Diesel Vs Petrol?

[NorthSussex]

Having followed some of the tags, I am now unsure if there are savings to be had by buying a diesel car over a petrol car. As I see it. :--

Diesel Pros.

Lower road fund licence.

More MPG.

More torque.

Diesel cons.

Higher purchase price

Higher fuel cost. (about 10p per ltr.)

Higher maintenance cost (£1000+ for a DPF @ 75k?).

Over an 8-10 year period, do you save by having a diesel?

Or have I missed something? (Willing to learn).

[rojariggs]

It depends on your driving amongst other things. If you're doing a lot of miles then the difference in MPG can be enough to make up the difference.

With regard to things like the DPF then it depends how long you keep the car for. If you do 30k miles a year and keep your car for two years then you will save.

If you do low mileage but can buy a diesel cheaply or second hand then you can still make savings.

To say either diesel or petrol is the cheapest is only possible in each individual's situation.

[TDCiST]

The newer Coated For Life DPF's apparenty don't need changing at 75K providing it regens regulary and correctly..

[Torque]

You've forgotten residual value, I have a 2011 Octavia vRS CR diesel, I only do about 10k a year so looking at it from a miles covered pont of view it's not really worth having a diesel especially these days when diesel is so much more at the pumps than petrol however, the residual value is easily £2k more than the petrol version and this, together with the fact that I much prefer the way the diesel drives makes it easily worthwhile in my oinion.

I picked up an ex demo Ka Titanium TDi for my wife who does approx 15k a year so, pretty even stephens between it and a petrol, but again residual value will be a little bit more when we come to sell and for the type of driving she does it's so much better suited.

You pays your money you takes your choice :)

[btmaldon]

I think the type of journeys you do come into play as well. The modern diesels do not like short runs, stopping and starting type use. They clog up far too easily and require extra maintenance.

If you are doing the miliage as mentioned by the others and a decent run most times it is being used, the diesel comes into its own.

[AlanW]

I have been driving diesels for quite a number of years, and like most people I love the torque that a diesel engine produces. BUT, my circumstances have changed and I only do around 6000 miles per year and I have already had to replace the EGR valve coz it sooted up due to the engine not getting warmed up enough.

My journey to work is less than 7 miles and the temperature gauge hardly moves of cold before I get to work.

Add to that the increase in the cost of diesel vs petrol, I have made the decision to go back to a petrol engined car, namely the 1.6 EcoBoost Focus.

So tomorrow my mint condition, 2006 ST Mondeo 2.2 diesel estate that I have had from new with just 30k miles on the clock goes into the dealers and I'll drive out with the Focus.

In truth the ST Mondeo is going to be one hell of a car to better, in every aspect and only time will tell if I have made the right call or not?

[Barnyg]

Same with me. Early retirement means i'm now doing about 5,000 yearly instead of 15,000. Mondeo going in on Monday in exchange for a Focus 1.6 Ecoboost.

[mitch84]

Hi

I own a diesel focus and before that I had a diesel Fiesta , Ive never been a long haul driver and average about 6k-7k a year my work is about a 14mile trip so I rake up about 30miles a day when working.

I do the ocassional longer journey when out for the day , I find it find it cost effective to have a Diesel unless you only use a car around town.

I average 52mpg on my journeys too and from work and thats not motorways and also involes a bit of stop/starting ,and when I do longer motorway journeys I get close too 60mpg.

I feel I'm saving a lot at the pumps as I dont need to go as regular, and also when the tax is due.

Also the difference in petrol prices is on average about 7p difference on some forecourts its a lot less .

In the long run a diesel will save you money, I certainly feel Ive saved.

[TDCiST]

So tomorrow my mint condition, 2006 ST Mondeo 2.2 diesel estate that I have had from new with just 30k miles on the clock goes into the dealers and I'll drive out with the Focus.

In truth the ST Mondeo is going to be one hell of a car to better, in every aspect and only time will tell if I have made the right call or not?

A truly sad day mate!! Having a mondeo ST TDCi in the family i know how u feel!!

[rojariggs]

Real life example:

My previous car was a Volvo V50 1.8 Petrol. Monthly costs were something like this:

Petrol: £160pm

RFL: £20pm

Insurance: £40pm

Total: £220pm

I do fairly low mileage but the costs for my diesel Fiesta work out like this:

Diesel: £90pm

RFL: £1.60pm

Insurance: £20pm

Total: £111.60pm

Now even taking into account that I had to pay to go from the old car to the Fiesta which I have financed and costs me £80pm I am still £30pm better off every month and driving a better specced newer car.

I bought my car when it was a year old which means it was still more than a petrol would have been but the difference is less than if I had bought new. If I do have to do a longer journey that journey costs far less than in the old car so I can make more trips for less money. Plus driving a diesel is much more relaxed on the daily grind as you let the torque pull you round rather than chasing revs.

Diesel's a no brainer.

Cheers

Rog

[NorthSussex]

Hi Rog,

I was thinking more along the lines of a diesel v petrol in the same car, ie, a Focus deisel or petrol of the same engine size and age, not 2 different size cars and different ages. This would give a more accurate comparison to running costs, I am sure any Fiesta is going to be more economical to run than an older 1.8 Volvo. I am not biased in any way, just interested and want to be well informed when I next change my car.

Norman.

[rojariggs]

Hi Rog,

I was thinking more along the lines of a diesel v petrol in the same car, ie, a Focus deisel or petrol of the same engine size and age, not 2 different size cars and different ages. This would give a more accurate comparison to running costs, I am sure any Fiesta is going to be more economical to run than an older 1.8 Volvo. I am not biased in any way, just interested and want to be well informed when I next change my car.

Norman.

Fair comment.

Mind you, The Volvo averaged about 37 mpg which isn't far off what some guys on here quote for their petrol Fiestas.

[NorthSussex]

Thanks for all your thoughts.

Having read all the replies, I now know a lot more about the advantages and disadvantages of diesel and petrol engines.

But now it looks like there is a better alternative to both, the Ford petrol EcoBoost engine, providing it is reliable and not too costly to maintain, time will tell.

[jimrex]

I know real world comparisons for two completely different cars have been mentioned above, but I was quite surprised with the mpg results I got from going from petrol to diesel. I never seem to fill up anymore! On top of that, the Focus is £20/year to tax rather than £110 for my Fiesta, and was less to insure for me.

It really is worth researching the figures though, for me it made sense but for many it wont as the gap between petrol/diesel is getting closer. I agree that the smaller petrol engines with turbos seem to be the way things are headed and would be interested to know if the ecoboost is as 'eco' as the name suggests! I might actually go and test drive one...

[AlanW]

A truly sad day mate!! Having a mondeo ST TDCi in the family i know how u feel!!

To make matters worse, the ST is still sat on the drive while the dealer is waiting for the paperwork to come back from the DVLA so that I can drive in with the Mondeo and drive out with the new Focus with my private plate on.

It deeply saddens me every day to look at it sat on the drive, all polished and sparking........ :o

[AlanW]

Real life example:

My previous car was a Volvo V50 1.8 Petrol. Monthly costs were something like this:

Petrol: £160pm

RFL: £20pm

Insurance: £40pm

Total: £220pm

I do fairly low mileage but the costs for my diesel Fiesta work out like this:

Diesel: £90pm

RFL: £1.60pm

Insurance: £20pm

Total: £111.60pm

Now even taking into account that I had to pay to go from the old car to the Fiesta which I have financed and costs me £80pm I am still £30pm better off every month and driving a better specced newer car.

I bought my car when it was a year old which means it was still more than a petrol would have been but the difference is less than if I had bought new. If I do have to do a longer journey that journey costs far less than in the old car so I can make more trips for less money. Plus driving a diesel is much more relaxed on the daily grind as you let the torque pull you round rather than chasing revs.

Diesel's a no brainer.

Cheers

Rog

To be fair, thats not really comparing like for like is it?

Its a bit like saying I used to own a petrol Smart car and sold it for a Chieftain tank.............

[focuscolin]

Cone on Alanw hold in there fella I had a few tears when I swapped my astra turbo in for the focus tdci it was a sad day but I've got a new machine to play with now just like you will it won't be long before your flicking through the eBay pages buying bits for it. Keep your head up lad.

[rojariggs]

To be fair, thats not really comparing like for like is it?

Its a bit like saying I used to own a petrol Smart car and sold it for a Chieftain tank.............

I disagree. The current Fiesta has grown and is not far off the size of the original Focus. The Volvo V50 is based on the Focus platform and 1.6 litre 4 cyl diesel vs 1.8 litre petrol.

[AlanW]

I disagree. The current Fiesta has grown and is not far off the size of the original Focus. The Volvo V50 is based on the Focus platform and 1.6 litre 4 cyl diesel vs 1.8 litre petrol.

Its more about the overall weight rather than the size, the Volvo is at least 150kgs heavier.

My diesel ST Mondeo does, sorry did 45mpg (on a long run) my wifes petrol Yaris also 45 mpg, and they cost near enough the same to insure.

But the Mondeo costs at least double to tax.

The servicing costs are near enough the same for both.

We both drive about the same mileage per annum, around 6000 miles, but diesel is about 10p per litre more expensive than petrol.

If I drive my ST to work, a distance of 7 miles one way, the temperature gauge hardly moves and the fuel consumption is ruined, plus the possible damage to the engine because it has not warmed up. Let alone the EGR valve sooting up...again!

Draw your own conclusion?

Please don't get me wrong, I really love diesel engines and I much prefer driving them to petrol engines. BUT you need to do the miles in order to make them pay., any dealer or motoring organisation will tell you that.

[focuscolin]

Well here was why i chose diesel I do just over 500 miles a week and my astra 1.6 turbo petrol was costing me £120 a week ,its not great when your on first name terms with the fella at the petrol garage Lol. I picked up my 1.8 tdci focus up two weeks ago now and its coat me £150 so at the mo I'm 90 quid up ,the wife doesn't know about that yet shhhh the tax is half and the insurance is to ,,I think if you do the miles a diesel is a no brainer if your doing a few miles a day with a few long runs once a month I'd chose a petrol they cost less and you can get a better trim level.