Which car to use?

naughty_10382

My sister and I are planning a trip to Alton Towers, from Kent it's about a 400 mile round trip.

She has a 1.8 Ford Focus, and I have a 1.2 Renault Clio.

She is under the impression that my car would be better to take for petrol costs (or is it that she won't have to drive?!?! ) but I'm not sure.

Which would be the better car to take in terms of fuel costs? I should be insured on both (I'll be 25 by then and will check with my insurance if I am covered) so we could share driving, but if we take my car I will have to do all the driving (can't be doing with the extra expenses of insuring her!)

Thanks in advance for advice!

aqueoushumour01

assuming both are petrol, the Renault Clio will be

check here for MPG numbers. If she has a diesel Focus then it may be more fuel efficient than yours.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/#

forgotmyname

Depends how you drive, If you press on a bit & fairly high speeds the focus could be cheaper to use as you wont be thrashing it.
If you relax & go with the flow not exceeding the speed limit the clio will be better.

naughty_10382

aqueoushumour01 wrote: »

assuming both are petrol, the Renault Clio will be

check here for MPG numbers. If she has a diesel Focus then it may be more fuel efficient than yours.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/#

Yes, both are petrol. Thank you for your advice.

Looks like the mpg for my Clio beats pretty much all the 1.8 Focus models on there. So looks like I'm driving!

naughty_10382

forgotmyname wrote: »

Depends how you drive, If you press on a bit & fairly high speeds the focus could be cheaper to use as you wont be thrashing it.
If you relax & go with the flow not exceeding the speed limit the clio will be better.

We both drive fairly fast I think. Thanks for your advice.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Drive your own car and go somewhere more local such as Chessington.

Last time i went to Alton the queueing spoiled the day....some years ago mind.

dacouch

The extension of cover to drive other cars does not automatically go on your policy when you have your 25th birthday if your policy is part the way through. It would normally be added at the next renewal / time you take out a new policy.

You need to check with the Insurer

Hintza

Petrol costs would not make up for the much more stressful journey in the Clio.

To me it's a no brainer the Focus to give you smoother motorway cruising,

ailuro2

What hintza says, take the bigger engine up the motorway, find another way to save on the petrol cost, for example by finding a voucher on reduced entry to Alton Towers?

jb66

Id take the 1.8, more room in the car and nicer to drive on the motorway. A 1.2 thrashed will be just as thirsty as a 1.8 driven normally

naughty_10382

dacouch wrote: »

The extension of cover to drive other cars does not automatically go on your policy when you have your 25th birthday if your policy is part the way through. It would normally be added at the next renewal / time you take out a new policy.

You need to check with the Insurer

I was planning to call my insurers to check anyway, but I didn't know that. Thank you.