How do people here feel about diesels these days? I know things are getting tougher from a legislation point of view, but it still looks like a nuanced situation, given the potential benefits it still offers. I'm wrestling with this at the moment as I'm getting my wife a car - it's looking like a used (2015 ish) 3 Series at the moment with xDrive (she wants AWD), and the petrol vs diesel thing is occupying our minds.
I don't think the tax increases would hurt us much as long as we bough a car with an EU6 compliant engine, but residuals are going to be affected by the drop in demand for used diesels, although arguably that drop could plateau at some point. Then there is the diesel particulate filter, which can clog if you don't occasionally do sustained high speeds in order to get sufficient heat to burn away the soot. She just about does the yearly mileage to consider a diesel (12,000 miles), and it isn't urban stop/start driving at solely slow speeds, although her motorway stretch isn't often at high speed due to it being at rush hour. So we are on the edge with regard to both mileage and keeping the DPF healthy.
Having said that, the 3 Series only has one xDrive petrol engine, the 320i. Haven't driven it yet, though the wife is going to today. It is probably a good engine, but the 330d is more efficient and also a fair bit quicker, so in a vacuum must be considered a better all round prospect.
Anyone here who wouldn't buy a diesel under any circumstances these days?
