Campbells

Greetings,

At the risk of getting into a dispute (as we are all individuals) I would like to offer some points on diesel. I say this as I have just sold my 320d which was without a doubt the best car I have ever owned and this was due to diesel technology. I had such an awesome low-end torque and overall performance (outran the same model in petrol, not from my experience but on paper) and my consumption around town was averaging 750 kms on 60 ltrs.

I am currently using my wife’s 318i to get around in and I’m horrified at the consumption and that is not a gas guzzler.

My point:
I am open to correction here but I was under the impression that diesel was a less polluting fuel than petrol?

I do understand the unpleasantness (especially if you are cycling or on a motorcycle) of diesel & more so when the engine is worn or out of tune and tends to “belch� clouds of black smoke with a terrible smell but if the damage to the planet is less than petrol surely it is better for us all in the long run.

That doesn’t cater for the debate on 4x4 s.

My take is that we will be a two-car family when we are organized in New Zealand and one of these will be geared (no pun intended) for mum & wee nipper’s needs and the other for when we will definitely be getting out of town to see the stunning outdoors of New Zealand. Intent to do a bit of fishing, cycling with the whole family, we both scuba, and we look forward to lots of camping trips blah blah blah.

I would also like to know if there are certain beaches you can access in NZ with 4 x 4s as we know from here (in SA) there are places you can only get to with a 4WD.

Safe driving for you all wherever you are and whatever the fuel in your tank.

Have a great weekend

Cheers

Campbell.

JWW

Statistically the most deadly vehicles on the road are HGV's. So quite probably there is a direct link between likelyhood of death and mass, as well as speed.

In order to drive an HGV you need a special licence, maybe thats the answer....special licence for SUV drivers....the average person won't bother, problem solved. Next problem how do you define an SUV without dragging in a 4 wheel drive station wagon? And what about courier and trade van drivers, shouldn't thay be in a class all of their own?

At the end of the day rest assured you are much more likely to be nailed by a 17 year old in his mum's car with a brain full of E than an SUV, and that will be just as deadly.

JWW

Lots of places you can only get to with 4x4's, including beaches. You're also allowed to drive your vehicles on the beaches that aren't frequented by bathers. Due to population size that's most of them!

sofistek

Not if one is driving safely[quote] Im sure there must be some stats out there somewhere relating to accident rates for different vehicle classes, even if its just an explanation for the higher insurance premiums for some vehicle types?[/quotes]Don't know about accident rates but a person hit by an SUV is less likely to survive than if hit by a saloon car. The best solution is not to hit them, rather than drive a different car. Maybe, maybe not. But safe drivers have less accidents. Just like any other class of car. A Smart car. But the real culprit was the driver, not the car. Which is my whole point.

sofistek

I'm not sure, Campbell. They are certainly less thirsty (though petrol is catching up) but I think they pump out more harmful particulates. Diesel fuel used to be quite a bit cheaper in the UK, I think because it was thought to be cleaner, but it's now more expensive that low-sulphur unleaded petrol.

iaink

You can be the safest driver in the world, but sometimes things happen that are beyond your control.

Nothing to do with whether you need 4x4 in NZ or not, as I dont live in NZ, but I have owned 4x4s in the past when I first came to Canada. I thought it would be a good idea, but with hindsite it was an expensive mistake. I know what the handeling is like compared to the saloon I drive now. If something happens that you need to avoid...like a dog or child running out in front of you at point blank range, I know that a Jeep is not going to turn or stop as fast as a regular car. Nothing to do with driving ability or how safe you are, entirely to do with the driving dynamics of the vehicle type.

Sure, safe driver have fewer accidents, thats why you get a no claims reduction. But there is a reason SUVs cost more to insure for a given driver ability, compared to regular cars, SUVs are more likely to have accidents, and those accidents are more likely to be fatal, which I guess was my point.

Anyway, lets just agree to disagree. Loved that idea about seperate licensing for SUVs, and hopefully the OP will give it some thought and make their own mind up.

sofistek

I don't think we're disagreeing on the basics, Ian. But you put a different emphasis on things and weigh the factors differently. That's fair enough. To each his own.