I'm a ditherer and need help

[mikal83]

We bought a big comfortable diesel frog machine to do an occasional long journey oooop north to see relatives, maybe 3 times a year and pull a caravan around europe a coupla times also. And to pull a heavy trailer full of wood to deliver once a month.
Caravans gone, relatives passed away, cars playing up and maybe retired to the great salvage yard in the sky soon.
So that just leaves a car needed for mainly short journeys pulling/delivering logs and the occasional long journey and mainly short ones.
I do like the look of an Octavia estate. The 1.6 tdi does fantastic mpg and has a tow cap of 1500kg, plenty of tug, but its a diesel, therefor the devils chariot. The much rarer petrols are 1.4 and 1.5 tsi's around 10/15 mpg less. The bigger engined 1.8 tsi plenty of power but even worse mpg.
Prices are roughly the same, insurance/cost but tax for the tdi's are very low. I dont want to spend more than 7k. I currently do a max of 2k miles per year. We do have another clapped out smaller petrol car.

What other cars do YOU think I should be looking at. Should I just forget any diesel car? The Ford Focus seems a choice...... As you can read, looking ideally for a mid sized car not Superbs/mondeos etc, well maybe. No kids/dogs/old folks etc. Doesn't have to be an estate either come to think of it, the frog machine isnt.

Help appreciated.

Edited by mikal83 on Saturday 28th December 10:50

Edited by mikal83 on Saturday 28th December 11:07

[Macron]

I'd start with asking a question about car buying in the car buying folder.

[0ddball]

Mx5

[Squishey]

As you only do low annual mileage don't worry too much about MPG, do worry about maintenance costs and potential issues with your low mileage. A modern diesel car will have a DPF which can clog and cause problems due to the low use and infrequent motorway journeys (you'll need to do about 20 minutes of constant 50+ mph driving per week to allow the DPF to regenerate).

Personally, I would go for a larger capacity naturally aspirated petrol engine (1800cc+) which will have more than enough guts to pull your trailer but is less likely to cause you problems due to its relative simplicity.

[Baldchap]

Buy a shed diesel. Run it to death. Rinse, repeat.

[mikal83]

0ddball said:

Mx5

Didnt take long did it!

[mikal83]

Macron said:

I'd start with asking a question about car buying in the car buying folder.

Where it now is , cheers

[mikal83]

Squishey said:

As you only do low annual mileage don't worry too much about MPG, do worry about maintenance costs and potential issues with your low mileage. A modern diesel car will have a DPF which can clog and cause problems due to the low use and infrequent motorway journeys (you'll need to do about 20 minutes of constant 50+ mph driving per week to allow the DPF to regenerate).

Personally, I would go for a larger capacity naturally aspirated petrol engine (1800cc+) which will have more than enough guts to pull your trailer but is less likely to cause you problems due to its relative simplicity.

+ Baldey.

Many thanks to u both, good idea Baldey

[Who me ?]

Baldchap said:

Buy a shed diesel. Run it to death. Rinse, repeat.

Before doing that check cambelt replacement. Most disels need a cambelt every few years and a set mileage (whichever comes first). And it's quite a bit, unless you plan to have it changed after buy and run it till death/cambelt goes pop with pistons and valves

[Jag_NE]

2k miles a year?? Get a shed diesel estate for 1500 quid. Depreciation cost per mile will be crazy if you buy anything expensive.

I’d also forget the nonsense about 20 mins at 50 mph twice a week, there are numerous variables in play.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you're doing low miles then to a certain degree don't get to caught up with MPG especially when you can bag yourself something decent, do you need an Estate or would a large hatch fit the bill?

2.0T Mondeo Titanium X

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

2.5 Mazda6 Sport

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

VRS

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

Hatchbacks

Titanium X Sport

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

VRS Octavia

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

2.0 Mazda6 SE-L Nav

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

Leftfield Fuel Economy will take a hit:

3.6 Superb

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

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

Insignia VXR

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

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

2.5i Legacy

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

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

Infiniti M37 although these are saloons they have a huge boot

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

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

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Saturday 28th December 14:45

[ninepoint2]

Another vote for Octavia vRS in either saloon or estate guise and of course not diesel

[stevemcs]

The 1.6tdi will only return good mpg on a run, the trouble is they are a little lacking in power and you end up working them hard and use more fuel than a 2.0tdi, besides its not the most reliable of things and ever since VAG did the software update they made a bad car worse. The 1.8TSi has issues with the timing chain ....

Pesonally i'd go with a petrol engine Mondeo, there are some 1.6 ecoboosts about which would suit your needs although the 1.6 isn't without issues.

[mikal83]

Trouble is most cars above are full sized and am looking for a car smaller than Mondeos/Superbs/Passats etc. Nice reminder on the timing chain there. I would do an occasional high speed run to regen the dpf on a diesel if we get one.
Saltash car auction looks fave in early Jan to see wassup.

Cars like this, but the mileage.....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Octavia-Estate-2-...

Edited by mikal83 on Saturday 28th December 15:37

[OllieJolly]

The way I see it... that mileage/yr and a DPF equipped diesel and you'd be opening yourself up to a world of pain.

Even with the odd longer run, it's still not going to be happy. As I understand you'd be buying a diesel for the higher MPG, but I imagine that'd be negated by the DPF "clearing" drives alone. Plus the extra costs of servicing a diesel compared to petrol.

Also regenerations don't always happen when you desire, and when they fail your engine oil becomes diluted with diesel leading to further servicing needs.

[ZX10R NIN]

mikal83 said:

Trouble is most cars above are full sized and am looking for a car smaller than Mondeos/Superbs/Passats etc. Nice reminder on the timing chain there. I would do an occasional high speed run to regen the dpf on a diesel if we get one.
Saltash car auction looks fave in early Jan to see wassup.

Cars like this, but the mileage.....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Octavia-Estate-2-...

Edited by mikal83 on Saturday 28th December 15:37

You do know the Octavia is only 10cm shorter than a Mondeo, I would honestly say that to it sounds like you really don't need a diesel & the opportunity for extra bills out weighs the diesel saving.

If you're looking for the next size down then the Astra ticks a lot boxes:

1.4T Astra Elite Nav 150

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

1.4T SRI 125

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

Older gen

Astra Elite

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

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

[mikal83]

OllieJolly said:

The way I see it... that mileage/yr and a DPF equipped diesel and you'd be opening yourself up to a world of pain.

Even with the odd longer run, it's still not going to be happy. As I understand you'd be buying a diesel for the higher MPG, but I imagine that'd be negated by the DPF "clearing" drives alone. Plus the extra costs of servicing a diesel compared to petrol.

Also regenerations don't always happen when you desire, and when they fail your engine oil becomes diluted with diesel leading to further servicing needs.

So your thinking is this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Opel-Vectra-1-...

[mikal83]

ZX10R NIN said:

mikal83 said:

Trouble is most cars above are full sized and am looking for a car smaller than Mondeos/Superbs/Passats etc. Nice reminder on the timing chain there. I would do an occasional high speed run to regen the dpf on a diesel if we get one.
Saltash car auction looks fave in early Jan to see wassup.

Cars like this, but the mileage.....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Octavia-Estate-2-...

Edited by mikal83 on Saturday 28th December 15:37

You do know the Octavia is only 10cm shorter than a Mondeo, I would honestly say that to it sounds like you really don't need a diesel & the opportunity for extra bills out weighs the diesel saving.

Yes I do, the Octavia is sort of bigger than the vast Maj of mid size and just a tad shorter than full size. I do like Mondeos actually, I wanted one years ago but wife fell in love with the C5 which TBO is very very nice inside. Hadnt thought of Astras but they can pull a heck of a lot.

Your thoughts are more.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-Ford-Mondeo-2-0-14...

But the real mpg sucks

Edited by mikal83 on Saturday 28th December 17:25

[ZX10R NIN]

You're much better off with a turbo petrol on most modern cars because of the extra low down torque that they produce not only helps the overall driveability but also the fuel numbers.

In the Mondeo's case the 2.0T has an extra 90lbft & 60bhp over the N/A version which makes a big difference & justifies the extra cost of purchasing especially if you're going to be towing.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Saturday 28th December 18:07

[if in doubt]

The difference between 35mpg in a petrol and 50mpg in diesel over 2000miles is about £70 a year. Personally wouldn't bother with diesel at that mileage.