Diesel car, worth considering?

Andrea15

My car has been written off (not really salvageable) and I am still waiting to hear from the insurer. I was looking at cars and spotted a diesel car (2016) at a good price and checking all of my boxes (i.e. cheap to run, low road tax, reasonable mileage), but I wonder if it is wise. For example, at the moment it is ulez compliant (I am in Scotland) , but is that likely to change? I don't live in an ulez area, but I often have to travel for work, so I don't want to get hit by this kind of charge.

paul_c123

Is it Euro5 or Euro6?

Keep_pedalling

You don’t say what sort of milage you do or the length of your journies so difficult to say whether a diesel is right for you or not. If you do lots of short journeys then I would not be looking at a diesel.

Andrea15

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914512#Comment_81914512

I sit in the car quite a lot. I travel, say, for 30-40 mins and then I do a number of shorter journeys.

Occasionally I will travel for a few hundred miles.

I do just over 10k miles per year.

However, the main question is whether the government is going to tighten the rules against diesels again.

Andrea15

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914501#Comment_81914501

Seems to be Euro 6b (TBC, as I simply googled it).

paul_c123

Should have no worries with a Euro 6B regarding low emissions zones. The use pattern would be fine for a diesel too.

Catonthemoon

However, the main question is whether the government is going to tight rules against diesels again

Hopefully yes!! Why anyone would want one of those filthy, polluting, Nox emitting, horrible sounding vehicles, is beyond me.

These days, when the environment should always be a consideration (not just for ourselves but future generations), EV’s are the way to go. I know they are incredibly expensive so, will not be affordable for many people. Hopefully, in time, prices will fall.

In the meantime, the best option…petrol.

Herzlos

I wouldn't plan against what the government might do in future. We've got no idea.

Your usage is around the point where diesel becomes viable, so I'd probably just buy based on the car / deal. Any lower mileage and I'd be suggesting petrol.

knightstyle

We bought a Cmax, 2 years old 11 years ago, diesel auto and it still runs like new after 120k miles.

Serviced regularly and used to pull some heavy trailers occasionally. So Iwould say go for it.

Mildly_Miffed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914501#Comment_81914501

If it's ULEZ compliant now, it's Euro6.

Euro6 is still the current emissions standard for all brand new cars (6b/c/d/e are about differences in measurement, not limits).
Euro7 is coming, but not here yet - all new cars type-approved after November this year must comply, all new registrations after November 2027.
The big differences between Euro6 and Euro7 are that the size of particulates counted is reducing from 23nm to 10nm, and brake particulate emissions will be counted.

ULEZ is about NOx levels - and Euro7 NOx is the same as Euro6, 0.08g/km for diesel (0.06g for petrol - which reached 0.08g with Euro4 over 20 years ago, hence they're allowed in)

So, no, there's nothing to worry about in the short-to-medium term future. What's far more likely to happen is that urban centres will become zero-emission-vehicle only, and that won't be yet.

Your bigger question marks should be about the health of the DPF and SCR (AdBlue) emissions systems on the car, and ensuring your usage is sufficient to keep them happy.

Bigwheels1111

I have a 2016 Peugeot 5008 1.6 Bluehdi.

It has adblue, less than 30k on the clock and needs it's third adblue tank replacement.

Be warned.