Oil burners not worth buying
56,373 miles before a diesel car shows savings
Buying a shopping car? Diesel's only worth it for high milers, says new research. Used car buyers tempted by frugal diesels could have to do up to 56,373 miles before reaping the financial benefit of the fuel savings they believe are on offer, with high fuel tax a significant factor.
New research by used car magazine, WiseBuyers, explodes the myth that choosing a diesel automatically drives down the cost of motoring compared to a petrol alternative. On average, the cost of buying a used diesel is between 8-12 per cent higher than its petrol equivalent. And service costs for some diesel models are higher, too. As a result owners need to complete thousands of miles before they break even.
WiseBuyer’s data shows that a twelve-month-old Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi LX typically costs £1,150 more on the forecourt than its 1.6 LX petrol alternative. Although the former records an average 53.3 mpg compared to 40.9 mpg for the petrol version, the actual fuel cost saving is only 2.04 pence per mile travelled. So owners would need to complete 56,373 miles before fuel savings recoup the extra cost of buying a diesel.
Even a small city car, the Volkswagen Lupo 1.4 TDi PD Sport, which costs just £350 more than its 1.4 Sport petrol cousin, needs 14,286 miles to be covered before you start benefiting from the more economical diesel engine.
Purchasing a seven-seater Ford Galaxy 1.9 TDi Zetec diesel would demand the owner completing 43,237 miles before matching the £1,950 cheaper 2.3 Zetec petrol equivalent.
Nic Barfield, editor of WiseBuyer’s, says that too few motorists hunting for a used car take into consideration the true cost of buying a diesel. "For someone who only does 10,000 miles a year, a diesel may not be the best option. As the research shows, it could take up to five years of average motoring to start feeling the financial benefit of the fuel savings."
Diesel sales have accelerated over the past five years, from 14.1 per cent market share in 2000 to an estimated 33 per cent in 2004, levels similar to those consistently enjoyed in the rest of Europe.
However, diesel fuel on the Continent is significantly cheaper, meaning that car price differences are eroded very quickly," explains Barfield. "Manufacturers have done a fantastic job in advancing diesel technology and improving its appeal. Unfortunately, a great deal of their good work is undone by the tax policy of the British Government."
Purchase price wasnt the issue for me. Lower running costs ( FUEL) each month were.
Diesel has its place. 97% of figures are made up anyway.
My car is a Skoda Octavia Combi TDi. The difference between a fully loaded petrol version (1.6i) and the 1.9TDi is around £1,300. At three years old this difference has increased to around £2,500! Diesels need less maintenance I guess. My overall fuel consumption is between 48 and 50 mpg. Much cheaper to own than the petrol version.
Performance is reasonable, but not quick, its cruises really well, and for a diesel is very quiet.
Given i do about 16000 a year getting more than twice as many miles a month from the same volumn of fuel! its bit more than a 12% difference
The government claims high fuel taxes are for the environment but my example above ably demonstrates it not to be true.
I previously owned an Alfa 147 1.6 (120bhp). Then I swapped for a 147 JTD (115bhp version). The difference in cost was around £3300. From 0-60, 0.1 sec slower and less 1 mile/hour top speed.
To fill up the tank on the petrol car I have to spend £40. On the diesel, £32 (around 20% less). But the more interesting part, is that with the petrol, I did around 300 miles with a tank (I have a heavy right foot). But in the diesel, 450 miles with the same driving is more than the usual.
This was money wise. Now, driving pleasure wise, it's a tricky thing.
On the long journeys, the torque is great for effortless driving. Overtaking, in particular (5th over 60 miles/h does it very convincingly). For high speed highway trips, the diesel is more quiet than the stressed 1.6 (around 5.000 rpm the engine makes quite a sound... but after 100 miles, you feel that you could ear something else). Add a 6th gear on newer diesel models, and the difference must be enormous.
On those great B roads, there is no comparison. The 1.6 is lighter, the throttle much more responsive... The sound is great. The fuel consumption appalling... But great fun... In the diesel, you can go almost as fast... but the car behavior isn't that fun, with the heavier engine on the front axel.
So in the end, I think I made a good choice... but I miss the 1.6 for that little pleasure run on my favorite road...
Best regards,
VP
I appreciate the torwue benefits of diesel (I used to tow with my Cherokee TD and has to check the mirror on hills to make sur ethe trailer was still attached!), but was out with a chum in his 320cd at the weekend who showed it to have a turn of speed, but voiced frustration at the limited rev range and reluctance to pick up/drop revs over a well sorted petrol performance unit. We agreed that kind of stuff feels important when you are trying to make real progress cross-country.
You would think that at some point, governments would learn to live within their budgets just like we have to. I don't know one that does, so in the mean time they keep topping up stealth taxes thinking no one will notice.
When large companies like Sanesburys start basing their lorries in France to avoid the high cost of diesel, you would think that someone would notice? Not a chance.
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