2nd hand petrol car for £3k, main priotity - high true mpg

[benmango]

Any advice on the above? Obviously something that isn't horrifically dull to drive would be a plus, but the priority is fuel efficiency as I currently drive 450 miles a week.

Have been looking for weeks and no idea what to go for!
A lot of petrol cars seem to promise excellent mpg but when I've looked into it the "Real MPG" has been considerably less. My current petrol car (Suzuki Swift 1.5 GLX '08) has done fine, but is on it's way out due to a myriad of impending expensive issues.

Any recommendations with proven decent mpg figures?
As above, cars which aren't slow and dull to drive are preferred, though I appreciate this is often counter-intuitive vs decent mpg!

Would prefer a Real MPG of upper 40s, even higher if possible. I don't know if Honestjohn's Real MPG calculator is accurate but most petrol cars I've looked at struggle to top this.

Edit: just to add, open to any/all types of car really, saloon, supermini, etc. Unfortunately can't buy a hybrid due to charging practicalities.

Thanks,
Ben

Edited by benmango on Sunday 30th June 11:45

[anonymous-user]

sweet spot would be 50mpg you would still be looking at 2.5k per year fuel, but at least another 1k in tyres and consumables, so need to focus on reliability and cost to run,as well as mpg.

I did 20k in an Octavia was a good car to much miles. Surprised you not look at diesels. I had a megane 1.5 dci did 60mpg easy and not bad just grating engine noise.

[benmango]

ash73 said:

Define decent, what is your minimum mpg?

Ah, yes, I have just updated op with details.

In my research, a lot of cars have 50+ on mpg claims, but reality seems to be reported to be a lot less.

Thesprucegoose said:

sweet spot would be 50mpg you would still be looking at 2.5k per year fuel, but at least another 1k in tyres and consumables, so need to focus on reliability and cost to run,as well as mpg.

I did 20k in an Octavia was a good car to much miles. Surprised you not look at diesels. I had a megane 1.5 dci did 60mpg easy and not bad just grating engine noise.

I had considered Diesel for a long while, but I drive into the ULEZ zone (or at least, the expanded ULEZ zone coming in a few years) so thinking petrol would be best (for now at least).

[anonymous-user]

Thesprucegoose said:

Surprised you not look at diesels. I had a megane 1.5 dci did 60mpg easy and not bad just grating engine noise.

I currently have an 07 Megane 1.5 dci, £30 annual Road tax and last tank was 690 miles for £64 of diesel.

I agree the engine is not the quietest, but mine is the 5 speed 86 bhp version, I am sure the 6 speed 106 bhp will be better on the motorway.

I have been thinking about upgrading for a while now and have looked at a golf 2.0 tdi and Mercedes c220 cdi. I was actually surprised how agricultural these engines felt as the Renault 1.5 dci is quieter and smoother.

I would probably spend the money on a mk3 megane or scenic 1.5 dci. I am sure the savings in fuel and road tax would pay for the car.

[samoht]

benmango said:

Unfortunately can't buy a hybrid due to charging practicalities.

Hybrids like the Prius don't charge from the mains, you drive them just like a normal petrol car, then the electric motor fills in and keep the petrol engine in its efficiency sweet spot more of the time.

I think the optimum answer may be an original 00-06 Honda Insight, because not only is it hybrid, it's also very small cross-section and aerodynamic, so is apparently up in the 60-70mpg range at a steady motorway cruise - assuming that's the sort of driving you're doing.

Not sure how the batteries are holding up 15 years on, though. Also seems to be a little bit above your price range tbh (£4k upwards), although set against that is fuel savings and likely low/zero depreciation.

[anonymous-user]

ive found parkers combined figure a good indicator of mpg, as well as fuelly.

I would stick with vag, so a Fabia 1.2 tsi ticks a lot of boxes for you.

[ZX10R NIN]

benmango said:

Any advice on the above? Obviously something that isn't horrifically dull to drive would be a plus, but the priority is fuel efficiency as I currently drive 450 miles a week.

Have been looking for weeks and no idea what to go for!
A lot of petrol cars seem to promise excellent mpg but when I've looked into it the "Real MPG" has been considerably less. My current petrol car (Suzuki Swift 1.5 GLX '08) has done fine, but is on it's way out due to a myriad of impending expensive issues.

Any recommendations with proven decent mpg figures?
As above, cars which aren't slow and dull to drive are preferred, though I appreciate this is often counter-intuitive vs decent mpg!

Would prefer a Real MPG of upper 40s, even higher if possible. I don't know if Honestjohn's Real MPG calculator is accurate but most petrol cars I've looked at struggle to top this.

Edit: just to add, open to any/all types of car really, saloon, supermini, etc. Unfortunately can't buy a hybrid due to charging practicalities.

Thanks,
Ben

Obviously your type of journey will have the biggest impact on your economy but if you're doing that many miles a year I'd buy a good diesel with your price point you can get a well proven reliable non dpf diesel that will be real world 45-50mpg especially considering there's now only a 2p difference in fuel, also you'll want something with a turbo if it's petrol just for the torque which will help you get nearer to your ideal fuel number if you go for a petrol.

My diesel suggestions are these:

Alfa 147 the 1.9d engine is well proven & you get a nice well appointed car too:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Skoda Fabia VRS

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Punto 1.9d Sporting

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

1.6d

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Something like a 1.4T Mito will do a real world 44mpg:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

The 147 Ducati Sport with the LSD is an interesting option.

[benmango]

Many thanks all, useful advice. I might revisit getting a diesel (at least for a few years until ULEZ comes in). Was just put off by reports of issues with diesels = big £ to repair.

I assume if I go for a full service history & well looked after vehicle then risks would be lower?

[loskie]

S60 2.4 D would be a good call

[ZX10R NIN]

benmango said:

Many thanks all, useful advice. I might revisit getting a diesel (at least for a few years until ULEZ comes in). Was just put off by reports of issues with diesels = big £ to repair.

I assume if I go for a full service history & well looked after vehicle then risks would be lower?

That's for those people who bought a diesel & were doing short journeys, for someone like yourself who's doing the miles then a diesel will be fine, yes go for a car with good history lots of receipts etc.

[Terzo123]

I bought a Peugeot 207 1.4 petrol earlier this year to keep the miles off my C63.

If Im mainly doing motorway miles and stick to 50 mph I can get high 40's. Generally though I'll stick to 70 mph and manage 44 mpg. That's over the course of a few months.

If I just use the car about town, i get 40 mpg.

Hateful thing to drive compared to the merc, and even the wifes Leon. But for 400 quid, I'll not complain.

[nickofh]

Civic 1.8 vtec? Solid reliability and acceptable performance for 40mpg.

Maybe this, others are available.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-civic-1-8-v-tec-i...

[QuartzDad]

Our '08 Nissan Note 1.6 Auto returns a true 46mpg on my current 240 mile round trip commute.

Excitement free zone, but ridiculously reliable and our costs over and above oil, filters, tyres, wipers etc. for the last 6 years and 60,000 miles has been £0.

[Phunk]

I have a £3k 05 Prius, 50-60MPG, £10 road tax, no timing belt to change, buttons to service, loads of room, cruise, nav, bluetooth and despite the wife's best efforts - indestructible.

[ZX10R NIN]

Diesel wise if you can live with a real world 45-50mpg I'd actually recommend a C/CLK270/220 but you'll have to add a remap/K&N replacement filter all help with the above figure otherwise it's 40-44mpg is the real world number:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

CLK

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[A500leroy]

toyota iq?

[peterperkins]

samoht said:

I think the optimum answer may be an original 00-06 Honda Insight, because not only is it hybrid, it's also very small cross-section and aerodynamic, so is apparently up in the 60-70mpg range at a steady motorway cruise - assuming that's the sort of driving you're doing.

This is the correct answer if you want ultimate mpg.

The manual cars will deliver mpg around 70mpg at 70mph, or 80mpg at 60mph, or 90mpg at 50mph and vice versa. e.g 60mpg at 80mph etc.