Which is better?

Seen a nice 2010 vrs estate today for £15,495 but it's petrol. I would prefer a diesel. So what are the pro's and cons of diesels and petrol cars??

Hi Scotty,

This has been covered a lot... and generally goes around in circles It basically boils down to driving pattern and personal preference. Some points though :-

Diesel

Advantages

Good fuel economy

Good residuals.

Disadvantages

Potential DPF (particulate filter) issues.

DMF (fly wheel).

Not as much potential for tuning.

Doesn't warm up very quickly in winter.

Petrol

Advantages

Smoother than Diesel

Cheaper purchase price.

Warms up quicker in winter.

Disadvantages

Not quite as economical (however less than you may think).

A link to get you started.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/205083-realword-mpg-figures-petrol-and-diesel-vrs/

I originally looked at a Diesel VRS CR, but although it is not a bad diesel I was not ready to switch from my BMW 6 cylinder to this...The BMW 320d was good enough, but they wanted a big pile of money.

So then it was down to a petrol Octavia and decided on a 1.8TSI with lots of toys instead. You might find on a low annual mileage is fits OK. It’s certainly not slow, but lacking in a little involvement (brake feel, handling ).

Simon

+1

I would say that if you do less than 15k year and / or do a lot of town driving go for the petrol vRS. The new TSI is a peach of an engine, for the power the economy is very reasonable, and extremely tuneable.

However as an ex diesel driver I wouldnt rule out the CR vRS, as it is very competent.

I would strongly recommend you drive each of them as there are die hard fans of both on here. I can see the positives in the petrol and diesel, but having driven both I much preferred the petrol, as economy wasnt my priority.

I would however go for the vRS with whichever you choose, you wont be disappointed.

I started keeping a check on my fuel with Fuelly.com and over the last 5 fill ups am currently averaging 34.7mpg with a Petrol vRS

Sadly I don't do that much motorway miles, as I'm pretty sure it would be much better than that, but still happy.

My old mk1 vRS used to average 30mpg.....

Steve

I only do about 6000 miles a year and I'm saving a small fortune in fuel costs switching to diesel so I'm very happy to have switched. Yes, not quite as much thrills as a petrol, but you get more time to play !

My longterm average is currently 53.8. I have been well into the 60's on some trips.

I'm a diesel convert, despite only doing 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year. Economy is great especially as my car only has 3500 miles on it but I chose diesel over petrol because I much preferred the drive.

I've just got back from a meeting which necessitated me doing a 25 mile round trip where I got 58mpg, my current long term average is 45.6.

The torque of the diesel is what it's all about, lovely :yes:

I only do about 6000 miles a year and I'm saving a small fortune in fuel costs switching to diesel so I'm very happy to have switched. Yes, not quite as much thrills as a petrol, but you get more time to play !

My longterm average is currently 53.8. I have been well into the 60's on some trips.

based on the petrol tsi, approx 35mpg, your saving less than £1 a day.

Not sure that would be a decision I would make purely on economics, as it would not justify the extra price at the outset.

However I appreciate that some people prefer the easy, torquey engine of the diesel.

based on the petrol tsi, approx 35mpg, your saving less than £1 a day.

Not sure that would be a decision I would make purely on economics, as it would not justify the extra price at the outset.

However I appreciate that some people prefer the easy, torquey engine of the diesel.

I switched form a Remaped Focus ST getting about 25mpg, so its a huge difference for me. I did try an economical car for a short time, a new Fiesta 1.4 Titanium with body kit and toys and it was only giving me, if driven like miss daisy, 38mpg (my wifes slightly older, old shape gets 50mpg driven by me on the same trip - go figuire ?!?).

I agree with you if the car had been more expensive but I got the diesel for almost the same price as the petrol so it was a no-brainer from that point.

I do like the torquey diesel, it's my first but does remind me of the ST for it's torque.

thats fair enough if you can grab a bargain, I suppose I had just had a diesel for the last 4 years and needed some high octane fun!

Just been in the shark group buy, and had car mapped to 260 bhp, goes like stink now! torques not bad at 280lb either.

anyway, my advice stands - try both, and see which you prefer, and which is going to suit your needs best.

I dont know how much the RFL is for the petrol, but its only £35 for the 1,6 CR tdi and £120 for the 1.9tdi

also in a smash where electrics reach a fuel source you wont explode as easily in a diesel

How many miles a year do you drive scotty?

thats fair enough if you can grab a bargain, I suppose I had just had a diesel for the last 4 years and needed some high octane fun!

Just been in the shark group buy, and had car mapped to 260 bhp, goes like stink now! torques not bad at 280lb either.

anyway, my advice stands - try both, and see which you prefer, and which is going to suit your needs best.

You are absolutly correct - try both and decide what you prefer. I admit I do miss the "my god is this car ever going to stop pulling" thrill of a good remapped turbo petrol. I know you will be grinnng like crazy with your remap - enjoy

I have to admit I was a bit dissapointed initially with the shark remap on the diesel as I was expecting a change like a petrol, still, as time goes on I am seeing the benefit now with the remap.

**No disrespect to Shark or Ben, it was my expectations that were too high - nothing wrong at all with the Map or company which are both excellent

Which is better?

Seen a nice 2010 vrs estate today for £15,495 but it's petrol. I would prefer a diesel. So what are the pro's and cons of diesels and petrol cars??

In Scotland, where you can drive on open roads much of the time, you should be able to get upper 30s mpg on a petrol VRS and 50 mpg out of the diesel. Petrol VRS can be shocking if you drive in an urban environment ie 30 mpg. Petrol VRS is fast, 0-70 in less than 9 seconds but very practical on space.

Fuel could well go to £1.50 a litre so worth considering that if you pay for your fuel.

My minority opinion is the 1.8 TSI is the pick of the bunch, especially with 7 speed DSG but I am in a small club on that one but we do own 3 Octavia a TSI VRS, 1.8 TSI DSG L&K and 130 hp PD Octy 1, love them all but 1.8 TSI DSG L&K by a nose.

Edited 12 July, 201114 yr by lol

In Scotland, where you can drive on open roads much of the time, you should be able to get upper 30s mpg on a petrol VRS and 50 mpg out of the diesel. Petrol VRS can be shocking if you drive in an urban environment ie 30 mpg. Petrol VRS is fast, 0-70 in less than 9 seconds but very practical on space.

Fuel could well go to £1.50 a litre so worth considering that if you pay for your fuel.

My minority opinion is the 1.8 TSI is the pick of the bunch, especially with 7 speed DSG but I am in a small club on that one but we do own 3 Octavia a TSI VRS, 1.8 TSI DSG L&K and 130 hp PD Octy 1, love them all but 1.8 TSI DSG L&K by a nose.

I wouldnt say 30mpg from a petrol engined family hatch producing 200PS and driving round town is 'shocking'. I couldnt believe how good that was, and lets face it that is as bad as it gets. Reallistically you are going to average 35mpg, hitting 40mpg if you drive like the now famous Miss Daisy.

.... astonishing in my book.

Get it mapped to 260bhp and still get similar mpg, it just gets better and better.

The fuel consumption of the petrol vrs is great, would have loved to get that from the ST. And as for Scotlands open roads? I have an appointment tomorrow at 08:30 in Edinburgh, I will leave at 07:00 to try and get there on time, all 21miles away!

You are absolutly correct - try both and decide what you prefer. I admit I do miss the "my god is this car ever going to stop pulling" thrill of a good remapped turbo petrol. I know you will be grinnng like crazy with your remap - enjoy

I have to admit I was a bit dissapointed initially with the shark remap on the diesel as I was expecting a change like a petrol, still, as time goes on I am seeing the benefit now with the remap.

**No disrespect to Shark or Ben, it was my expectations that were too high - nothing wrong at all with the Map or company which are both excellent

Its weird you say that it didn't give you as much as you were hoping for as I thought it would be minimal and the placebo affect, but 2nd and 3rd are noticeably alot quicker. MPG seems better, but I need to use a whole tank to be sure. Mine is obviously lower on power than yours from the start so its quite a jump in power percentage wise

Its weird you say that it didn't give you as much as you were hoping for as I thought it would be minimal and the placebo affect, but 2nd and 3rd are noticeably alot quicker. MPG seems better, but I need to use a whole tank to be sure. Mine is obviously lower on power than yours from the start so its quite a jump in power percentage wise

My experience is all with petrol turbos and a remap on them is quite literally chalk and cheese! When my wife and I drove away after having the remap we kind of looked at each other and we both knew what each of us was thinking ! The Emperors New Clothes ! I saw Ben the next day and when he asked me how I liked the remap I said I thought it was quite subtle and he said it's down to the linear delivery of the CR diesel, which I accept. Over time I do see the extra performance as the speedo climbs quicker, I just don't really get that kick in the back of the extra power I was expecting if you know what I mean.

The fuel consumption of the petrol vrs is great, would have loved to get that from the ST. And as for Scotlands open roads? I have an appointment tomorrow at 08:30 in Edinburgh, I will leave at 07:00 to try and get there on time, all 21miles away!

14 mph. That is nearly twice as good as you get within much of the M25 ie 8 mph is the peak time average speed. I want stop-start and regen.