Hmm my first post and it's the biggy. I'm planning on driving across Eastern-Europe and Asia in a 4x4, and over here I've got the choice of petrol or diesel.
Instant reaction is to say diesel for better fuel economy and a bit more oomph, but, the Common Rail Diesel scares me with poor quality, possibly dirty diesel.
Should I be scared? are there simple things to be done to get round this? Or is the petrol a better option?
Don't be a p*ssy. DIESEL!
Having done a few long distance trips in out of the way places like Cambodia, Dubai and Oman, the first requirement is for engine reliability, followed closely by tank range. I don't see anyone on here posting big problems with the diesel engine on the Panda, there are more complaints about the CD player.
But dirty fuel can be a problem. The solution on boats is to fit an additional diesel water trap/filter before the stock filter because on a boat you can't get out and push. Check out some of the Land Rover forums for advice. The limited space under the bonnet might prevent this as the water traps require plenty of space. I haven't any experience of the Multijet engine but on all the other diesels I've owned, it's a relatively simple job to drain the stock diesel water trap, bleed the fuel system and so on, once you've been shown how to do it. But you need to know how to do it.
You can carry also 40 litres of diesel in the back of a Panda in two jerry cans without too much trouble, other than the weight, about 40 kilos. That should be good for 600 miles plus as a backup. As a minimum I'd carry 20 litres and a funnel. That must be worth 200 miles between gas stations.
Me, I'd take the Multijet, because the fuel tank is smaller on the 4x4 and you'll only get around 200 miles out of a 1.2 4x4 tank. In addition, because you'll be carrying extra weight, you'll benefit mightily from the extra few horses and the extra range of the diesel.
While I can hardly dismiss gasoline Pandas when two of the b*ggers got half way up Everest, from a practical point of view there's not a lot of room for fuel cans, water, sleeping stuff etc. (Slidey rear seat helps)
In addition I'd spend some time on the diesel engine learning how to drain, bleed and re-prime the fuel system and change fuel filters. We have to do it on bikes, boats, and overland vehicles and I'd do it for any serious overland trip. Take fuel system spares with you, tools, plus oil & air filters, and belts.
And please take the diesel. The 1.2 petrol is equally prone to dirty fuel. In Asia 'petrol' is often mixed with kerosene and sold by the road side in old coke bottles which of course you will take a chance on if it means you don't have to push the car in the sun anymore.
Both the Multijet and the 1.2 petrol use injector pumps, filters and injectors which are equally prone to crap.
Statiscaly in Asia, you're more likely to be robbed or killed than suffer a breakdown of a relatively new diesel engine in a high-tech car like the Panda. In China, diesel is readily available.
Your biggest problems will be punctures, theft, stomach upsets, Asian Police officers who will rob you you blind, and finding regular food and water you can actually keep down.
So I think the petrol engine has no advantages here. Take the diesel. My last diesel engine ran perfectly on Tesco Rapeseed Cooking oil. Unforetunatley, this is illegal in the UK.
Grumbles about Chinese diesel being inferior is a scare story. All fuel is inferior in China.
My car is the 1.2 petrol 4x4 , by the way. Tank range = 200 miles.
(please excuse my spelling, English is a foreign language for me)
Please read on:
"In an event designed to demonstrate the global potential of its diesel platforms, Mercedes-Benz is sending thirty-six Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesels—thirty-three E 320 CDIs and three E 320 BLUETECs—on a long-distance journey of more than 13,600 kilometers (8,452 miles) to Beijing, where the fleet is scheduled to arrive on 17 November 2006. The driving challenge is not speed, but low fuel consumption."
Do not accept the second-hand opinions of the English motorists, for whom driving to Sainsburies is a terrible adventure, and for many, merely venturing out in the persistant rain of their native country, is a journey smitten with doom.
The English have never forgetten the Anglo-French War of 1589-1593, which they lost, because their Queen sent reinforcements to assist the French. They are now dear cousins, but live in a wet thin country the shape of a bent zip-fastener. So they can never drive more than 72 miles from the sea.
This limits them as 'international travellers' and they get their foreign travel knowledge from filling up our Channel Ports on the Cote D'Opale with caravans towed by Ford Mondeos.
But if we French wish to go 'abroad', we pop down to Morrocco for the weekend.
I rest my case. Buy the diesel Panda.
Vive La France.
