Any way to work out equivalent cost? Diesel vs petrol

benji79

This could have a simple answer or not be possible to work out, apology in advance if silly question

I do approx 600 miles per week in a 1.7 diesel car (Kia optima)

Is there anyway to work out accurately how much would it cost in a petrol car for same driving. Or is it difficult to be accurate very specific to car type etc

unhappys10

A one answer solution is impossible.
You could have a small petrol more economical than a large diesel.

Best to choose a specific model and work out petrol vs diesel costs.

biko

You can try to look up various MPG people have reported
http://www.fuelly.com/car/kia/optima

For your mileage I think you should stick with diesel

benji79

Ya I’m probably in diesel category, was just curious what the difference could be in money

TheBoyConor

By the time you take into account the higher maintenance costs of a diesel, and their greater potential for developing faults after a few years, I'd say the difference is very very little. I doubt it woudl be worth doing the mathematical gymnastics over it.

Darc19

Big advantage of diesel is that the vat is reclaimable for vat Reg drivers / companies

Petrol isn't.


If you can't reclaim vat, the difference is not that substantial when overall costs are looked at

unhappys10

TheBoyConor wrote: »

By the time you take into account the higher maintenance costs of a diesel, and their greater potential for developing faults after a few years, I'd say the difference is very very little. I doubt it woudl be worth doing the mathematical gymnastics over it.

This higher maintenance costs for diesels idea is trotted out all the time. It's rubbish in my experience. I've had diesels exclusively for the last 12 or so years and have had nothing go wrong apart from routine servicing and tyres etc. Never broke down or left on the side of the road, never had any major issues at all because I kept up servicing on time and used genuine parts and the correct oils.

Diesel failures that happen for people such as dmf's and dpf's are down to poor maintenance mostly along with the fact that they probably shouldn't have a diesel in the first place.

In the 12 or so years with all the driving I've done (average of 30k+ miles per year) the difference in fuel prices has more than covered any maintenance.

micks_address

For the mileage Diesel fuel cost will be about 20 percent cheaper. That's assuming you get about 20 Percent further on a litre of Diesel if you have equivalent power. For example 2 litre 150 bhp Octavia diesel I was getting about 55mpg. 1.5 petrol 150bhp petrol I'm getting about 45mpg... Of course doing hardly any driving due to covid. All rough figures of course.. the higher cost of Diesel maintenance doesn't really apply for cars under 3 to 5 years. Issues of course with older diesels if doing small mileage but doesn't apply in your case... on the flip side a new petrol car should be cheaper than diesel..for me the Tiguan petrol was 2 k cheaper than diesel...

mickdw

What car would you be looking at in a petrol?
Without that info, we dont know whether you are going to get 15mpg or 45 mpg.
A diesel is a no brainer for 600 miles per week though.

Heres Johnny

Same car somewhere between 20 and 30% more petrol used than diesel. But again, there's variables. Using about 35 euro now in a 2.0 diesel audi for trips that used to be about 50 euro in a much older 2.5 petrol BMW.
But the Audi is 8 years younger, 4 cylinders instead of 6......

colm_mcm

unhappys10 wrote: »

This higher maintenance costs for diesels idea is trotted out all the time. It's rubbish in my experience. I've had diesels exclusively for the last 12 or so years and have had nothing go wrong apart from routine servicing and tyres etc. Never broke down or left on the side of the road, never had any major issues at all because I kept up servicing on time and used genuine parts and the correct oils.

Diesel failures that happen for people such as dmf's and dpf's are down to poor maintenance mostly along with the fact that they probably shouldn't have a diesel in the first place.

In the 12 or so years with all the driving I've done (average of 30k+ miles per year) the difference in fuel prices has more than covered any maintenance.

If you look at menu servicing, diesel and petrol are usually the same price With fuel filter and spark plugs balancing each other out.

benji79

mickdw wrote: »

What car would you be looking at in a petrol?
Without that info, we dont know whether you are going to get 15mpg or 45 mpg.
A diesel is a no brainer for 600 miles per week though.

Was thinking something like a Kia Ceed 18/19 in 1.4 petrol?

kaahooters

so to answer your question,

a petrol will use more fuel then a diesel like for like.

a petrol hybrid will use aprox the same as a diesel like for like.

a phev hybrid will stomp diesel mpg on short runs > 40k each way, 80k round trip, over that diesel will be cheaper.

unhappys10

kaahooters wrote: »

so to answer your question,

a petrol hybrid will use aprox the same as a diesel like for like.

Not on anything other than short spins or city driving.

kaahooters

unhappys10 wrote: »

Not on anything other than short spins or city driving.

i dont know where you get that idea from, i get 5.3lper100km (53mpg) 90 km commute daily, in and around a diesel of the same size. ( insight vs ceed)

newer prius or ioniq will easly hit 60 mpg 4.7l/100km

unhappys10

kaahooters wrote: »

i dont know where you get that idea from, i get 5.3lper100km (53mpg) 90 km commute daily, in and around a diesel of the same size. ( insight vs ceed)

newer prius or ioniq will easly hit 60 mpg 4.7l/100km

I've an a4 I've gotten 72mpg out of, could easily get 60+ all day every day. Probably heavier than both of those you quoted too and more comfortable etc.

kaahooters

unhappys10 wrote: »

I've an a4 I've gotten 72mpg out of, could easily get 60+ all day every day. Probably heavier than both of those you quoted too and more comfortable etc.

Good for you.

Midnight_EG

I can tell you (fill to petrol light to fill) my 1.3l hybrid Honda Fit does 700km to €46, but then again my 4.6l Lexus LS460 does 700km to €93 :P

If that helps...? :pac:

OfflerCrocGod

unhappys10 wrote: »

I've an a4 I've gotten 72mpg out of, could easily get 60+ all day every day. Probably heavier than both of those you quoted too and more comfortable etc.

Is that not similar to new Prius/Ioniq mentioned above?

unhappys10

kaahooters wrote: »

Good for you.

Very mature. Better off knowing what you're talking about before trying to give anyone advice.

unhappys10

OfflerCrocGod wrote: »

Is that not similar to new Prius/Ioniq mentioned above?

12mpg more, say 10 gallons average, 120miles extra per tank, I wouldn't call that similar.

kaahooters

unhappys10 wrote: »

Very mature. Better off knowing what you're talking about before trying to give anyone advice.

Can I ask how your managing 20+ mpg more then honest john and fuely results?

OfflerCrocGod

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/toyota/prius/mpg

They can get 60+ all day and have seen 70+ which sounds similar to your figures. Not 12 mpg off at least.

CoBo55

TheBoyConor wrote: »

By the time you take into account the higher maintenance costs of a diesel, and their greater potential for developing faults after a few years, I'd say the difference is very very little. I doubt it woudl be worth doing the mathematical gymnastics over it.

At 600 miles per week his potential for developing faults would be quite low. Maintenance costs aren't any higher with modern diesels, service intervals are the same for either the petrol or diesel version of the car I'm driving ( every 15k or per year) in the Op' case it's every 15k.

AUDI20

unhappys10 wrote: »

This higher maintenance costs for diesels idea is trotted out all the time. It's rubbish in my experience. I've had diesels exclusively for the last 12 or so years and have had nothing go wrong apart from routine servicing and tyres etc. Never broke down or left on the side of the road, never had any major issues at all because I kept up servicing on time and used genuine parts and the correct oils.

Diesel failures that happen for people such as dmf's and dpf's are down to poor maintenance mostly along with the fact that they probably shouldn't have a diesel in the first place.

In the 12 or so years with all the driving I've done (average of 30k+ miles per year) the difference in fuel prices has more than covered any maintenance.

Totally agree with this post, been driving diesels for over 12yrs also and the maintenance cost have been on par if not cheaper than the petrols I had up till then. Outside of routine maintenance never had a major fault and I always get them serviced on the button. This spouting of higher maintenance on diesels is totally bull

CoBo55

AUDI20 wrote: »

Totally agree with this post, been driving diesels for over 12yrs also and the maintenance cost have been on par if not cheaper than the petrols I had up till then. Outside of routine maintenance never had a major fault and I always get them serviced on the button. This spouting of higher maintenance on diesels is totally bull

Exactly, the days of 3000 mile oil changes on your previa are long gone.

unhappys10

kaahooters wrote: »

Can I ask how your managing 20+ mpg more then honest john and fuely results?

60mph max, anticipating what's ahead and reducing the need for braking.

One of the snippets of my fuel record. I recorded mileage and costs religiously while doing 1k miles per week.

kaahooters

unhappys10 wrote: »

60mph max, anticipating what's ahead and reducing the need for braking.

One of the snippets of my fuel record. I recorded mileage and costs religiously while doing 1k miles per week.

Got a remap on that to help?

unhappys10

kaahooters wrote: »

Got a remap on that to help?

1.9tdi afn 110bhp remapped to 140bhp. I'm sure it helped but when staying at 60mph or less and not going over 2k rpm I reckon I could get the same out of a non remapped car.

road_high

Darc19 wrote: »

Big advantage of diesel is that the vat is reclaimable for vat Reg drivers / companies

Petrol isn't.


If you can't reclaim vat, the difference is not that substantial when overall costs are looked at

Is this likely to change? Most of the new hybrids are of course petrol and would make god company car options. Seems unfair they’re not being treated same as diesels with all their issues