Two considerations I have from the tight Scotsman is that the diesel will require more frequent servicing and fuel is more expensive.

Liam

Actually diesel requires less frequent servicing.. No plugs to change, no HT leads to change. Fuel may cost a few pence more but you get double the MPG.

:chin: Diesel for economy + relaxed driving style and if your £1100 goes on insurance think you may struggle to feed the petrol's thirst @ 20-26 mpg possibly less if your gonna drive it like you stole it Petrol one as an ornament on your drive or diesel one and be driving here there and everywhere :chin: No contest really...

Hellcat said:

Actually diesel requires less frequent servicing.. No plugs to change, no HT leads to change. Fuel may cost a few pence more but you get double the MPG.

Click to expand...

Hmm I made that assumption based on the VX Omega Diesel, needs a oil and filter every 6K where as the petrol doesn't.

Liam

Your all mental.

The Diesal has more torque and more bhp, it is the faster car out of the two, it is better on fuel, has cheaper tuning potential (ie larger turbo and or more boost for a dramatic increase) and the insurance will be about 10 groups lower.

Your all crazy I tell ya for even thinking about not getting the diesal!!

bloomfieldliam said:

Hmm I made that assumption based on the VX Omega Diesel, needs a oil and filter every 6K where as the petrol doesn't.

Liam

Click to expand...

In the old days that was true. Earlier diesel Fiat's all need an oil change at 4500 miles; however, the JTD is different and is the same 12K as the Petrol models.

To answer the original question it depends on driving style. If you expect to change gear at the red-line all the time, I suspect the petrol will be best, and certainly more fun. Diesel engines don't 'rev' like petrol engines, but taller gearing means this is less of an issue than it could be.

The petrol will sound nicer, but the 5-pot diesel still has a nice 'thrum' to it too. Also, the diesel will always pull at low revs so you will get brilliant performance and good economy as opposed to brillaint performance and shares is Esso...

For me it would be the diesel, but I wouldn't bother chipping it if you wanted it to last...

JTD Monkey said:

The petrol will sound nicer, but the 5-pot diesel still has a nice 'thrum' to it too. Also, the diesel will always pull at low revs so you will get brilliant performance and good economy as opposed to brillaint performance and shares is Esso...

Click to expand...

5 pot anything (as long its not a V5) sounds brill IMO. Straight 6 is even better..but rare in anything in Diesel these days it would seem (willing to be corrected )

Petrol.

The diesel is heavier, so more strain on front suspension components which in turn means more understeer, less well balanced car, the bane of all FWD diesel cars. Front suspension bushes go more readily as do shocks, & front brakes also wear out quicker as well, and are usually more expensive to replace as being uprated to handle the great big lump of iron above them. Tyre wear is also more prominent on diesel cars again due to the extra weight, but also due to the diesels characterises of low down torque, the tyres have got to transmit that to the road and if you want to launch off the line like a petrol car it becomes a constant losing battle for the tyres.

When it comes to service costs it isn't just oil and plugs you have to consider, and as you are talking about a 2nd hand car these things become all the more apparent as they will no doubt be closer to the end of there servicable life.

Drive both, as only you will know which you prefer, you can seek advice but at the end of the day cars are bought with a gut feeling most of the time, not by the head full of other peoples opinions.

Aaron.

i don't know, but i do know that alfa should be taking the 1.9 to 175 bhp. that should fit! but then again they could already put the 150bhp in

raton_laveur said:

MJTD, that the new Multi-Jet version of the JTD engine.

I wonder if the new Grande Punto is wide enough under the bonnet for the 2.4 to fit. The 2.4 is a five cylinder inline engine, so it may not be able to go in there. 200 HP and 400Nm of torque in a car that size.....Holy Hippopotamus, that would be quick!!!

Click to expand...

Catseyes said:

Your all mental.

The Diesal has more torque and more bhp, it is the faster car out of the two, it is better on fuel, has cheaper tuning potential (ie larger turbo and or more boost for a dramatic increase) and the insurance will be about 10 groups lower.

Your all crazy I tell ya for even thinking about not getting the diesal!!

Click to expand...

well call me mental and crazy, but my moneys still on the 20v

Dunc

i'm starting to lean more towards the petrol now, being me you know i'm going to be nailing it to take on the biggest cars i can find

170bhp for an 18 year old isnt bad

Although you might be able to afford the car, its insurance and the petrol.. Have you budgeted for all the things that could go wrong? You'd be gutted if your car was off the road because you needed a couple of hundred pounds worth of parts/labour.

Hellcat said:

Although you might be able to afford the car, its insurance and the petrol.. Have you budgeted for all the things that could go wrong? You'd be gutted if your car was off the road because you needed a couple of hundred pounds worth of parts/labour.

Click to expand...

no i havent and yes i will

Good man.

Just spent hundreds on the Tipo, couple more hundred to come. Gotta keep the old wheels turning

You do realise that on the 20V, the cambelt is a £1300 engine-out job?
H

hmallett said:

You do realise that on the 20V, the cambelt is a £1300 engine-out job?
H

Click to expand...

yep, getting one thats had the cambelt done

bulldog5046 said:

MJTD??? not heard of that before?

Click to expand...

The MJTD 2.4 is in the flagship Fiat Croma, that produces 200 bhp standard

after a remap I dread to think! :slayer:

Might also find the engine in a few alfa's.

Catseyes said:

Your all mental.

The Diesal has more torque and more bhp, it is the faster car out of the two, it is better on fuel, has cheaper tuning potential (ie larger turbo and or more boost for a dramatic increase) and the insurance will be about 10 groups lower.

Your all crazy I tell ya for even thinking about not getting the diesal!!

Click to expand...

Im shocked. You agree with me about something.

Topgear did a test with a BMW 535d and a 545i. The d driven by JC wasnt far behind the i driven by The Stig at all

bulldog5046 said:

yep, getting one thats had the cambelt done

Click to expand...

Er, the smiley was meant to indicate that it's NOT a £1300 engine-out job (though it once was). £400 would see it done, with all tensioners replaced.
H

hmallett said:

Er, the smiley was meant to indicate that it's NOT a £1300 engine-out job (though it once was). £400 would see it done, with all tensioners replaced.
H

Click to expand...

i thought you were over quoting for a coupe turbo, i know its £800 at the dealership, apparently goes as low as £300 according to hellcat, i havent found anywhere that will do it yet tho

if i can find somwhere i will buy one that needs it doing and get it done