Is the diesel dead?

[meaty101]

Due to a change in my sons circumstances it might be a strong possibility his vrs pd might need to go. So as my thoughts turn to returning my backside to old smokey's driving seat, and selling my beloved tfsi, certain rumors at moment are quite shocking.

   As the government have dropped plenty of hints about introducing a higher tax for diesel cars, possible scrappage scheme incentives to owners to get rid, the question is where does this leave the old pd engine found in loads of vag cars from fabias to octavias vw golfs leons etc. And more to the point, where do the value of these cars stand? While they are no doubt cheaper to run add extra taxes into the mix and they no longer look like a sensible option. Looking at second hand values, they don't seem to be affected as yet but nothing has been confirmed as far as I'm aware. Opinions please......

[Ootohere]

IMO you are correct nothing has been confirmed yet!

[meaty101]

Announcment on it later this year i believe. However, usually when these things get mentioned the government usually gets it's way. I expect it to happen.

[Ootohere]

There you go then you think you know the near feature so why get shot of your petrol car if having the diesel will affect you financially, 

get shot of the dirty diesel while the going is good.

But actually a pd engine car will always be desirable to some much more than a tfsi will.

Edited 15 May, 2017 by Awayoffski

[meaty101]

It is more to start a discussion about the future of the diesel engine tbh. Not about me as such. Plus, the diesels are nice to drive ( but yes very dirty!! ). It just would be a shame to see all those Octavia's and Fabia's being scrapped. Golf gt too. 

 

Edited 15 May, 2017 by meaty101

[Ootohere]

Several threads on the same subject in General Car Chat since people started reading the newspapers reporting on what the Conservative Government need to do, 

and now can not do until after the 9th June if re-elected.

[craigandrew]

all they will do is add a better catalytic converter . so dont give up on your diesel yet,

the buse's are the worst for pollution

[Auric Goldfinger]

5 minutes ago, craigandrew said:

 

the buse's are the worst for pollution

 

...............and non eletric Trains.

[Billaboard]

Don't get taken in by the diesel is dirty cult. When I tried to read all the actual evidence, there seemed to be very little published that was authoritative, but the main established facts seemed to be that

 

1. Particulates measured at the roadside were about 10 times the level from brakes and tyres compared with properly set up diesel engines.

2. The technology is there to reduce NOx down to acceptable levels either by adjusting the fuel to air ratio and/or sorting urea injection.

3. One of the parts of London with the highest pollution levels is Oxford St, where cars are banned.

 

Of course the government will be in thrall to all sorts of vested interests, factions and fictions. How can these statements of how many tens of thousands will die because of diesel engine exhausts be anything but guesswork? The PD is an efficient and reliable engine. Has anyone calculated the total pollution from creation and use to scrappage of one of these compared with, say, an equivalent electric power unit plus batteries plus electricity generation?

[meaty101]

I agree i do have a bit of a soft spot for the older pd diesel engine having owned two tdi vrs's. The government seem to be making the diesel engine a scapegoat for poor pollution levels and i will also add they've no doubt realised modern diesel and petrol engines are free from road tax or very low tax due to better g/km figures so need to claw back some revenue. I guess I'm asking in this thread is it even worth considering buying a pd engined vehicle anymore? 

[Vegasphil]

It's getting traction all this "we hate diesel" stuff. Just look at the prices of some cars in petrol variants - golf gti, 5 series etc. 

 

However, the government spent a long time in recent years suggesting people buy diesel, so to suddenly ban them or hike the taxes massively I can't see personally. 

[countryboy]

No, this is just the latest bandwagon for people to jump on, older poorly maintained diesels tarnish the reputation of all, especially when you see one put out a load of smoke when accelerating. The latest Euro 5 and 6 diesels are way better to the point where in certain highly polluted cities, it is reckoned that the gas coming out of the tail pipe is cleaner than the air going in the intake. Even some of the latest direct injection petrol engines have to have particulate filters on them. You want to see a diesel smoking then look at these bad boys and girls, 

 

Ian

[skomaz]

Some analysis of the figures being used in the diesel is bad argument...

 

https://wintoncentre.maths.cam.ac.uk/news/does-air-pollution-kill-40000-people-each-year-uk

[silver1011]

By the time any changes are implemented the vast majority of VAG's PD engines will be long long.

 

More so the PD170 which in the MkII vRS was seriously let down my the woeful DPF. Those that have had their DPF removed then got attacked by the messed up VOSA injector recall.

 

Another few years and there won't be many PD170's left for the governement to kill.

[meaty101]

5 hours ago, silver1011 said:

By the time any changes are implemented the vast majority of VAG's PD engines will be long long.

 

More so the PD170 which in the MkII vRS was seriously let down my the woeful DPF. Those that have had their DPF removed then got attacked by the messed up VOSA injector recall.

 

Another few years and there won't be many PD170's left for the governement to kill.

 

Fair point regarding the Octavia vrs. We've both owned one of those and i personally can honestly say that engine in that car was totally ruined fitted with a DPF. If you look around the roads right now though, or cars for sale, consider how many PD engined vehicles are still around and actually still looking very very strong.

Mk4 Golf 1.9 pd

Mk5 Golf 2.0 pd

Mk1 Fabia pd 

Seat Leon pd

Seat ibiza pd

Octavia pd

Vw passat pd

 

Just cars i can think off the top of my head. So many cars i just can't see them disappearing any time soon. I agree with the comment regarding anti diesel thinking as well. I remember not too long ago people vandalising big 4 x 4 vehicles just because of supposed damage to the environment. Seems people just follow the herd.