Originally Posted by
IchabodCrane
Yeah.. ^^^^^^ why a diesel if you can get same or better economy from gas? Diesel has higher initial cost, higher maintenance cost, in many markets diesel fuel costs as much as, or more than gas and your vehicle will likely rust away before you recoup the promised economic benefit.
In answer to your question "Why a diesel", I will give you my thoughts (ill-informed though they may be).
Diesel fuel may be the same price, but I believe it has higher energy density. Like if a pint of vodka costs the same as a pint of beer - the vodka is better value. I don't think you can get the same economy - a Mirage gets about the same mpg as a golf wagon diesel, but that golf has about 3 times the torque, and is bigger in just about every way. By that measure, the golf is more efficient, and if that efficiency was extrapolated (0.8l diesel in Mirage body) I think the diesel would win.
Torque - diesels have so much more. That means a small car can comfortably pull a trailer and hum along the highway at low rpms.
Longetivity - clearly this isn't the case with small turbo diesels, but I look at trucks and tractors that can reach a million miles or equivalent hours, albeit with a rebuild or two. They seem to build diesels to work harder and longer.
Now your point about the vehicle rusting out before the economy pays off is likely true. In fact, it seems rare these days that a good gas engine gives up before the rest of the car is worthless. I also understand that the small diesel turbos are not the same animal as the old grease-burners in tractors/trucks, so that advantage is gone. Finally, I don't actually need the torque, so I suppose my next car will be gas. Still, I sort of like diesel at least as an idea!
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE 1.2 manual: 45.0 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 54.1 mpg (Imp)