Dear petrol heads, a month ago I got another car, it's a Audi 2.0 TDI engine which runs on diesel, of course. Now, previously I had petrol so this was never an issue as I was always pumping fuel in Switzerland due to the same price or almost same price, but traveling in France today I noticed diesel price is about 1.00 EUR where in Switzerland it's 1.56 CHF!

On a 75 liter tank it does make some difference

While I like to save, I wouldn't want to screw up my engine. This being Switzerland and all, we must have better diesel than the French? Or no?

Looking long term, should I keep on pumping at Shell in Switzerland or start using the French pumps, like Avia and BP?

I wonder if French diesel is as suited as the Swiss one for a modern TDI engine.

In 2012 approximately three new diesel passenger cars were registered in France to one new petrol passenger car. It appears that only Belgium had a slightly higher rate of registration of new diesel passenger cars than France:

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statist...cars_in_the_EU

I wouldn't worry about buying diesel fuel in France.

French air alone will ruin your precious car. Stay home.

But I need a tin foil hat for that. Do you have one?

Germany has one. You have an Audi, the car knows the way.

Diesel is just 0.45 Euro per liter in Russia. Could save a lot if over that direction sometime:

http://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Russia/diesel_prices/

Russia still has inexpensive 76 octane petrol too. Doesn't work so well in western vehicles but recommended for the Russian Lada:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/busine...rs/518090.html

First world problem..... again....?

Swiss diesel and gasoline is produced in a special refinery, that produces higher quality especially for Swiss cars.
Swiss cars are also produced on special production lines (all car makers do that) and have a much better quality.
If you drive your Swiss car with Swiss fuel on a Swiss road, the experience is like an automative orgasm.

Never buy fuel in a foreign country because it will ruin your Swiss car.

I never drive to the UK without one of these

There is a norm for diesel fuel EN 590. Most important points are:
- flash point: should be higher than 55°C
- water quantity: max 200mg/kg
- proportion of fatty acid methyl esther: max 7%

On the long term it can have an impact on your engine. Main risk is for the injection pump. Luckily there is a TCS test on diesel quality for different european countries (I assume ADAC has same type of test report).

Quoting the above link, TCS test on diesel quality for different european countries

France
Von insgesamt 31 Diesel-Stichproben wurde bei 6 Proben ein zu tiefer Flammpunkt gemessen. Bei einer Probe war zuviel Bio-Diesel beigefügt. Dies ist ein mässiges Resultat, 28% der gemessenen Proben erfüllen die Norm nicht. Es gilt festzuhalten, dass sich sechs Proben innerhalb des Toleranzspielraums des Tests befinden, auch wenn sie nicht der EN 590-Norm entsprechen. Eine Probe der Autobahntankstelle in Les Adrets de l'est war beim Flammpunkt deutlich zu tief.

France: It roughly states that 28% of the samples taken from a total of 31, had a flash point below the norm. One in Les Adrets had a very low flashpoint. This can happen when too much bio vegetable derived diesel is mixed with the usual mineral diesel.

Switzerland:
In 28 samples, only one narrowly failed the norm (a 3.5% failure rate)

I believe a lower flash point will result in misfiring in the engine, leading to abnormal wear on the bearings.

So you pays your money and takes your chances...

I suspect you won't notice a difference, I do t believe a misfire will effect the bearings in any way. I would be more worried about Pistons but the car would be un drivable long before any damage would be done.

We have been running a merc diesel van on jet fuel JET A-1.. similar to paraffin for years.. it works perfectly fine so wouldn't worry about french diesel ( Wtf anyway? )

Problem with French diesel is it is full of garlic, you need to chew a lot of mints.

Actually diesel cars will run on almost anything, I had a friend who ran his on used oil he bought from fish and chip shops.

I believe modern diesels are more particular about their diet?