Diesel as a first car?

warpig

Hi guys, im 20 and looking for my first car, and i've found some cheap (to buy and to insure) skoda fabias with 1.9 diesel engines (classic versions), they have high mileage (120,000) but i've heard diesel engines can go for longer than petrols?

I'm hoping maybe all the other youngsters are all looking at the petrols and maybe pushing up the prices

I am also considering the fuel, as it's more expensive but more efficient, does it work out the same? I would not likely be doing many miles, but since the car is 2nd hand and cheap, does it really matter?

Is there anything else i should consider? Servicing? They seem to be newer with more features but a little more milage.



Thanks!

dieselhead

OK several things first of all you are correct in general diesel engines do last longer than their petrol counterparts, however it is worth remembering that the car, so the seats, the exhaust, etc have also done 120,000 miles.

Its worth assessing the tax and insurance before 2000 cars were assessed for tax on engine size not emissions so larger engines are more expensive. I drive a 2lr turbo diesel built before the cut of and it costs £200 to tax a year had it been built 3 months later it would cost half that to tax. Also some insurance companies just look at engine size which as diesel engines are larger will bump up insurance.

You do need to service or at the very least change the oil in diesels more often this is especially important in a turbo diesel as turbo's need clean oil. Do not scrimp on servicing as it will cost you more in the long run, I change my oil every 6000 miles and service every 12000 miles.

Diesels are more fuel efficient so the difference in price between the fuels should balance things out.

Its the same as buying any car check the service history, its sounds like with that kind of milage its probably close to needing a cambelt change which can be costly. If possible get it checked by a mechanic etc.

Driving diesels is fun they pull away with hardly any throttle, tons of torque make overtaking and motorway cruising great fun.

warpig

thanks, im quite excited about it now! The car is after 2000, so tax should be good due to its low emissions. How much is an oil change? My dad said he hasnt changed his diesel (picasso) oil in ages, ill get him onto it!

You know people say that you should be doing alot of miles to make a diesel worth it, does that only count for new cars then? just making sure i havent got it wrong

DCodd

warpig wrote: »

thanks, im quite excited about it now! The car is after 2000, so tax should be good due to its low emissions. How much is an oil change? My dad said he hasnt changed his diesel (picasso) oil in ages, ill get him onto it!

You know people say that you should be doing alot of miles to make a diesel worth it, does that only count for new cars then? just making sure i havent got it wrong

That usualy applies to New cars as most diesels cost more than their petrol counterparts, so the extra cost of the car has to be taken into consideration. However their secondhand value can also be more than the petrol but at 120K that would be minimal, but check out the costs of petrol versions and see for yourself.

cabbage

My son's first car was (and is) a ford fiesta tdci 1400cc. Its a really fuel efficient car and the road tax is £35 per year. Its cheap to run, reliable and fun to drive. He was 19 when he got it and loves it.

We are all diesel converts in our house. We wouldn't go back to petrol at all even though the price of diesel is higher nowdays.

The same rule of thumb applies to any car you buy. Check www.direct.gov.uk to find out what your car tax will be per annum. Ask your insurance company which car is cheapest to insure. My son's insurance was over £1000 the first year when he was third party fire and theft.

Like the OP said, high mileage cars may have been serviced regularly but the parts have still done alot of mileage so will need replacing regularly which can add up very quickly. Its very expensive to replace the cambelt.

Always get it HPI checked. Always ask a trusted mechanic or AA or RAC to inspect the vehicle before buying. Always check that the price is reasonable by comparing like for like or you could use autotrader.

Remember you have very little rights when buying privately. As long as its not a safety hazzard its very unlikely you will be able to get your money back or compensation if things go wrong.

If you buy from a garage they sometimes offer warranties for free but you also have statutory consumer rights. I know they are more expensive but you have more rights if you have a complaint.

I hope you find a nice diesel that's got 30,000 to 50,000 miles on the clock that you will have fun driving.

Charlton_Taz

Is it the 1.9 SDI or the 1.9 TDI? I only ask as I've haven't read nice things about the SDI e.g. really sluggish.....but the TDI is a good car! I've owned a 1.9 TDI fabia since 2002 and done 105,000 miles in it and is a good car (though my electrics have been going a little random recently). Am part-exchanging it next month for a new skoda octavia...v excited!!!!

One other thing....check that its had it cam belt changed recently..should be done every 60,000 miles. V expensive to repait if it does fail!!!

warpig

its the sdi! it doesn't have to be fast, its my first car! it's had a new cambelt about 6,000 miles ago. I think i'll go ahead and buy it, it seems like a good enough deal that i can afford small repairs here and there... as long as the engine doesn't blow up. There'd be no chance of getting a car for it's price at a dealer, i'm lucky to find one with power steering let along AC!

nigem

Can I ask which insurance company you have found is good for a young male on the Skoda? My son bought the same one a month ago, really loves it and found that direct line would be reasonable. He now has to renew his annual policy. He is 19 with 2 yrs no claims/full licence.
Thanks
Nigem

warpig

asda, and ecar (technically the cheapest but ive heard bad reviews so i paid the extra £50) were the cheapest. Not sure but I read somewhere asda was underwritten by e-insurance, could be the same company effectively, oh well. I was very surprised that they didnt see a 1.9 and have a heart attack like i'd expect an insurer to, but the SDI has very low actual horsepower. My friend is on direct line, i might check them out actually. I have no NCB as ive just passed, so it might be different for him

nigem

Thanks, he will have to get it sorted next week.
Nigem

Lum

The SDI is not only terrible, it's not exactly the most efficient engine either since the job of a turbo in a diesel is to improve efficiency as well as performance.

Also you are looking at a 1.9 litre engine in your first car, this may not go down terribly well with the insurance even though that engine only puts out about 60-70bhp

How many miles are you planning to do. It's worth noting that right now secondhand diesel cars are selling at a premium, so for somewhat less outlay you could get a petrol car of a similar standard, and it would take a lot of miles before the running costs ate up the difference.

Diesel only really makes sense if you're going to be up and down the motorway every day.