Hmmmmmm Tell us house!!!![color=#006600][/color]

Diesel is more durable of course. But getting good mechanics in Lagos might be something you might wanna think about. Most guys in Lagos don't know how to repair diesel engines.

Good luck

@ Kunle-A!

I wonder why "most" or the average  Nigerian car users (back home)  are so ignorant of the ruggedness and durability of Diesel engines. If our mechanics can work on diesel trucks, why not apply same knowledge on diesel car engines

Petrol is much cheaper in Naija. Ghana is a different story. Almost 60-70 cars are diesel. Especially the public transport buses. So if u are able to locate a good Ghanaian mechanic that lives in naija, it will be your best bet.

Personally, the diesel is a very big relief. I drive an 04 BMW 530D I6 Diesel engine. The simplicity of the system, NO SPARK PLUGS, the electronics is MINIMAL (you don't open up the bonnet and almost go blind with sensors - just a few of them), fuel consumption is amazing (I average about 38MPG)

The psychological feeling you get is that you are in your living room and there is a diesel generator powering the AC and the sound system - Its a miracle.

But Parts, Well, you don't change them everyday. Also the diesel engines are NOT particular to a brand; the same engine components, e.g fuel pump and booster pre-supply fuel pump I use in my BMW is the same you will need for an Opel Omega diesel (do you believe that?), the same you will see in a Rover diesel.

And with the current fuel situation, you simply park by the fuel station and the extend the hose to your tank and that's it - no queues.

I think you should get a diesel as one of your vehicles - its a very good investment.

so even with the cost of diesel being what it is, in terms of fuel consumption, diesel cars are better?

@Netotse
Yes sir!, diesel cars are better in terms of fuel consumption (Even with diesel at 110/ltr and petrol at 85 or at times 75 per liter.)

From Ikorodu on a Saturday morning I did 7 Litres to VI and back to Ikorodu with a BMW (AC on) - Im not sure you can get that from even a Camry.

We are talking about an engine without spark plugs - that alone makes my day - I don't have to be thinking if No.2 is firing or No. 4 is misfiring. Its big stress off my chest really.

@Onwan

Its good someone living in naija is telling the story. Please fellow countrymen Diesel is the engine.

Have people really stopped to ask why heavy duty machines, trucks, luxury buses don't run on petrol? A diesel engine means power and durability. I have a 1995 toyota hiace 2.4L diesel that consumes 1L/10km. No petrol engine hiace of same engine capacity will do that. Those commercial drivers who are crazy about petrol engines can check their petrol comsumption and compare the figures.

I concur really,

onwan, that was a good write up on the advantages of diesel cars but you forgot to mention one important draw back: rough running (especially at low speeds) and the need for heater plugs for starting in the morning especially during cold weather. also you didn't mention the fact that getting good quality diesel in this country is not a piece of cake. if you make a mistake and fill up that your 530D with some of this adulterated locally refined stuff they call diesel then i'm afraid you might as well kiss your engine goodbye!

@George_D
IF I have any of these problems you have mentioned, I will let the house know in this post.

First of all, I live in Nigeria and not Alaska, there was a heavy down pour days back and I started the car the morning after without using  - a boiling ring? Maybe you are talking about use overseas

Secondly; when I start it in the morning OR for the first time in a day, it starts up a little noisy, then after about a minute or two, the sound becomes normal. As in no one would suspect its diesel.

Thirdly; I have never experienced any rough rides at low speed - the only thing is that it takes a bit to pick up speed (compared to my petrol rides), and once its on, its on. By the way, mine is a manual gear.

For the diesel part - I really don't know about clean or dirty diesel, I only buy from filling stations, that's it.

The only time I have had an issue with the vehicle was when it had a hard starting with the DDE light on - on checking up online, they suggested the fuel pump - I did a test and found that when its having a hard time starting, there was no fuel supply, so I had a rewire take out the pre supply pump and I checked for a compatible brand and it turns out that most will work, so I replaced it with a Bosch fuel pump and that was it.

I could check the fuel output easily because the way diesel engines are built, you have very minimal electronics and the fuel filter is simply right in front of you with two pipes (One in and one out - dead simple); so i pulled out the one that supply fuel and had the ignition turned on - then nothing came out.

After replacing with the Bosch pump; the pressure was so much that it pushed off my index finger - That's why its always good to test fuel pressure from the pump whenever there is hard starting.

Really, I would recommend that people should get at least one diesel car or suv - Its an investment you will not regret. Get one George_D, I mean it, you will simply take it for granted.

I was used to the Petrol Gen until I got my first diesel (influenced by the diesel BMW performance) - The petrol gen is dust covered now, just didn't have that thing to even want to use it OR warm it.

Did I mention the fuel consumption part of it? - Its a miracle.

onwan, that was a good write up on the advantages of diesel cars but you forgot to mention one important draw back: rough running (especially at low speeds) and the need for heater plugs for starting in the morning especially during cold weather. also you didn't mention the fact that getting good quality diesel in this country is not a piece of cake. if you make a mistake and fill up that your 530D with some of this adulterated locally refined stuff they call diesel then i'm afraid you might as well kiss your engine goodbye!

We are talking about Nigeria here. Cold weather issue does not come in. I live in Norway. Even at minus (-)25 degrees Celsius, my Toyota Hiace diesel starts. If you have a good battery, then there is problem.
Getting good quality petrol is a problem too.

I guess you will be better off with an adulterated fuel on a diesel engine than on a petrol engine.

Hard starting occurs if you do not glow the engine( all other things being equal), as in turning and holding the ignition key until the glow light goes off.
Do not run the tank empty, then you have start pumping and priming.

some history:
German Nikolaus Otto built the first petrol engine(4cyl) in 1876.
German engineer Rudolf Diesel built the first diesel engine in 1893.

@Jucol
That's a world of knowledge you have right there. I own a diesel engine car and I understand its better than my petrol cars by reality standards.

It gets better, No Spark Plugs.

@onwan
Thanks for that compliment. You know, I have some friends in Lagos who find it difficult to understand the beauty and economy in diesel cars. If you mention diesel to them , they exclaim "ah "dizu" .
Lets create the awareness on this forum. Kindly calculate the fuel consumption of your BMW in KM/Litre and post here, so that others will appreciate the economy we are talking about.

Diesel engines can run on waste cooking oil.

Converting a diesel engine to run from waste cooking oil can reduce or almost eliminate your need to purchase petroleum based diesel fuel for your car or truck. Your engine will not need any modification; the changes are in the fuel system, and involve adding a second fuel tank and electric heaters to make the viscosity of the waste cooking oil the same as petrol-diesel. The average backyard mechanic can convert a diesel vehicle to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO) in about a day or over a weekend.
#
Step 1

Install an electrically heated fuel tank, and run large-bore fuel lines to the front of the vehicle. Install an inline fuel filter between the tank and the engine. Some trucks and SUVs have dual fuel tanks from the factory; the second factory tank can be used for vegetable oil by installing an electric heater around it. Install a switchable valve to control which fuel will flow to the engine. For smaller vehicles with only one stock fuel tank, a WVO tank can be installed in the trunk; tanks, heaters and parts are available from the links listed in Resources below.
#
Step 2

Install a fuel line heater directly before the fuel intake manifold on the engine, where the stock fuel line meets the intake. The electric heater can be wired to the vehicle's electrical system through the fuel-selection valve switch; that will activate the heater only when WVO is in use.
#
Step 3

Install a temperature gauge to monitor the heaters. An optimal temperature for the oil when it is in the tank is between 54 and 72 degrees Celcius, while the inline heater can heat the oil to as high as 88 degrees Celcius . Higher or lower temperatures could cause the fuel to not burn efficiently.
#
Step 4

You must filter waste cooking oil before putting it into a fuel tank. Heat the waste oil, preferably pure vegetable oil, in a large steel cooking pot; a pot with a valve inserted into the bottom will work best. Bring the temperature of the oil to between 54 and 72 degrees Celcius. The hot oil can then be passed through a large filter such as those used for restaurant and construction applications. These filters resemble larger versions of reusable coffee filters, with a screen material that can handle higher temperatures. Once the larger particles are removed, pour the oil into the WVO tank on the vehicle.
#
Step 5

Start and stop the vehicle using regular diesel fuel, and only use the WVO as you drive. Until the engine reaches operating temperature on petro-diesel, the WVO could cool down and collect in the fuel injectors; that "coking" can clog and foul the injector nozzles. Heating the oil and only using it when the engine has warmed up will ensure the WVO will enter the fuel intake at the proper viscosity to burn and not clog the parts en route.

Start the vehicle and run it for the first several minutes on regular diesel. To make sure the WVO in the injection lines is replaced with petroleum diesel for your next start, switch over to diesel fuel about 2 minutes before you arrive at your destination.

WARNING AND TIPS:

Wire the heaters to a fused, ignition-operated lead, to ensure they do not operate when the vehicle is not running.

Use proper protection clothing and equipment when working with hot waste vegetable oil. Do not mix waste vegetable oil with regular diesel in the same tank.
www.ehow.com

@Jucol
I think Mr Biggs should be the next bus stop for those waste oil - Im sure pretty soon, some smart businessman will start the business.

My diesel car's fuel consumption is calibrated in L/100Km; on conversion from this site: http://calculator-converter.com/l_100km_mpg_convert_mpg_to_l_per_100_km.php

I get an average of 32.74MPG (Miles Per Gallon) - I hear there is a simple tuning chip for about $34.00 I can install to get as much as 46% increase .

I don't think the most basic and simple Toyota Tercel can give that kind of mpg.

Importers; Kunle-A, Inspired, German007, Fhemmmy and other great guys - please flash diesel rides on nairaland.com - Sincerely, people should have at least one diesel engine vehicle in the house.

There was this guy on nairaland that advertised a Touared (Diesel) for sale from the States - shortly after I contacted him and he told me he was not interested in selling any longer - that he numbered it for personal use. Those vehicles just sit there at minimal maintenance.

In Austria I see diesel Mercedes C, E, S Class cars with over 450k Miles on them, still running good and strong.

Once you guys start flashing them, people will buy and appreciate them and parts and expertise will start rolling out - So you will make the greens, we will keep our environment green

Good job Jucol!

@Onwan!

waooh thats great! Your car covers 14km/litre of diesel . Am happy for you. Enjoy your machine.

wonder whether Haynes repair manuals are easily available in naija. I just recommended it that 2002 nissan altima guy.

Yes, diesel engines are superior to petrol ones.

Diesel engines have come a long way in the last 15 years, than the petrol versions have come in the last 30. Previously, approximately 25 years ago, to match the power output of a 1,6L petrol unit, a diesel had to be a minimum of 2,5L. They were noisy, ponderous with a very limited rev range - typically an '80's diesel engine would max out at about 3,000rpm.

Today, it's a different story. We now have diesel engines with the same displacement as their petrol equivalents, and they produce more power and torque too. What makes a diesel engine economical, is the fact they produce tremendous amounts of torque, so much that the transmission on a diesel-engined car is extremely high-geared - at 70mph, the average petrol engine will be spinning at 3,200rpm in gth gear. The same road speed with a diesel engine can be achieved at as low as 2,175rpm. Lower rpm = less fuel consumption. It also means the engine wear rate will be considerably lower. Bearing in mind the diesel engine is a compression engine (no spark) temperatures are lower than on an equivalent petrol unit, which can only be a good thing!

A little trivia here - up to 1988, diesel engines were indirect injection. Audi pioneered Direct Injection technology in 1989, with the 2,461cc 5-cylinder Audi 100 TDI. The benefits of direct injection are more power, without increasing capacity, cleaner running, easier starting, even at -30 degrees celsius. The compression ration was also able to drop from the usual 23:1 to 19:1. This meant less internal friction, which allowed the engines to rev higher, without sacrificing fuel economy. Today, we have common-rail diesels, Pump-duise. The current generation of diesel engines will outlive their petrol equivalents, and are noticeably quicker. Audi demonstrated the competitiveness of their latest PD engines, in the Le Mans series, with the Audi R10 TDI. It was the only diesel-powered car in the series, and saw off stiff competition from petrol-powered entrants.

An extract from Wikipedia:

The Audi R10 TDI, usually abbreviated to R10, is a racing car from the German car manufacturer Audi. The car is by far a classic at Le Mans, winning every year since its introduction to the introduction of the new R15. It is designed and constructed for sports car racing in the Le Mans Prototype LMP1 class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and other similar endurance races. The car was unveiled 13 December 2005 at 12:00 CET,[2] and went on to win both its maiden race at the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring in March, and the June 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans.
It was the first diesel powered car to win either of those events. This is the most ambitious and the most expensive project ever undertaken by Audi Sport; the Audi R10 TDI project costs Audi $15 million a year.

In terms of running costs, despite diesel being more expensive in Nigeria, with the lower consumption and longer longevity, the diesel is the best choice for commercial use. Glow plugs aren't really an issue anymore, with the current crop of modern turbo diesels, they will start in temperatures of up to -20 degrees, even if you forgot to wait for the glow plug warning lamp to extinguish, they're that good. A lot of modern diesels don't have glow plug warning lamps - you just get in and fire the engine up, much the same way you would a petrol one.

Just a word of caution - someone mentioned running a diesel engine on cooking oil / fat. Whilst this was true of older engines, the current crop of high-pressure common rail / PD (VAG) engines will not tolerate cooking fat as a fuel substitute. It will destroy the high-pressure pump, the injectors, and the combustion chambers will be damaged irreparably. These injectors are able to operate at well over 150 bar pressure, the though of what will happen to the pistons is scary. These engines run at very close tolerances, and if the ceramic core on common-rail equipped cars breaks up due to contamination (Citroen / Peugeot are CR cars) and the engine ingests the resultant crumbs, your engine will be toast. If you wish to run a diesel engine on vegetable oil (Rapeseed) then you'll need to stick to diesel engines made up to approximately 1999.

I drive a diesel engine 2009 Kia Sorento SUV. It is no doubt more economical to run than petrol engine, but I don't like the cracking noise of the engine. Vehicles have evolved over time that you hardly hear the sound of running petrol engine cars nowadays. This is not so with the diesel engine cars.

This loud, cracking noise is a minus.

@Otunba-1.

You have a point there Otunba-1. But then with the noise (blaring horns, shouting and screaming, generator noise from neighbors just to mention a few) all around Nigeria, you may over look that from your car .
That is the price you pay for the powerful isentropic compression and expansion going on in your engine.

@Otunba-1
Like I said, my car makes that sound for a minute or two, then goes quiet, so quiet that I have to be the one to tell people its diesel. Anyway, its a BMW, they have the engineering at its finest and I guess that's why they are where they are.

Question though - When you are in that vehicle and the AC is on and the glass all up, do you hear any sound? If you do, then you should report it immediately, there is something wrong somewhere.

Well, I cant compare the quality provided by BMW to that by Kia - most these auto people compromise quality for profit.

I did not know that Kia has diesel vehicles - the last time I was at their VI office, I didn't notice any - except those pick-ups

@Jucol
I have not seen any of those manuals here myself; I was thinking of getting from the Bentley Publishers, I hear they also have for a wide range of vehicles.

onwan, point noted. you make me start thinking serously about getting a diesel!

@Onwan!
Yes they do have for most car brands. Get one next time you travel. it is a real DIY .

@ George-D

I can bet you will certainly get a diesel machine soon. more blessings on the way

@Jucol
Oh I will get one. Thanks to people like perrysolutions.com, I can stay in my house and order for it and it will be delivered asap.

I only wonder where Otunba-1 got his Kia SUV from.

onwan, are these perrysolutions.com guys in nigeria? also went to the site but seems it's been put up for sale.

@George_D
Its www.perrysolution.com

They are amazing - Only that at times NAHCO gives them a few days' delays - but they make ordering easy.

Those guys have a lot. Just been to the site. Its good they can deliver to Nigeria. Wouldn't the extra NAHCO charges and the actual shipment cost make it very expensive? , knowledge is wealth anyway

Those guys charge very little, I can tell you that right now. You only need to try them out and their quote will amaze you.

onwan, is that how you got your BMW diesel?

@George_D
Nope, I got it through a guy called Kunle - DBudget Ltd.

Otunba-1:

I drive a diesel engine 2009 Kia Sorento SUV. It is no doubt more economical to run than petrol engine, but I don't like the cracking noise of the engine. Vehicles have evolved over time that you hardly hear the sound of running petrol engine cars nowadays. This is not so with the diesel engine cars.

This loud, cracking noise is a minus.

I don't know what the build quality is like on Korean cars, but I can confidently say, with German diesel-engined cars, you'd be hard pushed to know it was a diesel once on the move.

Diesel-engined cars have more sound deadening material than their petrol equivalents, between the dash and firewall, between the firewall and engine, over the engine and lastly, under the engine / transmission. The one underneath is often removed for things like oil changes, and some "mechanics" fail to put these under trays back. Of course the car will be noisier. I also do know that the sound-proofing material used in budget cars can be quite thin, so less sound absorption.

German diesel-engined cars are as quiet as petrol ones these days.