Would it be a terrible idea to buy a (diesel) banger for low mileage journeys?

Jenni_D

Taxi service any good in your area? (May work out cheaper overall).

Supersonos

Working_in_pyjamas said:

Would it be a terrible idea to buy a (diesel) banger for low mileage journeys?

Odd how you put the important part in brackets.  Diesels are generally more expensive to buy, to service and to maintain and don't like short journeys.  I'd steer away from diesel and look at petrol.

daveyjp

NaughtiusMaximus said:

Working_in_pyjamas said:

AdrianC said:

The important thing is that you want a diesel without a DPF. Age alone is not a clue.

Thanks, so do 'old' diesels (2006+) have a DPF or is it dependant on make/model?

As AdrianC said, it depends.

VW were one of the later companies to adopt DPFs, the 2008 Golf 1.9TDi I used to own definitely didn't have one.

VW weren't late, it was more to with the cut off dates for different Euro standards for diesel engines, The 2.0TDi 170 had DPFs from about 2005/6, but sales of the non DPF 1.9TDi continued during this period.

Working_in_pyjamas

Supersonos said:

Working_in_pyjamas said:

Would it be a terrible idea to buy a (diesel) banger for low mileage journeys?

Odd how you put the important part in brackets.  Diesels are generally more expensive to buy, to service and to maintain and don't like short journeys.  I'd steer away from diesel and look at petrol.

The title without the word 'diesel' wouldn't even be a question though! Of course it's not a terrible idea to buy a non-diesel banger for low mileage journeys but I know that diesels don't like short journeys. As I put in my post though, this wouldn't be a 20k car getting ruined but a banger. If I get a year out of a £1500 car that would be £125 a month. Taxis would probably be cheaper given how much I drive at present but also very inconvenient!

L9XSS

Plenty of 1.9tdi Audi A3 diesels about (my partner has an A4 07 plate 1.9tdi). They are a great engine. Non dpf. It’s averaged 9000 miles per year with only servicing, cambelt needed.

Grumpy_chap

If I read this thread correctly, the OP proposes to buy a £1k car with 12 month MOT with the aim to run it for a year and cover 1k miles.  If it passes the next MOT or whatever is recovered as scrap after that year will be considered as a bonus in the OP's eyes.

For that criteria, it won't matter petrol or diesel to be honest.  Even if the DPF plays up, just use it with the light on.

For the same criteria, if it were me, I'd be getting the most extreme silly thing I could find.

Edit: £1 per mile is high depreciation.

caprikid1

Well maintained MK4 Petrol Golf or Polo

NaughtiusMaximus

daveyjp said:

NaughtiusMaximus said:

Working_in_pyjamas said:

AdrianC said:

The important thing is that you want a diesel without a DPF. Age alone is not a clue.

Thanks, so do 'old' diesels (2006+) have a DPF or is it dependant on make/model?

As AdrianC said, it depends.

VW were one of the later companies to adopt DPFs, the 2008 Golf 1.9TDi I used to own definitely didn't have one.

VW weren't late, it was more to with the cut off dates for different Euro standards for diesel engines, The 2.0TDi 170 had DPFs from about 2005/6, but sales of the non DPF 1.9TDi continued during this period.

Ah okay, didn't realise that was the reason.

fred246

Never understood this business of diesels costing more to service. What is supposed to cost extra? More frequent oil changes? Certainly cheaper on spark plugs.

NaughtiusMaximus

Supersonos said:

Working_in_pyjamas said:

Would it be a terrible idea to buy a (diesel) banger for low mileage journeys?

Odd how you put the important part in brackets.  Diesels are generally more expensive to buy, to service and to maintain and don't like short journeys.  I'd steer away from diesel and look at petrol.

When you're into bangernomics territory the type of engine really doesn't make a great deal of difference to the purchase price and older (pre DPF) diesels are fine with short journeys. Also at that value and age of vehicle you simply wouldn't bother with any major repairs, makes more sense to scrap it and buy another. Basic servicing costs like oil an filter changes would be broadly similar regardless.