Petrol Vs Diesel... your thoughts?

Post by **MrBanana** » 03 Sep 2007, 05:59

I need van as a daily driver and am looking (ideally) for an Auto Sleeper High Top....

Is it worth looking for a diesel T25/3 ?

Since they are so much rarer, especially a TD, is it worth the wait?

Post by **phredd** » 03 Sep 2007, 07:47

If its for, as you say, I daily driver get it gased. Cheaper than the Black stuff and the Gold stuff. Up my end I am paying 42p pl.
I dont think Autosleeper's come with a High Top. All Pop Tops. You may touch lucky with a home conversion though.

Phredd

Post by **MrBanana** » 03 Sep 2007, 08:04

phredd wrote: I dont think Autosleeper's come with a High Top.
Phredd

??? I mean like this one:

[img:600:450]http://users.autoexposure.co.uk/is/auto ... 626_1b.jpg[/img]

Post by **shepster** » 03 Sep 2007, 08:31

phredd wrote: I dont think Autosleeper's come with a High Top. All Pop Tops. You may touch lucky with a home conversion though.

Phredd

Better not let Kev see this!

Post by **phredd** » 03 Sep 2007, 08:52

Notice I said ""I THINK""

Oooops > Bloody wrong again

SORRY

Phredd

Post by **peasant** » 03 Sep 2007, 09:54

The "daily driver" bit is the crucial one.

A normally aspirated diesel (1.6 or 1.7 / 50 or 57 hp) is not really able for today's traffic any more, especially when it has to haul a heavy, fully equipped camper and push a big high roof through the air. they are just infuriatingly slow and momentum-drive only.

A TD is well able to move around town and on country lanes, no race machine but not an embarassement either.
It's problem is thermal. Under full load it simply gets too hot ...which means if your daily drive involves a stretch of motorway and you don't want to play mobile road block at 60 mp/h max and floor it instead ...you're going to kill it sooner rather than later.

If on the other hand (like in my case) your daily drive is a leisurely pootle along windy backroads ...then the TD is ideal, as it can return 35 or more mpg.

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 03 Sep 2007, 10:01

I'd go diesel. I have nothing against LPG conversions either. But I'd buy my 1.6d (non turbo) again tomorrow, 50mpg and it gets you there. I will change my engine out for a 1.9d when or if the 1.6 ever dies of natural causes. I'd avoid a turbo as its more to go wrong and I want reliability when it comes to my van. My car is a TDI so I have nothing against turbos.

Post by **HOT 1200** » 03 Sep 2007, 10:41

Our trusty old 87 Caravelle is diesel......its our daily driver/family transport....its driven all day every day, school runs, food shoping, general trips out and as my wife works nights , it then does the night shift!
only to return home in the morning for more school runs and stuff !!

To be honest, We could not afford to drive a T25 with a petrol motor, they simply dont make sense any more, our frinds have a 2.1 Auto Caravelle and constantly moan about its poor fuel eco (around 18-22mpg) but also continue to mention how 'nice' they are to drive...

Back to the diesel...ours now runs a 1.9 TDI with a good old AAZ pump, it starts on the button, will cruise all day at 65-70mph and always returns between 38-42mpg...... Due to the smaller AZZ pump, the engine is only making around 70-75bhp but is returning amzing fuel eco. It has also prooved to be amazingly reliable, expesialy as the engine is now -De Tuned from its original 90bhp factory spec. My advise would be to to purchase a diesel T25, you then have an excelent base to convert for a more modern diesel engine at a later date....
GaV

Post by **airhead** » 03 Sep 2007, 11:18

I sold a petrol bay in favour of the diesel syncro I have now. I wasnt going to go down the route of a petrol engine again, for several reasons. Economy was the main one. Reliability was another. Diesels are just more reliable than petrols. The petrol engines will have you tormented fuelling them if youre driving it every day.

Post by **shepster** » 03 Sep 2007, 13:38

I would have thought 1.6td is the way to go if you have the money and you can find an Autosleeper conversion but don't dismiss Wasserboxers because of a few people's bad experiences with them.

I have a 1.9 running on LPG which costs 33p per litre locally, so it is worth looking at.

Post by **MrBanana** » 03 Sep 2007, 14:19

Thanks for all the fab replies everyone!

Another of my postings in this forum asks if AutoSleepers did their Hi-Top with a diesel or TD engine, 'cos I've never seen one for sale.

Post by **vwsween** » 03 Sep 2007, 19:05

Yes Autosleepers did a 1.6TD High-Top. Sold one last year after 6 years ownership to get a 2.1DJ. The TD did 70ok and returned 33mpg but I prefer much better performance from 2.1DJ and still 26mpg.
Brian