24,000 miles a year but don't want a diesel!
Discussion
Bit of background. Past 2 cars Yaris T-sport, now a mk2 Clio 1.6
Doing about 24k miles a year. Probably 60% of the time motorways. Seems a hell of a lot of mileage for small hatchbacks.
Want something a bit comfier, that does a bit better mpg. Currently getting 38mpg or so. Wouldn't like anything too huge and have an irrational hatred of diesels.
Needs 4+ seats
Any suggestions?
Doing about 24k miles a year. Probably 60% of the time motorways. Seems a hell of a lot of mileage for small hatchbacks.
Want something a bit comfier, that does a bit better mpg. Currently getting 38mpg or so. Wouldn't like anything too huge and have an irrational hatred of diesels.
Needs 4+ seats
Any suggestions?
1)Large and comfy,
2)Petrol,
3)Fuel efficient
Pick any two
Some sort of Korean/Japanese hybrid would probably get you some of what you want. What's your budget? You could go for a newer hybrid which will fulfill all 3 of the criteria to some degree but will cost in depreciation, or you go for something older and comfier (BMW, Audi etc) but what you save in purchase price you pay at the petrol pump.
2)Petrol,
3)Fuel efficient
Pick any two
Some sort of Korean/Japanese hybrid would probably get you some of what you want. What's your budget? You could go for a newer hybrid which will fulfill all 3 of the criteria to some degree but will cost in depreciation, or you go for something older and comfier (BMW, Audi etc) but what you save in purchase price you pay at the petrol pump.
covmutley said:
Amateurish said:
Daily mileage? Could suit a Nissan Leaf?
I had a BMW i3 rex when I was doing 25k miles a year. At this story of mileage, electric cars can make good financial sense. I was saving £150-£200 a month in fuel costs. FiringOnThree said:
have an irrational hatred of diesels.
Well that's just stupid.FiringOnThree said:
Any suggestions?
Counselling? 
Seriously though, when cruising at speed I bet you'd be hard pushed to tell a diesel from a petrol these days. Except for if you look at the mpg indicator.
FiringOnThree said:
covmutley said:
Budget?
This might have helped! Killing off a few of the previous suggestions, looking around £3k, with room to push a bit higher. Honestly I suspect you'll struggle to better what you've been driving mpg wise if you want to stick with petrol.
What sorts of speeds do you sit at? Cruising at 60-65mph might give some decent improvements. But over 40mpg MEAN average from a petrol is likely a tall order.
I run a 2017 Smart ForTwo (out of your budget). I've averaged 44-46mpg over 30,000 miles in it. It will do 55-62mpg, but you have to drive it very carefully and it's hard work.
My brother runs a 3-4 year Mazda 3 saloon with the 2.0 litre petrol engine. He has been averaging 45mpg in it, which I think is pretty darn good all things considering. This is better than his Prius managed for similar use. The Prius was ok for local and town use. But at motorway speed it was just a big heavy car, with a small petrol engine lugging around an electric motor.
I suspect you should be able to get a more comfy petrol car and still retain mid 30's mpg easily enough. Even something like a Mondeo or Omega for example.
But for mpg diesel really is the way tbh. I ran a diesel X-Type Jag for a while. Very comfy and most of the time you'd have been hard pushed to know it was a diesel. 45-50mpg without needing to try.
"irrational hatred of diesels."
Countered by the rational hatred of burning money. Your chakras are aligned. Seek the One Oily Truth.
Current 2016 VAG TDi BlueMotion, VED £20. 65 mpg at 70 mph. 79 mpg at 50 mph in the roadworks. DSG7 auto, very torquey and quiet = great long distance cruiser, 650+ miles tank range. Other brands are available.
Downsides: Diesel is 10p a litre more. It smells funny. DPF and EGR issues for some. Possible future eco-city/parking taxes. Takes longer to warm up the cabin in winter. Not much fun on track days. No-one will come over to look at it in car parks.
Think the Prius hybrids are not so good on motorways, around 52 mpg. (?)
On the other hand, it's always difficult to save money by buying another car, unless you get one free.
Countered by the rational hatred of burning money. Your chakras are aligned. Seek the One Oily Truth.
Current 2016 VAG TDi BlueMotion, VED £20. 65 mpg at 70 mph. 79 mpg at 50 mph in the roadworks. DSG7 auto, very torquey and quiet = great long distance cruiser, 650+ miles tank range. Other brands are available.
Downsides: Diesel is 10p a litre more. It smells funny. DPF and EGR issues for some. Possible future eco-city/parking taxes. Takes longer to warm up the cabin in winter. Not much fun on track days. No-one will come over to look at it in car parks.
Think the Prius hybrids are not so good on motorways, around 52 mpg. (?)
On the other hand, it's always difficult to save money by buying another car, unless you get one free.
I have a petrol Saab 9-3 aero paid £500 for it.
I do 30k a year. I know diesel would be better but I hate diesels as well and now with london charge I would have to pay £12 a day 365 days a year unless it’s a very new diesel.
Anyway mine does 42mpg at a steady 60mph GPS. 70mph around 38mpg depending on outside temperature. Once I get above 80 it drops quickly but even at 90 will still do 30mpg. What kills mpg is hard acceleration.
I do 30k a year. I know diesel would be better but I hate diesels as well and now with london charge I would have to pay £12 a day 365 days a year unless it’s a very new diesel.
Anyway mine does 42mpg at a steady 60mph GPS. 70mph around 38mpg depending on outside temperature. Once I get above 80 it drops quickly but even at 90 will still do 30mpg. What kills mpg is hard acceleration.
Aiminghigh123 said:
I have a petrol Saab 9-3 aero paid £500 for it.
I do 30k a year. I know diesel would be better but I hate diesels as well and now with london charge I would have to pay £12 a day 365 days a year unless it’s a very new diesel.
Anyway mine does 42mpg at a steady 60mph GPS. 70mph around 38mpg depending on outside temperature. Once I get above 80 it drops quickly but even at 90 will still do 30mpg. What kills mpg is hard acceleration.
Those mpg figures are interesting. But sadly irrelevant. What do you average over a tank or over a months worth of driving? It’s the mean average you attain that dictates how much fuel. And ultimately how much money you need to pour into the tank. I do 30k a year. I know diesel would be better but I hate diesels as well and now with london charge I would have to pay £12 a day 365 days a year unless it’s a very new diesel.
Anyway mine does 42mpg at a steady 60mph GPS. 70mph around 38mpg depending on outside temperature. Once I get above 80 it drops quickly but even at 90 will still do 30mpg. What kills mpg is hard acceleration.
Not meaning it in a nasty way. But such claims are just misleading when people are looking for new cars and trying to figure out running costs or real world mpg.
Slushbox said:
"irrational hatred of diesels."
Countered by the rational hatred of burning money. Your chakras are aligned. Seek the One Oily Truth.
Current 2016 VAG TDi BlueMotion, VED £20. 65 mpg at 70 mph. 79 mpg at 50 mph in the roadworks. DSG7 auto, very torquey and quiet = great long distance cruiser, 650+ miles tank range. Other brands are available.
Downsides: Diesel is 10p a litre more. It smells funny. DPF and EGR issues for some. Possible future eco-city/parking taxes. Takes longer to warm up the cabin in winter. Not much fun on track days. No-one will come over to look at it in car parks.
Think the Prius hybrids are not so good on motorways, around 52 mpg. (?)
On the other hand, it's always difficult to save money by buying another car, unless you get one free.
VAG? What's wrong with calling it a VW?Countered by the rational hatred of burning money. Your chakras are aligned. Seek the One Oily Truth.
Current 2016 VAG TDi BlueMotion, VED £20. 65 mpg at 70 mph. 79 mpg at 50 mph in the roadworks. DSG7 auto, very torquey and quiet = great long distance cruiser, 650+ miles tank range. Other brands are available.
Downsides: Diesel is 10p a litre more. It smells funny. DPF and EGR issues for some. Possible future eco-city/parking taxes. Takes longer to warm up the cabin in winter. Not much fun on track days. No-one will come over to look at it in car parks.
Think the Prius hybrids are not so good on motorways, around 52 mpg. (?)
On the other hand, it's always difficult to save money by buying another car, unless you get one free.
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