Punto - petrol or diesel?

[somebodystopme]

@sgiitk In what term you mean petrol has more longevity, can you please elaborate? The much I have heard is that 1L KMS is nothing for a diesel engine?

@TJ In delhi you hardly get to turn anywhere, and the turns are quite wide enough not a problem at all. Punto is fixed on my mind, the compitition is between petrol and diesel contender. If I have to change the whole car all together it'll be I20 then none other.

@nutsandbolts I hope this is true. Brother, But I hope there is no problem with longetivity of a diesel engine ie above 7 years?

[tj123]

Coming to diesel fuel , I think government should seriously think to remove the subsidy over diesel used for passenger cars.

I know it’s not easy to implement, but surely it will kill the operational cost advantage of a diesel car to a large extent.

I seriously feel that private passenger cars should not run on subsidized fuels and petrol users must not bear the cost in cross subsidizing diesel fuel for luxury diesel cars. This is not fair policy.

I hope Govt of India will come up with some new fuel policy soon.

Moderators : can move it to appropriate thread as I am not able to find any.

[sgiitk]

More longevity means that they tend to last longer. Also, repair costs of an old petrol are a fraction of those of an old diesel. Many people will happily buy a petrol with 100,000km but those willing to buy a diesel of the same mileage will be nearly zero.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by tj123

Coming to diesel fuel , I think government should seriously think to remove the subsidy over diesel used for passenger cars.

This is too difficult to implement. If it is done, then people won't even mind keeping a mini-truck at home which goes to the pump often to fetch Diesel in their stretched tanks for their premium sedans.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

More longevity means that they tend to last longer. Also, repair costs of an old petrol are a fraction of those of an old diesel. Many people will happily buy a petrol with 100,000km but those willing to buy a diesel of the same mileage will be nearly zero.

We have just sold our Zen-Diesel with 1,05,000 Kms on the odo for INR 1,25,000. We got several enquirers and there were at least 3 or 4 people who were ready to buy the car with ready cash on spot.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by tj123

Driving in congested cities like Pune /Bangalore and taking U turns / right angle turns is really a painful in a FIAT Palio/Punto.
I was really struggling with it recently in tight congested situations. The vehicle just does not want to turn …phew.
Don’t know why they have such large turning radius seriously FIAT should redesign this.

Yes turning radius is bigger than other hatchbacks but turning radius is not such a big concern, i use Punto as my daily drive ive never felt it to be a pain.

[NutsNBolts]

Originally Posted by somebodystopme

@nutsandbolts I hope this is true. Brother, But I hope there is no problem with longetivity of a diesel engine ie above 7 years?

SSS, All we can do is learn from history, and hope future will be better with lessons from history. No one can see 7-10 years ahead and say what will be the state of automobile industry or what will be the state of a particular engine. If you believe in Murphy's law, you will know better. I have my experience of trouble free eleven years and so I am investing again in a Fiat. That should suffice I think.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Yes turning radius is bigger than other hatchbacks but turning radius is not such a big concern, i use Punto as my daily drive ive never felt it to be a pain.

Me too. Guess what was the turning radius of old Zen? It is 4.9 meters. Almost same as Punto. Punto is not the first hatch to come with a larger turning radius.

Punto is more like a highway cruiser than a city car.

[AnonymousCoward]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Me too. Guess what was the turning radius of old Zen? It is 4.9 meters. Almost same as Punto. Punto is not the first hatch to come with a larger turning radius.

Punto is more like a highway cruiser than a city car.

Wrong. Turning radius of Punto is 5.3 mtrs, even larger than NHC, Verna that are sedans.

A majority of usage for most of the private cars will be in city. Being comfortable within the city is very important.

[MCR]

Even if the government brings in the unified pricing on Diesel, a Diesel car is better in terms of economy. Punto MJD owners have reported a fuel efficiency of 15+kms with AC in City. The most efficient petrol car in the same category achieves 9-10 kms per litre of fuel with AC. The story is much interesting on highways where the MJD gives a mileage of 22+ with AC and an equivalent petrol hatch turns up with 16kmpl. Till recently I owned a Santro Xing and on highways I could never achieve more than 16 kmpl.
The life of a diesel engine is higher than petrol. I heard that a Common rail system has a life of 2,40,000 kms. I think higher run petrol engines have lesser resale value as compared to diesel engine.

[somebodystopme]

Originally Posted by MCR

The life of a diesel engine is higher than petrol. I heard that a Common rail system has a life of 2,40,000 kms. I think higher run petrol engines have lesser resale value as compared to diesel engine.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

More longevity means that they(PETROL) tend to last longer. Also, repair costs of an old petrol are a fraction of those of an old diesel. Many people will happily buy a petrol with 100,000km but those willing to buy a diesel of the same mileage will be nearly zero.

Both the statements above are totally opposite. I will request more people to put their valuable suggestion on this topic. Life of Petrol VS Diesel engine.

The much what even i have personally seen is that my friends keep their diesel car for much longer time than the petrol. It is first time anyone ever said petrol engine has more life?

@sgiit: Petrol engine do have less cost of maintainance then the diesel one but thats a known fact nothing new and nothing that regular service cant take care of, But on what technical grounds do you say Petrol last longer than latest diesel engines?AFAIK its opposite.

[samsan02]

Diesel cars cost more and the car manufacturer pockets the excess money the buyer pays, And the buyer has to justify his buy by clocking more kms per year with better mileage. Diesel is cheaper only in India because it drives the nation's transportation, But Govt has thought of decontrolling the fuel prices because of the annual fuel subsidy bill which rockets to more than $20 billion. Any increase beyond $80/barrel is scary, but if its decontrolled then there will be inflation, slow economic growth, so govt can't change it overnight.
But they might consider subsidised prices of diesel only for Govt vehicles, trains, public transport etc and not pass on the benefit for passenger diesel cars. If this happens Diesel car resale values will just crash.

[.anshuman]

A properly maintained modern diesel does not have any old age issues. Modern CRDi's are good for 2lakh+ kms (exceptions are some indian developed engines).

The higher service cost is justified with higher resale value and just half fuel cost.

[nandans2005]

Well Guys,

After so many suggestion by our guys here, What did Sukrit do finally? Was it a diesel or a petrol? I dont see him after 22 June 2009 reply to Extreme Torque. Its been 4 months since this thread was started by him.

I did search for his post on his new car in the relevant section, it seems not there or did i miss it by chance?

Sukrit, how is your new car man ?

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by AnonymousCoward

Wrong. Turning radius of Punto is 5.3 mtrs, even larger than NHC, Verna that are sedans.

Zen - small hatch - 4.9 (Compare it with Santro's & )
Punto - full sized hatch - 5.3 (Compare it with Swift's)

and, I didn't say turning radii of Zen and Punto are equal.

Both are not so good city cars in terms of their turning radii.

Originally Posted by AnonymousCoward

A majority of usage for most of the private cars will be in city. Being comfortable within the city is very important.

Wrong. At least in my state (KL). They are used everywhere. Having said that, I used a Palio in Bangalore city for more than 3 years, never felt any discomfort with its turning radius - I don't intend to turn it like a bike or an autorikshaw. May be I am used to this because I never used any small cars or tinboxes with turning radius in the whereabouts of 4 meters, extensively.

[AnonymousCoward]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Zen - small hatch - 4.9 (Compare it with Santro's & )
Punto - full sized hatch - 5.3 (Compare it with Swift's)

NHC, Verna are sedans!

Almost same as Punto.

and, I didn't say turning radii of Zen and Punto are equal.

OK, I misread your statement above

Both are not so good city cars in terms of their turning radii.

Wrong. At least in my state (KL). They are used everywhere. Having said that, I used a Palio in Bangalore city for more than 3 years, never felt any discomfort with its turning radius - I don't intend to turn it like a bike or an autorikshaw. May be I am used to this because I never used any small cars or tinboxes with turning radius in the whereabouts of 4 meters, extensively.

OK, but tinboxes? Always wondered why FIAT cars have larger than life (hatchback with 5.3mts!!) turning radius. Would like to know the technical reason, if any, surely.