Diesel to Petrol

[Yowsah]

First of all let me say that I am technically illiterate. I have a 2 year old Mondeo estate which is fitted with the 2litre Turbo Diesel engine. I had planned to keep this car for a good few years. However, with talk of charges on diesels using city centres and scrappage schemes which don't offer much I was wondering how feasible it is to swap the diesel for an ecoboost petrol engine. Any thoughts anyone?

[jmurray01]

I wouldn't worry just yet, especially not if you are in Aberdeenshire as I doubt we will see any such penalties for many years yet.  Diesel engines are superior to petrols in almost every situation so I would not change it unless I absolutely had to, and even then you'd probably be better just selling it and buying a different vehicle.

[Yowsah]

Thanks for this Jamie. I really don't want to change to petrol as my diesel gives me plenty miles per gallon. I do however stay in Aberdeen and the council have spoken about banning diesels from the city centre. I think I'll just have to monitor things as they happen.

[jmurray01]

6 hours ago, Yowsah said:

Thanks for this Jamie. I really don't want to change to petrol as my diesel gives me plenty miles per gallon. I do however stay in Aberdeen and the council have spoken about banning diesels from the city centre. I think I'll just have to monitor things as they happen.

If I had a penny for all the things Aberdeen City Council talk about and then don't do I would be a rich man!! 

There is absolutely no way they (or any city) could ban diesels entirely, but that's not to say they wouldn't try...

[Yowsah]

Let's hope so Jamie. I'm just puzzled as to why this anti-diesel publicity has come about all of a sudden. I also want to know where all the 'clean' electricity is going to come from to power everyone's car. Are we also going to be able to dispose of all those old batteries when they wear out. 

[jmurray01]

16 minutes ago, Yowsah said:

Let's hope so Jamie. I'm just puzzled as to why this anti-diesel publicity has come about all of a sudden. I also want to know where all the 'clean' electricity is going to come from to power everyone's car. Are we also going to be able to dispose of all those old batteries when they wear out. 

Don't get me started on electric cars!!  What are we going to do with airplanes?  They use more fuel in one flight than a car does in years, so we'd better make them electric too, right?  Like that's going to happen.

[SeanW]

Not to mention ships!!  (MARPOL Annex 6 if anyone is interested)

Technically a lot of ships already run on electricity - it's just generated by chuff-off big diesel engines 

Don't get me started on wind powered ships...Rule 12 (IRPCS) is a pain in the ar...mpit

As for the original question about swapping diesel for petrol - sell the car and buy a petrol.  Swapping the engine, whilst possible, is going to be far more difficult and expensive.  You'd need to change so much (right down to the filler nozzle) that you would need a donor car anyway.

[auldreekie]

I swapped from diesel to petrol a week and a half ago, not long enough I know to form a proper opinion but my tuppence worth anyway.

My previous car a 02 focus ghia 1.8 tdi I had since new, was reliable as heck for the best part 14 years, a new clutch fitted 16 months ago after 80000 mls, a new battery installed last month and it is still running on the original exhaust that it came out of the factory with. No rust on the bodywork and engine although a bit noisier and rattly these days still starts first turn of the key so all in all one of the most reliable cars I've had in 50 yrs driving.

It was time for a change of car for me and being a Scotsman and tight fisted I wanted a car with no road tax so I decided on a 1.0l fiesta ecoboost, the dealer's offer on my old car was insulting so I gave it away to my daughter as she couldn't afford a car at the moment.

The fiesta ecoboost performs well enough for me, acceleration is feels as nippy as the focus was and fuel consumption is better than the focus, it sits at 65-70mph quite comfortably on motorway. I don't go into the city much by car, parking is horrendous, I just take the bus (free bus pass😀). I have no intention of modding or customising, the bonus for me is no road tax to the government😆. I hope I don't regret the swap