Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Dec 7th 2005, 3:44 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: SADLY OZ
Posts: 55
Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
What is it about the Ozzies - some things dont make sense....
They seem obsessed with "Green Issues" like the 4 or 5 different rubbish bins that take about a month to work out, but they drive the most polluting cars on the planet!!
I asked a few (Careful) questions - "why do you need a 4.0litre gas guzzling four wheel drive car when you cant drive very quickly and if you are able to move in the traffic in Melbourne its only for about 3-4mins because of the pathetic lack of roundabouts and profuse use of traffic lights?"
The response "You need a big engine in case you get hit in a frontal impact"
surely in a frontal impact the engine would come into the driving compartment and hit your legs!
They also winge on about the cost of fuel (which has now come down) but still have not woken up in the real world of diesel cars!
Currently "Luxury" Diesels are some Mercedes models, VW Golf and Toureg, BMW X5, Audi A3 A4 and A6, and for some strange reason they think that Peugeot is a "Luxury' brand too with the 306/7 and 406/7 models now being available in diesel.
The fuel costs of our family car (Mazda MPV 2.5 Litre Petrol Auto) is the same as running our VW Sharan Diesel which we had in the UK - the Mazda uses double the amount of fuel and its slower! - with the Oz fuel cost being half the UK price.
Its not down to availabilty - Diesel seems to be available at around 60% of the fuel stations now, and BP have introduced the greener low sulphate diesel fuel.
The other observation is the cars most actually choose - In the UK (back in the early 80's ) Mr Average family man would buy 1. A Ford Sierra or 2. A Vauxhall Cavalier - its no different here - its 1. A Ford Falcon and 2. A Holden Commadore! The car mags here are pathetic - unless you want to read a monthly test of Commadore V Falcon EVERY month I suggest anyone coming here continues with "Car" or "Autocar" UK subscriptions and gets it sent over!!!!
Maybe in about 20 years time they will think differently!! - - but by then I will be home in England where I can drive again ie. not get a ticket for going 3kmh over the speed limit ! It will be nice to look at the wonderful English countryside instead of the saddest & most glum looking trees and not stare at the speedo!!
They seem obsessed with "Green Issues" like the 4 or 5 different rubbish bins that take about a month to work out, but they drive the most polluting cars on the planet!!
I asked a few (Careful) questions - "why do you need a 4.0litre gas guzzling four wheel drive car when you cant drive very quickly and if you are able to move in the traffic in Melbourne its only for about 3-4mins because of the pathetic lack of roundabouts and profuse use of traffic lights?"
The response "You need a big engine in case you get hit in a frontal impact"
surely in a frontal impact the engine would come into the driving compartment and hit your legs!
They also winge on about the cost of fuel (which has now come down) but still have not woken up in the real world of diesel cars!
Currently "Luxury" Diesels are some Mercedes models, VW Golf and Toureg, BMW X5, Audi A3 A4 and A6, and for some strange reason they think that Peugeot is a "Luxury' brand too with the 306/7 and 406/7 models now being available in diesel.
The fuel costs of our family car (Mazda MPV 2.5 Litre Petrol Auto) is the same as running our VW Sharan Diesel which we had in the UK - the Mazda uses double the amount of fuel and its slower! - with the Oz fuel cost being half the UK price.
Its not down to availabilty - Diesel seems to be available at around 60% of the fuel stations now, and BP have introduced the greener low sulphate diesel fuel.
The other observation is the cars most actually choose - In the UK (back in the early 80's ) Mr Average family man would buy 1. A Ford Sierra or 2. A Vauxhall Cavalier - its no different here - its 1. A Ford Falcon and 2. A Holden Commadore! The car mags here are pathetic - unless you want to read a monthly test of Commadore V Falcon EVERY month I suggest anyone coming here continues with "Car" or "Autocar" UK subscriptions and gets it sent over!!!!
Maybe in about 20 years time they will think differently!! - - but by then I will be home in England where I can drive again ie. not get a ticket for going 3kmh over the speed limit ! It will be nice to look at the wonderful English countryside instead of the saddest & most glum looking trees and not stare at the speedo!!
Dec 7th 2005, 3:54 pm
#2
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by blairdoesntcare
What is it about the Ozzies - some things dont make sense....
They seem obsessed with "Green Issues" like the 4 or 5 different rubbish bins that take about a month to work out, but they drive the most polluting cars on the planet!!
I asked a few (Careful) questions - "why do you need a 4.0litre gas guzzling four wheel drive car when you cant drive very quickly and if you are able to move in the traffic in Melbourne its only for about 3-4mins because of the pathetic lack of roundabouts and profuse use of traffic lights?"
The response "You need a big engine in case you get hit in a frontal impact"
surely in a frontal impact the engine would come into the driving compartment and hit your legs!
They also winge on about the cost of fuel (which has now come down) but still have not woken up in the real world of diesel cars!
Currently "Luxury" Diesels are some Mercedes models, VW Golf and Toureg, BMW X5, Audi A3 A4 and A6, and for some strange reason they think that Peugeot is a "Luxury' brand too with the 306/7 and 406/7 models now being available in diesel.
The fuel costs of our family car (Mazda MPV 2.5 Litre Petrol Auto) is the same as running our VW Sharan Diesel which we had in the UK - the Mazda uses double the amount of fuel and its slower! - with the Oz fuel cost being half the UK price.
Its not down to availabilty - Diesel seems to be available at around 60% of the fuel stations now, and BP have introduced the greener low sulphate diesel fuel.
The other observation is the cars most actually choose - In the UK (back in the early 80's ) Mr Average family man would buy 1. A Ford Sierra or 2. A Vauxhall Cavalier - its no different here - its 1. A Ford Falcon and 2. A Holden Commadore! The car mags here are pathetic - unless you want to read a monthly test of Commadore V Falcon EVERY month I suggest anyone coming here continues with "Car" or "Autocar" UK subscriptions and gets it sent over!!!!
Maybe in about 20 years time they will think differently!! - - but by then I will be home in England where I can drive again ie. not get a ticket for going 3kmh over the speed limit ! It will be nice to look at the wonderful English countryside instead of the saddest & most glum looking trees and not stare at the speedo!!
They seem obsessed with "Green Issues" like the 4 or 5 different rubbish bins that take about a month to work out, but they drive the most polluting cars on the planet!!
I asked a few (Careful) questions - "why do you need a 4.0litre gas guzzling four wheel drive car when you cant drive very quickly and if you are able to move in the traffic in Melbourne its only for about 3-4mins because of the pathetic lack of roundabouts and profuse use of traffic lights?"
The response "You need a big engine in case you get hit in a frontal impact"
surely in a frontal impact the engine would come into the driving compartment and hit your legs!
They also winge on about the cost of fuel (which has now come down) but still have not woken up in the real world of diesel cars!
Currently "Luxury" Diesels are some Mercedes models, VW Golf and Toureg, BMW X5, Audi A3 A4 and A6, and for some strange reason they think that Peugeot is a "Luxury' brand too with the 306/7 and 406/7 models now being available in diesel.
The fuel costs of our family car (Mazda MPV 2.5 Litre Petrol Auto) is the same as running our VW Sharan Diesel which we had in the UK - the Mazda uses double the amount of fuel and its slower! - with the Oz fuel cost being half the UK price.
Its not down to availabilty - Diesel seems to be available at around 60% of the fuel stations now, and BP have introduced the greener low sulphate diesel fuel.
The other observation is the cars most actually choose - In the UK (back in the early 80's ) Mr Average family man would buy 1. A Ford Sierra or 2. A Vauxhall Cavalier - its no different here - its 1. A Ford Falcon and 2. A Holden Commadore! The car mags here are pathetic - unless you want to read a monthly test of Commadore V Falcon EVERY month I suggest anyone coming here continues with "Car" or "Autocar" UK subscriptions and gets it sent over!!!!
Maybe in about 20 years time they will think differently!! - - but by then I will be home in England where I can drive again ie. not get a ticket for going 3kmh over the speed limit ! It will be nice to look at the wonderful English countryside instead of the saddest & most glum looking trees and not stare at the speedo!!
I have just emailed Jaguar Australia and asked if the X Type diesel will be arriving anytime at all ever...............
Can you tell me if diesel fuel in Oz meets the EN590 standard - I have heard that it's not very good fuel for cars over there which is why they just put it in Utes and tractors...........
Cheers
Buzzy
Dec 7th 2005, 5:02 pm
#3
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 728
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Considering that diesel is around 10 - 12 cents a litre dearer than unleaded here.bThat is probably the reason no one wants to use them.
Dec 7th 2005, 5:06 pm
#4
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by Linda Lushardi
Considering that diesel is around 10 - 12 cents a litre dearer than unleaded here.bThat is probably the reason no one wants to use them.
Yeh it's a little bit more expensive than unleaded here in the UK too, but 20mpg petrol vs 45mpg diesel the benefits are clear!
Cheers
Buzzy
Dec 7th 2005, 5:10 pm
#5
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 728
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
I wasnt aware its now dearer than unleaded in UK. When i left several years ago it was cheaper.
Dec 7th 2005, 5:12 pm
#6
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Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by Linda Lushardi
I wasnt aware its now dearer than unleaded in UK. When i left several years ago it was cheaper.
I like the sound of the prices of both in QLD!!!
Cheers
Buzzy
Dec 7th 2005, 5:19 pm
#7
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 728
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
Its about 89p to the litre, Unleaded is about 87p (Tesco prices!)
I like the sound of the prices of both in QLD!!!
Cheers
Buzzy
I like the sound of the prices of both in QLD!!!
Cheers
Buzzy
well.. you learn something everyday. I still thought it was less and couldnt understand why it was dearer here.. blown that myth out the window thanx
Dec 7th 2005, 5:29 pm
#8
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 209
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
i ran a similar thread some time ago,had some good replies mainly about LPG 
Dec 7th 2005, 5:34 pm
#9
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 728
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by pom plumber
i ran a similar thread some time ago,had some good replies mainly about LPG
Now theres a good point. LPG is substantially cheaper, when i looked into the cost of converting our car it was so expensive to do it that i questioned howlong it would take to get my money back in cheaper fuel considering i would probably have sold the car by then!
Dec 7th 2005, 5:44 pm
#10
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by blairdoesntcare
What is it about the Ozzies - some things dont make sense....
They seem obsessed with "Green Issues" like the 4 or 5 different rubbish bins that take about a month to work out, but they drive the most polluting cars on the planet!!
I asked a few (Careful) questions - "why do you need a 4.0litre gas guzzling four wheel drive car when you cant drive very quickly and if you are able to move in the traffic in Melbourne its only for about 3-4mins because of the pathetic lack of roundabouts and profuse use of traffic lights?"
The response "You need a big engine in case you get hit in a frontal impact"
surely in a frontal impact the engine would come into the driving compartment and hit your legs!
They also winge on about the cost of fuel (which has now come down) but still have not woken up in the real world of diesel cars!
Currently "Luxury" Diesels are some Mercedes models, VW Golf and Toureg, BMW X5, Audi A3 A4 and A6, and for some strange reason they think that Peugeot is a "Luxury' brand too with the 306/7 and 406/7 models now being available in diesel.
The fuel costs of our family car (Mazda MPV 2.5 Litre Petrol Auto) is the same as running our VW Sharan Diesel which we had in the UK - the Mazda uses double the amount of fuel and its slower! - with the Oz fuel cost being half the UK price.
Its not down to availabilty - Diesel seems to be available at around 60% of the fuel stations now, and BP have introduced the greener low sulphate diesel fuel.
The other observation is the cars most actually choose - In the UK (back in the early 80's ) Mr Average family man would buy 1. A Ford Sierra or 2. A Vauxhall Cavalier - its no different here - its 1. A Ford Falcon and 2. A Holden Commadore! The car mags here are pathetic - unless you want to read a monthly test of Commadore V Falcon EVERY month I suggest anyone coming here continues with "Car" or "Autocar" UK subscriptions and gets it sent over!!!!
Maybe in about 20 years time they will think differently!! - - but by then I will be home in England where I can drive again ie. not get a ticket for going 3kmh over the speed limit ! It will be nice to look at the wonderful English countryside instead of the saddest & most glum looking trees and not stare at the speedo!!
They seem obsessed with "Green Issues" like the 4 or 5 different rubbish bins that take about a month to work out, but they drive the most polluting cars on the planet!!
I asked a few (Careful) questions - "why do you need a 4.0litre gas guzzling four wheel drive car when you cant drive very quickly and if you are able to move in the traffic in Melbourne its only for about 3-4mins because of the pathetic lack of roundabouts and profuse use of traffic lights?"
The response "You need a big engine in case you get hit in a frontal impact"
surely in a frontal impact the engine would come into the driving compartment and hit your legs!
They also winge on about the cost of fuel (which has now come down) but still have not woken up in the real world of diesel cars!
Currently "Luxury" Diesels are some Mercedes models, VW Golf and Toureg, BMW X5, Audi A3 A4 and A6, and for some strange reason they think that Peugeot is a "Luxury' brand too with the 306/7 and 406/7 models now being available in diesel.
The fuel costs of our family car (Mazda MPV 2.5 Litre Petrol Auto) is the same as running our VW Sharan Diesel which we had in the UK - the Mazda uses double the amount of fuel and its slower! - with the Oz fuel cost being half the UK price.
Its not down to availabilty - Diesel seems to be available at around 60% of the fuel stations now, and BP have introduced the greener low sulphate diesel fuel.
The other observation is the cars most actually choose - In the UK (back in the early 80's ) Mr Average family man would buy 1. A Ford Sierra or 2. A Vauxhall Cavalier - its no different here - its 1. A Ford Falcon and 2. A Holden Commadore! The car mags here are pathetic - unless you want to read a monthly test of Commadore V Falcon EVERY month I suggest anyone coming here continues with "Car" or "Autocar" UK subscriptions and gets it sent over!!!!
Maybe in about 20 years time they will think differently!! - - but by then I will be home in England where I can drive again ie. not get a ticket for going 3kmh over the speed limit ! It will be nice to look at the wonderful English countryside instead of the saddest & most glum looking trees and not stare at the speedo!!
And it seems to me that diesels aren't nowhere near as green as people seem to believe.
Now, I don't see the need for cars with big engines; I drive a 1.6 myself. But all this hype about the virtue of diesels is simply incomprehensible to me.
Dec 7th 2005, 5:47 pm
#11
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 728
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede
Who wants to drive something that sounds like a truck and moves like a slug?
And it seems to me that diesels aren't nowhere near as green as people seem to believe.
Now, I don't see the need for cars with big engines; I drive a 1.6 myself. But all this hype about the virtue of diesels is simply incomprehensible to me.
And it seems to me that diesels aren't nowhere near as green as people seem to believe.
Now, I don't see the need for cars with big engines; I drive a 1.6 myself. But all this hype about the virtue of diesels is simply incomprehensible to me.
You've obviously never driven a fuel injected turbo diesel! I owned one before i left UK and it was great, and believe me i may not know much about mechanics, but i was in the transport industry for many years using all kind sof cars and i can say it was a great drive.
Dec 7th 2005, 5:47 pm
#12
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by blairdoesntcare
What is it about the Ozzies - some things dont make sense....
As an Aussie in the UK, I have found that England is far behind Australia in LPG conversions; it's practically unheard of over here.
Dec 7th 2005, 5:48 pm
#13
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by Linda Lushardi
You've obviously never driven a fuel injected turbo diesel! I owned one before i left UK and it was great, and believe me i may not know much about mechanics, but i was in the transport industry for many years using all kind sof cars and i can say it was a great drive.
Dec 7th 2005, 5:49 pm
#14
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 209
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
the trick is to buy one that has already been converted? 
Dec 7th 2005, 5:50 pm
#15
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 728
Re: Pathetic Lack Of Diesel Cars In Oz
Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede
Well, if it's a turbo diesel, it's going to be pretty rough on the environment.
I wouldnt know about that, but they sure dont move like a slug as you suggested.
