MotoringFile Most liked posts in thread: If MINI USA Brings a Diesel, Would you Consider it?

New diesel owners are quick to say that modern diesels do not smoke and smell like the old ones did, and to a point that's true.

But I've been behind many a TDi as it pulls away from a light - and they DO blow black smoke - does it look like an old school bus? No, but it does smoke.

They also stink, even the new MBZ, VW and BMWs, just get behind one in town or even on the highway and tell me they don't.....

No, they're not as bad as current pickup truck diesels, but they DO stink.

I also read all the wonderful writings about the torque, my Cooper S (turbo version) pulls like a freight train from about 1500 rpm too, and it goes to 6K instead of 4500, so I don't see the advantage there either.

I think the resale question is valid in Yurrup, maybe not so much here.....

 

Don't forget diesel cost more than premium here too....:screwy:

 

Scott what the hell is that thing in your avatar? :confused5:

 

Nope, wouldn't own a oil burning mini. If I were to get into a oil burner, it would be a sedan, and either a VW Jetta TDI Cup Edition or a BMW 335d.

 

Up until gas prices hit $4.00 and diesel trucks got big a couple years ago, diesel was usually less than mid-grade and sometimes even less than regular. I drove a 1982 Chevy Chevette diesel with a 5-speed and regularly got 38-40 mpg. That was a car designed 30 years ago doing that. The newer diesels can be tweaked to give great gains. At work we had two Chevy diesel pickups that were identical. Both 4x4 dura max 3500's. we lifted one and put 35" mud tires on it. You would have thought that would have killed the mileage and it did at first, but the nice thing is with diesel, most of the same mods and computer programs that boost power increase mileage. We did a slight program change to the engine, and on a long haul pulling identical trailers (same weight, equip, etc) the lifted one did much better. Plus most Diesel engines are running strong well into the 200K mileage range, at least the newer designed ones.

 

If I could haul hay, or till fields with it, sure. But I don't do either, so nope.

 

Sparke.....back in the late 70's/early 80's you could buy a small import that did the same mileage easily in gasoline, and had way better performance than that dismal Chevette.

Same with my diesel Rabbit pickup trucks, they were supposed to do up to 50 mpg but mine never did, more like 35....which my later 5 speed gas version of the same truck did just as well.

As to the longevity issue, there are plenty of MINIs running around with well over 200K on them too....we have several in our KC club, one of which still has it's original CVT!

I'm just not seeing the advantages, myself......not in current pricing and gasoline vs diesel price fuel conditions.....add in the aforementioned smoke and stink and they'll have a difficult time convincing many people.....IMHO of course.

The truck is a completely different situation, when you're towing very heavy loads like that.

 

The big incentive to run a diesel in Yurp is the fuel price - I pay $8.60 for a US gallon of diesel. Sure, it may be 'only' $8.00 for a gallon of petrol/gas, but then a diesel vehicle will use maybe only 2/3rds as much fuel.

Sure a Cooper S would probably be a nicer motor, but then I would be getting maybe 25 mpgUS, whereas I'm actually getting 39mpg from the SD - by comparison, I got exactly 32mpg over 50,000 miles in a justa Cooper. That means fuel cost savings of several thousand dollars over my ownership.

The nice benefit of a big diesel engine is that you can get economy car fuel economy when you don't drive it hard but get high performance when you do. With a petrol/gas engine you can make that choice only once, when you sign the order form.

I don't suggest diesels are 'better', whatever that means, but they do suit some people better.