Which would use more fuel?

big_drive

A ford focus hatchback around 05 model.

This could be a very silly question but Which would be more fuel efficient?

1.6 diesel or 1.4 petrol

Or is diesel a winner in most cases?

kirving

Honestly, don't know the figues but they're available if you google it. Diesel is more fuel effecient on a long run for sure, the 1.4 would be working hard to keep you at motorway speed.

Alanstrainor

The Diesel would be more economical.

What car is it? In pretty much all cases the petrol will be cheaper to buy, and you'll get a lower mileage example for less than a diesel.

Also if you're not covering a lot of miles a diesel could be a false economy.

big_drive

Im doing around 400 miles a week at present.

I have an Audi a4 2001 1.9 tdi. It's in excellent condition as I have kept it well serviced and anything needed was done straight away. Problem is it has 177,000 miles which will scare off a lot of people. But it's in great shape, just after doing the timing belt and throwing on 4 new tires.

Thinking of trying to upgrade a little next year maybe a few years to around a 05/06

But only want to spend around €4,000/€5,000 along with whatever I get on trade in of my own.

So was thinking of going to 1.4/1.6 to save on insurance/tax costs.

Like the look of the focus but open to suggestions?

Alanstrainor

Tax saving between a 1.9 and a 1.6 is 143 a year.

Which is nothing. If your current car is running well, despite the mileage i'd be inclined to keep it tbh. Also, i really can't see your insurance taking much of a dip either. It may not go down at all.

If you want to change car anyway, by all means go for it, but spending 4000 to save 143 a year sounds mad to me. With the timing belt and 4 new tyres your car probably has a lot of miles left.

Monty.

big_drive wrote: »

A ford focus hatchback around 05 model.

This could be a very silly question but Which would be more fuel efficient?

1.6 diesel or 1.4 petrol

Or is diesel a winner in most cases?

In an 05 Focus ? The diesel.

The 1.4 petrol Focus is a Paddy Spec Special and is too underpowered for the car, because of this it ends up using the same amount of petrol as the far better 1.6 petrol Focus.

Diesel - Better MPG
Petrol - Much cheaper, usually much lower miles, and less maintenance and bits to go wrong.

You need to be doing about 15,000 miles per year before a diesel will start to make sense, and it really does not come into its own untill 20,000 miles plus.

For diesel cars you pay a lot up front for an already well used car.
Petrol cars are more pay as you go, and it's easier to get a clean low mileage one.
It really is horses for courses.

big_drive

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Tax saving between a 1.9 and a 1.6 is 143 a year.

Which is nothing. If your current car is running well, despite the mileage i'd be inclined to keep it tbh. Also, i really can't see your insurance taking much of a dip either. It may not go down at all.

If you want to change car anyway, by all means go for it, but spending 4000 to save 143 a year sounds mad to me. With the timing belt and 4 new tyres your car probably has a lot of miles left.

Ya you're probably right, at this stage I should just drive it away. I suppose part of me likes the excitement of getting a new car. I have the Audi 4 years now and maybe I'm just getting bored of it despite the fact I love driving it and think it's a great car.

Also I was working out that I've spent €1,700 this year on repairs/works. Add in tax, insurance & diesel and I've spend a fair whack. Just guess I thought about the possibility of something which may be more cost efficient.
I suppose I also have the fear of something else big going wrong and the cost of parts for Audi seems high

shawnee

The much maligned 1.4 focus has an annual tax of 333 which is probably 300 euro less than what you are driving. I had driven a 2 litre Mondeo diesel but had got quite a few problems with it, possibly because of the quality of diesel and also had difficulties with diagnosing the problems within the car. Car would drive okay until one drove it on fairly hard and then sometimes would shut down. This pissed me off a fair bit and the suggestion of replacing injectors and possible fuel pump with a bill of around 1500 didn't help.
I am currently driving an 05 focus and am quite pleased with it. It is probably delivering around 40 mpg and I find it quite adequate for the type of driving I do.;) Hard to have it every way when buying a car. I wanted a Zetec hatch and found this one in very good nick.

Monty.

big_drive wrote: »

But it's in great shape, just after doing the timing belt and throwing on 4 new tires.

big_drive wrote: »

Also I was working out that I've spent €1,700 this year on repairs/works.

Assuming overall costs is your main concern : In that case, if I were you I'd try to keep her as your daily driver untill about 10k before the next belt is due (if there is no more big bills) and then flog her and buy an 08.

If you get an insatiable urge to change in the meantime, buy a 2k petrol merc or something extotic for the weekend, that you can flog off easy when you get over the itch, and keep the a4 as your daily driver.

big_drive

Ya sounds good, but i imagine buying another car would only add to tax & insurance costs

166man

The diesel will average about 45-50mpg and the petrol about 30mpg if lucky I'd say. I would keep the Audi for sure it will go on forever with the service history you mentioned.Try and get the highest mileage you can!

big_drive

Ya I just got the nct done 3 weeks ago. Sent it into my usual mechanic to give it the once over before going to nct centre and ended up with bill for €750 which was a bit of a shock. Well I knew it would need four new tyres but also it required 3 suspension arms. So that's what got me thinking is this car going to have big bills in future

big_drive

[QUOTE=166man;I would keep the Audi for sure it will go on forever with the service history you mentioned.Try and get the highest mileage you can![/QUOTE]

Yes it probably will go for plenty more but I'm trying to figure out at what point is it costing too much to actually achieve that goal.

Absurdum

The diesel will be quite a bit quicker as well, best thing to do is try both and work out which suits you most. No point in saving a few quid on one if it's painfully slow and dangerous.

166man

big_drive wrote: »

Yes it probably will go for plenty more but I'm trying to figure out at what point is it costing too much to actually achieve that goal.

Of course, out of interest when was the turbo last done or has it, they can be expensive to replace?

Mycroft H

The 1.6Hdi is a lovely engine. Really reliable and we've had no problems in the last two years in our c5