Buy diesel or not? Advising a friend.
Discussion
I'd look closely at the Dacia Logan 1.5DCi Laureate, for £12k its fully loaded with all the toys, will return 50-60mpg and has a huge boot.
If she wants to push the budget an extra grand they have just released the Logan Stepway, basically the Logan with raised ride height / driving position, body protectors/arches, roof rails etc. It really is a cracking looking car and I think it will rapidly become their biggest seller.
If she wants to push the budget an extra grand they have just released the Logan Stepway, basically the Logan with raised ride height / driving position, body protectors/arches, roof rails etc. It really is a cracking looking car and I think it will rapidly become their biggest seller.
As a Dacia driver I would say they fit the criteria, cracking motors for the commute.
That said the prices are increasing for them, a top of the range Logan dci is 14K which is a bit of a joke for some tints and stilts.
Boggo ones are still fairly reasonable and the 1.5 dci is a belting unit for mile munching.
That said the prices are increasing for them, a top of the range Logan dci is 14K which is a bit of a joke for some tints and stilts.
Boggo ones are still fairly reasonable and the 1.5 dci is a belting unit for mile munching.
My friend got a second hand Ford Focus 1.6 diesel for about £8k, 50k miles on the clock. In the first year, his turbo failed catastrophically munching the engine in the process. Cost of 2nd hand engine was 2k. Then the turbo on that went. Then the EGR and DPF. So far in 3 years, 40k miles he has spent around £5k in repairs and maintenance. The 1.6 Ford diesel has a bad reputation. Maybe avoid a Ford Focus diesel estate?
Depending on how long she plans to keep her car and her mileage, both being average, I would recommend getting a normally aspirated petrol with a manual gearbox like a Mazda 3 everytime, especially 2nd hand at £12k. There is much less to go wrong. Modern diesels are quite complex bits of kit.
If she is buying 2nd hand at £12k, there is a good chance the turbo on any car (petrol or diesel) will need replacing during her ownership, costing £1000 +.
Depending on how long she plans to keep her car and her mileage, both being average, I would recommend getting a normally aspirated petrol with a manual gearbox like a Mazda 3 everytime, especially 2nd hand at £12k. There is much less to go wrong. Modern diesels are quite complex bits of kit.
If she is buying 2nd hand at £12k, there is a good chance the turbo on any car (petrol or diesel) will need replacing during her ownership, costing £1000 +.
Edited by wyson on Thursday 31st August 10:07
Skoda Octavia. I have a newish 66 plate 1.6 TDi with just over 6000 miles. No problems so far. Does 500 miles on a a tank, is comfortable and masses of room. Good quality car which feels more solid than a Golf. I did consider a Auris like the previous poster but this car came along at the right price. Haven't regretted it one bit. Octavia. Worth a look and plenty around.
Threadbear said:
Skoda Octavia. I have a newish 66 plate 1.6 TDi with just over 6000 miles. No problems so far. Does 500 miles on a a tank, is comfortable and masses of room. Good quality car which feels more solid than a Golf. I did consider a Auris like the previous poster but this car came along at the right price. Haven't regretted it one bit. Octavia. Worth a look and plenty around.
Amen bro.. 
I have an '03 Octavia Elegance 1.9tdi. Awesome car, its a hatchback with an estate load capacity (takes a full size pallet in the back), mega reliable, comfy, roomy, 60-70mpg, £115 tax, good sound system, stacker, cruise, aircon etc.. We trip from Ayrshire to the south coast regularly in it. It gets a full tank of diesel in Dumfries for £55 and we use 3/4 of that to get to Bognor Regis 500 miles later.
I was going to suggest a Skoda Roomster 1.6tdi with the same low tax and great economy. Great car in every respect, tons of room and load space and big rear side windows for the passengers to look out if you take it on a touring trip. Yes, it looks a bit odd, but once you get to know it, you'll wonder why you didn't buy one before. I'd have one myself, but my Octavia's only got 260k miles on it.. Not fully run in yet.
king pedal powered bike innitI'm a driver and a biker. Most of the time, i am forced to overtake diesels as they chug smoke in my face. i would personally thank her to buy petrol.
My Fiesta ST2 does 38mpg which is plenty for me.
My mother has a petrol Focus 1.6 and that has been very reliable over the 5 years she has owned it.
My Fiesta ST2 does 38mpg which is plenty for me.
My mother has a petrol Focus 1.6 and that has been very reliable over the 5 years she has owned it.
LuS1fer said:
I'm a driver and a biker. Most of the time, i am forced to overtake diesels as they chug smoke in my face. i would personally thank her to buy petrol.
My Fiesta ST2 does 38mpg which is plenty for me.
My mother has a petrol Focus 1.6 and that has been very reliable over the 5 years she has owned it.
And petrol blows carcinogens.My Fiesta ST2 does 38mpg which is plenty for me.
My mother has a petrol Focus 1.6 and that has been very reliable over the 5 years she has owned it.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/1705...
Pica-Pica said:
And petrol blows carcinogens.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/1705...
I'll still take the petrol.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/1705...
ecain63 said:
They bought a 16 plate Kia Cee'd in the end. 11k miles with 7 years warranty (got topped up in the deal) and the dealer took their old French wreck for £400 off the price. It would appear they are happy.
So the 7 years warranty 'benefit'Have it serviced by Kia for 7 years @ top rates?... Google customer experiences of this fantastic scheme
£400 px?
A pretty poor deal TBH..
Tony427 said:
ecain63 said:
Jag_NE said:
on the assumption that she sees a car solely as a means of transport and wants to solely minimise costs and grief, something like a Toyota auris hybrid would be ideal. At 12k you would get something with a big chunk of the 5 year warranty left, strong reliability, negligible road tax and extremely strong MPG assuming she isn't hammering it down motorways all day at 90. very practical, 5 door hatch, probably all the car you need for 99% of occasions. and about as un-pistonheads as it gets!
Thanks, that's the sort of answer I was looking for.Occasionally I get to drive it at weekends and can improve the MPG past 55 on a run and the car is quite enjoyable to drive as it has more mid range grunt than my 2.4 5 pot Volvo. 6th gear is useless under 60 mph but on the motoway the car is a lovely cruiser.
We got 4.5 years and 95,000 miles of the warranty remaining when we bought the car for bang on your budget.
The car was an excellent choice for us. Highly recommended.
Cheers,
Tony
If you haven't considered it yet, take a look at an Accord Tourer. The 2.2 Diesel is smooth, reliable and good on torque. It's spacious, easily accommodating five adults with all their limbs, and a lot more wrapped up in ornate carpets in the back. Add to the fact that is has steering is better than it has any right to be and, of course, a classic Honda snickety gearbox. A great all rounder. Look for a 2007 onwards model for extra stuff and the 6 Speed gearbox.
Edit: Never mind, and congrats on the Cee-apostrophe-d!
Edit: Never mind, and congrats on the Cee-apostrophe-d!
Edited by Riyvolution on Friday 22 September 21:48
300bhp/ton said:
Do you honestly believe the Government in all their wisdom will alienate their voting public by excessively hammering them with tax on an overnight change?
"In all their wisdom"... LOL! They are indeed arrogant enough to believe they are wise. And probably also wise enough to go for the objective in a more subtle way than simply doubling the road fund overnight. It will be a multi-pronged attack, ramped up slowly but surely over time so people don't have a sharp shock to get properly worked up over. They will most probably tax several points simultaneously i.e the fuel itself (possible exemption for red diesel), VAT on the actual car itself etc.
ecain63 said:
My wife's friend is in the market for a sub £12k car for her family and commute. The only criteria are that it has to be reliable, economical and low on the road fund. She's looking at a Focus sized vehicle, probably an estate. My first thoughts are:
A new Kia. They offer great warranty and for her needs it ticks boxes ref value.
Dacia: As above.
The question is, should she look at diesels or avoid due to the possibility of them being hammered tax and costs wise in a few years?
Your help is much appreciated.
Eddie
My advice is if she is a high mileage driver and does a lot of long runs then diesel would be ok, if however she doesn't do many miles and/or does a lot of town work then petrol would be betterA new Kia. They offer great warranty and for her needs it ticks boxes ref value.
Dacia: As above.
The question is, should she look at diesels or avoid due to the possibility of them being hammered tax and costs wise in a few years?
Your help is much appreciated.
Eddie
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