60mpg+ Cars

[volvoforlife]

Guyr said:

The big point a lot of people miss (but has been mentioned) is now that cars have made big leaps up to the 50-60mpg level, that there is little extra financial benefit of going to higher levels as you are trying to save money on a ever smaller percentage of the running costs.

eg 10,000 miles at £5.80 per gallon (£1.30/l)

@20mpg = £2,895
@40mpg = £1,447
@60mpg = £965
@80mpg = £723

So jumping up by 20mpg from 20 to 40 is well worth some expenditure as it saves £1,447 per year, but if you are at 60mpg, then jumping 20mpg only saves you £241!

So the point really is that once you are above the 50mpg or so level, then what really matters is not the extra fuel economy, but the other running costs, such as servicing, tax, insurance, repairs and depreciation.

Higher mpg is great for the planet, but may not be best for your wallet!

Awesome post, really puts things to perspective. My car is giving me a disasterous 17mpg. So I will clearly benefit from switching to a 40mpg car. I just need to find one with a bit of power as well.

[anonymous-user]

Chris_w666 said:

matthewg said:

sebdangerfield said:

I never understand why people do this whole 'on private roads' thing or substitute miles per hour for leptons when talking about being slightly naughty on a road. They must constantly look over their shoulders incase the 'net police are onto them for admitting to speeding on an Internet forum. Pangs of paranoia to me.

Think it's more tongue in cheek rather than they think the police are monitoring every single person's online forum profile.

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&f=210&t=629763&mid=0&i=0&nmt=Prison%20Diary&mid=0 should give some idea why it is best to admit to nothing that could be used against you. If I posted that I did 120mph on the way to work this morning I won't be arrested, if my post history was one of me bragging about such things and racing people etc etc and they could link me to PH if I caused a serious incident it would be used against me, which is likely they would link it when in serious crimes now the police look at computers for any other evidence.

Edited by Chris_w666 on Thursday 6th January 12:11

Right, but if you wrote "I drove at 120 MPH today on my way to work along a private road of course " like the majority of posts using this terminology do, that would scupper their attempt at proving your disregard for road safety? I agree that you couldn't be done for anything specific and that posts on 'net forums could be evidence of bad character but I don't believe writing 'leptons' or 'private road' after openly bragging about things which may be regarded as bad character would stop them from proving it. If you're worried about Police using what you say on the 'net against you like the post above, and I'm surprised what can be done, then don't say it.

Back OT, that post regarding the diminishing returns of better fuel economy is great, really brings home the way V8s and a knackered old diesel for commuting is the way forward!

[Sam.F]

Can't speak for the new BMW lump but I have had a Cooper D with the PSA unit a couple of times as a courtesy car and that will achieve ~45mpg even when thrashed. A relatively gentle trip accross the A69 (cruising around NSL, occasional full-bore overtaking) resulted in 64.4mpg average.

[Blue Oval84]

I've never found any full size car that can return that level of economy without putting in some effort. I think the Passat TDI is widely regarded as having amongst the best real world fuel economy of any car in it's class.

My Mondeo TDCi used to get about 40mpg on a good run if I drove with a reasonable dose of right foot, being a little careful could nudge it up very slightly, but not enough to make me drive it slowly. If you can get 55mpg from a Passat then I'd stick with that, unless you really want to drop down to a very small car!

[DaGuv]

Toyota Aygo has to be one of the cheapest cars to own and run. Get around 60mpg and its a petrol so you don't have to pay an extra 5p a litre of diesel. It is nippy. Due to the weight its has an equivalent power to weight ratio as a 1.4. You get a 5 year warranty. Top of the range tyres are 50 quid. Tax is 20 quid and its the lowest insurance group. Will do 70 in 2nd aswell! 3 pot sounds good and redlines at 7k rpm.

[DaGuv]

Based on the average 1.4 been between 80-90 bhp.

[Schermerhorn]

Alot of the newer stuff will get big MPG figures.

However, by the time you've bought them it sort of defeats the objective of saving money if you're going to spend big money purchasing them.

[cptsideways]

Any of the VAG 1.4 Tdi's will manage 60+ mpg, I have an Arosa at the moment, driving it flat out pretty much, it does 54mpg calculated, 65mpg is easy enough on a run. It's also quite zippy & not slow by any means, great fun to bomb about in knowing its costs just about zilch to run.

So 1.4 Tdi's from VAG include, VW Lupo & Polo, Seat Arosa, Audi A2, Skoda Fabia. Post 2001 they are all £35 a year tax too.