Diesel or petrol

  • Thread starter singlefarmer
  • Start date
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singlefarmer

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I'm a complete car ignoramous, I'm about to buy a second hand car (passat/ avensis/octavia or the like). I'll be driving around 15,000 miles per year.

I'd appreciate it if any of you could advise me should I buy petrol or diesel?
 
Petrol is a better bet I reckon for you.

The benefits of diesel only really kick in at higher annual mileages.
 
MPG is only 1 factor. Cost is another. Expect to pay maybe €3000 extra for a diesel over it's petrol equivalent.

Residuals will be higher, but so will financing costs.
 
12,000 miles per anum is considered average for a petrol, 18,000 for a diesel. You are smack in the middle. With a handle like yours id say go for the diesel.
 
You should also bear in mind a diesel car of the same spec. as the petrol car will cost more.
Look at http://www.carzone.ie/ to compare.
Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol 2004 (18,764 miles) = €22,900.
Toyota Avensis 2.0 diesel 2004 (24,000 miles) = €24,500.
Not a exact comparison but you get the idea.
 

Yeah but there are the residuals - when you sell a diesel you get more for it than your petrol...

Some diesels can need more servicing than a petrol however.
 
Yeah but there are the residuals - when you sell a diesel you get more for it than your petrol...

Some diesels can need more servicing than a petrol however.
Click to expand...
Point taken on the reselling of a diesel but I was looking from the point of driving it into the ground.
"Some diesels can need more servicing than a petrol" therefore some petrols can need more servicing than a diesel???
 
gocall01 said:
Point taken on the reselling of a diesel but I was looking from the point of driving it into the ground.
"Some diesels can need more servicing than a petrol" therefore some petrols can need more servicing than a diesel???
Click to expand...

Yup this XTrail diesel needs less servicing than its petrol conterpart
http://www.carpages.co.uk/nissan/x-trail-review-part-6-23-03-05.asp

While this renault megane diesel needs to be serviced more than the petrol


In general diesels need more oil changes, but as the technology changes it seems that they are able to extend the service interval on diesels. IMO diesel is the way of the (short term) future.
 
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