deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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In short, it turns out low powered diesel cars aren't that great value for money.
I do about 15k miles per year now, if not more. Immediately I thought that for a daily driver I'd be better off with a diesel. So I have been looking at Fiat Grande Punto's with the 1.3 Multijet engine. However, for a decent one, you're talking £6.5k. Now, at a similar spec, you can get a 1.4 16v Grande Punto for £5.5k, which, is clearly a £1k saving.
Not being able to do simple arithmetic in my head, I jumped on Google and found the Which? Petrol v Diesel article with cost calculator.
Turns out, if I picked up a 1.4 16v Grande Punto with the 6 speed gear box, it would take, 2.6 years to start saving money (not taking into account servicing and car tax, which kind of cancel each other out). I couldn't believe the difference. Turns out the petrol would cost me £8 extra per week in fuel.
So, the moral of the story. Think twice before buying a diesel as a daily driver.
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P1CK4D
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Registered: 19th Jun 06
Location: Around Essex Somewhere
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Or if you bought a diesel for around £1k, you would have saved £4.5k from the start 
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Colin
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Registered: 4th Apr 02
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I just bought one purly for the fact that I cant get 500-600 miles between fill ups and generally cant be arsaed hanging around petrol stations more than I need to. 
You worry about pounds & pence too much! Live a little! 
[Edited on 16-11-2009 by Colin]
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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lol but I'm 99.9% sure I wouldn't want to keep it for 3 years, like I do the other car.
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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quote:
Originally posted by Colin
I just bought one purly for the fact that I cant get 500 miles between fill ups and generally cant be arsaed hanging around petrol stations more than I need to.
You worry about pounds & pence too much! Live a little!
The main reason I did it is I can't stand driving my Corsa daily my longer. And thought I needed to save even longer for a diesel because I'd need to due to running costs. Turns out I don't as there isn't much in it.
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Colin
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Registered: 4th Apr 02
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Of course there isnt, diesel costs the same as petrol to buy nowdays, diesels cost more to buy but get a bit more mpg.................I thought that was common knowledge without cracking into any mpg charts or googling which reports.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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On the other hand, when I bought my Mk5 Golf diesel, it was (give or take) only £500 quid more than equivalent 1.6 petrol.
The 1.6 is rubbish to drive compared to my tdi and in the last year I've had it I've used less fuel, paid the same tax AND the car has lost £500 in value. The petrol on the other hand isn't half as popular.
I'd happily pay more for a better, smoother drive tbh.
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Wrighty
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Registered: 28th Feb 04
Location: Howden
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i didny have to think twice, i just bought a golf tdi 130 and well, avatar speaks for itself, the 318 used to sup unleaded for fun!
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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quote:
Originally posted by Colin
Of course there isnt, diesel costs the same as petrol to buy nowdays, diesels cost more to buy but get a bit more mpg.................I thought that was common knowledge without cracking into any mpg charts or googling which reports.
No, I knew it was real. But I thought on the mileage I was doing, it'd take 6 months. But not 2.6 years.
I'll probably still get the diesel due to the cheaper daily running costs.
I was just quite shocked at how long it would take to reap the rewards of spending £1k extra.
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Nath
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Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: MK
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My Dad does about 800 miles a month and has just made the switch from a 2003 MK4 1.8 Astra Cab to a 2006 Jag X-Type 2.0D. He has almost slashed his fuel bill by a third. He does 40 miles of Motorway driving a day though. So that helps.
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l15ter
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Registered: 1st Feb 08
Location: Berkshire
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well i had a 12v corsa, found it was slow but good on petrol, was only spending £40 but i do a lot of miles, but sold it and got an astra h sri xp 1.7 cdti, well for a start it was cheaper to insure than the corsa, im still doing the same amount of miles, but if im careful im only putting in £40 every 2 weeks, so im saving a lot more money with my astra compared to the corsa.
i find diesels are good if u do a lot of miles and dont mind the noise they make, just depends what you like to spend your money on, petrol or other things
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Colin
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Registered: 4th Apr 02
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Anything petrol & low powered I find I cane the arse off just to get it to speed so would take a diesel over a small petrol every time regardless of the cost implications or how long it might take to save the cost had I done such & such.
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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quote:
Originally posted by Colin
Anything petrol & low powered I find I cane the arse off just to get it to speed so would take a diesel over a small petrol every time regardless of the cost implications or how long it might take to save the cost had I done such & such.
Very true.
You can pretty much see both my house and work from the motorway. I can probably count the amount of times I have to change gear on the way to work, so either would turn out economical.
I best get saving for that derv though
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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The diesel is a better drive than the petrol in your example.
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Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
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I bought a petrol as i knew i'd not keep the car long enough to have to worry i'd need a diesel because they go for ever.. I could have had a 2.5 year old car for the same price i paid for a car with 9 miles on the clock.
A lot will disagree with me, but i ran a car for 2 years trouble free and have lost 4.5k in total. But it's cost me the price of two tyres and £250 in servicing and did 50k
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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Do you not find living your life by fuel costs a buzz killer?
Buy whatever car you want because you like it, not because it saves you a fiver over 3 year period on average if you potter about in 5th gear everywhere.
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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In the long run diesels generally hold their value better too, purely because the mileage isnt as big factor as petrol as well.
I do around 30/35k a year and according to that calculator if i compare my Diesel FR to the Petrol FR (1.8 20v 150bhp) i save £1758 a year on fuel....rather be in my pocket tbh
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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quote:
Originally posted by Hammer
Do you not find living your life by fuel costs a buzz killer?
Buy whatever car you want because you like it, not because it saves you a fiver over 3 year period on average if you potter about in 5th gear everywhere.
No, because I don't.
It was just an example that people think you save loads by having a diesel, but in reality, you don't.
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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You really don't want a 1.4 GP though. They are the size of a Golf, even if they are called superminis. Get a Panda or a 500 if you're thinking Fiat. Or go for a T Jet, or buy mine if I end up selling it in Jan 
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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The price differential between both fuel types is well documented. If you think simply by buying a diesel car which already costs much more to begin with will save you money because it gets better MPG then you deserve to be shafted tbh.
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Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
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quote:
Originally posted by Hammer
Do you not find living your life by fuel costs a buzz killer?
Buy whatever car you want because you like it, not because it saves you a fiver over 3 year period on average if you potter about in 5th gear everywhere.
He's doing 15k a year you muppet I do 20 - 25k a year and would love to drive a Type R everywhere, but it would screw me over big time!! Hence i had to downgrade for a while..
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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quote:
Originally posted by Simon_16v
In the long run diesels generally hold their value better too, purely because the mileage isnt as big factor as petrol as well.
I do around 30/35k a year and according to that calculator if i compare my Diesel FR to the Petrol FR (1.8 20v 150bhp) i save £1758 a year on fuel....rather be in my pocket tbh
Different storey when you're talking hi-powered diesels though.
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
You really don't want a 1.4 GP though. They are the size of a Golf, even if they are called superminis. Get a Panda or a 500 if you're thinking Fiat. Or go for a T Jet, or buy mine if I end up selling it in Jan
Only Panda I'd get would be a 100 HP, then I may as well get the Punto for more practicality. Then I am at square one again.
I doubt I'd have the cash in Jan  plus it might be on higher miles than I was looking at i.e. sub 40k.
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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quote:
Originally posted by Andrew
quote:
Originally posted by Hammer
Do you not find living your life by fuel costs a buzz killer?
Buy whatever car you want because you like it, not because it saves you a fiver over 3 year period on average if you potter about in 5th gear everywhere.
He's doing 15k a year you muppet I do 20 - 25k a year and would love to drive a Type R everywhere, but it would screw me over big time!! Hence i had to downgrade for a while..
Are you understanding the point of the thread? Doing 15k a year in a similar petrol and diesel car, when taking into consideration the initial price differential, shows the petrol to be a better option.
You muppet.
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by deano87
quote:
Originally posted by Simon_16v
In the long run diesels generally hold their value better too, purely because the mileage isnt as big factor as petrol as well.
I do around 30/35k a year and according to that calculator if i compare my Diesel FR to the Petrol FR (1.8 20v 150bhp) i save £1758 a year on fuel....rather be in my pocket tbh
Different storey when you're talking hi-powered diesels though.
Even still though i had a 1.4hdi 206 and you could hammer it anywhere and get 45/50+mpg but it was dog slow and had the build quality of a kinder egg toy
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