08/09 Low tax Diesels

Sharkey_dub

We are a 2 car family with 2 primery school going kids. I have a C180 petrol and the wife has a HRV 1.6 petrol. Fed up spending all our cash on petrol so we have decided to trade hers in and move up to a 08/09 diesel. We have been offered €4000 by 2 garages against a Focus and a Qashqai. Our budget is about €10k plus the HRV. We are stuck between Mondeo/Focus/Qashqai and Avensis and are looking for any advice on which diesel to choose/avoid. Any advice/opinions greatly welcome. Thanks.

Voodoomelon

How many miles a year do you do? You do realise that paying €14000 to get cheaper fuel costs makes no sense right?

If you just want a new car then just say so.

Depending on your mileage, you may not see much benefit from getting a diesel, especially if you have two cars between yous.

Sharkey_dub

The C180 would only be used for school runs and local stuff. I would be doing appox 225 a week just commuting to work.

shedweller

What are the figures on this? Depending on the mileage the OP might be better off with a diesel AND taking the hit on a trade in.

OP, how much per year are you spending on petrol?

Sharkey_dub

shedweller wrote: »

What are the figures on this? Depending on the mileage the OP might be better off with a diesel AND taking the hit on a trade in.

OP, how much per year are you spending on petrol?

Work is 225 miles a week which costs about €45 and then an extra €20 at the week end. Her HRV costs about €35 a week to get her to work. The plan was to ditch the HRV and get a diesel to do both jobs (we work shifts) and keep the C180 for schools and shops only etc. So we are spending €100 a week to do about 300 miles collectively.

keithclancy

Sharkey_dub wrote: »

Work is 225 miles a week which costs about €45 and then an extra €20 at the week end. Her HRV costs about €35 a week to get her to work. The plan was to ditch the HRV and get a diesel to do both jobs (we work shifts) and keep the C180 for schools and shops only etc. So we are spending €100 a week to do about 300 miles collectively.

I'm spending 60-65 (Diesel at 1.34/Liter) for 1010km each week in my 2.0D Volvo V50.

Sounds like your usage is all start/stop traffic driving.

I'd stick with the Petrol, if your intention is to save money on fuel just adjust your driving style, don't go and blow a wad of cash on a new car.

If your sick of spending all your money on Fuel, why spend another 14k on a Car and then more fuel on top.

Mr Benevolent

Again, madness to spend €14000 just to save €1000 per year. Now if you were to just have one car, well that'd work. But a C180 on very short runs? Heehaw. An option would be to sell the C180 and replace it with an older diesel for the same money. That way you've not wasting thousands on depreciation.

Maybe the op wants to upgrade the car anyway and his mileage definitely warrants a diesel imo.

For a motoring forum its amazing the amount of discouragement people get when they talk about buying a newer car.

MugMugs

Confab wrote: »

Again, madness to spend €14000 just to save €1000 per year. Now if you were to just have one car, well that'd work. But a C180 on very short runs? Heehaw. An option would be to sell the C180 and replace it with an older diesel for the same money. That way you've not wasting thousands on depreciation.

I am inclined to agree OP.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but I dont think you'll be saving in the long run with an upgrade to a diesel.

keithclancy

Well if you want to upgrade your car then you may as well face facts and treat it as expenditure rather than a saving.

Car is a money hole, you'll lose money selling your existing car and also depreciation on the new one.

Plus the Merc would have higher costs imo (at least when I looked at one anyway) C180 isn't great either. I'd go for a C220 Combi (C200 is the same engine just less power and the same for Road Tax here at least with is 1350 / year)

Actually I'd go for a Titanium Spec Mondeo before a C Class Merc.

Sharkey_dub

I have a few quid stashed away so its not as if im borrowing to change cars. We are planning to ditch the C180 next summer and buy something small,Fiesta etc,as a run around. All my driving is M50/M1 so I should be able to get 50+ MPG with a diesel.

keithclancy

Sharkey_dub wrote: »

I have a few quid stashed away so its not as if im borrowing to change cars. We are planning to ditch the C180 next summer and buy something small,Fiesta etc,as a run around. All my driving is M50/M1 so I should be able to get 50+ MPG with a diesel.

C180 will not get 50mpg, more around 30-40 range (40ish with soft driving)

http://www.whatmpg.co.uk/Mercedes%20MPG%20information.html

Soarer

Trade the C180 in against a Prius. If it's stop/start school run stuff, the Prius will eat it up all day long.
Trade your Honda in against a diesel for your motorway driving, and ye're laughing.

Sharkey_dub

Thats the plan soarer. What diesel do you think we should get/avoid?

Soarer

Really don't know tbh.

I've an aversion for spending big money ie. over €5k on a car. Just don't see the point.
I bought a diesel myself about 6 months ago. A '01 Astra 1.7DTi with 82k miles on the clock. Body not the best, but the interior was perfect, and she's as tight as a drum. Cheap tax, averaging 50mpg, and she cost me €1600.

If I was you, I'd do something similar to start with...especially since you're using savings.
Buy something cheap/comfortable/diesel and see how you get on. You could pick up a diesel French yoke for handy money. They'd have presence on the road, and don't look as cheap as they cost.
If it works out well for ya, then trade up to a better/nicer diesel. You'll not lose much on the cheap diesel if/when you sell it again.
If it doesn't work out (no reason why it shouldn't), you can sell it again and go back to a petrol.

I can fully understand wanting to get into diesel to start saving money, as I've gone through it myself. But as previously mentioned, it's a false economy if you're spending thousands on the car to save euros every week.

keithclancy

keithclancy wrote: »

C180 will not get 50mpg, more around 30-40 range (40ish with soft driving)

http://www.whatmpg.co.uk/Mercedes%20MPG%20information.html

I think your taking him up wrong, he already has a c180 and plans on getting rid of it in the summer to be replaced with a small car. He wants to replace his Honda HRV with a diesel now.

BostonB

Change to a diesel when changing car. Not just to change to diesel. The figures don't add up. (in this case)

keithclancy

Howard Green Orangutan wrote: »

I think your taking him up wrong, he already has a c180 and plans on getting rid of it in the summer to be replaced with a small car. He wants to replace his Honda HRV with a diesel now.

Doh ..

NM Then

shedweller

Soarer wrote: »

Really don't know tbh.

I've an aversion for spending big money ie. over €5k on a car. Just don't see the point.
I bought a diesel myself about 6 months ago. A '01 Astra 1.7DTi with 82k miles on the clock. Body not the best, but the interior was perfect, and she's as tight as a drum. Cheap tax, averaging 50mpg, and she cost me €1600.

If I was you, I'd do something similar to start with...especially since you're using savings.
Buy something cheap/comfortable/diesel and see how you get on. You could pick up a diesel French yoke for handy money. They'd have presence on the road, and don't look as cheap as they cost.
If it works out well for ya, then trade up to a better/nicer diesel. You'll not lose much on the cheap diesel if/when you sell it again.
If it doesn't work out (no reason why it shouldn't), you can sell it again and go back to a petrol.

I can fully understand wanting to get into diesel to start saving money, as I've gone through it myself. But as previously mentioned, it's a false economy if you're spending thousands on the car to save euros every week.

+1000

The OP is going to trade in at some point. Might as well do it now and get a cheap diesel yoke. Drive it till it's scrap, get another and so on. Much cheaper in the long run.

166man

Yeah it would be madness to change and take the hit of depreciation, however how about something like this

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Passat/**SALE-N/200925194378467/advert?channel=CARS

This would easily give 50+ mpg on your run and not cost the world in depreciation...

Just my 2c....

JJJJNR

I'd sell the merc + HRV private and then buy family car and use public transport to get to work.

*Plus maybe a little thing for the weekend for yourself.

Eric Cartman

keep the c180 and sell the hrv for a 530d , lovely cars for motorway cruising and your all important diesel requirement

shedweller

Eric Cartman wrote: »

keep the c180 and sell the hrv for a 530d , lovely cars for motorway cruising and your all important diesel requirement

Tell me, how does that improve the OP's financial situation? Not getting at you Eric, i just want to know the figures.:)

Sharkey_dub

Thinking about an Avensis 07/08 diesel or petrol as the main family car and changing the C180 in the new year. Thanks for all your advice. Just one other question, the wife likes 4x4 types, what's the Rav4 diesel like?

Eric Cartman

shedweller wrote: »

Tell me, how does that improve the OP's financial situation? Not getting at you Eric, i just want to know the figures.:)

changing his car wont improve anything anyway , may as well be comfortable if your going to 'save money with diesel'

TJJP

Keep an eye on the forthcoming legislative programme published this week (www.taoiseach.ie) where number 76 is: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill To update the law in relation to motor tax and to improve motor tax collection and enforcement. Publication Expected - 2012.

Could suggest rate adjustment or rebalance before year end.

Sharkey_dub

Can you get a link to this please.