Hi looking at new car for the mrs currently drives kia sportage looking at skoda models my question is should I stick to diesel as will mainly be about town and to work average about 12000miles per year and petrol engine still change belt or chain around 60000miles 

How long is a piece of string?  The decision is entirely yours. Modern diesel engines with all their emission technology onboard are not ideally suited to town work, that said if you're not going to keep the car for longer than say 5yr then that's the next owners problem. As long as you run the car for say 20mins every week at motorway speeds ( or slower but at higher revs ) this will burn off any soot build up.

 

Is there any particular reason your wife wants a diesel?

 

Sorry but cannot understand your last point.  " ...and petrol engine still change belt or chain around 60000 miles ". You seem to have everything wrong there.

 

There's a belt in both petrol and diesel engines, the only exception being  the 2.0tsi petrol where it's a chain driven.

 

Chains do not need replacing. Belts dont need replacing at 60,000 miles - Skoda UK recommends it be changed every 5yr. 

 

Hope that helps.

Hi sorry Scot5 probably didnt make it clear wasnt sure if timing belt on some petrol cars was still due a change at 60k but most now using timing chains 

As for the new 2nd car diesel or petrol way up cost of purchase servicing fuel not a great difference as intend to only keep them 3yrs then move on to something newer around the same hp payments and wifes job not doin the same amount of travelling !

Tried to convince her onto a skoda suv but she see the badge as a taxi  as what I use them for lol any how got a cracking deal today on a 2017 Nissan xtrail 1.6 petrol alot of car for the money so hopefully keeps her happy