Is it worth buying a diesel?

[Zonda_]

Starting a new 12 month contract and will be doing 64 miles a day. Given the cost of diesel at the moment and that it’s predicted to rise further is it worth it? For the majority of the commute the car will be at a 70mph cruise. If I was to get one it would most likely be around a 2 litre.

[Jobbo]

You should get 50mpg+ (and maybe a fair bit better) in a 2.0 diesel at a steady 70mph. I get 45mpg on average in my heavy 4wd 3.0TDI Audi. It's the perfect commute for a diesel.

If you got a Golf GTI then you'd still be doing 70mph to achieve about 40mpg.

[Zonda_]

I’ve been offered good money for the XE against your recommendation, an SLK 250 CDI.

[16vCento]

My XF (3.0S) will return over 50mpg sat at 70 for hours on end, I think the massively overdrive 8th gear helps a lot.

Most modern 2.0 Diesels, like in the Superb, Passat etcs will do 60+ over a long run, my colleagues 2016 150ps Superb and 2018 Passat were brilliant on fuel.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I'm not convinced. Diesel isn't going to get cheaper and, if anything, the gap may grow more. You'll easily get north of 40mpg with a modern 2l turbot petrol, possibly even closer to 50mpg if you whack it in eco mode and stick to 70.

You'd have to do the maths to work out the differential.

[Zonda_]

I'm not convinced. Diesel isn't going to get cheaper and, if anything, the gap may grow more. You'll easily get north of 40mpg with a modern 2l turbot petrol, possibly even closer to 50mpg if you whack it in eco mode and stick to 70.

You'd have to do the maths to work out the differential.

That’s why I’ve asked, I’ve been trying to do the maths but I’m crap!

[Simon]

I drove up to Manchester and back last week. I wasn't in any hurry to get there so just pootled up. In my 2l turbo petrol I got 53mpg on the way up. Coming back via Liverpool to pick up an eBay purchase I was more keen to keep up with the traffic and get home, so did 70-75mph and got 45mpg.

Both pretty great going I think.

[simon_g]

Buying older/cheaper there's probably enough of a benefit to be worth it, assuming you won't be going near London, Birmingham, Bath, Bristol or the other clean air zones coming in.

Going newer, the modern turbo petrols do well enough to close the gap. At my local prices, a 43mpg petrol would be cheaper per mile than a 50mpg diesel.

If you've got £15k to spend though then a 40kw Leaf or 28kW Ioniq will knock out that daily mileage easily year round, get on a cheaper overnight tariff to charge and at 16k miles pa it'll save you over £2k a year on fuel costs.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Buying older/cheaper there's probably enough of a benefit to be worth it, assuming you won't be going near London, Birmingham, Bath, Bristol or the other clean air zones coming in.

Going newer, the modern turbo petrols do well enough to close the gap. At my local prices, a 43mpg petrol would be cheaper per mile than a 50mpg diesel.

When you say "going newer" I think you're showing your age Our 2012 125i (F20) would comfortably do over 40mpg on a cruise. The chap that we bought it from (off here) reckoned he'd seen north of 50mpg in eco mode - never quite managed that myself though as eco mode was horrible

[Broccers]

I'm in York atm. Tesco has no diesel at all. So probably not a good day to own one.

As long as the tax isn't a lot, why not?

[Zonda_]

I'm in York atm. Tesco has no diesel at all. So probably not a good day to own one.

As long as the tax isn't a lot, why not?

Im off to York in 15 minutes! Its not the tax thats the issue, currently here diesel has just gone to 29p a litre more than petrol and all reports Ive read say the price of diesel is set to climb where petrol isnt.

[integrale_evo]

I'm in York atm. Tesco has no diesel at all. So probably not a good day to own one.

As long as the tax isn't a lot, why not?

Our Tesco is always shutting off diesel pumps or has none at all. Never any issues with normal unleaded.

[simon_g]

When you say "going newer" I think you're showing your age Our 2012 125i (F20) would comfortably do over 40mpg on a cruise. The chap that we bought it from (off here) reckoned he'd seen north of 50mpg in eco mode - never quite managed that myself though as eco mode was horrible

True, my old-school Honda K20 petrol will barely crack 30mpg on a gentle run. The modern BMWs do great, even my m135i would manage high 30s quite easily.

Will be interesting to see what diesel car prices do. A reliable old 1.9 PD would be fine if you're doing it on the cheap but the newer, pricier euro 4/5 stuff could plummet in price as more clean air zones come in. Euro 6 diesels are at a premium and then you have to deal with adblue too.

[Delphi]

The 1.5 3 cyl Turbo in my XC40 will crack 50mpg on a run no problem.

[Sundayjumper]

The 1.5 3 cyl Turbo in my XC40 will crack 50mpg on a run no problem.

The 0.6 2 cyl in my old 2CV would crack 50mpg on a run no problem ! And that was built in 1978.

New engine tech has simply offset the extra bloat of modern cars.

[Swervin_Mervin]

The 1.5 3 cyl Turbo in my XC40 will crack 50mpg on a run no problem.

The 0.6 2 cyl in my old 2CV would crack 50mpg on a run no problem ! And that was built in 1978.

New engine tech has simply offset the extra bloat of modern cars.

My much older cousin had one, amongst many cars (caged Elan Sprint was my fave) and one thing I recall him saying was that he did 70mph once in his 2CV on the motorway and it scared him half to death. I didn't ask him what fuel economy he achieved though

Not quite a comparable sort of "run" in a 2CV I imagine.

[Explosive Newt]

Depends what sort of car you want to drive.

A modern small capacity turbo petrol will return superb economy (my golf 1.5 gets above 55mpg on long motorway runs). But it's a small car with limited space and you have to stoke it and get the revs up if you want power.
My dad's yaris hybrid can get over 60mpg on the motorway - but it's a Yaris hybrid.

Vs my Jag XF 3L V6 turbodiesel would get up to 58mpg on motorway cruises and yet still had 240 horses and a sitting room on wheels feel. But far less agile and a sod to park as it was so long.

[Jobbo]

I thought of this thread this morning as I overtook a mk7 Golf GTI doing about 75 on the motorway. Those of you saying your petrol car will do 40/50mpg, an equivalent diesel will still do a much better. The last Merc C220d would manage 70mpg on a steady motorway journey. I'd imagine a Golf GTD sitting on cruise control at 70 will be well into the 60s. Add that to the much better range (same size fuel tank, better economy) and if you're doing miles, it's still a no-brainer to get a diesel.

[Zonda_]

I thought of this thread this morning as I overtook a mk7 Golf GTI doing about 75 on the motorway. Those of you saying your petrol car will do 40/50mpg, an equivalent diesel will still do a much better. The last Merc C220d would manage 70mpg on a steady motorway journey. I'd imagine a Golf GTD sitting on cruise control at 70 will be well into the 60s. Add that to the much better range (same size fuel tank, better economy) and if you're doing miles, it's still a no-brainer to get a diesel.

But is it with the current cost difference that is expected to increase? I put fuel in yesterday petrol is £1.55, diesel is £1.85.

[IanF]

20% more expensive, so do you get 20% more mpg? Plus delta in price, VED, clean cities.. probably plus how long you want to keep it! Simples