Diesel & petrol alternatives? Your thoughts please

Keep the Touran. The VW 1.9tdi is almost indestructible. Even our local Mitsubishi dealer said don’t by the PHEV for towing, go diesel. 

I went along to our local Land Rover dealership last week and the salesman convinced me of the good sense in buying another diesel even though we have given up towing.  He said that the Land Rover bosses think the hybrid electric demand is utterly nonsensical and does not save on carbon.  They are complying with the need for hybrid vehicles but on the basis of performance improvement rather than fuel saving.

Needless to say our new Mercedes based motorhome will be diesel.

Automotive news in Business section of i today notes a 29% drop in demand for diesel cars in October. Petrol models up 2.7% amid a slump in new car purchases. Alternatively fuelled vehicles up 36.9% with a note of higher taxes forecast on new diesels.

No, definitely not a typo. I bought it new - had to order specially for VW to make it a 5-seater with full sized spare wheel.  Having bus passes, and being retired, we use the bus quite often particularly for going into town.  As advised, I am keeping it for the time being.  It is properly dealership maintained on a service plan, and is in excellent condition.  My main concern for looking at replacement is that the government might be swayed by the environmentalists and whack on a 'diesel solution tax'.  The LEZ is already geared up to penalise diesel owners, and other towns and cities are 'looking at' following suit - probably as a revenue scam.  Hitting existing owners with financial penalties will not reduce the emissions of diesels already on the road and still in top working condition.  I suppose the best advice to caravan owners similar to myself is, Don't panic Mr Mannering!

We have a diesel motorhome so like everyone else we'll carry on till we  stop and bear the brunt of any penalties inflicted. Glad we've changed to an electric car though and hope we will see towing approval soon. 

Jeez, I've just looked back at my previous posts and - red face and all that - it IS a typo error. My true mileage is just under 50,000 miles.  Still low mileage for a diesel, though, so no change of plan!!!

These reports on new car sales are really no use as they cover all cars bought by all owners, we as caravan pulling car owners are only a small % of new buyers. It would be interesting if these figures were produced for various owner categories such as caravaners,farmers. oap's company car drivers etc.

However sales of used diesels are holding up so who knows what will happen long term. I suspect when the car buying public find out how impractical an EV is for range and recharging and hybrids are no where near as economical as claimed there will be a fall off in enthusiasm for them. 

First time I have ever seen it done but I was out walking the dogs the other day and there was an EV on charge outside a terraced house. they had run the orange lead across the pavement from the house to the car. It was in one of those rubber cable protectors which is like a miniature ramp but still a trip hazard.

I see in the news today that Elon Musk has come up with an electric HGV that will do 500 miles. The question is, will it do '500 more'?