Petrol Or Diesel - What Ya Got And Why?

[snowjoke]

Can't claim to be an expert, but I drove a petrol 4.2 immediately after a diesel at a dealer's. The diesel was a LOT noisier... although that's not saying much because the petrol is really quiet especially at low speeds. So quiet you can't tell if the engine's running or not! The petrol also felt like it had better acceleration.

It's been covered above but these days there's no cost advantage in diesel until you've driven 50k miles. With the cost of timing belt changes and the chance of an expensive DMF failure, I doubt diesels work out any cheaper even for very high mileage drivers.

With the higher mpg of diesel you don't have to refuel so often, however.

[bothwell_buyer]

Ye see, thats where the benefits of the 4.1 model come in !

Why is that? No luxury, or not worth anything anymore?

I have all the 'luxury' I want with mine!

Duh, have you been living out in the forest again? No car is worth anything at the moment!

However, I'm better off than you as my car no longer depreciates :lol2: and.... in fact... is becoming a star in some communities in the country!! = higher value !!

[Hoovie]

Hoovie, one of the main reasons I bought the 4.3, after the 4.2, is because it is SOOOO quiet by comparison. I drove a new CRV (yes, I know, I know!) on the same day expecting to love it but there was distinctly more noise. And noise was the number one reason for changing - in my 4.2, any motorway journey of over 2 hours was considered a loooong drive. Of course the 6-speed box helps, but it's incredibly quiet.

I never tested a 4.3 as, for one reason, it was a lot more then I wanted to spend, so didn't want to try it, not buy it and regret it for years

Interesting comment about motoway journey over 2 hours long dur to noise - I regulary do a 5-6 hour round trip in my RAV and the noise does not seem so bad it annoys. And drove to northern Spain (with overnight stop mid-France) - perhaps 7-8 hour stint without any concerns.

Maybe my ears are shot already :D - I have never had a REALLY posh car that is super-quiet so maybe my expectations are lower? dunno?

Can't claim to be an expert, but I drove a petrol 4.2 immediately after a diesel at a dealer's. The diesel was a LOT noisier... although that's not saying much because the petrol is really quiet especially at low speeds. So quiet you can't tell if the engine's running or not! The petrol also felt like it had better acceleration.

It's been covered above but these days there's no cost advantage in diesel until you've driven 50k miles. With the cost of timing belt changes and the chance of an expensive DMF failure, I doubt diesels work out any cheaper even for very high mileage drivers.

With the higher mpg of diesel you don't have to refuel so often, however.

That is a pretty good sum-up of where I am coming from as well, actually

Soon after I bought my RAV4 I regretted not going diesel, but now, I think I would probably buy the Petrol for the reasons snowjoke noted.

[Dippy]

Interesting comment about motoway journey over 2 hours long dur to noise - I regulary do a 5-6 hour round trip in my RAV and the noise does not seem so bad it annoys. And drove to northern Spain (with overnight stop mid-France) - perhaps 7-8 hour stint without any concerns.

Maybe my ears are shot already :D

TBH mine has a problem, a speed-related resonance that is audible from about 30mph (thunk...thunk...thunk) up to 50ish (thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk) before it just becomes a constant noise, which it is at motorway speeds. Took it to the dealer, he drove it, heard it, checked the diff oil, and said "whatever it is, don't worry". That was 4 yrs ago, it hasn't got any worse.

A posh car is a matter of opinion - I drove from the French Alps to Brussels in a day in a 205 GTi at the end of a ski trip, my ears were ringing for three days afterwards :)

[St Thicket]

With the cost of timing belt changes and the chance of an expensive DMF failure, I doubt diesels work out any cheaper even for very high mileage drivers.

So the VVT-i doesn't need to change timing belt ever?

I'm quite ignorant when it comes to the difference between toyota engines, so it would have been nice to know :D

[anchorman]

With the cost of timing belt changes and the chance of an expensive DMF failure, I doubt diesels work out any cheaper even for very high mileage drivers.

So the VVT-i doesn't need to change timing belt ever?

I'm quite ignorant when it comes to the difference between toyota engines, so it would have been nice to know :D

Just change the oil regularly and the chain will last a very long time. It only needs changing at major engine overhaul which could well be 300k-400k kms.

[rambler]

hi folks

i have a 2001 d4d,wouldnt be without it my diesel,plenty of low down torque for ascending muddy hills...even with a rav,pulls me through sand on suffolk byways whilst green laneing.

drives through 18" of water at reasonable pace,....4x4's were always based on agricultural needs,when do you ever see a tractor with a petrol engine.(apart from maybe really old ones).diesel engines are far more torquey for off road use.

and not to mention less of a problem if you get water splashes in engine bay

but if your rav only ever sees the grey stuff in the city,well petrol is fine as far as i can see

[St Thicket]

...4x4's were always based on agricultural needs,when do you ever see a tractor with a petrol engine.(apart from maybe really old ones).diesel engines are far more torquey for off road use.

The Diesel doesn't really come in handy unless you have low gear...which you don't on a Rav. Without low gear; poor off road handling.

I'm not saying that the Rav is a poor off road car (at least the 4.2 isn't), but there are far better cars... I'll not mention any specific car makers, so that I'll avoid upsetting Bothy :D

[bothwell_buyer]

...4x4's were always based on agricultural needs,when do you ever see a tractor with a petrol engine.(apart from maybe really old ones).diesel engines are far more torquey for off road use.

The Diesel doesn't really come in handy unless you have low gear...which you don't on a Rav. Without low gear; poor off road handling.

I'm not saying that the Rav is a poor off road car (at least the 4.2 isn't), but there are far better cars... I'll not mention any specific car makers, so that I'll avoid upsetting Bothy :D

too late!

Caterpillar D9 is admittedly an awesome machine........

[Fujisan]

........if a little tiresome on the Motorway

[shcm]

........if a little tiresome on the Motorway

I thought it had tracks not little tyres???

[Fujisan]

........if a little tiresome on the Motorway

I thought it had tracks not little tyres???

No you're thinking of AM with his railway set!

[shcm]

No you're thinking of AM with his railway set!

sshhhh! . Don't mention that! Think we got away with it? ;)

[Fujisan]

[cruella]

Ooooh! Lots of replies - and some of them on topic!

I'm still looking, still favouring a petrol, trouble is, the more you look and learn, the more your 'fantasy' Rav costs you and the more fully loaded it becomes! I've somehow metamorphosed from a 4k 04 jobby at a slightly dodgy looking dealers in Southall to my bottom line being a 55 XTR/4! :o Bearing in mind that thi is only supposed to be my winter runaround and dog hauler

Happy New Year to all my new found Rav buddies :) :group-cuddles:

Just to remind me how good real heating is, I took my 63 beetle for a 'pipe opener' along the A20 yesterday - invigorating! :D

[Plutus]

Not sure if this has been posted before but this site seems on the ball with current values.

http://www.wisebuyers.co.uk/motoring/used-car-prices/

[bothwell_buyer]

Ooooh! Lots of replies - and some of them on topic!

I'm still looking, still favouring a petrol, trouble is, the more you look and learn, the more your 'fantasy' Rav costs you and the more fully loaded it becomes! I've somehow metamorphosed from a 4k 04 jobby at a slightly dodgy looking dealers in Southall to my bottom line being a 55 XTR/4! :o Bearing in mind that thi is only supposed to be my winter runaround and dog hauler

Happy New Year to all my new found Rav buddies :) :group-cuddles:

Just to remind me how good real heating is, I took my 63 beetle for a 'pipe opener' along the A20 yesterday - invigorating! :D

ye wanna try the RAV wi the 3SGTE engine...... 1/4 of a mile and the heats blasting out!!!