Which Honda for a 19000 mile per year commute
Discussion
Hi all. Just after a bit of advice. I currently own a S2000 but I will be starting a new job in the not too distant future which will be an 80 mile round trip, pretty much all motorway. I like my Hondas so the obvious choice would be a Civic or Accord I guess.
I have always much preferred petrols to diesels, due to refinement and less heavy bills; however obviously at this mileage I have been looking at the 2.2 cdti civic, but also the 1.8 vtec.
I know this is going to come down to personal preference at the end of the day, but I'm thinking 45mpg in a petrol (plus about a grand less buying, for equivalent age and mileage), versus maybe mid fifties in a diesel and I'd only be saving £300 to £400 per year if diesel and petrol prices stay the same. This seems a small price to pay for what I presume is going to be reduced bills. Am i missing other benefits? Has anyone on here had both?
That said, any other Hondas that I've missed? It needs to be family friendly (by that just five doors and a reasonable boot will do me) but it would be a bit of a waste lugging about a massive car (hence why I'm slightly put off by the Accord Estate even though buying prices are more favourable than the Civic).
I have always much preferred petrols to diesels, due to refinement and less heavy bills; however obviously at this mileage I have been looking at the 2.2 cdti civic, but also the 1.8 vtec.
I know this is going to come down to personal preference at the end of the day, but I'm thinking 45mpg in a petrol (plus about a grand less buying, for equivalent age and mileage), versus maybe mid fifties in a diesel and I'd only be saving £300 to £400 per year if diesel and petrol prices stay the same. This seems a small price to pay for what I presume is going to be reduced bills. Am i missing other benefits? Has anyone on here had both?
That said, any other Hondas that I've missed? It needs to be family friendly (by that just five doors and a reasonable boot will do me) but it would be a bit of a waste lugging about a massive car (hence why I'm slightly put off by the Accord Estate even though buying prices are more favourable than the Civic).
Can I ask a silly question - why a Honda?
- The old Civic diesels were shocking.
- The early CTDi's weren't especially economical
- The later CTDi's are actually pretty good
- The iDTEC has more to go wrong...DPFs, for example, which the CTDi managed without.
(This from conversations with Honda techs...)
...and you'll struggle to get 40mph out of the 1.8i petrol Civic (for example) unless you drive like an absolute saint. Plus that engine will feel a little gutless on an M-way commute...
Depending on budget, I'd be looking at a late E46 330d or an E90 330d (or an Alpina D3). 45+ mpg easy but plenty of power and comfort/toys. Going newer/smaller, I bet you'll get a deal on a Golf GTD (Mk6 or Mk7 to get the proper GTi chassis), or consider a 123d?
Alternatively, on the petrol front I'd be thinking about a modern 1.6T hot hatch, e.g. Fiesta ST - these should be able to return 40+mpg real-world.
- The old Civic diesels were shocking.
- The early CTDi's weren't especially economical
- The later CTDi's are actually pretty good
- The iDTEC has more to go wrong...DPFs, for example, which the CTDi managed without.
(This from conversations with Honda techs...)
...and you'll struggle to get 40mph out of the 1.8i petrol Civic (for example) unless you drive like an absolute saint. Plus that engine will feel a little gutless on an M-way commute...
Depending on budget, I'd be looking at a late E46 330d or an E90 330d (or an Alpina D3). 45+ mpg easy but plenty of power and comfort/toys. Going newer/smaller, I bet you'll get a deal on a Golf GTD (Mk6 or Mk7 to get the proper GTi chassis), or consider a 123d?
Alternatively, on the petrol front I'd be thinking about a modern 1.6T hot hatch, e.g. Fiesta ST - these should be able to return 40+mpg real-world.
Oh my how predictable.
Why does the answer to everything have to be a BMW or a Golf GTD?...the Op likes Hondas, he is doing 80 miles a day on a motorway, so a workhorse Honda seems sensible to me and of course a 1.8 petrol will do 40 MPG.
If it were my cash, I think an old Accord CDTI would be the way to go. They seem to cover starship mileages with no problem and are cheap as buttons to buy these days, leaving some cash in the bank for a weekend car which is more interesting!
Why does the answer to everything have to be a BMW or a Golf GTD?...the Op likes Hondas, he is doing 80 miles a day on a motorway, so a workhorse Honda seems sensible to me and of course a 1.8 petrol will do 40 MPG.
If it were my cash, I think an old Accord CDTI would be the way to go. They seem to cover starship mileages with no problem and are cheap as buttons to buy these days, leaving some cash in the bank for a weekend car which is more interesting!
Have you seen my car history?
I like Hondas - I've owned 6 of them over 15 years, but I'm not blinkered to the fact that their petrols do not make for relaxing/effective M-way munchers and their diesels were behind the curve vs the best from BMW and PSA.
I also don't think modern Hondas are as reliable as they used to be...
...so I certainly wouldn't buy one for a high-mile commute. My answers may be predictable but that's for a reason - the BMW 2.0d is one of the best everyday diesels out there and the 3.0d is a genuinely good engine full-stop. Add-in BMW toys/build quality/residuals and they do make a good ownership proposition.
I like Hondas - I've owned 6 of them over 15 years, but I'm not blinkered to the fact that their petrols do not make for relaxing/effective M-way munchers and their diesels were behind the curve vs the best from BMW and PSA.
I also don't think modern Hondas are as reliable as they used to be...
...so I certainly wouldn't buy one for a high-mile commute. My answers may be predictable but that's for a reason - the BMW 2.0d is one of the best everyday diesels out there and the 3.0d is a genuinely good engine full-stop. Add-in BMW toys/build quality/residuals and they do make a good ownership proposition.
Thanks for the input. I did consider the Accords and have driven one for a week or so a while back. Lovely car but I have a niggle at the back of my mind that diesels will spring up expensive faults somewhere down the line. I also have more confidence servicing a little petrol car myself than a diesel. I'm currently considering a little Aygo ( I know its not a Honda but Toyota would probably be the next choice- anything but German really), cheap as chips road tax, good mpg. I'm not massively fussed about creature comforts. Then maybe a weekend car as well, to replace the S2000, that is now sold
I do a bit less mileage than you, about 15k a year, and I was worried about Dpfs blocking. After doing the research it seems I'm just the right side of justifying the diesel. My commute is at least 30 mins each way on the motorway and after a year all seems good. I tend to drive it slowly for a tank or 2, getting ~50mpg, then enjoy it the next tank or 2, getting ~42mpg. Mines the 180hp Type S diesel Accord Tourer and it's quick enough to be fun on country roads (wont be a patch on the S2000, I've got a 2.0 Mx5 for fun), but for a family bus it's been great. The seats are excellent, and it's nice and quiet which is all you need on a motorway.
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