Petrol or diesel?

idnkph

Hi
I drive 4/500 hundred miles a week. Currently in a 03 Passat diesel that's about to give up the ghost.
I was wondering would going for a 1.6 petrol be any kind of a saver for me.
The roads I travel are not mways. Mainly secondary and country roads.
Was hoping to pick up something from the bangernomics thread.
Need a family sized car.
Cheers for any advice.

_Brian

You’ll get lower tax, which to be honest I don’t really count anyway.

Your petrol bills will be higher, there’s no getting away from that, it’s a fact, probably 30-40% higher.

You might be avoiding nasty dpf and associated diesel repairs, that’s MIGHT as it’s not guaranteed you would have trouble. The opinion is that diesel is more expensive to service, I’ve never noticed that myself.

Lantus

No. You are ideal for diesel. Petrol will cripple you for fuel unless you have an excess of cash.

A passat or superb would be an ideal replacement.

firstlight

What's wrong with the Passat you have now?
Like said
Another Passat,superb or A4/a6 of the same vintage as yours
Anything with the awx or avf engines with as much service history as you can get

firstlight

OSI wrote: »

You reckon you should easily get 74mpg in a 15 year old Passat on country roads?

Read it as Kms sorry 😂
Your correct
Usually 45/55 mpg

zilog_jones

A petrol hybrid would match that in fuel economy, and lower tax with lower maintenance costs would outweigh the higher cost of petrol - but not anything at "bangernomics" prices, it would need to be <8 years old or so.

Leonard Hofstadter

Stick with diesel. Your driving is ideal for it. Few cars are as reliable as those older Passats anyway.

Philb76

Definitely stick with the diesel petrol or hybrid will cost bit more to run if that's your priority some good suggestions posted superb a good shout just avoid certain engines codes seem with all vag cars from the era really hard to find a decent passat b5 b5.5 now

Shefwedfan

What sort of driving you doing, all long distance or lots of small trips?

What your average journey, that will tell you if petrol or diesel is the option.....

Philb76

The mk2 avensis diesel is a good workhorse as well and can be got very cheap these days

idnkph

Shefwedfan wrote:

What sort of driving you doing, all long distance or lots of small trips?

Usually 25-35 mile trips. The roads are very twisty and the is a good bit of gear changing the while time.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Default recommendation: 1.8 civic saloon.

Shefwedfan

idnkph wrote: »

Usually 25-35 mile trips. The roads are very twisty and the is a good bit of gear changing the while time.

Well I would be looking at automatic for a start.....

Each trip is 56km so not huge either. Everyone will jump on the diesel bandwagon fairly quickly.


As you are looking for older car then hybrid is out. Personally I would see if you could get a nice auto A6, as nobody buy petrol Audi's it will be a diesel but should do the trick.


Of those trips is it open road or busy traffic? if traffic then a petrol and BMW 5 series would be a nice option, some nice low mileage petrols normally knocking around

idnkph

Shefwedfan wrote:

Of those trips is it open road or busy traffic? if traffic then a petrol and BMW 5 series would be a nice option, some nice low mileage petrols normally knocking around

It's open road. Never any traffic really. Why would the auto be your preference?

Shefwedfan

idnkph wrote: »

It's open road. Never any traffic really. Why would the auto be your preference?

If your changing gears all the time then why wouldn't you move to auto.....

idnkph

Shefwedfan wrote:

If your changing gears all the time then why wouldn't you move to auto.....

True. But will an auto box of bangernomics money be a more expensive risk than a manual? Cheers for your replies

bazz26

idnkph wrote: »

True. But will an auto box of bangernomics money be a more expensive risk than a manual? Cheers for your replies

What makes you think that?

idnkph

Just remember on a thread stone years back someone saying the auto box was more expensive to replace but would like the idea of an auto if it's not the case.

Shefwedfan

idnkph wrote: »

Just remember on a thread stone years back someone saying the auto box was more expensive to replace but would like the idea of an auto if it's not the case.

Some Manual and auto gearboxes are dodgy....but if looking at older cars then you will know which ones are good/bad as plenty of people with experience

My dad always told me autos are ****, based on him driving an auto in 70/80’s....he got one recently and now doesn’t want manual....don’t believe the stories about auto been dodgy....you normally find it based on crap

bazz26

idnkph wrote: »

Just remember on a thread stone years back someone saying the auto box was more expensive to replace but would like the idea of an auto if it's not the case.

Depending on the auto box in question they are quite reliable. Some require regular maintenance while others don't. Yes they are more complicated than a clutch and flywheel but remember that most modern manual diesel cars will require the dual mass flywheel and clutch replaced at some stage due to wear and tear. You won't have either in a proper automatic box with a torque converter.

Automatics have moved on from the days of when the only ones who drove them here were American tourists in rental cars where they were slow and clunky as feck.

zilog_jones

I've heard enough stories of manual gearboxes in VWs and Toyotas failing that I wouldn't consider them particularly reliable either, never mind the DMF nonsense.

gwalk

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Some Manual and auto gearboxes are dodgy....but if looking at older cars then you will know which ones are good/bad as plenty of people with experience

My dad always told me autos are ****, based on him driving an auto in 70/80’s....he got one recently and now doesn’t want manual....don’t believe the stories about auto been dodgy....you normally find it based on crap

I was always told by my dad that autos were for people who couldn't be arsed learning to drive a manual.

I had use of an Octavia with a DSG box over the weekend, and it makes some difference, especially for long drives. Its definitely something i'd be looking for in future when I'm upgrading my car.

Shefwedfan

gwalk wrote: »

I was always told by my dad that autos were for people who couldn't be arsed learning to drive a manual.

I had use of an Octavia with a DSG box over the weekend, and it makes some difference, especially for long drives. Its definitely something i'd be looking for in future when I'm upgrading my car.

Very similar to my father.....


Long drive with adaptive cruise control :P put the feet up and relax:eek: especially if going from Cork to Dublin....80% of the trip you can have a snooze....until you get close to Dublin and suddenly nobody understands what a motorway is

2013Lara

Sorry to jump on post. Hubbys car has just died. Was an 03 Polo. Petrol.

He has a 40-50 minute commute to work five days a week. All main roads. That's pretty much all the driving he does apart from small journeys to the shop or whatever. Family car for everything else. Petrol or diesel?

Shefwedfan

2013Lara wrote: »

Sorry to jump on post. Hubbys car has just died. Was an 03 Polo. Petrol.

He has a 40-50 minute commute to work five days a week. All main roads. That's pretty much all the driving he does apart from small journeys to the shop or whatever. Family car for everything else. Petrol or diesel?

Better to start your own thread, also include what distance is the commute....you could be on the road in Dublin for 50 mins and do 15km....budget etc


Hard to judge without that type of info

bazz26

2013Lara wrote: »

Sorry to jump on post. Hubbys car has just died. Was an 03 Polo. Petrol.

He has a 40-50 minute commute to work five days a week. All main roads. That's pretty much all the driving he does apart from small journeys to the shop or whatever. Family car for everything else. Petrol or diesel?

You need to be a bit more specific around your commute. Is it 40-50 minutes stuck in heavy traffic where you travel 10 miles or is it 40-50 minutes travelling 40 miles on a motorway?

2013Lara

bazz26 wrote: »

You need to be a bit more specific around your commute. Is it 40-50 minutes stuck in heavy traffic where you travel 10 miles or is it 40-50 minutes travelling 40 miles on a motorway?

Sorry!!

It's 40-50 min straight driving, mostly motorway. He doesn't tend to be in the rush hour traffic at all.

bazz26

I'd say he would be fine with a diesel so. I wouldn't rule out the right petrol car either though.

Shefwedfan

2013Lara wrote: »

Sorry!!

It's 40-50 min straight driving, mostly motorway. He doesn't tend to be in the rush hour traffic at all.

Either diesel or petrol.....hybrid.....


Depends on budget of course

gaillimh

Hi lads.
Is there any scenario where a diesel would still be recommended for reasonably low mileage?
Looking for a car for the wife (possibly something like a Volvo V40 or similar).
But finding that most models available here in cars that she likes are diesel only.
She works from home at least 2-3 days a week (only a short 6 mile round trip hop to the creche on these days), the other days she would have an approx 40-45 mile round trip to the office.
Plus 1-2 return trips to head office in Dublin a month.
At weekends we would mostly use my car (a diesel A6) for any trips we do.

I don't mind importing a petrol from the Uk for her, but struggling to find anything suitable around the €10k mark.
Cheers for any advice.

bazz26

A diesel seems pointless for that usage imo. Have you looked at a hybrid? The Lexus CT200h? Good value in these in the UK plus they have low VRT due to the hybrid/ev rebate included in the VRT figure.

zilog_jones

Yeah, a diesel is more likely to end up being hassle with mostly short journeys like that.

The CT200h has only been around since 2011, so might be hard finding one around €10k.

Shefwedfan

gaillimh wrote: »

Hi lads.
Is there any scenario where a diesel would still be recommended for reasonably low mileage?
Looking for a car for the wife (possibly something like a Volvo V40 or similar).
But finding that most models available here in cars that she likes are diesel only.
She works from home at least 2-3 days a week (only a short 6 mile round trip hop to the creche on these days), the other days she would have an approx 40-45 mile round trip to the office.
Plus 1-2 return trips to head office in Dublin a month.
At weekends we would mostly use my car (a diesel A6) for any trips we do.

I don't mind importing a petrol from the Uk for her, but struggling to find anything suitable around the €10k mark.
Cheers for any advice.

Why not electric? or hybrid......

NIMAN

This Indo article makes for interesting reading for those who aren't sure what to buy next time they are changing

https://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/which-goes-further-on-20-worth-of-fuel-hybrid-or-diesel-37475360.html

zilog_jones

So a Skoda wins a test conducted by Skoda...

The Indo continues to be a useless rag.

Shefwedfan

zilog_jones wrote: »

So a Skoda wins a test conducted by Skoda...

The Indo continues to be a useless rag.

Jesus that was some waste of a day,.....


Feck I could of showed up and told them the result before they even set off :eek:


Picking up some of the points
Bigger alloys on te toyota has an affect on fuel
Majority of trip was motorway which should be a huge benefit to Skoda


After all that we get

* Overall, the Octavia was more economical by 0.1/100km but it is minuscule and reliant on factors such as driving style etc as to be negligible


if anything it shows poor performance from the diesel more than anything

Lantus

NIMAN wrote: »

This Indo article makes for interesting reading for those who aren't sure what to buy next time they are changing

https://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/which-goes-further-on-20-worth-of-fuel-hybrid-or-diesel-37475360.html

Good test. There is far too much of a blind push to go hybrid by all sundry with little evidence to suggest it offers any real substantial benefit. More real world tests like this are needed to support claims and help us really understand what works.

Shefwedfan

Lantus wrote: »

Good test. There is far too much of a blind push to go hybrid by all sundry with little evidence to suggest it offers any real substantial benefit. More real world tests like this are needed to support claims and help us really understand what works.

Skoda have access to a hybrid engine, just test a Passat or Golf....

Also Skoda will offer a hybrid next year so this is just the Skoda dealers trying to flog off the last of the diesel to the Irish drivers.....this time next year the answer will be hybrid

Why not do a test of all city based driving? A standard commute from suburbs to town and then out again....to shops etc...they only took it out for motorway to get the diesel back up

The Skoda has more fuel in as well so that’s makes it all the more pointless

Lantus

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Skoda have access to a hybrid engine, just test a Passat or Golf....

Also Skoda will offer a hybrid next year so this is just the Skoda dealers trying to flog off the last of the diesel to the Irish drivers.....this time next year the answer will be hybrid

Why not do a test of all city based driving? A standard commute from suburbs to town and then out again....to shops etc...they only took it out for motorway to get the diesel back up

The Skoda has more fuel in as well so that’s makes it all the more pointless

As I said we need more testing where the ratio of city, motorway and extra urban are all adjusted in say 20% chunks. This should show when hybrid really kicks in and offers the benefit.

As with all efficiency claims manufacturers are not interested in honest appraisals.

zilog_jones

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Majority of trip was motorway which should be a huge benefit to Skoda

The hybrids are constantly getting better at dealing with higher speed driving. The next generation Auris Corolla hatchback hybrid will probably beat the Skoda at motorway driving.

NIMAN

I knew from the offset that the diesel was going to win, but I honestly thought it would be a clearer victory. So surprised by the hybrid.

Also, interesting that the skoda covered twice what the range computer predicted.

Idbatterim

would a leaf work for you op?

zilog_jones

NIMAN wrote: »

I knew from the offset that the diesel was going to win, but I honestly thought it would be a clearer victory. So surprised by the hybrid.

Also, interesting that the skoda covered twice what the range computer predicted.

The results were too close to come to any reasonable conclusion. Not to mention the bias of who ran the test makes it completely untrustworthy.

Trip computers predict their range on previous journeys - if this driving was different to what that car did before, it will likely be very inaccurate. Also being a new car meant it wouldn't have much data to go on.

Lantus

zilog_jones wrote:

The hybrids are constantly getting better at dealing with higher speed driving. The next generation Auris Corolla hatchback hybrid will probably beat the Skoda at motorway driving.

The current Toyota hybrid advert gets people to claim that its so obvious that hybrid is much much better, cheaper and better for the kids..

People are chanting this new truth like a mantra without question.

This test however simple and representing just one journey should
make any rational person seriously question those assertions and demand extensive real world testing and comparison to see where and how a hybrid might equal or better current technology.

After less than honest fuel efficiency claims and co2 ratings plus diesel Gate you'd think the consumer would be less trusting of the next big thing....

bazz26

Sheep will always need a shepherd to guide them..