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  #1  
Old 07-03-2003, 11:45 PM
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List of advantages and disadvantages of diesel cars.

Dear friends:

Please keep adding your comments to my short list of advantages and disadvantages. Thanks.

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Advantages:

1) Diesel cars can still run (no light) even when the battery is completely discharged and the alternator and/or voltage regulator) is gone. This applies only for old diesels that do not rely too much on electronics for control.

2) Diesel cars consume very little fuel when idling.

3) Diesel fuel is cheaper than gasoline (except in California)

4) Diesel engines have strong torques and so are used in big freightliners and ships.

5) Diesel cars' low HP and high torque engines seem to be better at prolonging the lifetime of automatic transmissions.


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Disadvantages:

1) Diesel cars can undergo the symtom of run-away engines if IP and related accessories do not work properly. (read LarryBible's recent experience of his daughter's 300D).

2) Diesel cars smell terrible when smoking and/or leaking diesel.

3) Diesel cars are usually a lot noiser than gasoline ones (except newer diesels)

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  #2  
Old 07-04-2003, 03:13 AM
123c
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Advantages:
-Diesels will run a long time, and will run fine with bad compression, just have a hard time starting.
-MB diesels are alot harder to steal than g@$$er$.
-Don't require as much maintinence.

Disadvanatges:
-Sometimes hard to start on a cold winters day without a block heater.
-n/a engines don't have enough power to pass slow moving vehicles.
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  #3  
Old 07-04-2003, 04:47 AM
R Leo's Avatar
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Diesel advantage/disadvantage

Advantages:
1) They sound cool while idling

2) They sound cool while running flat-out

3) The aroma of #2 diesel is considered by some to be an aphrodisiac

4) Secret diesel password gets you into prestigious 'two-pump' line at some truckstops

5) You can use words like 'turbocharger, wastegate and overboost' in your conversations (Sorry, this advantage not available to owners of normally-aspirated, 240D and 300D models)

6) Did I mention that they sound cool?

7) Nifty 'Jackson Pollack' style oil drop artwork on driveway

8) You can now put at least two extra gauges on your dash (Sorry, this advantage not available to owners of normally-aspirated, 240D and 300D models)

9) Amaze friends and confound enemies by pouring straight vegetable oil into your fuel tank and driving away (Sorry, this advantage not available to owners of direct injection models)

Disadvantages:
1) There are no disadvantages
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Last edited by R Leo; 07-17-2003 at 06:39 AM.
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  #4  
Old 07-04-2003, 05:02 AM
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Advantages (in addition to what are already listed):

If properly maintained, diesels will run forever.

Diesels sound cool

Diesels generally get better fuel mileage than gas engines of the same age and size.

For the most part, diesels are better for the environment (especially on biodiesel)

Did I mention that diesels sound cool?

Disadvantages:

None
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  #5  
Old 07-04-2003, 07:08 AM
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algae and fuel jelling would be disadvantages that you don't have to deal with in gas engines.

vapor lock is something that older gas engines used to have a problem with that Diesels wouldn't.

One advantage to a Diesel powered vehicle is that as long as the intake and exhaust are routed above the water line, a Diesel engine will run basically under water. That is why safari/outback vehicles are Diesel: they can cross streams a gas engine couldn't.

This wouldn't be true of newer CDI engines.
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  #6  
Old 07-04-2003, 07:54 AM
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Diesel Car Advantage

and no one wants to tail-gate you!
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  #7  
Old 07-04-2003, 11:47 AM
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Advantages:

1) Longer driving range per tank of fuel.... avg. 400-500 miles per tank.... at least 100 miles further than gassers.

2) Earn respect at local mechanic shop and gas stations for owning the simplest 4 cylinder engine they have ever seen.

3) Safety - constant velocity diesels that sustain a given speed are less likely to be involved in accidents.

Disadvantages:

1) Self combusting diesel engines do not slow down so drastically when taking foot off accelerator pedal. This causes excessive wear on brakes with overheated, warped rotors, fast pad wear, etc...... its the reason that trucks are equipped with engine brakes, operating off the valve train or exhaust ports.

2) With shortage of natural gas, prices of diesel fuel can nearly double in Winter months..... far exceeding the cost of gasoline.

3) Dirty engine compartment.... you need latex gloves for working on diesel engines, adjusting the valves, etc.
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  #8  
Old 07-04-2003, 02:37 PM
Diesel Power
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Re: Diesel advantage/disadvantage

Quote:
Originally posted by R Leo
Advantages:
1) They sound cool while idling

2) They sound cool while running flat-out

3) The aroma of #2 diesel is considered by some to be an aphrodisiac

4) Secret diesel password gets you into prestigious 'two-pump' line at some truckstops

5) You can use words like 'turbocharger, wastegate and overboost' in your conversations (Sorry, this advantage not available to owners of normally-aspirated, 240D and 300D models)

6) Did I mention that they sound cool?

7) Nifty 'Jackson Pollack' style oil drop artwork on driveway

8) You can now put at least two extra gauges on your dash (Sorry, this advantage not available to owners of normally-aspirated, 240D and 300D models)

9) Amaze friends and confound enemies by pouring straight vegetable oil into your fuel tank and driving away (Sorry, this advantage not available to owners of direct injection models)

Disadvantages:
1) There are no disadvantages
#9 is incorrect. You most certainly can run a DI engine on vegetable oil.

Algae growth and fuel gelling are the only two disadvantages of diesel engines. These however, can be dealt with by adding the proper additives to prevent both.
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  #9  
Old 07-16-2003, 08:51 PM
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No one mentioned the Diesel's ability to kill all mosquitoes behind the vehicle. And, If you are of the sinister or James Bond type, you have a built in smokescreen.
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  #10  
Old 07-16-2003, 11:02 PM
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There are no disadvantages to diesels! I love the smell of diesel fuel! Crud in your fuel is no less of a problem with gassers. Gassers have sparkplugs, wires, cap/rotor, etc. and a ton of other crap that goes bad so its more than a wash in the upkeep dept. Gassers can give you hell to start in winter too. What noise? Sounds better than Mozart to me.... I gotta go take my medication now. RT
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  #11  
Old 07-16-2003, 11:33 PM
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Coking isn't a city in China.

Quote:
Originally posted by Diesel Power
#9 is incorrect. You most certainly can run a DI engine on vegetable oil.
Repeat after me: Coking.

Unless you're driving a VW TDI, you sure as hell won't run SVO for too many miles in a DI engine without any mods (heaters and other paraphanalia) to your fuel delivery and storage system.
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  #12  
Old 07-17-2003, 12:24 AM
Greg Martin
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negative - fewer gas stations have diesel than gas; if you run out on a cold November evening, it can be a long walk to get a can of diesel (say 3 miles each way), and the police may have your MB 300TD towed away before you get back. Then you have to walk another three miles to the station where they towed your vehicle, and talk the night attendant into driving you ten miles further to where they stored your car (securely, in a locked enclosure) and beg him to accept the $75 towing fee. And then you may feel even more foolish when you find out several months later that there's another station a block away from where you ran out that DOES have diesel!

positive - driving a diesel qualifies you as a curmudgeon and a member of a non-conformist elite without buying a black helmet, leathers, and a Harley-Davidson (which seems like another form of conformity to me.) (If we're conforming to the standards of a group, it's one no one knows exists! Yeah, dieselheads!)
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  #13  
Old 07-17-2003, 12:51 AM
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Advantages:

Diesels are noisier and need a longer time to warm up in the morning. This may sound like a disadvantage until, at 530 in the morning when you are leaving for work, you remember how ANNOYED you were with the next door neighbour for idling his power boat in the driveway when you were trying to have a nap. THEN it seems like a lovely advantage. :p

Diesel pumps may be fewer and far between, but there is almost never anyone AT the pump, so you never have to wait.

YOur hearing doesn't have to be as good as the dog's to know when your spouse just pulled in.

Diesel is far less flammable than gas, hence a safer vehicle.

Diesel is also and excellent engine cleaner (if you've ever had an injector line come off you know what I mean).:p

No spark plugs to buy.

The best advantage to owning a diesel... visiting this board!

Disadvantages:
Not too many to choose from (compared to gas). Much more limited production.
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  #14  
Old 07-17-2003, 12:58 AM
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Maybe it is just me but....

Advantage:
Not only stop hating the smell of diesel, become impervious to it then begin to enjoy it!

To be able to enlighten gas powered freinds and family of how great diesels can be, with first hand proof! (some complain of the noise, I reply, well I'd much rather hear this for another 268k miles than an quiet gasser that won't last half as long!)

Be different! Not just another car, everyone hears the sweet diesel melody whether you hate it or like it.

Disadvantage:
Begin to really despise the rancid odor that gasoline lets off!


Well coking can happen to any turbo vehicle, not all diesels are turbo or all turbos diesel....

Any more details on that Greg? Either you had that happen before or you have very precise visions!
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  #15  
Old 07-17-2003, 01:31 AM
Greg Martin
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Let's just say it was a waking dream.

I had just purchased my 300TD and the fuel sensor was flakey.

Just cleaned it out last week. I swear, it had kelp in it. Actual sheets of algae below the float.

Now it works fine; reserve light even works.

Yeah, another disadvantage - kelp grows in your tank!

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