Very fuel efficient car for €7k ?

Sobanek

Hey guys, as some of you know, I'm going back to college in September, but have also made a manly decision to keep working (no social life for me at all, all for a 6 Series :P )

The plan is to buy something very cheap to run next February.

Now, my budget will be about 5k, but I think the current 7k cars may go down to that level by then.

I'll be doing a colossal 500 miles a week so a diesel is the obvious choice or something smaller on LPG.

I'll hang on to the 320ci I currently own until then anyway.

Looking for something really fuel efficient but with some kit on it (air con, electric windows etc.)

Tax on the 320 is a killer (260 every three months) so keeping it is pretty much out of the equation.

A 2008 Laguna 1.5 dCi seems to fit the bill well, although I'm not so sure about its reliability.

Any other suggestions?

By the way, I'm not replacing the 320 just for da cheap taxx ladd :pac: need something better on fuel too.

And a diesel car will be easier to sell in the future.

CiniO

I doubt any car worth €7k now will depreciate to €5k till February.

If you are looking for low running costs and nice car, I would recommend Fiat Bravo 1.4 T-jet 150HP, either 2007 or early 2008 model.
Convert it to LPG assuming you have access to cheap LPG on your way.
You should easily fit that into your budget with cost of conversion.

Car will have plenty of power, and will be very nice to drive.
Cheap tax as it's only 1.4. Fuel cost on LPG should be lower than Laguna diesel you mentioned.

Sobanek

CiniO wrote: »

I doubt any car worth €7k now will depreciate to €5k till February.

If you are looking for low running costs and nice car, I would recommend Fiat Bravo 1.4 T-jet 150HP, either 2007 or early 2008 model.
Convert it to LPG assuming you have access to cheap LPG on your way.
You should easily fit that into your budget with cost of conversion.

Car will have plenty of power, and will be very nice to drive.
Cheap tax as it's only 1.4. Fuel cost on LPG should be lower than Laguna diesel you mentioned.

I'm pretty sure the Laguna will

I have an LPG station 10 miles from my house, so that's why I thought it'd be good to consider.
However, isn't that engine direct injection?

Also, can't find a single one, they're all 90hp :pac:

bazz26

Honda Civic IMA hybrid?


http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Honda/Civic/HYBRID-AUTOMATIC/39613897995935090/

MuppetCheck

If you like your current car why not keep it? It would cost you 5-5.5k with your own - surely your own is capable of 30 ish on a run?

However if you want a change that's a different thing. If you want fuel efficiency get a diesel. A 1.9 vag of some variety gives choice and should be simple to sell on. On a decent run 50mpg is achievable without too much grannying it.

Ded_Zebra

I haven't actually done the calculations but I wold be confidant it will work out cheaper to keep the 320 and run it every day. How many years will you be dong that milage for? An LPG conversion on the 320 might pay off

Sobanek

4 years.

Here are my calculations (tax, insurance, fuel) per month.

My current BMW 320Ci on petrol

Average Consumption: 10.1 litres per 100 km
10.1 * 7.5 * 4 * 1.539 = €466.32
Tax: €90
Insurance: €168
Total Cost per month: €724.32


The same car on LPG

Average Consumption: 12.0 litres per 100 km
12 * 7.5 * 4 * 0.779 = €280.44
Tax: €90
Insurance: €168
Total Cost per month: €538.44


2008 VW Passat 2.0 TDI (as an example)

Average Consumption: 6.2 litres per 100 km
6.2 * 7.5 * 4 * 1.459 = €271.38
Tax: €37
Insurance: €141
Total Cost per month: €449.38


Does not include depreciation and purchase cost BUT I was planning to change next year anyways.

Ded_Zebra

Sobanek wrote: »

4 years.

Here are my calculations (tax, insurance, fuel) per month.

My current BMW 320Ci on petrol

Average Consumption: 10.1 litres per 100 km
10.1 * 7.5 * 4 * 1.539 = €466.32
Tax: €90
Insurance: €168
Total Cost per month: €724.32


The same car on LPG

Average Consumption: 12.0 litres per 100 km
12 * 7.5 * 4 * 0.779 = €280.44
Tax: €90
Insurance: €168
Total Cost per month: €538.44


2008 VW Passat 2.0 TDI (as an example)

Average Consumption: 6.2 litres per 100 km
6.2 * 7.5 * 4 * 1.459 = €271.38
Tax: €37
Insurance: €141
Total Cost per month: €449.38


Does not include depreciation and purchase cost BUT I was planning to change next year anyways.

Well if you want to change by all means do! Don't try to justify it with saving money though!!:p

If you convert the 320 to log it will take the passat about 7 years to pay off the 7,000.

Personally if I was in your financial situation I would get something like the 406 estate that was posted in bangernomics recently (it had heated electric leather, ac cc etc. Everything you would want!) and spend the remainder on something for the weekend.

Sobanek

Am I saving money? Or is this a dream?

Per year figures:

BMW 320Ci E46

Insurance: €1163.96
Tax: €951
Fuel Costs (petrol): €5,946
Finance: 0
Total: €8,060.96



Volkswagen Golf Estate 1.9 TDI (2010)

Insurance: €1093.96
Tax: €200
Fuel Costs (diesel): €2,843
Finance: €2,400
Total: €6,536.96

So even with finance, I'm "saving" about €1.5k.

detective

I have a 2008 laguna. It's worth around 7000. It has a 1.5 diesel engine. I get 1100 km per fill.

mistress_gi

I'd be careful with the laguna they are fuel efficient but parts are super expensive

Moneymaker

How about a Megane? Should be fuel efficient like the Laguna and the newer ones don't have the eletrical gremlins the previous model did.

Plus they look the part.