Long commute, car choice advice please

Flearoy

Hi all

I currently have a 51 plate Mondeo estate, petrol, with a 1.8L engine. I currently drive just 16 miles a day for work (total distance) and as such, it's 30mpg fuel economy over such a journey isn't too much of a problem. I am looking at moving soon, and will have a much longer commute of 80 miles a day (again, total) and as such, 33mpg (as I estimate it will increase to on the longer journey) will be expensive. Can anyone recommend a cheap car (£1500 or less) that will return good fuel economy and be reliable? I can make do with a smaller car than I currently have. I was thinking something along the lines of a Toyota Yaris.

Cheers

Inactive

You will not get much of a Toyota Yaris for £1500.

An older Toyota Starlet would perhaps be a better target or a Toyota Corolla, both highly reliable.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Changing cars on that budget is a waste of money, and a Yaris is a shopping trolley that isn't suited to long commutes. Stick with what you know works, and that's your Mondeo.

geordieracer

Have you looked at other options for your commute though? Bus/Train Car share?

Hammyman

For an example:

Well a friend and I have just been to France and back on hols, a round trip of 1300 miles in a week. I have a 04 plate Mondeo TDCi130 6 speed g/box with 142,000 on the clock, friend has 51 plate Renault Clio 1.5TD with 75k on clock. Both cars with two adults, one kid and a boot full of luggage for 1100 miles of the journey. Mix of motorway, rural S/C roads and a bit of short journey pottering around. All done at the speed limit or as near as possible. Calculations done from brimming up in England then brimming up in France - England on Shell, France on whatever nameless stuff it is that the Intermarche was selling.

My Mondeo TDCi 130 managed 57MPG for the week. Friends 1.5TD Clio averaged 73MPG. Both were calculated from brim to brim.

Clio did quite well but struggled a bit up some of the steeper hills compared to the Mondy but then again it was expected being down a fair whack on torque. I was very impressed with it and if I didn't need the space, I'd have one.

harz99

I agree with PPPL; stick with what you know unless there is something wrong with it.

Make sure your tyres are properly inflated, your not carrying any excess weight or roof rack etc. and go easy on the right foot; maybe maximum of 60 mph and if it has cruise control use it.

Always leave home earlier than you think you need to!

Flearoy

Thanks for the replies. I am loathe to get rid of my Mondeo - it may be a bit battered but it is in good nick. I think I would miss the space in the car for my leisure use if I got a smaller car! I would consider replacing it with a diesel one, especially as I could keep my bootliner, dog guard, boot divider etc. That said, I think better the devil you know and all that! I've had a nose around at car share schemes, might be onto a winner there, as that could half my costs instantly, and would make the fuel costs much less painful!

BenL

If you have a LPG station near home, work or on your route put your £1500 into an LPG conversion for your Mondeo.

I converted my Astra 11 months ago and have saved £1100 compared to what I would have spent on petrol.

The firm that did my conversion has a calculator on their site http://www.autogasyorkshire.co.uk/savings-calculator.php and so far my results have matched what the calculator advised.

In the 11 months I have covered 24,000 miles. I do about 100 a day, 5 days a week and then weekend journeys as well.

I've got a full spreadsheet of the fill ups and savings etc as I'm a bit of a saddo like that but I wanted to see for myself if it really is a money saver.

I had a good quality German installation (Prins) for £1600, these are the manufacturers that race teams etc use e.g. Team AON Ford in the British Touring Car Championship.

I have a cheap LPG station in my town so it is no problem for filling up for me, I would probably have switched to a cheapo diesel car if this wasn't available.

I had previously run a Peugeot 106 1.5 Diesel and was thinking about going back as it would do 65/70mpg and be less than £1000 to buy.

Ben

LandyAndy

A quick calc tells me that swapping from your Mondeo doing 33mpg at £1.15 per litre to a diesel doing, say, 50mpg at £1.18 per litre would save you about £770 a year in fuel costs on the extra 15000 miles you will be doing.

Kilty_2

I'd stick with the Mondeo - reduced fuel bills with a smaller car are one thing but the discomfort and tiredness are another

LandyAndy

Kilty wrote: »

I'd stick with the Mondeo - reduced fuel bills with a smaller car are one thing but the discomfort and tiredness are another

1. You wouldn't need a smaller car to achieve 50mpg with diesel.
2. I have a Mazda2 that I would be happy to commute 40 miles each way in. It is comfortable on much longer journeys than that, although it is much newer than the OP is intending to buy.