Diesel or Petrol ?

[stobi_de]

Hello!
in Germany nearly all 4x4 cars are diesel engines.
What is the reason, that petrol is the favourite engine in your country?

Frank

[Tinus lotz]

1 doesn't break.....
2 works mutch better in big sand like moz and namib dunes
3 we are petrol heads....love the sound of big petrol engines
On a serious note .....big petrol engines go for ever and they are very reliable. ....i like the 4.2 diesel also but not good for playing in the dunes

[stobi_de]

I understand.
Big dunes are very rare in Germany

[Tinus lotz]

Petrol also use to be fairly cheap here ....now we only pay at the pump....not on repairs

[Alex Roux]

I would not say that petrol is the favourite here. More liek 50/50.
As expensive as petrol is, it is not as expensive as in Europe. So it hurst us todrive petrol, but not as much as it hurst you in Europe.

Diesel technology progresses quicker, but this is on the purer diesell grade and higher pressure injector models.
Not cool for travelling through Africa. Both petrol adn Diesle is avaialble everywhere ini Africa, but the diesle grade is more ppm (parts per millilitre), which does not work well with the more modern smaller capacity higher pressure diesel models. Hence Tinus's liking of the 4.2 diesel. The only diesel I would venture with outside the city. (I know the Amaroks have been everywhere in Africa, but not for me)

Now petrol is becoming cheaper again, less than 80 USD per barrel crude at the moment. Various theories about why this is the case, but the fracking up of the whole state of Dakota in US has something to do with it. Another long term factor may be that Petrol remains a by-product of Diesel (?). So Europe's increasing consumption if diesel is good for us Petrol heads!

[Herrie]

You can look an all the vehicle websites and you will find that more than 95% of the engine problems is the diesel engines.

With a petrol engine vehicle you almost only check the fuel gauge.

[Russ Kellermann]

Just came back from Dubai,...

Lots of 4wd in the dunes etc,..and on the 14 Lane motorways.... ALL BIG 4x4's and luxury vehicles,.... Not ONE diesel engine.

Patrols,Land Cruisers and Gelandewagens rule in those parts....all running Big straight 6, V6 or V8 derivatives.

[Bruin Beer]

Russ,
But there they pay you to fill up with petrol .
The rest of the world pay for it.
Riaan

[stobi_de]

Within the last 31 years I drove only diesel engines.
VW Jetta with 1.6 Diesel (160000km)
Audi 80 1.9 TDI (560000km !!!)
Nissan X-Trail 2.2Di (now 340000km)

Thats all

And my two toy cars, the red Nissan Patrol with 2.8TD (230000km) and the german one (198000)

Only the red one has MANY problemes with the engine. But that is my own fault. I trusted in Nairobi a workshop and they "overhowled" the engine.
Kenyan precision (made with hammer), kenyan cleanness (adjusting valves on the beach while a sand storm), kenyan reliability (replacing parts in good condition with waste), kenyan honesty (stealing parts, tools and shoes)....

[Tinus lotz]

You must speak to dawid in warmbarths he has 2 4.2 diesel engines one only has 140000 km on for sale should be a straight bolt on he even has 2.8 diesels and petrols too