Regular 2.5 mile commute, is a diesel a good idea?

[singlecoil]

I don't know much about diesel cars, never had one, I understand that they have dpf filters which clog up if they don't get hot enough. My daily commute is two and a half miles there, then the same back when I finish work nine or so hours later. I rarely do any longer journeys. I'm probably going to need to replace my (petrol) car soon and there's a lot more choice if I include diesels.

The new(er) car will probably be a 'shed' type, 8 to 15 years old. Good idea?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

My commute is 2.5miles. I'm in a borrowed 1.8tdci Focus.

It's not even warmed up one bit setting off.

Get a 1.0 Aygo/C1 or Toyota Signet or Fourtwo.

[Earthdweller]

In a word, no

Diesels aren’t great for that kind of use at all, stick with a petrol

[Spare tyre]

I’d seriously consider a Citroen ami!

[magpie215]

2.5 miles....I'd suggest a bicycle

[Alex Z]

At that age, it probably won’t have a dpf but it’s still not ideal for a diesel.
Considered a pedal bike?

[Drezza]

What's the point?

More expensive to buy, more to go wrong, more expensive to fix, more expensive to run for short journeys... there's no upside.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Honda PCX125 scooter?

[valiant]

30 minute walk?

But seriously, no. Your car will never warm up and stuff will get clogged.

[WhiskyDisco]

Onc you start riding a bicycle, day in day out, whatever the weather, you will begin to realise that it is the best form of transport for anything less a 5 mile commute.

[Gweeds]

Can you walk that?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

WhiskyDisco said:

Onc you start riding a bicycle, day in day out, whatever the weather, you will begin to realise that it is the best form of transport for anything less a 5 mile commute.

5am yesterday morning it was-2/ice everywhere. Feck that.

5am this morning it was 1 degree and raining. Feck that.

Tomorrow its torrential at 5am.

Maybe next week..

[MrGTI6]

Ignore the comments telling you to walk unless it's something you were considering anyway. I'm in my twenties and I'm fit and healthy, yet I drive a mile each way to work. Does that make me a lazy ? Probably. So what?

My car's a petrol, though I have used diesels for the same commute with no issues.

That's not to say the diesels would ever get up to temp, but I tend to cover long distances at the weekends or in the evenings which would have helped in that regard.

I reckon an Aygo/C1/107 would be perfect for you so long as the size isn't an issue. Brilliant little cars.

[Gweeds]

MrGTI6 said:

Ignore the comments telling you to walk. I'm in my twenties and I'm fit and healthy, yet I drive a mile each way to work. Does that make me a lazy ? Probably. So what?

My car's a petrol, though I have used diesels for the same commute with no issues.

That's not to say the diesels would ever get up to temp, but I tend to cover long distances at the weekends or in the evenings which would have helped in that regard.

I reckon an Aygo/C1/107 would be perfect for you so long as the size isn't an issue. Brilliant little cars.

Why ignore them? Driving a mile is pretty sad.

[keo]

Driving a mile is ridiculous to be honest. As suggested I would get an Aygo/ 107.

[PH User]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

WhiskyDisco said:

Onc you start riding a bicycle, day in day out, whatever the weather, you will begin to realise that it is the best form of transport for anything less a 5 mile commute.

5am yesterday morning it was-2/ice everywhere. Feck that.

5am this morning it was 1 degree and raining. Feck that.

Tomorrow its torrential at 5am.

Maybe next week..

Exactly, cycling is nice when the weather is decent. You can spend longer getting ready for a 2.5 mile ride than it would take to get there in the car!

[georgeyboy12345]

To be fair, walking 2.5 miles would take the best part of an hour each way, so screw that. Cycling, it'd only take 15 minutes though. On the other hand, sometimes it's raining and I'm sure you'll need the car for other things too. Don't get a diesel, here are some better ideas for shed money.

Ford Focus 1.6 Sport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202072...


Fiat Panda 1.1
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202102...


Mitsubishi Colt 1.3
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201281...

[singlecoil]

The walking/cycling thing would appear on the face of it to be the healthy option, except that it's an A road with plenty of relatively slow moving traffic, and it's not a pleasant walk because of the roadside fumes.

In any case I frequently have to transport parcels etc from home to work and a car is the only practical solution.

It will need to be a large car too, currently thinking along the lines of a Grand Voyager as very occasionally I have to move a couple of kitchen cabinets.

I gather I'm better to stick to petrol, I thought I would ask first in case the diesel option might have worked.

[FilH]

2.5 miles each way? At the bare minimum you require a V8 petrol car of some sort, even cold and at its poorest consumption you should see 10mpg. So about £3 to get to work and back a day. Thats as cheep as using a bus ( if in London )

[MrGTI6]

singlecoil said:

It will need to be a large car too, currently thinking along the lines of a Grand Voyager as very occasionally I have to move a couple of kitchen cabinets.

Might be worth looking for a petrol Previa.

Gweeds said:

Driving a mile is pretty sad.

I can live with that. It beats walking.