol jobs can be done on the drive.....

I may be right, I may he wrong, but I'm happy with my petrol.

[FordConvertAndLuvMyAvensis]

.

[Cyker]

Why are you getting rid of the Passat? It's a nice car and I don't think the Avensis will be that much of an improvement...

As for petrol vs diesel, I guess it depends on the mileage you intend to do.

Reliability-wise, both of the higher capacity diesel and petrol engines have had their issues; I don't think one is significantly more reliable than the other.

The main problem with the diesel is if it is underused you will get some annoying problems with stupid crap like the EGR and DPF. Regular use and smooth motorway cruises will keep it in shape.

The 1.8 OTOH can be quite a thirsty beast for regular use but will develop less problems if it gets neglected a bit. (e.g. from excessive freedom pass use :P)

Disclaimer: Most of this is stuff I've gleaned from the Avensis owners on here and my experience with the Toyota VVTi and D4D engines; I've never actually driven an Avensis! . I have driven an old diesel Passat tho' and found it to be a very comfy and bullet-proof car! A bit nose-heavy but a good drive nonetheless :D

[Whitewagon]

There are lots of opinions on the subject of petrol-v-diesel and just as many on which manufacturer to choose. The petrol-v-diesel argument is reasonably straight forward, there are only really two considerations:

What will your use and mileage be.

Do you prefer the characteristics of petrol or diesel.

The answers to these(in my opinion) are:

If you travel less than 12 to 14,000 miles per year then the overall cost of purchase and running of a diesel is greater than petrol.

If you have been used to driving a diesel for some time then switching to petrol will take a while to get used to, especially instant low rev torque for acceleration.

The plus points of petrol are less noise, smell and vibration than with diesel. Generally model for model they are cheaper to buy than diesel. For me, and again this is a personal opinion, in the second hand market diesel has had its day. Virtually all modern diesels have a DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel) and these seem to be failing with regular monotony at relatively low mileage, to replace one is generally a minimum of £1500. Add to this the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) which can cost at least as much to replace then second hand buyers of diesels could be in for an expensive time. I’m sure there are many who will refute this but just look around the various forums to see the arguments for and against.

The choice of manufacturer and model is a far greater issue and if you are considering a mainstream model then it will generally come down to personal preference.

I am also retiring later this year and recently went through your fact finding process. Over the years I have driven many company owned/leased vehicles from basic budget models to top of the range prestige models both petrol and diesel. I have also owned numerous petrol engined models from numerous manufacturers. My major criteria were comfort and reliability combined with purchase and running cost. My wife will only drive an automatic, which is something I have become accustomed to over several years, we also needed/wanted a hatch or estate model and neither of us like small cars. A diesel was out of the question due to the above factors and the fact we are likely to cover less than 12,000 miles per year. After test drives and warranty considerations we chose a low mileage 2010 Avensis 1.8 TR CVT Tourer. We have had it for 3 months and so far are very pleased with it. It is quiet, comfortable and is reasonably economical for its size. My current weekday motoring is a daily commute of 25 miles on semi rural roads with a 90 mile biweekly motorway trip and a bimonthly 400 mile motorway and A road trip plus a few other short trips, I get a constant 37 mpg, not in the diesel league but good for a big petrol car. The 1.8 engine provides reasonable power and can be driven spiritedly when needed. The big bonus is the residue of a 5 year manufacturers warranty which I managed to extend for a further year.

What ever you decide I recommend a thorough test drive of everything on your short list and then try the Avensis.

[rogersp]

Many thanks for your valued opinions, you have reinforced my opinion to go with a 1.8 petrol option as it will more than satisfy my requirements in retirement.

Kind Regards