Petrol car cheaper than diesel car??

asajones.24

Hi,

Is getting a second-hand 1.4 petrol really going to be cheaper to run than getting a diesel of the equivalent/any kind?

My cousin (also a car salesman) says that unless you do more than 20,000 miles in a car in a year it doesn't work out cheaper as:

diesel is more expensive...

1. to purchase as a car,
2. buy at fuel pump,
3. and servicing costs.

By the way, I'm looking for the best/cheapest to run/etc small used car for no more than £1500. I think the best are Toyota Yaris, Skoda Fabia, Renault Clio - according to Which? anyway. Let me know if any different.

(Also: car auctions: pros and cons?)

Thanks,
asa.:)

anotherbaldrick

Consider that 1.4 medium size cars can do an average of 45-50 mpg (my Golf does) it makes diesel cars only viable for the big mileage driver.

pendulum

I have a Clio, albeit a 2.0 RS. They're not bad cars, but you can do better reliability wise. My 1998 Fiesta Si 1.25 was a cracking car, reliable, economical, cheapish tax, cheapish parts, nippy and great to drive. If I needed a good little runabout I would be tempted to buy another. It would come in at well under your budget.

Hammyman

asajones.24 wrote: »

My cousin (also a car salesman) says that unless you do more than 20,000 miles in a car in a year it doesn't work out cheaper as:

He is wrong...the breakeven point is a lot lower than that.

diesel is more expensive...

1. to purchase as a car,

Correct...typically £1000 however when you come to sell it, it'll be worth more than a petrol so apart from the initial outlay, the cost of ownership is no different.

2. buy at fuel pump,

Whilst the difference in price is roughly 4%, the diesel will return between 25% to 40% better MPG on average so on a per mile calculation, diesel is far cheaper. Also once you go to France etc, diesel is cheaper than petrol.

3. and servicing costs.

Wrong. There is no difference. Some things you do on a petrol you don't do on a diesel. Some things done on a diesel aren't done on a petrol. Overall its a tie or as near as.

Hammyman

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Consider that 1.4 medium size cars can do an average of 45-50 mpg (my Golf does) it makes diesel cars only viable for the big mileage driver.

My friends Clio 1.5TD manages 70MPG. Diesels are more viable as soon as the difference in purchase price is recouped.

Say the difference is £500 to buy. Petrol is £1.33 a gallon, diesel £1.38. Petrol car does 50MPG, the diesel equivalent 75MPG.

So for 10,000 miles the petrol uses 200 gallons or £1209.24 of fuel.

For 10,000 miles the diesel uses 133.33 gallons or £836.44 of fuel.

So in 10,000 miles you've nearly broken even. In year 2 doing the same mileage, you've recouped the extra £500 and you are now over £150 up. In year three you're the full £373 difference up. And when you sell the car you'll get more for the diesel than the petrol so you win again.

funkycoldribena

Ive had a Yaris and now have a Fabia,would take the Fabia anyday,Yaris was tinny and noisy.

UncleZen

Rule #1 in life: never belive a salesman.
Hammyman: bang on, great response.

Strider590

Rule #2 in life: never eat the yellow snow


Only thing to say is that maintenance wise and repairs wise, a diesel gets to that expensive point in it's life much quicker than a petrol.
New or nearly new diesel = unbeatable.
Anything more than 4,5,6 years old and your headed toward some hefty bills.

But as I always say with regard to car buying, just get what YOU want, the costs really don't vary a great deal when spread over the course of a year, unless your comparing a 5 litre V8 to a Toyota Yaris.

getmore4less

Strider590 wrote: »

Rule #2 in life: never eat the yellow snow


Only thing to say is that maintenance wise and repairs wise, a diesel gets to that expensive point in it's life much quicker than a petrol.
New or nearly new diesel = unbeatable.
Anything more than 4,5,6 years old and your headed toward some hefty bills.

But as I always say with regard to car buying, just get what YOU want, the costs really don't vary a great deal when spread over the course of a year, unless your comparing a 5 litre V8 to a Toyota Yaris.

Like what.

306 1.9 13 year old 110k , only extra £50 for a set of glow plugs at 105k miles, needs the fuel fillter every few years.

clio, 1.5 9 years old 70k nothing yet.

Plenty around that will do the same if you keep away from particle filters and doing low miles short trips.

Strider590

getmore4less wrote: »

Like what.

306 1.9 13 year old 110k , only extra £50 for a set of glow plugs at 105k miles, needs the fuel fillter every few years.

clio, 1.5 9 years old 70k nothing yet.

Plenty around that will do the same if you keep away from particle filters and doing low miles short trips.

Well.... Yes I was going to mention that OLD diesels are far better, but I somehow doubt the OP is gonna be looking at a 10 year old motor.
Particle filters (DPF's) and dual mass flywheels (DMF's) and possibly EGR's were really the death of reliable diesel power.

almillar

It's difficult to put an actual annual mileage on the exact point it becomes worth it, and others have mentioned some other factors, but you'll get told anything between 12,000 and 20,000. It also depends on the LENGTH of your individual journeys - short journeys are worse in a diesel than a petrol, as they take longer to become efficient from cold.
I agree with Hammyman's setiment, as in actually working stuff out, but he made a minor error and got litres mixed up with gallons. I'd love to pay £1.33 for a GALLON of petrol...
Fixed calculations...
"Say the difference is £500 to buy. Petrol is £1.33 a LITRE, diesel £1.38. Petrol car does 50MPG, the diesel equivalent 75MPG.

So for 10,000 miles the petrol uses 200 gallons, 908 LITRES or £1209.24 of fuel.

For 10,000 miles the diesel uses 133.33 gallons, 605 LITRES or £836.44 of fuel.

So in 10,000 miles you've nearly broken even. In year 2 doing the same mileage, you've recouped the extra £500 and you are now over £150 up. In year three you're the full £373 difference up. And when you sell the car you'll get more for the diesel than the petrol so you win again. "