Yet another "petrol or diesel" thread

Daysha

Been driving an imported 2011 Mazda3 1.6 petrol for nearly three years now. At the time I was barely hitting 7k miles a year hence the petrol, but a change of job and lifestyle means I'm going to be at somewhere between 13-15k by the end of year three in a few months.

I'm looking at upgrading to the newer model Mazda 3 but I'm not sure whether a diesel suits me yet. On the one hand I've a very short daily commute (5k round trip) with a lot of sitting in traffic, but I'm also doing a 100+ mile motorway trip once or twice a week, and at the moment I'm averaging about 32 mpg which isn't ideal (or is it?).

Is it time for me to take the diesel plunge or is petrol still the way to go?

colm_mcm

Get something like an Auris hybrid.

MarkN

https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-fuel-comparison-tool/

Pretty useful tool, halfway down the page.

Daysha

colm_mcm wrote: »

Get something like an Auris hybrid.

I’d rather not move away from Mazda tbh. I’ve loved my 3 since day 1 and I’ve had a grá for the newer model for a while now, even if they’re not everyone’s cup of tea.

colm_mcm

I think you’d be crazy to buy a Mazda diesel unless you’re doing suitable driving. I know you’re doing a few long runs but in my opinion it’s too much of a risk.

A Skyactiv G 3 should be economical enough anyway.

bazz26

The newer Mazda3 also came in petrol, they are rare but they are about:

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2015525&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D51%26o%5B%5D%3D925%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2014%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2003061&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D51%26o%5B%5D%3D925%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2014%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2034276&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D51%26o%5B%5D%3D925%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2014%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2014335&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D51%26o%5B%5D%3D925%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2014%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=1992918&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D51%26o%5B%5D%3D925%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2014%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

Wailin

colm_mcm wrote: »

in my opinion it’s too much of a risk.

A little bit of hyperbole there colm and i see it a lot on here. I would say 90-95% of people I know, family, friends etc, drive diesels and roughly the same percentage don't do the theoretical miles to justify them....but i know no one who's car gave them issues that people rabble on about here all the time.

I've been driving diesels the last 6yrs and I can tell you i definitely don't do high mileage that's 'required' to own a diesel...no issues. Now i like my cars and if i could get the ones i like in petrol, i would. But they are just not out there. My father in law is driving a 1.6 diesel focus since 2011. His mileage now? 28000 and no issues.

colm_mcm

I’m not talking about mileage, I’m talking about type of journies. The newer 3 uses Mazda’s own Diesel engine now, and while they’re not supposed to be a disaster like the older 2.0 Mazda engine, I still would be wary.

Leonard Hofstadter

Not sure about the 1.5 petrol, but the 2.0 petrol in them is very economical - I got 42 mpg doing 130 km/h in one a few years ago, so if anything the 1.5 should do a bit better. By comparison, I did a similar journey in a 2.0 TDCi Mk4 Mondeo, and got 45 mpg at the same speeds, so that's pretty good by any standard.

Not sure about the latest diesels but the older Mazda diesels were a right shocker for reliability, they have well documented problems with the oil level rising - I gather it's something to do with how they regenerate the DPF and diesel gets mixed with the engine oil.

Idbatterim

whats your budget op?

Daysha

Idbatterim wrote: »

whats your budget op?

15k max. A big problem I’m encountering is the 1.5 diesels only came out in 2016 so I can’t find anything below 18k. There are a number of 2.2 diesels that come within budget but that size engine scares me based on the comments so far.

Idbatterim

If you only need it by the end of this year, you’ll probably pick one up for e15k ... have u checked the savings, if any, by importing one from uk?

bazz26

Daysha wrote: »

15k max. A big problem I’m encountering is the 1.5 diesels only came out in 2016 so I can’t find anything below 18k. There are a number of 2.2 diesels that come within budget but that size engine scares me based on the comments so far.

You should be able to get a 1.5 litre or 2.0 litre petrol from 2014/2015 on that budget, I linked a few in my previous post.

Here is another:
https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2038606&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D51%26o%5B%5D%3D925%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2014%26yx%3D2015%26g%3D0