Diesel vs. Gasoline: Which Car is Best?

Hello everyone,

After my beautiful Passat TDI recently met its end in an accident, I am now faced with the decision of buying a new vehicle. The fundamental question is as follows, considering the following mileage:
* Approximately 16 km to work, one way, regularly.
* Approximately 3-4 times a month, longer distances of 70-250 km.
* Approximately 2-3 vacation trips per year, ranging from 300 to 1000 km.
I estimate the total distance traveled to be 20,000 km per year.

Would you rather buy a gasoline car because of the short commute to work, since a diesel engine would barely warm up on that distance, and whether that's good for the engine in the long run...?
* Or are short distances not a problem if driven in a reasonable manner?
* What is your current volume of business?

* Personally, I would prefer to buy a TDI again.

Best regards from the Saarland region.

Stefan.

Hi Stefan,

My mileage is similarly low.

What bothers me most about cold gasoline engines is the exhaust, which is "saturated" with water and other aggressive components, resulting in a Lambda value of 1 (except for the new direct injection engines, but even then, FSI engines are supposed to be even less efficient than regular gasoline engines). This causes the exhaust systems to rust from the inside quite quickly – until everything is warm enough that the exhaust gases no longer condense.
And in the engine, it will generally look quite similar --> compare the oil dilution problem in short-trip gasoline engines.


Diesel engines, on the other hand, produce "drier" exhaust gases due to the excess air, which I believe should also be less aggressive, even when the engine is cold.
I always find it pathetic when gasoline cars regularly drip a splash of water from the exhaust pipe when starting in cold weather. I've never noticed anything like that with diesel engines.

Therefore, I believe that diesel engines are at least as suitable for short distances as gasoline engines.
If I have overlooked any diesel-specific cold-starting issues, please correct me!

Therefore, the decision between a diesel and a gasoline engine is, in my opinion, more of a question of overall cost.

Personally, I didn't want another gasoline-powered car, even though it might have cost me a little less in the long run.
What I end up paying more for with the TDI, I simply see as a "fun-to-drive" premium .

Hello!

I also drive almost every day 15km on country roads and in the city, either in a Passat TDI or a gasoline-powered Passat from 1991.
The TDI engine consumes only slightly more fuel than it does during long-distance driving, while the gasoline engine can consume up to 20% more.

I couldn't say for sure which of the engines reaches a good temperature faster. The heating system even activates 1 km earlier in the TDI compared to the gasoline engine.

So, if a TDI engine provides more driving pleasure than a gasoline engine, then short-distance driving shouldn't be a reason to choose a gasoline engine instead.
Best regards, Ernst.

If your Passat still hasn't warmed up properly after 16 km, then the thermostat was probably defective. I used to own a Passat TDI, and it would reach operating temperature within 5 km. A gasoline engine won't warm up any faster, so that criterion doesn't apply.

Have you ever driven a gasoline car with similar power? Once you're used to the high torque of your TDI, you probably won't be happy with a gasoline car anymore (unless you buy one with significantly more power than your TDI had).

best regards

Hannes.

Hi,

Opt for a diesel engine instead.
If you yourself say that you prefer the TDI, then the gasoline engine would be the wrong choice. You would just be annoyed every morning when you get in!
In cases like that, I think it's better to buy based on intuition.

Furthermore, while 16 km per trip might not seem like much for a diesel engine, it probably wouldn't hurt it.
We once had a 200D in the family, and in its later years, it was only driven very rarely, and often only for 2 or 3 kilometers.
He never complained, though.

If your Passat hasn't warmed up properly after 16km, then the thermostat was probably defective. I used to own a Passat TDI myself, and it would reach its operating temperature within 5km at the latest.

I think that's a rumor (and I can even prove it with measurements ).

Look at http://www.ralfhandel.de/temperatur.jpg...

'When it's below 10°C in the morning, my TDI barely warms up on the way to work. The temperature gauge doesn't even reach 90°C, which is realistically around 70°C. (12km distance)'
That small amount of waste heat immediately goes into the interior.

The combination instrument displays a range from 71° to 107°, with a setting at 90°. This is called the 'plateau function,' and it can make sense depending on the perspective.

CU Gremlin.

btw: I was faced with the same decision and I chose the TDI because it's better .

@Gremlin:

I assume that Stefan didn't have a temperature gauge and, like me, was only relying on the temperature display in the car. That display should show 90°C (194°F) after at least 5 km of normal driving. If it doesn't, I suspect a faulty thermostat.

Best regards,

Hello Stefan,
I can only agree with the tendency expressed by my predecessors.
My driving profile is very similar to yours, but I bought my TDI when I was driving around 30,000 km per year. Because there is no oil dilution in diesel engines, the slower warm-up time (if there is no auxiliary heater installed) is likely compensated for.
Personally, I associate the more agile handling with the enormous range, which unfortunately justifies the significantly higher cost. If you don't have to worry about the cost, you'll probably be better off with a TDI.

hi stefan,
Just do a calculation including the consumption, taxes, insurance, and inspection costs.
Regarding driving pleasure, the TDI will definitely bring tears of joy to your eyes.
Regarding inspection costs, you'll only shed tears when it comes to the TDI.

My conclusion: Choosing a TDI engine is probably only justifiable for people who drive more than 60,000 kilometers per year. Everyone else, the 'low mileage' drivers, should simply choose the TDI without needing to justify it.

Hi Hans,

@Porkpie:

What should be higher about the inspection costs for a TDI compared to a gasoline engine? I've already driven a lot of kilometers with various TDIs, but I haven't noticed anything different.

best regards

Hannes.

Hey,
I faced a similar problem back in May, as my T5 engine was only blowing out oil. Repairing it would have cost around €4600. That was not an option, considering the car was a 1995 model with 217,000 kilometers on the clock. So, the only viable solution was a TDI conversion using an engine from a salvaged vehicle. We managed to pull that off, although it was quite a challenge. Now, the TDI is running, and it's already a pleasure to just look at the fuel consumption. The performance is certainly not what it used to be, but where else can you find something like that?
TDI is definitely cheaper.

Best regards from Bielefeld.

Peter.

Hello,
Okay, I have a Passat 35i TDI with 110 horsepower, and a friend has the same model but with a 115 horsepower gasoline engine. During a test drive with the diesel, the comment was: "It still pulls in 5th gear." That probably says it all. By the way, I don't think that diesel cars look so bad in terms of cost, even with "low" mileage of 20,000 km. Just look at the prices of used gasoline cars; you're lucky if you can even find a buyer .

Best regards, Albrecht.

The diesel, while having excellent acceleration and good performance with low fuel consumption, lacks the sound of the gasoline engines when you rev them up to 7000 RPM, which is something I really miss about the diesel. Nevertheless, I would still choose any TDI over a comparable powerful naturally aspirated gasoline engine, especially due to the significant difference in torque and in terms of fuel consumption.

I drive approximately 15,000 km per year... but I still think my TDI is worth it. There's a vehicle list on the ADAC website that shows at what mileage a diesel becomes cost-effective... and the Golf is listed as being cost-effective from 16,000 km per year... and if I consider that I also use biodiesel!
'I mostly drive in the city, so short distances (5km), and my average fuel consumption is 7.5 liters. I used to have a gasoline car, and its fuel consumption was 11 liters, so 3.5 liters less with the TDI... And if I do the math, the TDI is definitely worth it, even with the higher taxes and insurance costs. And I'm not even factoring in the higher purchase price, because the resale value is also higher than that of a gasoline car.'

greetings
windl

I would definitely prefer the TDI as well, mainly because of the driving pleasure it offers.

I personally have a Passat B35 1.8 MKB with 90 hp (now a little more thanks to the chip). My father has a Passat with a 90 hp gasoline engine. Those are differences like day and night! He constantly pressures me to let him drive again, just for the fun of it!

Well, in my direct experience (I drive a total of 100 km of rural roads daily for work), I get 5.1 liters of diesel per 100 km compared to 8.7 liters of unleaded gasoline, and with significantly more driving pleasure!

Conclusion: My next car will be a TDI again!

ps: I often drive with a campervan (1200kg) and have tested both vehicles. What do you think, which one is more powerful and less thirsty?

My father used to drive a Golf III GT 'special' with a 1.8 gasoline engine and 90 horsepower until recently.
He wanted to buy a new one and asked me what would be best for a mileage of approximately 8,000 km per year.

He then test drove both the 1.6-liter gasoline engine and the 2.0-liter gasoline engine.
I recommended the 100 HP TDI model to him because he likes to drive without shifting gears very often.

He chose the 100 HP TDI engine, which is 'tax-free,' and is thrilled with its acceleration. He also doesn't have to worry about saving every penny to afford the extra cost, if there even is one.