80 Series Diesel or Petrol?

Petrol will have more pickup, no doubt, but at a price, most places are $1.07 at the moment per ltr.

YMMV

Mate

The petrol would be my choice if I could afford the juice. I have never owned one (always wanted one) but several of my friends have the petrol. You will find plenty of info on this forum about fuel figures but the difference is chalk and chese.

The straight diesel is nice to drive too and no slouch either. But, when you start doing 100KPH + your diesel economy really heads downward. Head winds are a killer.

Friends have a 80 series STD diesel. Towed a camper trailer north WA and anything more than 90kph was impossible without a 3km wind up or a down hill slope. Overtaking was obviously a problem. Great vehicle though.

Now, to do the same thing in the petrol by comparison would have meant 110kph no worries and passing no worries. Petrol....worries. Rough guestimate would be about twice the consumption or worse, than the diesel.

Search the archives, plenty of history.

G'day,
I average 12-13L/100km with my '91 80 series turbo diesel. I decided on a T/D as a comprimise between power and economy. My cousin has a petrol 80 series which has plenty of go, but chews a bit more juice than the diesel. He averages 14-15L/100km and I have heard of them drinking up to 20L/100km whilst towing.

Hi NOBACKTRACKIN:

I have a '91 diesel (non-turbo) and did a trip around the Cameron Corner area with a mate who has a petrol model. At most fuel stops where I was loading up around $60 in diesel, he was filling up with $90 of unleaded. Pretty significant for the trip.

Both vehicles were well loaded, but I had a roof rack, and he did not have one.

I am happy to sit on 100 kpms per hour on most trips. When it is loaded up I really don't wan to to go much faster. His was nippier over the hills, but I was not left stranded, just used the gears. I was also more comfortable on a couple of water crossings. Mine has a snorkel.

Performance is not a major issue with me - getting there is. I am happy with the diesel.

I guess this will add to the confusion ; )

Jack

go t/d anyday if can find one with reasonable km and price
also for towing camper t/d much stronger on hills
had 4.5 petrol 1994 and towing trailer had to drop back gears to try and maintain speed up slight slopes(not hills) on open highway
fuel consumption realistically for petrol will be much higher than 20l/100km towing camper and round 20l/100 round town whereas diesel from memory think mate was getting about 13 to 14l/100 both manuals

Gday mate,

Depends on what you want to do. Towing with trailer, fully loaded and doing 10,000 k's, petrol would kill you unless you obviously had the cash and if you did, I'd be getting the 100 TD cruiser.

I'm a diesel man the whole way, but you have to weigh up the percentage of driving, if it's going to be all play or 90% town work. If it is 90% town work, a non-hairdryed diesel is a brick on wheels and quite frustrating.

On the open road, towing a camper I would much prefer a diesel and a turbo one at that if possible, makes driving much more enjoyable when you see that 26 kilometre sign of winding up hill driving.

cheers,

chris.

I have owned both - first a standard diesel and now a petrol 80. Switched to petrol as I was sick and tired of the diesel slug around town. We only own the one vehicle so it has to cover all duties (from running kids to school, shopping, annual outback holidays, 4WD club outings etc). The petrol serves it's multi purpose role very well. As far as fuel goes it certainly uses more than the diesel did - the diesel used to get about 21 mpg on trips, the petrol about 16/17 mpg. In real 4WD situations (use of low range) and around town the diesel didn't change much but the petrol certainly uses significantly more than on the open road.
Haven't had a turbo diesel so can't comment on them, but I imagine they might just be a good compromise - better economy and reasonable get up and go.
If we had a second family car and only needed the 4WD for say touring and club trips etc I'd certainly go diesel. It was the around town aspect that really got to me with the diesel. Whilst the petrol uses more fuel around town at least I can keep up with traffic now.

Depends on what you want to do and personal preference. I have owned both and travelled with people with both types.

I much prefer the diesel. It has better engine braking than any of the petrols I've driven. Better fuel economy on road and particulary off road. A diesel can just chug away whilst a petrol needs more engine revs to get the power and hence more fuel consumption. A petrol is quicker off the mark but not by much compared to my intercooled turbo. I've never had problems overtaking. A bit slower in a diesel but can normally do it in 5th gear with ease. Faster acceleration also means a thirstier engine and lower fuel economy anyway. (I normally drive VY SS commodores or XR8 falcons so I notice a big change in get up and go. But then again, I also had to fill up with 180 litres of petrol to drive only 400 kms in the SS too. Luckily I don't have to pay for the fuel)

I also have memories of travelling with a new Sahara petrol where we spent most of the time towing it or waiting on it due to break downs. It had problems with the fuel pump over 30 degree inclines and the engine would starve/stall. It would also have problems with water entering the electrics and killing the engine during some river crossings that were about 3-4 feet deep. I also had problems with water in electrics in my own petrol 4x4's that I have owned over the years.

For city driving I'd use a petrol for convience and to zip in and out of traffic easier. For touring or off road driving, I'd go diesel all the time.

My 2 cents worth.

The sound of a Diesel motor takes me back to my childhood and my love of big trucks. I have not grown up and by the time I do we will drive battery powered Prado's.
I will continue to feel guilty for the polution but secretly love the sound of the truck at idle.

See you off the road

Skinny

Don't be guilty about the pollution. It's a fact that newer model diesel engines produce less emmissions that petrol motors.