New Car Advice needed
Author
Discussion

Skosh

Original Poster:

72 posts

204 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Hi guys,

I currently drive a 1.6 petrol Mk6 Fiesta Zetec S and I currently average about 41mpg. My driving consists of mainly country roads on the way to work, a small amount of in town driving and I expect a lot more motorway miles since I will now be travelling to Barnsley on a semi regular basis from just outside Glasgow. At present my car costs about £50 to fill and I get about 400 miles from a full tank.

To give you an idea of my driving style, I try to keep below 3000 rpm most of the time so I don't tend to get above 55 mph on the way work but on the motorway I try as much as possible to stick to 70/75 but like most I sometimes stray over this.

The reason for this post is I am currently looking to change car to something more economical. I want a car that will return between 55-60 mpg for a top end budget of £10k ( obviously the cheaper the better) I would prefer it to be 2007 or newer. I don't want something that is tedious to drive, I am still young and do like a car that I can drive with some enthusiasm when the moment takes me. My brother made a similar decision and traded in a Corsa Vxr for. Fiesta 1.4 tdci and it is absolutely gutless.

So far I have looked at things such as A3 2.0tdi, Ibiza Cupra 1.9 tdi and Leon Fr 2.0 tdi, on paper all should have pretty impressive performance with economy to match but doing some more research it seems that they actually aren't as frugal as the manufacturers claim so the extra cost of diesel wouldn't be justifiable.

I would appreciate any help as normally economy is not something I look for in a car so this is completely new to me.

Thanks.

Arthur Daley

269 posts

175 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Another Zetec S but the MK6 diesel variant, good cars. Another left field option would be a smart roadster, great fun to drive with fantastic handling, mine did 55mpg...

plfrench

3,776 posts

285 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
For info, I get around 48mpg (calculated rather than from on-board display) from my A3 2.0 TDi 140 without trying (company car, fuel card). This is a mixture of motorway (60%), rural (20%), urban (20%).

If you tried and drove how you describe you drive your Fiesta, I'm sure you'd manage mid 50s.

wiliferus

4,183 posts

215 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Fabia VRS, no question. Mid 50's easily for you driving style, reasonable amount of punch for the size of car, and good build quality.

Get it bought. yes

wiliferus

4,183 posts

215 months

Skosh

Original Poster:

72 posts

204 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
What's the Fiesta Zetec s tdci like? Does it have any punch at all? I want something that will happily cruise but doesn't take much to get going. I live in the country so sometimes need a burst of acceleration to overtake when a small gap presents itself.

The Fabia Vrs would be ideal if, and I don't mean to offend, it looked good. I've just never fancied them.

superlightr

12,916 posts

280 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
the cost to change -v- saving in fuel econ would be the footprint of a knats arse.

veevee

1,458 posts

168 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Even if you double your economy, it's going to take a long time to make up 10k!

LuS1fer

42,752 posts

262 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
So all these cars are far more expensive and yet you're "saving money". Really?

Can you bear the tedium of a diesel?
If it has DPF issues, have you got the money to change it (my tyrefitter reckons Mazda want £1500 to replace the on on his Mazda 5). have you done the sums with the higher price of diesel and checked relative servicing costs?

Skosh

Original Poster:

72 posts

204 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
I'll be trading in my car though so it's not a full £10k initial outlay.

Skosh

Original Poster:

72 posts

204 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
LuS1fer I'm researching all that the moment which is why I need something that averages high mpg since it will be probably cost an extra £25-30 to fill up the tank everytime.

Servicing etc is not much of a big problem as I have someone that sorts that out for me but yeah understand that parts, tyres etc will cost more.

Deerfoot

5,078 posts

201 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Skosh said:
The Fabia Vrs would be ideal if, and I don't mean to offend, it looked good. I've just never fancied them.
Me neither. That`s why I bought one of these.....

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3671546.htm

All the benefits of the Fabia (same 130bhp PD unit) in a more discreet package. I`ve put 30,000 miles on it in the last 15 months and apart from replacement of the front console bushes and a pair of front tyres it hasn`t missed a beat. I`ve averaged 55 mpg as well.

plfrench

3,776 posts

285 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Deerfoot said:
Skosh said:
The Fabia Vrs would be ideal if, and I don't mean to offend, it looked good. I've just never fancied them.
Me neither. That`s why I bought one of these.....

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3671546.htm

All the benefits of the Fabia (same 130bhp PD unit) in a more discreet package. I`ve put 30,000 miles on it in the last 15 months and apart from replacement of the front console bushes and a pair of front tyres it hasn`t missed a beat. I`ve averaged 55 mpg as well.
Or in a similar vein, but with the 160ps engine:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

wiliferus

4,183 posts

215 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
plfrench said:
Deerfoot said:
Skosh said:
The Fabia Vrs would be ideal if, and I don't mean to offend, it looked good. I've just never fancied them.
Me neither. That`s why I bought one of these.....

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3671546.htm

All the benefits of the Fabia (same 130bhp PD unit) in a more discreet package. I`ve put 30,000 miles on it in the last 15 months and apart from replacement of the front console bushes and a pair of front tyres it hasn`t missed a beat. I`ve averaged 55 mpg as well.
Or in a similar vein, but with the 160ps engine:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
Never realised they did the Ibiza with 160ps! Must go like a bloody stabbed rat. Want.

plfrench

3,776 posts

285 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
wiliferus said:
Never realised they did the Ibiza with 160ps! Must go like a bloody stabbed rat. Want.
For some reason they always seemed to let Seat have the most fun! The petrol Cupra had 180ps - you could only get that with the Polo GTi Cup which wasn't sold for very long.

veevee

1,458 posts

168 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Skosh said:
LuS1fer I'm researching all that the moment which is why I need something that averages high mpg since it will be probably cost an extra £25-30 to fill up the tank everytime.

Servicing etc is not much of a big problem as I have someone that sorts that out for me but yeah understand that parts, tyres etc will cost more.
Mum and Dad? hehe

You realise if it costs an extra £25-£30 to fill up the tank each time, you'll have an extra £25-£30 of petrol? Don't get why you'll need more MPG because the car has a bigger fuel tank?

Skosh

Original Poster:

72 posts

204 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Not mum and dad, no.

I understand that but if I only get an extra 200 miles, which is the same as a half tank at present then it's redundant because that would cost me £25 anyway.

wiliferus

4,183 posts

215 months

Monday 27th February 2012
quotequote all
Skosh said:
Not mum and dad, no.

I understand that but if I only get an extra 200 miles, which is the same as a half tank at present then it's redundant because that would cost me £25 anyway.
I don't understand the £25 extra a tank theory. Dirty diesel is about 10p a more p/l. The type of car you are looking at is going to have approx 50 litre tank. So thats a fiver more, for 150-200 more miles. Financially it does make sense from a monthly outgoings point of view, but as pointed out, you'll never make you money back for the extra you'll pay for a diesel car in the first place.

I run a diesel BTW for exactly that reason - monthly outgoings. It does make a difference believe me.

ETA - Sorry, didn't want to turn the OP's thread into a petrol vs diesel thread again, I think thats been done!



Edited by wiliferus on Monday 27th February 21:05