Motorway Driving: Diesel vs Petrol

Nolimits12

Im due to start back my old job in a month. It involves 30 mins motorway driving a day (Kildare-limerick direction).

So my main concern is should I get a diesel because I drive so far on the motorway, or will a petrol be ok?

Drove a golf 1.9 tdi before I left the job in Jan and diesel worked out cheap only about 35 a week or less, worked 6 days.. But I dont want the pain of taxing a diesel. Should I just go for petrol? 1.6 be okay?

Budget is 3.5k maybe 4k if the cars decent. Only driving a year or so, so the idea of driving a bigger car like a passat is scary.

I reallly want a mini, but I dont know if its work the extra petrol expense!

T-Maxx

30 mins motorway a day is nothing. You'll be fine with a petrol.

sean1141

Is it only 30 min of motorway or is there much more backroad driving to it

Nolimits12

10 min back road driving. On the way home its all downhill so I tend to leave it in fifth and let it free wheel. Its 20 min motorway if I go 100kmph the full way. Never stuck in traffic since I'm going away from dublin.

Idbatterim

would be good if you could get something with a 6th gear...

ian87

A mini petrol wouldn't be the cheapest thing to run. Thirsty wee things.

Nolimits12

For the craic?

Idbatterim

For the craic?

ha no! it drops the rpm, meaning engine uses less fuel, its a motorway gear basically (effectively) what cars are you looking at? diesel doesnt cost any more to tax than petrol, its based on the cc...

Nolimits12

Idbatterim wrote: »

ha no! it drops the rpm, meaning engine uses less fuel, its a motorway gear basically (effectively) what cars are you looking at? diesel doesnt cost any more to tax than petrol, its based on the cc...

Ohh interesting.. I was looking at sexy looking cars like BMW 320d or Audi a4. Big cars though and BMW price to fix when it breaks puts me off..

I can't find any other small cars that actually look good. Was looking at polos but after driving a golf you just can't go near them. Tested one out and they are just so narrow and upright. Not very fun either.

Diesel 1.9 does cost a good bit now 750 I think? 1.4 diesels are all around 5k .

Esel

Have a look at the 1999 Mazda 3 (in Naas...) linked in this post in the bangernomics thread. Waaay below your price range though... asking €800, probably get it for a bit less if you show the folding stuff.

I think the Mazda 3 of that era have a very good rep. Lots of tax and test left on it too. Get you started anyway, and you'd probably get your money back in 3 months time if you didn't like it.

Idbatterim

yeah the 320d is good, would be comfortable motorway cruiser with 6th gear and cruise control... the below looks nice, but over budget though perhaps...

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/320-D-SE/34113624996883480/advert?channel=CARS

Nolimits12

Idbatterim wrote: »

yeah the 320d is good, would be comfortable motorway cruiser with 6th gear and cruise control... the below looks nice, but over budget though perhaps...

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/320-D-SE/34113624996883480/advert?channel=CARS

Nice alloys! Spotted an older similar version on done deal. Only 5 gear tho. Cruise control would be sweet too. Just a tad over budget..

Thing is, mum has a 09 318 from new and the amount of money she puts into it. 300 per alloy, when she gets a flat. Her starter button always breaks. Granted she's a sht driver and I cringe when she goes over ramps. But still, I just worry about the cost it will be to repair anything. But I guess if I went with mini it's the same story.

Idbatterim

Im assuming your mum has run flats, which give a **** ride and are very expensive. The newer bm's with the stop / start etc have more to go wrong with them. Bm's dont have to break the bank, but you do need to know who to use and where to shop around for parts... I believe the below car is still for sale...

http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/showthread.php?t=41307

what car are you driving now?

Nolimits12

Idbatterim wrote: »

Im assuming your mum has run flats, which give a **** ride and are very expensive. The newer bm's with the stop / start etc have more to go wrong with them. Bm's dont have to break the bank, but you do need to know who to use and where to shop around for parts...

Yeah she does, very good dealer salesmen convinced her to get them. The 07 bmw she had also caused trouble. Is it just her terrible driving? She serviced regularly with dealer to keep her book up to date. She only goes to the dealers which doesn't help expense wise.

Hmm.. Who to use? Where to shop around for parts? I tried shopping around for parts with the golf, nobody would take me seriously because I'm young and female. Less hassle the better.

Okay I think I will look back into them, I do really like them. 320cd would be the dream, it's a beaut.

Resell though, back to college in sept and will not have the need for the car. Mini I think I will shift but BMW.. Seems the market is abundant with them.


No car, quit work and sold car to study for two months. Old job phoned and asked me back after exam. Wasn't planning on going back but happy to take job back.

Idbatterim

the only thing I would be getting done at a main dealership if I were you mum would be the oil and oil filter service. Her driving may cause some, but probably not all of the issues... the coupes are gorgeous alright, Im driving a petrol m sport version. Given that you are back to college in september, Id put the dream coupe on hold, buy a small petrol bangernomic that probably wont cost you any depreciation and will have very cheap running costs and either sell it in september or hang onto it and just buy it outright... You simply wouldnt buy a decent diesel coupe with your budget...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056506575&page=578

Esel

The Mazda 323 I mentioned would be good for what you need, especially when you are going to be selling in September! Think about that.

munchkin_utd

of the many cars I rented over the past few years one of the most unbelievably economical ones was surprisingly a 1.5L diesel Megane.
Heres one for 3495 (so bang inside your budget) with relatively low mileage
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4439560

she's "only" 100 HP but to be honest with the turbo shes lively enough for overtaking manouvers
The consumption is miserly, and from experience that last figure is almost spot on for motorways too
I can only dream of figures like that from my 1.8petrol focus .

Fuel consumption combined: ca 5.3 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (urban): ca 6.5 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (extra-urban): ca 4.6 l/100 km
SOURCE

Nolimits12

Idbatterim wrote: »

the coupes are gorgeous alright, Im driving a petrol m sport version. Given that you are back to college in september, Id put the dream coupe on hold, buy a small petrol bangernomic that probably wont cost you any depreciation and will have very cheap running costs and either sell it in september or hang onto it and just buy it outright... You simply wouldnt buy a decent diesel coupe with your budget...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056506575&page=578

Ooh sounds unreal. Bet its an expensive car to run?


But I really dont wanna go with a banger. I hate bangers, dad is bad into bangernomics as he hates car depreciated. So had to suffer teenage years of being taken the pss out of for his bangers. It would still haunt me as bad as that sounds.


Everything was going good till I read the last line..
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4356573

Idbatterim

Ooh sounds unreal. Bet its an expensive car to run?


But I really dont wanna go with a banger. I hate bangers, dad is bad into bangernomics as he hates car depreciated. So had to suffer teenage years of being taken the pss out of for his bangers. It would still haunt me as bad as that sounds.

well the tax on it is E1080 for the year, but insurance was only little over E200 for year and Im 28 fuel is about E30 per week as I do very little mileage.

If you really dont want the bangernomic, there is an alternative Id put to you that is head and shoulders above the 320d and far cheaper, the 520i, a proper 6 cylinder bm

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4510460
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4378856
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4581193

Nolimits12

Haha now you're just teasing! I could buy one of those and spend the money saved on petrol... How about I swap with you for your car, I offer a pristine banger in mint condition? .

Got on insurance quote on a mini for 1500 and it goes down to 900 when I get the full. Last year my insurance was quoted at 800 with the provisional.. Ive only have 2ish years driving experience. 200 for insurance though, thats just not fair!

Idbatterim

ha thanks for the swap offer, but think Ill hang onto mine for now theres a picture of my current car, can give you a shout when selling if you like!

http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36085
http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/showthread.php?t=14139&page=6

the insurance sounds like a pain, try get your full license asap, only way insurance comes down dramatically, that and building a ncb...

Nolimits12

Im so jealous, it looks unreal. Have you had it long?
Haha thanks but Ill be a student for the next four years and possibly working summers at the place Im starting back work in too, so lots of driving on that motorway. Plus when I'm done, Im probably going to stick with horse veterinary, meaning I'd destroy that lovely paint job with muck and horse shte.

No time atm to get a license, studying for exams .

Idbatterim

Im so jealous, it looks unreal. Have you had it long?

nearly 2 years... Insurance is going to be a big influencing factor in this I reckon, tell you what Id do, ring around and get quotes based on a say 01 or 02 520i valued at 2k and a 318 or 320d valued at say 3500 and find out firstly if you can get insured and then what the prices are, that will let you know where you stand in terms of beemer practicality. Because if I were you, the potential depreciation and insurance costs, would be a far higher concern that fuel for 3 months...

Idbatterim

saw this earlier OP, leather, manual and very reasonable asking price. You could get a multi function steering wheel fitted for relatively cheap, that would mean you would have cruise control for your motorway trips...


http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4626344
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4625065

same seller for both cars...