Time to move to diesel?

[GenericDriver]

Hi,

I have a bit of a predicament! New job has a c.80mile round trip daily, the advantage being its all motorway. Up to this point I've always had petrol cars but I'm guessing now is the right time to change.

My budget is up to £4k, I've been looking at the mk2 Focus 1.6TDCI and 8th Civic 2.2 CDTI. Is the consensus that these are sensible choices? I'm after mpg and reliability.

What scares me about diesel is the potential for problems e.g. turbos, DMFs & injectors. Would an economical petrol engine be a better proposition?

[Mouse Rat]

With current diesel prices, sticking with petrol maybe the better solution .
What car do you have now?

[GenericDriver]

Old Fiesta ST, likes a drink and isn’t comfortable. Worst possible car for this new journey.

[Pica-Pica]

I would go for a 1.2Tsi VW group petrol engine. So that would be a Skoda Fabia, SEAT Ibiza, Polo, which you should be able to get for £4k. You will get towards 50mpg on that trip. We have a 13 plate Fabia with that engine, utterly reliable.

[Mouse Rat]

GenericDriver said:

Old Fiesta ST, likes a drink and isn’t comfortable. Worst possible car for this new journey.

a 1.2 petrol maybe just as cheap to run. If it was an urban commute this maybe the better choice. However refinement may not be great on the motorway.

Mondeo / X-type 2.0d would be a good consideration. More refined. Even at 11-13 years old they are reasonably reliable and cheap to run.

[gangzoom]

GenericDriver said:

8th Civic 2.2 CDTI. Is the consensus that these are sensible choices? I'm after mpg and reliability.

If I remember correctly the 2.2 doesn't have a DPF, however the clutch goes after about 70k, and our old one was never did more than 57mpg even taking it easy.

Our current Lexus hybrid does pretty much the same mpg on a Mway run, and offers more performance. Given the petrol vs diesel cost difference, a Toyota hybrid will give good mpg and are as reliable as they come.

[Heathwood]

Mouse Rat said:

a 1.2 petrol maybe just as cheap to run. If it was an urban commute this maybe the better choice. However refinement may not be great on the motorway.

You may be surprised. I have a 1.2 LPT petrol and, with the 7 speed DSG, it’s turning over at little over 2k rpm at 70mph, so pretty quiet and refined. It’s not fast though!

[TCX]

1.7 cdti astra, currently doing 100 mile each way commute since before Xmas,in 55 plate I've taken from 55k to 160+k in five years

[Deerfoot]

TCX said:

currently doing 100 mile each way commute

I did a 50 mile each way commute for two years, twice the distance would’ve seen me move house or change job…

[Summit_Detailing]

TCX said:

1.7 cdti astra, currently doing 100 mile each way commute since before Xmas,in 55 plate I've taken from 55k to 160+k in five years

This ^^ or a 2.0cdti Insignia if you needed something bigger.

[GenericDriver]

TCX said:

1.7 cdti astra, currently doing 100 mile each way commute since before Xmas,in 55 plate I've taken from 55k to 160+k in five years

And I was quibbling about doing 80 a day haha.

Those Astra H’s seem cheap as well. I’ll definitely be looking into them, thanks!

[ZX10R NIN]

GenericDriver said:

Hi,

I have a bit of a predicament! New job has a c.80mile round trip daily, the advantage being its all motorway. Up to this point I've always had petrol cars but I'm guessing now is the right time to change.

My budget is up to £4k, I've been looking at the mk2 Focus 1.6TDCI and 8th Civic 2.2 CDTI. Is the consensus that these are sensible choices? I'm after mpg and reliability.

What scares me about diesel is the potential for problems e.g. turbos, DMFs & injectors. Would an economical petrol engine be a better proposition?

A diesel will suit your needs with your budget you can get a smart reliable Astra:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204064...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204064...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202062...

1.7d:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204034...

Older shape 1.9d:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201241...

Alfa Giulietta Veloce:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204144...

Or if you want something that's pretty much bulletproof the a Mercedes C220/Coupe/CLC is where I'd be looking:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108156...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204114...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201241...

CLK

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111069...

[georgeyboy12345]

I think, given the miles you are doing, diesel is still the best option. Even if diesel is £2.10 a litre, a diesel doing 49 mpg will cost you £78 a week in fuel; whereas if petrol is £1.60 a litre and you have a petrol doing 35 mpg, you'll be still be spending more at £83 a week.

As you are using a diesel correctly, i.e. doing big motorway miles with it, you are less likely to run into problems with it.

Focus or the Civic are great ideas. Here are some others

Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.6 JTDM-2
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201191...


Seat Toledo 1.6 TDI CR
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204154...


Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202202...


Peugeot 508 2.0 HDi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110288...


Fiat Bravo 1.9 Multijet
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202162...


Citroen C4 2.0 HDi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202152...


Kia Ceed 1.9 CRDi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203143...


Mercedes C220 CDI
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105283...


Volvo C30 1.6 D R-Design
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204094...


Renault Laguna Coupe 2.0 dCi GT
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203314...

[ZX10R NIN]

That Laguna is a great pick & they're reliable too.

[InitialDave]

georgeyboy12345 said:

I think, given the miles you are doing, diesel is still the best option. Even if diesel is £2.10 a litre, a diesel doing 49 mpg will cost you £78 a week in fuel; whereas if petrol is £1.60 a litre and you have a petrol doing 35 mpg, you'll be still be spending more at £83 a week.

So it would only cost a fiver a week not to have to drive a diesel.

[SWoll]

InitialDave said:

georgeyboy12345 said:

I think, given the miles you are doing, diesel is still the best option. Even if diesel is £2.10 a litre, a diesel doing 49 mpg will cost you £78 a week in fuel; whereas if petrol is £1.60 a litre and you have a petrol doing 35 mpg, you'll be still be spending more at £83 a week.

So it would only cost a fiver a week not to have to drive a diesel.

In a world where diesel is 50p more a litre than unleaded. In reality it's closer to 16p.

[Don Roque]

It seems diesel in back in fashion with drivers, if not the loony greens.

[georgeyboy12345]

InitialDave said:

georgeyboy12345 said:

I think, given the miles you are doing, diesel is still the best option. Even if diesel is £2.10 a litre, a diesel doing 49 mpg will cost you £78 a week in fuel; whereas if petrol is £1.60 a litre and you have a petrol doing 35 mpg, you'll be still be spending more at £83 a week.

So it would only cost a fiver a week not to have to drive a diesel.

No. That is not what I’m saying. Use your brain a bit.

[InitialDave]

georgeyboy12345 said:

No. That is not what I’m saying. Use your brain a bit.

Those are your example numbers. I know you artificially inflated the diesel cost to show "it's still cheaper even if diesel gets massively more expensive", but, well, I don't care, I don't like diesels, and the saving would have to be massive to force me to buy one.

In the OP's position, I would use a small petrol car, perfectly respectable mpg and cheaper fuel.

[MrGTI6]

gangzoom said:

If I remember correctly the 2.2 doesn't have a DPF, however the clutch goes after about 70k,

The clutch really shouldn't fail at 70k. If it does, chances are the fault doesn't lie with the car!