vw polo 1.4 match TDI

JonathanA

So your choice is between a 1.4 TDi SE 5dr at £13,335 (before extras such as metallic) or a 1.4 Match 5 dr at £11,450 (before extras). Given your mileage and the near £2k price difference, I think on this occasion it is marginal, depending on how long you plan to keep the car.

I think that on todays prices, the diesel would be cheaper by about £300 per year to fuel and tax would be cheaper, so it really is your call. Have you driven either to see which you prefer?

Are you definitely committed to VW, or would another manufacturer give a better deal (Skoda, new Fiesta, Seat etc)

cyclonebri1

Also what everyone seems to forget when factoring in whether a diesel car would be cheaper is the residuals?

Yes they may cost say 10% more, but most of that stays with the car through it's life. Those that say a diesel cost much more to service have not run them longterm.

Modern small turbo diesels are a joy to drive.

JonathanA

Cyclonebri1

I agree that residuals are important (and I've driven diesel for 15 years now), but on this occasion, if we assume with tax that the difference is £400 per annum less to run the diesel, then break even would be 5 years. Factoring in a higher residual value (probably approx £300 by that stage), break even may occur sometime after year 4. I still think in this case it is marginal and depends on how long the OP intends to keep the car, and also on their preference for petrol or diesel.

Personally, I'd always pick diesel, but then as I say, I've driven diesel for the last 15 years.

daveyjp

The non turbo 1.4 VW engine is a dog which should have been out down years ago.

Look how every other mainstream manufacturer has revised engine ranges over the last 10 years - VW have only just started renewing it's line up of petrol engines after a false start with the original 1.6FSi.

arrowsmith

daveyjp wrote: »

We also have a three pot petrol. From 45mph it's adequate when the roads are empty. Get behind a wagon at 56mph on the M62 towards Saddleworth and pull out to overtake and it's totally inadequate.

As soon as the valve timing changes at around 3500 revs mine just takes off all the way to 7500 revs. Below 3500 they don't do a great deal but thats because you can get over 60mpg. The VW 3 pot is a totally useless engine with poor MPG performace and reliability.

hethmar

daveyjp - do you mean the petrol 1.4 is useless?

buglawton

Was reading on Honest John that

a) all new diesels have particulate filters (EU regs)
b) the only time they get cleaned out is on motorway runs
c) and even taxi drivers are switching to petrol as a result

puts me off the idea of diesel till they design out this issue

Petree

Not really sure what the issue is?
a) yes 90% do
b) not strictly true, they need a nice hot run, which could be time on an A road (about 5-10 mins not hours)
c) could be?

The filter gets full of the sooty bits you used to see coming out under heavy acceleration, it waits until its full on a day when the engine is hot and simply over fuels the engine a little, this increases the exhaust temperature and clears it out.

The cars have a little warning light which suggests you should have a bit of a run soon (we are talking months of city driving), should you ignore it for a few more months then you can need to buy a new filter. Its bad for any car to be sat doing under 2500rpm for its life, the old italian tune up clears a multitude of problems (i've seen a big volvo 5 pot which was caked with carbon because the owner was one of those people who trundle away from the lights at minimum speed)

I work in a theme park and we have onsite cars, by their nature they never do more than 20mph, aside from once every 10-12 weeks when they get driven a couple of miles to buy diesel. In two years i've never even had the first notifying light come on.

Honest john has had a ford focus with a DPF filter and to my knowledge not made any complaints aside from you occasionally notice it doing it's stuff.

I do grant you they are early technology but when you compare £35 a year road tax to £150 a year, it doesn't seem like too much of a task to once every couple of months make a slightly zippy trip down a dual carriageway.

Diesel/Petrol will run and run, diesel fuel isn't as cheap as it once was, petrols have more in the engine to go wrong, diesels have good low down torque for 30-60 acceleration, petrols are quicker off the lights...etc..etc..

Choose what you prefer, drive both and see how you feel.

cyclonebri1

Choose what you prefer, drive both and see how you feel.

I think thats the key to economy as well. You really need to have owned both to make any valid comparisons.

Having had biggish petrol engined cars all my life, we made the switch to diesels a few years back. Wife had had 2 petrol Clios, then a diesel 86bhp Clio.
I have a Megane Estate agin with the 1460 diesel but the 106bhp model. Wife has recently changed to a Megane with this same engine,(1 yr old).

We don't do large mileages, have had no engine related issues since the we bought the 1st Diesel Clio on a 52 plte as an ex demo.

I do all the servicing on our cars, haven't even taken them for service during waranty, they cost less than the petrol version to service as although they may have a shorter service interval, most folks who value thier cars will change oil etc at 6 or 9k miles regardless, not the 18k allowable for most petrol cars.

This isn't a size fits all recomendation, just my own experience and I certainly haven't paid over the odds to save a substantial sum. Every weekend me and a mate go fishing, we alternate cars. He has a 2 ltr Honda. We may do a 70 mile round trip, on the same route his fuel comp will say just about 30mpg, mine typically will show 65

There's an option for everyone.

hethmar

Appreciate everyones input - weve never had a brand new car before (and Im nearly on my bus pass) so I want to make the best choice.