Petrol vs Diesel short runs.

[bristolracer]

Mrs BR has just got a new job as a carer.

She will be driving about 30/40 miles per day between 4 or 5 clients.
So its going to be start,drive 5 miles,stop for 30 minutes,drive 5 miles, stop 30 minutes and so on. Its all rural (north Devon) as well so no sitting in traffic.

Diesel is attractive for the mpg, but I am wondering if the stop/start will knacker the diesel gubbins? The engine is unlikely to completely cool down between runs, is this exactly the sort of thing that will kill a diesel?

[Jag_NE]

My wife does 5 miles each way to work in a diesel and it’s fine, I just ensure that when we have a decent run out (once or twice a month) we use the diesel so it gets a chance to regenerate the dpf. If the car will only be doing what you say in your OP, I’d avoid tempting fate and get the petrol.

[stevemcs]

Providing it gets a good30 minute run once every few weeks it shouldn’t be too bad, however on 5 mile start stop trips you may well find a petrol returns better mpg. A diesel will only return very good figures when sitting on a motorway at 60mph for 2 hours at a time.

A vw up would be perfect for what you wife needs, a Renault Zoe would be even better.

[bristolracer]

stevemcs said:

A vw up would be perfect for what you wife needs, a Renault Zoe would be even better.

Love the idea of the Zoe, just has range issues for us as we would need the occasional run to Bristol and back. Cant afford a new EV with a bigger range yet.

Im a big fan of the up/mii/citigo she is quite short so does not like the tombstone seats.

[stevemcs]

Try a Kia Picanto, although i would have thought a Zoe would manage 40 miles a day.

[PistonAFC]

A ford fiesta 1.0 ecoboost turbo petrol

[ZX10R NIN]

If the car will be getting a good run then a diesel will be fine but if not then i'd look at a Fiesta 1.0T.