Petrol, 60mpg and less than £1k - can it be done?

[LP670]

On the look for a new daily hack over the xmas break after my Land Rover was condemned on its MOT (needs a new chassis). Got to have 4 or 5 seats, so no smart cars. I want a petrol engine as i make a lot of short journeys but it also needs to be economical as i usually make a 250 mile commute once per week. I used to run the Land Rover on veg oil and cost wise it worked out about the same as doing 60 mpg from the pumps so would like to achieve this with the new car too. Lastly it needs to be something i can get for a £1000.

[mrtwisty]

Tall order I'm afraid.

My other half's mk1 1.0 Yaris will manage 60mpg on a light footed long run without much traffic, but I'm not sure I could tolerate 250 miles every week in it. Although if you can cope with that distance in a Defender, a Yaris will seem quite refined!

Edited by mrtwisty on Saturday 17th December 10:26

[saaby93]

you might be able to pick up a 2004 onwards one of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-TOYOTA-PRIUS-T-SPIR...

Edited by saaby93 on Saturday 17th December 12:39

[caelite]

saaby93 said:

you might be able to pick up a 2004 onwards one of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-TOYOTA-PRIUS-T-SPIR...

Edited by saaby93 on Saturday 17th December 12:39

I'd be careful with old hybrids/EVs. 8-12years is well into potential 'new battery' time which can set you back a couple of £Ks.

Personally for real world mpg id aim for a small and light as possible with a moderate sized engine, the 1.0-1.2 n/a motors are going to be stressed at motorway speeds. 1.4-1.6 in something yaris/micra sized is a great sweetspot though.

[anonymous-user]

forget petrol and buy a 206 1.4hdi, you will get 60mpg easy but slower than a snail. Very robust if maintained well and used in the fiesta as well.

[TooMany2cvs]

LP670 said:

On the look for a new daily hack over the xmas break after my Land Rover was condemned on its MOT (needs a new chassis). Got to have 4 or 5 seats, so no smart cars. I want a petrol engine as i make a lot of short journeys but it also needs to be economical as i usually make a 250 mile commute once per week. I used to run the Land Rover on veg oil and cost wise it worked out about the same as doing 60 mpg from the pumps so would like to achieve this with the new car too. Lastly it needs to be something i can get for a £1000.

Good luck with that. I don't think it's going to be achievable. 60mpg real-world from a petrol that's big enough for five people? Not that easy in the new-car market, definitely not in the grand shed market.

Fuel economy is probably the one to compromise on - 250 miles at 60mpg at £1.15 is £21.50ish. At 50mpg, it's just over £4 more. At 40mpg, it's a bit over a tenner more. Noticeable, perhaps, but not going to break the bank - and certainly not as much as buying a stter because of the official economy figure.

If the economy's non-negotiable, but you can live with a small rear seat, then you might just squeak into the shonkier end of C107gos.

[TooMany2cvs]

saaby93 said:

you might be able to pick up a 2004 onwards one of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-TOYOTA-PRIUS-T-SPIR...

60mpg? Dream on!

[saaby93]

caelite said:

I'd be careful with old hybrids/EVs. 8-12years is well into potential 'new battery' time which can set you back a couple of £Ks.

EVs and hybrids are Different things, Toyota hybrids are different to Honda hybrids

Now show us something to back up your claim about a Toyota hybrid - have you seen how many are about?

Next you'll be worrying posters that a 8-12 year old car may need a new clutch so best not to buy one
(a hybrid doesn't need a clutch by the way)

60mpg may be optimist for any car

Edited by saaby93 on Saturday 17th December 13:52

[Willy Nilly]

At your budget, I#d have said the most important thing is that it works. You'd soon eat into your 60mpg with anything think like a big repair bill. 40mpg is more realistic and that will largely depend on how it's driven

[angels95]

I'm in a fairly similar situation. I average 25k miles a year with a combination of short distances and long motorway journeys.

I can understand why you would prefer a petrol engine due to the shorter commutes, but an old-school diesel (pre-DPF) is probably your best bet if you want to see anywhere near 60mpg.

I've got an N-reg 306 D Turbo that I've had for two-and-a-bit years now. There's no DPF to get clogged up during short journeys, and it's perfectly comfortable keeping up with traffic in the outside lane of the M25, unlike the Corsa 1.2 it replaced.

Over the time I've had it, it's averaged 57.9mpg. Also, it can be run on veg oil and it cost well under a grand!

Edited by angels95 on Saturday 17th December 18:12

[OldGermanHeaps]

Lpg

[LP670]

angels95 said:

I'm in a fairly similar situation. I average 25k miles a year with a combination of short distances and long motorway journeys.

I can understand why you would prefer a petrol engine due to the shorter commutes, but an old-school diesel (pre-DPF) is probably your best bet if you want to see anywhere near 60mpg.

I've got an N-reg 306 D Turbo that I've had for two-and-a-bit years now. There's no DPF to get clogged up during short journeys, and it's perfectly comfortable keeping up with traffic in the outside lane of the M25, unlike the Corsa 1.2 it replaced.

Over the time I've had it, it's averaged 57.9mpg. Also, it can be run on veg oil and it cost well under a grand!

Edited by angels95 on Saturday 17th December 18:12

thanks for the suggestion, how is yours for rust? If i could get an old prius that would be my first choice but i dont think £1000 will get me one so maybe an old skool diesel could be the answer.

[st3ven1]

Toyota Aygo, mine achieves 57mpg without even trying to drive economically and I'm sure 60mpg would be possible if you could put up with going slow enough. Only weighs just over 800kg, and all parts are very cheap if anything ever did break.
Petrol, 1L three cylinder engine is eager enough and the gearing is pretty long.
Few of them available for your budget now.

Probably not the most comfortable/roomy car if four up would be the only downside.

[angels95]

LP670 said:

angels95 said:

I'm in a fairly similar situation. I average 25k miles a year with a combination of short distances and long motorway journeys.

I can understand why you would prefer a petrol engine due to the shorter commutes, but an old-school diesel (pre-DPF) is probably your best bet if you want to see anywhere near 60mpg.

I've got an N-reg 306 D Turbo that I've had for two-and-a-bit years now. There's no DPF to get clogged up during short journeys, and it's perfectly comfortable keeping up with traffic in the outside lane of the M25, unlike the Corsa 1.2 it replaced.

Over the time I've had it, it's averaged 57.9mpg. Also, it can be run on veg oil and it cost well under a grand!

Edited by angels95 on Saturday 17th December 18:12

thanks for the suggestion, how is yours for rust? If i could get an old prius that would be my first choice but i dont think £1000 will get me one so maybe an old skool diesel could be the answer.

Only bit of rust on the car is a tiny spot under the rear window about half the size of a penny. Completely solid underneath and all round the car, and the 306s tend to be very resistant to corrosion. I bought one to sell on earlier in the year; the same age and not a spot of rust on it.

I'm obviously biased as I think these things are brilliant, but any older diesel (pre-DPF, etc.) would be worth a shot. For the best MPG for your budget, something along the lines a Polo 1.9 SDi might be worth a look as well.

In terms of a Prius, to get a good one for a grand would be a challenge, but even if you do there are a lot of things that could go wrong with it. It might be the most reliable car you ever bought but I don't think I would be brave enough to take that chance myself.

[itcaptainslow]

Similar vein of the 306 diesel above-I've just picked up a 106 diesel for winter shed/station duties. Paid £500 for a 55k miler on a 97/P plate-all it has needed is a cam belt (easy DIY for any competent mechanic-no special tools required), a service, four tyres and a set of wiper blades. No rust at all and it's very comfy-a non stop drive to Manchester from MK was dispatched last weekend with no issues. Cruises at 70mph happily and quietly delivering 65mpg.

If it must be petrol I'd look at something unfashionable, small and Japanese (or similar)-I was eyeing up Daihatsu Cuore's and Perodua Nippa's before my Peugeot appeared on Autotrader.

[bearman68]

LPG is surely the answer here. You won't get 60 mpg, but it will seem that way costwise.

A nice old saab or Volvo with LPG, just what the Dr ordered.

[anonymous-user]

i had a few 306s hdi, normal diesel and td and never saw above 55mpg at best, usually 40-50mpg.

mpg is very specific to how you drive, i would never get hung up on it. i have an octavia tdi 130, does mid 40's mpg, i do about 15k a year, i enjoy driving so don't drive everywhere at 40mph where i would get 50-60mpg.

[FidoGoRetroGo]

Another shout for the Aygo. I absolutely adore mine.

[Ransoman]

Grande Punto 1.2.

It comes very close to 60mpg and is reasonably comfortable. I was happy to do long journeys in mine.

[maxxy5]

Ransoman said:

Grande Punto 1.2.

It comes very close to 60mpg and is reasonably comfortable. I was happy to do long journeys in mine.

For a grand?

The older Punto 1.2 will do 50mpg, comfort depends on whether you fit right as you can't adjust the steering wheel reach.

Edit: I see you can get them for a grand. High mileage though...

Edited by maxxy5 on Monday 19th December 13:07