Are diesel cars the spawn of satan?

Nayan

Supposedly new labour had it wrong- diesel might mean less co2 per mile but it may emit more nasties, and the new EU regs mean we can look forward to them getting taxed out of existence. Unless they are being used for commercial purposes in which case carry on as you were.

Philomena Cunk

diesels ripped my flesh!!

cougie

Aah its all too confusing now. Bad, Good, Bad. I dunno.



Are Bikes still OK ?

VDOT52

Diesels also produce less tax revenue for the exchequer coffers so if it were possible they would be trying this already. Realistically it is very unlikely that the can say that diesel is so dangerous that it needs banning but then give permits to lorries, trains, taxis and business drivers.

It may happen one day, but by then electric cars will be cheap and the charging infrastructure will be ready. At that point petrol cars will be outdated too,

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Both our diesels have zero VED, and I even get 60 mpg out of mine

Nayan

They are slapping an extra 100 quid s year on parking permits here in swinging Islington. On the grounds that non commercial diesel cars are the worlds largest cancer factor or something. They are leaving commercial vehicles well alone mind. Looks like blatant tax grab to me.



Anyway the Mrs noted it and suggested we upgrade the x5. I'm a bit wary of spiffing s load of money on a new car only for the councils to change their mind again and decide everything which isn't electric is to be taxed to death too. Islington council can stick it up their mum's arse

Nayan

You're right vdot. I remember seeing a top gear about this. At some point electric cars will combine with hydrogen cells and cars will be about as complex as washing machines. Petrol / diesel will be phased out and irrelevant at some point.

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Of course there is nothing an electric car needs more than a sodding big power station

Muttley

A bloke who lives in Islington complaining about the cost of running his 4x4

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

I thought that Mutts. And it's a Beemer.

VDOT52

The hydrogen cell is going to be the key. Once they can figure out how to harness the 2nd most abundant gas in the universe then we are sorted. The only problem will be where to dump all that extra water it will create. We'll be living in an Atlantis style world in no time.



Mind you, they should ban meat first. That is the biggest contributor to pollution, water wastage and food energy wastage. If only it wasn't so tasty!

Nayan

Muttley wrote (see)

A bloke who lives in Islington complaining about the cost of running his 4x4

well not complaining as such - its not like Im going to sell it just because some muppet at the council just invented a new way to tax me.

I might think twice before buying a second one, mind

VDOT52

Muttley. It is hard coping without a 4x4 in London. There is usually at least 5 speed humps between home and the nearest schools. And some of the kerbs around the school that you have to park on are quite high.

Nayan

The snow drifts. Don't forget the snow drifts

Snap!

You don't do that much better out of a diesel anyway, unless you're doing 20,000 miles a year. Just drive sensibly. I get 45 mpg out if a golf gti on my commute.

RicF

Stuff diesel, I'll settle for the 15 mpg I get around town in the petrol job. 

Cheerful Dave

VDOT50 wrote (see)

The hydrogen cell is going to be the key. Once they can figure out how to harness the 2nd most abundant gas in the universe then we are sorted. The only problem will be where to dump all that extra water it will create. We'll be living in an Atlantis style world in no time. 

Erm, where do you think they'll get the hydrogen from in the first place?

VDOT52

It's all relative snap. Some petrols are very economical , as are some drivers. Some diesels and their drivers are not great. My diesel is not much better than an equivalent petrol when the Mrs drives around as if it isa petrol, but I regularly get 30% better mpg than her on the same routes. We live in the north London suburbs though so heavy traffic is never really an issue. For stop start driving I think petrol is the superior choice.



With bigger and heavier vehicles, like Islington tractors, diesel is a must.



Didn't Chiswick do this 4x4 parking charge increase thing some time ago? Basically adding ??300 to he charge of you drove a big diesel?

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

The village I live in is ear marked for "a fracking site". The woman who is leading the NO campaign drives around in a Beemer X5 or her husbands Merc...



.. She doesn't get the irony at all

VDOT52

Are they gas converted?

Nayan

Snap! You're right. We didn't realise we'd only be a 5000 mile a year family - I should've gone for the 4.8l supercharged v8. Live and Learn

Mr Puffy

Those anti Fracking campaigners do more harm than good Dave, most people can't wait for Cuadrilla to get in there and improve the site.

 

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Tell me about it.... Did you know there is even an anti-fracking camp in Mickle Trafford !



And as for fracking down Oil Sites Rd in the Port, can only be an improvement

RicF

No supercharging for me.  5.5ltr V8.

And a road tax levy of £500 to bring me down a peg or two.

Blisters

There was I thinking that the Islington X5 contribution was a fantastic wind up that caught at least 2 pundits. Great trolling!

So my 30,000 miles a year diesel, which does 50+ mpg around town and 60+ mpg on that sodding M6 is a thing from Hades? The CO2 emissions figure allows a £30 road tax. I'd like to see someone cycle 100 miles each way to get to work on a daily basis. Why do I do it? Because, Mr Exchequer, this is what they call the Service Sector Economy. You travel to where you are needed, and for me that is in a different place every day.
I laugh like a drain when the Local Authority look at the local transport network to make it "safer". All they do is create more bottle necks. Never done a day's work in their life, half of these local politicians.

Nayan

This all seems to be centred on Londons poor air quality and EU regs. However it goes crazy in that non commercial diesel cars contribute a small proportion of the pollutants to blame. Vans lorries and so on are the real offenders yet one council is using this as a money spinner.



Islington council tends to go early on things like this. Speed humps, overly zealous blocking of roads. 20 miles per hour speed limit ... Now the diesel tax.

This is only the start of it of course. I suspect that by 2020 we'll be looking at taxes on more than just diesel cars.



Tell you what though. I would buy a Prius before I start cycling around London though. That really is for the nutters.

And I bloody hate priuses

Nayan

I think Fracking is great. Cheap fuel and we finally have a use for Lancashire. Result

Blisters

Troll.

Let's place a Nuclear Power Station in Islington. After all, they are safe.

Nayan

thetes an eat all you can buffet near angel tube which looks more or less exactly that.

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Exactly like what ?



Your average nuclear station is a square concrete building..... Oh see what you mean about Islington

VDOT52

The future will be a ban on all cars parking on the roads in London and a truly prohibitive tax on non electric vehicles entering the m25. . Only those with a drive/garage/private parking spot will be able to have cars. The current policy of letting people build flats with 2 bedrooms but only provide one parking space is madness especially as some of the 2 bedders near me have 3 car owners in them.



I will buy a fully electric car as soon as they are a viable proposition. Our weekly car mileage is probably about 80miles so one charge a Week would do us. Seems like a no brainier for us Londoners.