Pros and cons of renting a Diesel car
 

Who can give me the pros and cons of renting Diesel rather than regular gas powered car in Italy? AutoEurope guy said Diesel is widely available and cheaper.

Anybody had experience with both (or either?)

(I seem to remember that MaiTaiTom had a hilarious story in Tuscany, with regard to Diesel and his rental car. Don't want to repeat that, but will be in the same neighborhood!)

Just don't put gas in it. We drove a MBenz diesel in the US for years. The only really disadvantage is the diesel is oilier and smelly so carry a rag or glove to use on the pump handle when refilling. Other than better mileage and a little cheaper, no significant differences.

Most rental cars other than tiny ones in Europe are diesel. There are no downsides. You put diesel in it and it costs less than regular fuel and you go lots farther on it.

What StCirq says.

I don't know why there aren't more diesels in the US. They go miles further than reg.

"I don't know why there aren't more diesels in the US" Think Chevron. Diesel is less expensive to produce than gasoline, which results in fewer profits profits for the oil companies. They've had their way with the US for dozens of years and want to keep it that way.

"We drove a MBenz diesel in the US for years. The only really disadvantage is the diesel is oilier and smelly so carry a rag or glove to use on the pump handle when refilling. Other than better mileage and a little cheaper, no significant differences."

Someone really need to update their references. The newer diesel engines are as powerful as gasoline engines, get far better fuel economy, 50% in some cases, are clean burning and quiet.

Most places where you refuel will have disposable polythene gloves for you to use, so there is no need to provide your own rag or glove. You do need to be careful not to spill diesel fuel, since it does not evaporate at low temperatures.

The gloves are the same type customers are expected to use in Italian supermarkets when selecting fruit and vegetables.

Come on, it´s the same thing. Almost everybody I know owns a diesel car, no problems at all, you bet a far better mileage and it´s about 10% cheaper in most of Europe.

The cons of hiring a petrol-driven car in Italy, rather than a proper diesel car like everyone else, are that it costs more per litre and you use more of it per mile.

There are no pros. Absolutely none at all, and it's hard to understand why anyone would contemplate hiring one.

Though diesel's relative fuel efficiency is obviously true everywhere, diesel isn't cheaper than petrol everywhere - or even necessarily all year round. The vagaries of fluctuating production prices and of tax regimes can make diesel usually pricier in some countries (like Britain). But 99.9% of thge time, diesel's cheaper in Italy.

>Think Chevron. Diesel is less expensive to produce than gasoline, which results in fewer profits profits for the oil companies. They've had their way with the US for dozens of years and want to keep it that way.

It's not as much the evil oil companies - don't forget the oil refineries are run by private companies for profit in Europe too. It's simply inertia and lack of purity legislation. Most US diesel is lower quality - and a modern German, French or Japanese high-performance diesel engine is not your grandpa's diesel which could digest everything down to old vegetable oil. High sulfur contents take the edge away from the performance and make frequent repairs necessary. And the refineries will not add expensive desulfurizer equipment unless either forced by legislation or serving an already existing market.
And a legislation that might cost somebody a part of their profit - no matter how beneficial in the long run - is anathema in todays USA...

I had an MBdiesel too and the diesel used to be cheaper here in the US.But I've noticed lately the price is just about the same or in some places more than gas. What gives?

WE always hire a diesel when we can especially when driving the 400 mile from Glasgow to England. You wouldn't know it's not a petrol model except you can go so much further on a tank....it handles 90 mph on the motorway just fine! (er, sorry officer....I thought I was doing 70)

What almost everyone else says: There are no cons to a Diesel rental car. Period.

Just getting back on topic.
A few other things to bear in mind about diesel car rentals:
1. You cannot reserve diesel cars specifically. While most compact and intermediate cars are diesel, this isn't necessarily so and it depends on what the rental office happens to have in stock.
2. Sometimes you pay more for a diesel car than a regular gas. When doing a buy/buyback deal with Renault or Peugeot, you normally pay a premium for diesel. Whether the extra cost is worth while or not depends on how much driving you do, fuel economy for a particular model and the price difference between the two fuels.
3. As diesel engine has particularly good torque low down in rev range, it's an excellent choice for mountain driving and when towing or with a heavily laden car.
4. While the word diesel is universally understood, the diesel fuel is often called differently in local languages and indicated as such on pumps or nozzles: gazole (Fr), gasóleo (Sp), gasolio (It).

A few years ago, Britain introduced a lower tax rate for low sulphur diesel. The oil companies all switched to low suplhur production, and you cannot now buy the high sulphur stuff.

We have bought diesel cars on and off for the past 25 years. They are usually more expensive, but generally hold their value better, and so the economics of the choice can vary. One thing you will always find is that a diesel will go further on a tankful of fuel. That is especially useful in Italy, where there are times of the day and week when purchasing fuel is difficult.

No cons

The only con to a diesel car is that if you are hiring a superfast car it will be a bit slower.

That's it.

But for love of all that's holy, don't put the wrong fuel in it. This would take willful stupidity as the nozzles are different - but if you run out of fuel don't put something out of a jerrycan into it. You have to drain the whole engine (v expensive).

If I were hiring a car to do a lot of miles I'd hire a diesel.

Take it from someone who currently owns six (yes 6) old Mercedes and VW diesels here in the US, there is no reason not to try (and like) a modern European diesel. When you get back spread the word....we need them here.

Rick

Actually the US aversion to diesel is twofold... the horrible experience that American motorists had with converted GM diesels in the 1970's and the fact that while European environmentalists see diesel as part of the solution, their US counterparts see it as part of the problem... so car companies would have to fight both consumers AND the environmental lobby in the US.

I much prefer small turbodiesels when I'm touring... a horrible little KIA I rented in the UK last year had the most wonderful engine I've ever driven in a small car (though the rest of the car was terrible)... but strangely while I always request a diesel in Italy, Hertz has yet to provide me with one... I've often suspected some unwritten rule about not giving Americans diesels ;-)

No rental company can guarantee you make or fuel type....I always say Diesel of possible and sometimes I get them and sometimes I don't.....

Do remember, particularly in winter, to turn the ignition key half way until the yellow (in our car) light goes off, the turnover the engine.

We only stalled ours once last winter by forgetting to do this. The light goes off within 10 seconds or less. Forgetting in warm weather doesn't seem to be an issue, but we are now in the habit.

Absolutely no complaints or issues.

"Do remember, particularly in winter, to turn the ignition key half way until the yellow (in our car) light goes off, the turnover the engine."

Not applicable to modern Diesels anymore.

We are hiring a motorhome in Canada in a few months time and insisted on the Mini Dodge Diesel they have in stock.
My BMW X5 is diesel and the one before that as well , so know we have made a good decision as apposed to a petrol motor. Definitely go diesel!
I might add that a pump attendant did put petrol into my vehicle and we only drove 1km to know things were not kosher.
The garage where we bought the feul sent a tow-truck to fetch my car and removed the entire contents of the feul tanks - all to their cost.
Not long after that episode I was once again at the same Service Station and once again the same attendant tried to put petrol into my vehicle!! Thats Africa for ya.

I rented a diesel Audi in Germany last summer- loved it. Wish it were my car at home.

I had an Opel Astra gas powered and made a swap for a car of the same model and confort level, but diesel powered. The only difference I can notice, is that my fuel bill dropped to a half of what it used to be.
Now I can drive at 140 km/hour, with a consumption of 4.5 liters/100 km, and with the gas powered car I had a consumption of 8.5 to 9 liters/100 km

We're made the reservation with AutoEurope, and requested Diesel. Hope we get it cuz it's definitely the way to go. thanks. all.

We rented an Audi diesel one year in Germany, drove all over Eastern Germany hardly filled the tank. That will be my next car too padams421. :)

I believe the only con would be if you let maitaitom get near it.

When you rent they may ask what your preference is but in reality when you get there you will normally (say 99% of the time) get a diesel.
So dont worry about minor points.