[sridhga]

I had seen several people who drive BMWs and MBs swear by diesels and do not like petrols. Now even if these cars are driven for 200,000 km, the cost per KM on the basis of the car cost and service cost alone is about Rs. 30 per KM. Now I do not think these guys buy diesels for the price differential.

[simplyself]

Why are diesel car sales increasing?

Is it only due to the so-called skewed policy? Wasnt there any other reason like huge improvement in diesel engine/fuel injection technology? Is it not true that some models of some cars have better diesel engines than petrol ones. Did petrol engines catch up with the improvements on diesels?

Arent diesels inherently more fuel efficient and have longer engine life? Is the trend of increasing bias towards diesel engined cars exclusive to India?

A decade and half ago, not many would have preferred diesel car as their mode of personal transport what with the noisy, smokey Ambassador and Co. Things have changed with the launch of Indica which made motoring affordable to masses without the vagaries of an Ambassador.

I have seen, in this forum, a thread on whether SUV owners should pay market price for diesel ie., without any subsidy. Are petrol users, apart from bikers, ready to pay the market price of petrol (petrol too is subsidized, though to a lesser extent)?

Also, what is the percentage of diesel consumed by cars of the total diesel consumed?

I do not, for once, like the bashing by people who do not like diesels whenever there is an increase in fuel/petrol price increase. If one doesnt like diesels then one has the right not to buy one.

[crackingride]

Originally Posted by simplyself

Why are diesel car sales increasing?

I have seen, in this forum, a thread on whether SUV owners should pay market price for diesel ie., without any subsidy.

I think SUV owners are needlessly being made the high-profile victim of this. Are we saying that owners of VWs with 1.2 liter diesel engines are not going to pay market rates ( even though they own a premium, "german"
brand)?

That apart, what about the case where there are no obvious petrol options available? For example, i am evaluating the Yeti, and it is only available as a 4WD diesel in this country, though it has 2WD petrol options elsewhere.

I was thinking of the current (here, old) Jetta, too, and the petrol didn't have me jumping with anticipation. It's the diesel that defines this car as well, and I am waiting to see what diesel the new one is going to come with before deciding between the sedan or crossover.

If we have the options to choose between similarly specced diesel and petrol variants, let the market do the talking. I for one am a petrol engined car-owner now, but regardless of actual total cost, given the kind of car I am looking at next, the petrol variants being offered are the poor (or non-existent!) cousins in my current search.

I voted for diesel, and will vote for diesel with my wallet, too.

[flyingkolors]

I read in the paper today that government is seriously contemplating to make diesel prices also market driven. The Prime Minister Economic Advisory Council has made these suggestions to the govt and submitted a report to the empowered group of ministers.

They initially thought of doing so once the inflation hits about 7% but its taking too long to get there.

Apparently govt is losing 16.17/- per liter on diesel. And if they have to recover these losses, the price rise has to be 18.19/- per liter. Though they may not increase in these proportions, but yes, the target would to cover that gap very soon.

Given all this, it would be a big hit to the car manufacturers who may no longer be able to sell diesels at high premium.