Please can someone recommend a low cost to run diesel?

milliemonster

Ok, so I have the opportunity to get a new car on a salary sacrifice scheme with the NHS, this means paying out a monthly fee to lease a car and everything is covered, all I have to do is put fuel in it.

I would like some advice on which car to go for. I live 30 miles from where I work, initially motorway but then the first 4 and last 7 miles are rural roads. I would like a diesel and my main aim really is to get the best fuel economy possible. I currently have a 10 year old fiesta which is a fab little car and has very little wrong with it apart from the fact it is costing me a fortune in fuel (£50+ a week) insurance is £400 aswell as I have had to start again after having a company car in my previous job, tax is £165 a year, I had been toying with the idea of just keeping it but with the costs of running it and maintenance (have recently spent £100 on suspension and brake pipe, cambelt is due, needs new brake pads and discs to get through MOT in March, plus a service), I can get a car on salary sacrifice for approx the same amount per month as I'm paying on keeping my 10yr old car going.

Anyway, can anyone give me any recommendations for a smallish diesel that's very economical?

Have been thinking about VW polo/Golf, volvo c30 DRive? will be doing prob about 15k miles pa.

I am still undecided at the moment as I am quite attached to the fiesta and aware that it's 'mine', just weighing it all up.

Jackinbox99

When I looked into this last for a friend of mine, I started off recommending a diesel car, simply because I drive a 2nd hand diesel and get 60+mpg out of it.

But, when i looked into the costs involved, it worked out my friend would only benefit from buying a diesel over a petrol if they were going to do more than 30k miles a year. Whilst diesel gets more mpg than petrol, diesel fuel is more expensive, and in my friends case, a new diesel car was priced more expensive to purchase than the petrol equivelent.

Id really look hard at the figures, based upon your mileage of 15k a year and workout over say a 3 year period would you be better off with just a petrol car?

Lum

This is a lease deal where you don't get to keep it, and don't have to worry about maintenance costs, correct? Literally all you pay is fuel?

If so I'd look at the EcoMuppet cars like the VW Bluemotion range (and Skoda equivalent) or the Ford Econetic range (I have a Mondeo Econetic myself. I'd never buy one with my own money but it's a great company car). You'll read horror stories about DPF failure after 4 or 5 years costing thousands to fix but you wont care because it'll be someone else's problem by then.

Given your description of your commute a 1.8 diesel Focus would probably be a good choice, but then I find the new Fiesta hateful to drive on the motorway.

GRM

milliemonster wrote: »

Anyway, can anyone give me any recommendations for a smallish diesel that's very economical?

Most economical that's not a Smart are the SEAT Ibiza 1.4TDI Ecomotive and the Fiesta 1.6TDCi Econetic, both at 76.3mpg.

http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/most-economical-cars-complete-list.asp

wba31

I agree that the eco cars seem the way to go if your only cost will be fuel...

LandyAndy

wba31 wrote: »

I agree that the eco cars seem the way to go if your only cost will be fuel...

You also need to consider the difference, if any, in the monthly lease costs between petrol and diesel.

forgotmyname

Any of the above mentioned 1400cc or less diesels or a citroen C2 or similar?

No point paying £75 a month extra for a diesel engined car if a petrol engined car will only cost an extra £25
a month in fuel.

You need to do all the sums carefully.

hewhoisnotintheknow

but something simple and cheap like a 106 diesel, wont go wrong, wont make you skint and tied down

Kilty_2

Lum wrote: »

If so I'd look at the EcoMuppet cars

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
:T:T:T

Jackinbox99

hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »

but something simple and cheap like a 106 diesel, wont go wrong, wont make you skint and tied down

I know the OP is looking at a new car, but i bought a 2nd hand 106 1.5 diesel a few years back. Cost me 850quid to buy. I ran it for 2 1/2 years, did 80k miles in it, it always returned 55->58mpg even though by then the mileage was getting a bit high. I think it cost me about £100 a year in total for service and any bits which needed fixing. Then I got nearly £1000 for the car when I sold it.

Talk about cheap motoring!