Have we accepted fuel prices and started having fun again??
Discussion
Well, not that we have much option but to accept petrol prices. Funny that; when you pay for it the price is always none-negotiable!
Reading of people's latest acquisitions on here over the last few months it seems that we have no qualms in buying slightly beefy engined petrol cars. Petrol is circa £1.40 throughout the UK and has been stable in this respect for a couple of months now, and it seems the choice of new motor around here is something that typically returns around 25mpg, like a BMW 330i.
Have you chaps been running sensible 1.2 Clios while times have been hard, the chips have been down, but have now admitted defeat and gone back to larger engined cars because you want your fun back?
Or am I totally missing the point and forgetting that PH is for petrol heads, and so we've always run these types of cars, through thick and thin, regardless of how expensive fuel might have been in the recent past (?)
Answers on a postcard!
Reading of people's latest acquisitions on here over the last few months it seems that we have no qualms in buying slightly beefy engined petrol cars. Petrol is circa £1.40 throughout the UK and has been stable in this respect for a couple of months now, and it seems the choice of new motor around here is something that typically returns around 25mpg, like a BMW 330i.
Have you chaps been running sensible 1.2 Clios while times have been hard, the chips have been down, but have now admitted defeat and gone back to larger engined cars because you want your fun back?
Or am I totally missing the point and forgetting that PH is for petrol heads, and so we've always run these types of cars, through thick and thin, regardless of how expensive fuel might have been in the recent past (?)
Answers on a postcard!
HustleRussell said:
I reckon that with the complexity of emmissions reducing technology in petrol and diesel engines, PHers have chosen to spend more on fuel than more on car repairs, it's a lesser of two evils.
I changed from a Diesel Mondeo to a 525i knowing that I'd get through a lot more fuel but the risk of a big bill (four figures!) is significantly diminished. One DMF, turbo, injector etc failure would wipe out the fuel savings for that whole year.
You have to keep it in perspective, fuel prices are broadly comparible across western Europe but the UK has the cheapest second-hand cars market!
Very good point well made. I am currently in the same quandary you may have previously been in when returning to petrol from a diesel car. I don't do massive miles, probably one motorway run a week, which is still only a round trip of 70 miles. However putting diesel in the tank has enabled me to run largish saloon cars that will return reasonable MPGs; like you I have a 5 series but it's a 530d. Regardless of my moderately small mileage, and even the fact that petrol is cheaper than diesel, I'm still reticent to go out and replace it with a 540i or the B6 Audi S4 Avant I'm currently considering, I just don't fancy putting all that fuel in the tank to return 23mpg. So you could say I'm a diesel convert.I changed from a Diesel Mondeo to a 525i knowing that I'd get through a lot more fuel but the risk of a big bill (four figures!) is significantly diminished. One DMF, turbo, injector etc failure would wipe out the fuel savings for that whole year.
You have to keep it in perspective, fuel prices are broadly comparible across western Europe but the UK has the cheapest second-hand cars market!
But then I've also experienced tough love running diesels. My last car was an Alfa, and for a diesel it had plenty of character with its 5 pot 2.4, loads of torque and fun in spades akin to a petrol car. But it needed a clutch and DMF: £900 in bits plus labour, £1,200 in all, so it had to go. Prior to that I ran another 5 pot diesel; Mercedes C270 cdi. Wonderful car until persistent fuelling problems arrived, again a foible that only tends to rear its head on a diesel car. I got rid before it threw its hand in with a big bill. And now I'm behind the wheel of an E39 530d, which by all accounts is a superb car. Just taken it round France, 3,000 miles in all. It's ten years old and still has its swirl flaps intact. However I wonder what nasty surprise is lurking next for me. A friend of mine has a car that is mechanically identical; 2002 E46 330d, he has now run into issues with the dreaded injectors. A couple of hundred pounds later and lots of dealings with so-called 'diesel specialists', and needless to say the car still isn't right. And so he feels it's time to get rid, and so the cycle of buying and running flaky diesels will no doubt continue.
I will always argue that like for like, diesels are that little bit better than petrols to run, regardless of your mileage, (but assuming your commute does involve some kind of journey where a diesel engine will pay off). However it does constantly cross my mind that unless your car is new and under warranty, there is always going to be a big looming expense with running one, and so this renders the whole diesel thing a complete false economy.
Edited by ajb85 on Tuesday 9th October 09:40
The problem with living with a diesel for so many years and switching back to petrol is the awareness that you're visiting the pumps far more often than you used to, even after sitting down with pen, paper and calculator and concluding that in actual fact you'd be better off with a petrol. It would irritate me, although I realise that statement doesn't make a great deal of sense.
Impressing yourself with your diesel's fuel range is also a difficult habit to shake off...
Impressing yourself with your diesel's fuel range is also a difficult habit to shake off...
ArnageWRC said:
ajb85 said:
The problem with living with a diesel for so many years and switching back to petrol is the awareness that you're visiting the pumps far more often than you used to, even after sitting down with pen, paper and calculator and concluding that in actual fact you'd be better off with a petrol. It would irritate me, although I realise that statement doesn't make a great deal of sense.
Impressing yourself with your diesel's fuel range is also a difficult habit to shake off...
Hmm, I'm mulling over the petrol v diesel conundrum. Currently have a Fabia vRS SE, which is now paid for – and can’t decide what to go for next. However, as I’m averaging about 10,000 a year – then surely the petrol is the better way? I often go to Wales to watch a Rally, fill up before I go and not need to fill up again....and return silly MPG figures...Impressing yourself with your diesel's fuel range is also a difficult habit to shake off...
Choices....Renaultsport Clio, Skoda Yeti, Citroen DS3, Mazda MX5, Mini Cooper D.....
Renaultsport Clio sounds like the pick of the bunch amongst that lot.
danyeates said:
Have been running one car between my girlfriend and I for 10 months now, a 1.6 Civic Sport. Finally got bored and bought myself a BMW Z4 3.0 litre for the winter!
I won't use it much, so I'm hoping fuel won't be too much of an issue.
I've been looking at these thinking Parkers' claimed 32mpg for the 3.0 isn't too bad, a touch better than the 330i coupe with the same engine.I won't use it much, so I'm hoping fuel won't be too much of an issue.
What's the mpg like in reality?
My problem is I'm still loathed to accept 20mpg after running a diesel for so long. Similarly to the people who have motorbikes for their commute and leave something tasty up the drive for the weekend, I have been trialing similar by running two cars. Having done so for a couple of weeks I'm struggling to see how fellow PH'er is able to leave his 944 at home and take the C1 even down to the shops..
The 530d auto is useless for small trips, whilst the engine is cold as I hop up the road I get 25mpg. I can hardly bang the 'buy a diesel' drum with a return like that. In this instance I'd much prefer it to be a 540 and pay less for the pleasure! So I've kept hold of an old A4 tdi avant I took in p/x to use as the daily hack. Much better on juice but it's noisy and crude; it's a snotter by all accounts and gives me no pride behind the wheel. Leaving the 'nice wheels' at home and stepping into a snotter feels like a punishment that you've oddly inflicted upon yourself. If this worked in practice I'd ditch the 530d and get something that I really want, like an AMG Merc. Something of a guilty pleasure that otherwise I couldn't afford to run every day. However it just wouldn't work, would it? As car nuts we like the cream of the crop; should there be a choice, and so naturally you'd gravitate towards the tastier car rendering your new V8 motor a rather expensive replacement 'hack'.
So back to the drawing board with the 'Running a V8 on a budget' idea..
Out of interest; how many of us here actually have 'weekend cars' per se? The type of car you use just for pleasure and one that would be crippling to put fuel every day? I'm talking about the average Joe here and not the chaps with Ferrari 360s in their central heated garage they take out for weekend jaunts...
The 530d auto is useless for small trips, whilst the engine is cold as I hop up the road I get 25mpg. I can hardly bang the 'buy a diesel' drum with a return like that. In this instance I'd much prefer it to be a 540 and pay less for the pleasure! So I've kept hold of an old A4 tdi avant I took in p/x to use as the daily hack. Much better on juice but it's noisy and crude; it's a snotter by all accounts and gives me no pride behind the wheel. Leaving the 'nice wheels' at home and stepping into a snotter feels like a punishment that you've oddly inflicted upon yourself. If this worked in practice I'd ditch the 530d and get something that I really want, like an AMG Merc. Something of a guilty pleasure that otherwise I couldn't afford to run every day. However it just wouldn't work, would it? As car nuts we like the cream of the crop; should there be a choice, and so naturally you'd gravitate towards the tastier car rendering your new V8 motor a rather expensive replacement 'hack'.
So back to the drawing board with the 'Running a V8 on a budget' idea..
Out of interest; how many of us here actually have 'weekend cars' per se? The type of car you use just for pleasure and one that would be crippling to put fuel every day? I'm talking about the average Joe here and not the chaps with Ferrari 360s in their central heated garage they take out for weekend jaunts...
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