Hi, 

 

New to the forum so please bare with me! 
 

I’ve seen a couple threads relating to my title.

I was looking for some opinions if you can.  

 

What would you classify as ‘big miles’ that would justify buying the diesel Vrs?  

I am more tempted by the petrol 230bhp version  than the diesel based on the reviews I have seen, I currently do around 12 -15k miles per year, with a mix of short journeys into town and motorway driving. My concern is that I’ll spend most of my time fuelling up. 
 

I’m not too concerned about huge power as I’m currently driving a Seat Ibiza FR so either of the models mentioned have a fair bit more under the bonnet. 
 

many thanks 

you'll be better in the petrol with that mileage and unless your nailing everywhere fuel consumption on these is quite modest maybe around the 35 mark for mixed driving. 

put simply yes diesels are for miles. They don't like short journeys which can lead to issues with various components which can be quite costly. 

 

personally I wouldn't even considers a diesel at anything less than 20K miles a year

27 minutes ago, Gissin said:

you'll be better in the petrol with that mileage and unless your nailing everywhere fuel consumption on these is quite modest maybe around the 35 mark for mixed driving. 

put simply yes diesels are for miles. They don't like short journeys which can lead to issues with various components which can be quite costly. 

 

personally I wouldn't even considers a diesel at anything less than 20K miles a year

Thanks for your reply. 
 

I’ve never owned a diesel but have heard that you can get pretty big problems with the DPF and short journeys. So probably best sticking to what I know with the petrol. 
 

cheers! 

1 hour ago, SundayDriver338 said:

Thanks for your reply. 
 

I’ve never owned a diesel but have heard that you can get pretty big problems with the DPF and short journeys. So probably best sticking to what I know with the petrol. 
 

cheers! 

 

Not so much on newer cars, unless you don't get out for motorway/longer runs on a reasonably regular basis and it is all town driving.

Regardless with 12k miles, I'd say petrol and with 15k both could work, but with all the hatred/taxing/bans and increased parking charges of diesel, you're better off with petrol (for now).

 

What's your typical and maximum journey lengths though, as it could play into a hybrid or electric vehicle?

Ah ok, thanks for that. 
 

Yeah I see what you mean with the bans etc for diesels in town now.
 

Typical would be about 30 miles a day, longest is closer to 130. Once every 5 weeks or so (in a normal year not bound by travel restrictions). 
 

I’ve had a go of a hybrid and all electric car with work and I’ve got nothing against them. Just practicality wise, I live out in the country so charging when out and about might be an issue. 

I get where you're coming from on charging.

If the 130 miles is the round trip, then any electric car with a 250-300 mile range would have you safely there and back to charge at home.

 

If you're usually doing 30 miles, then the plug in hybrid versions of the cars (Skoda do some too) would be a good fit, as the shorter journeys of 30 miles would be pretty much all on battery and the engine would only be needed if you're low on juice or gone further than the battery range.

 

The 1.4 petrol on it's own, without any battery isn't a bad engine either.

On battery you're saving fuel and cold running for short trips and on petrol for longer ones.

It also means you can plug in at home to get the next day journey cheap, but you don't have any charge left/away from home you're not going to be left stranded as the petrol engine will be just fine on it's own.   I believe there are IV versions of the superb and octavia, which would probably be worth a test drive.

44 minutes ago, cheezemonkhai said:

I get where you're coming from on charging.

If the 130 miles is the round trip, then any electric car with a 250-300 mile range would have you safely there and back to charge at home.

 

If you're usually doing 30 miles, then the plug in hybrid versions of the cars (Skoda do some too) would be a good fit, as the shorter journeys of 30 miles would be pretty much all on battery and the engine would only be needed if you're low on juice or gone further than the battery range.

 

The 1.4 petrol on it's own, without any battery isn't a bad engine either.

On battery you're saving fuel and cold running for short trips and on petrol for longer ones.

It also means you can plug in at home to get the next day journey cheap, but you don't have any charge left/away from home you're not going to be left stranded as the petrol engine will be just fine on it's own.   I believe there are IV versions of the superb and octavia, which would probably be worth a test drive.

250-300 miles electric range...as long as it's not cold and you lose 30-40% of the advertised range. Electric is the future... just not yet. 

4 minutes ago, Redboy said:

250-300 miles electric range...as long as it's not cold and you lose 30-40% of the advertised range. Electric is the future... just not yet. 

 

That was why I said if 130 is the round trip, then a 250-300 range.

Half it and that's still >130 miles.

 

Once the OP mentioned he is a bit more rural, then the 30 mile hybrid with the petrol backup comes around.

I had a BMW 335d, that IMHO is one of the great engines in the world.

313hp and an achievable real world 42mpg (plus no adblue).

 

If you want a mix of power and economy I couldn't recommend it more highly.

Mine was pretty much faultless for 3yr (other than diamond cut wheels rotting)

 

I don't know your budget but the 335d isn't crazy oney used.

 

However, yep lots of short journey will kill any DPF equipped diesel.

Edited 12 March, 20215 yr by Aspman

^^^ Not forgetting that was a 335d x-drive. 

Which  really makes it rather good for a daily drive all year.

Edited 12 March, 20215 yr by e-Roottoot

18 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

^^^ Not forgetting that was a 335d x-drive. 

Which really makes is really rather good for a daily drive all year.

 

I got out of Edinburgh during the Met Office Black Warning  "snow bomb".

The X-drive is actually pretty good at most things.

Except farm tracks with massive ruts which is why I've now got a RR.

11 hours ago, Aspman said:

I had a BMW 335d, that IMHO is one of the great engines in the world.

313hp and an achievable real world 42mpg (plus no adblue).

 

If you want a mix of power and economy I couldn't recommend it more highly.

Mine was pretty much faultless for 3yr (other than diamond cut wheels rotting)

 

I don't know your budget but the 335d isn't crazy oney used.

 

However, yep lots of short journey will kill any DPF equipped diesel.

I’ll definitely look into that, thanks for your reply. 

On 11/03/2021 at 11:03, SundayDriver338 said:

Hi, 

 

New to the forum so please bare with me! 
 

I’ve seen a couple threads relating to my title.

I was looking for some opinions if you can.  

 

What would you classify as ‘big miles’ that would justify buying the diesel Vrs?  

I am more tempted by the petrol 230bhp version  than the diesel based on the reviews I have seen, I currently do around 12 -15k miles per year, with a mix of short journeys into town and motorway driving. My concern is that I’ll spend most of my time fuelling up. 
 

I’m not too concerned about huge power as I’m currently driving a Seat Ibiza FR so either of the models mentioned have a fair bit more under the bonnet. 
 

many thanks 

I faced the same dilemma as you when changing my car.

Trying to justify your choice by cost is a tricky game, as there is more to ownership costs than simply MPG.

But to answer your question, using the following prices:-

 

 

 

You can argue over the 35mpg petrol and 45mpg TDi figures, but they seem a reasonable typical figure for vRS's (Perhaps the 35mpg is a bit optimistic?), but for 15K miles, an annual saving of £400 to £500 seems on the cards.

With that fairly minor cost difference, I'd be inclined to ignore the fuel cost and look at other factors which might influence your buying decision. If running costs are a big issue for you, maybe a vRS isn't the right car?

 

 

15 hours ago, EnterName said:

I faced the same dilemma as you when changing my car.

Trying to justify your choice by cost is a tricky game, as there is more to ownership costs than simply MPG.

But to answer your question, using the following prices:-

 

 

 

You can argue over the 35mpg petrol and 45mpg TDi figures, but they seem a reasonable typical figure for vRS's (Perhaps the 35mpg is a bit optimistic?), but for 15K miles, an annual saving of £400 to £500 seems on the cards.

With that fairly minor cost difference, I'd be inclined to ignore the fuel cost and look at other factors which might influence your buying decision. If running costs are a big issue for you, maybe a vRS isn't the right car?

 

 

Hi, 

 

Thanks for the attachment! That’s really useful. Out of interest, what did you end up deciding when changing car? I will need to make something similar including the % difference in the initial cost of buying a diesel vs petrol, as you say a saving of around £420 per year - but could be a couple more thousand to buy a diesel with similar age / miles as it’s petrol counterpart? 
 

Running costs aren’t a big issue, I just like to know what sort of costs I am looking at before committing to a new car. Especially after coming from a small, relatively economical engine. 
 

 

20 hours ago, SundayDriver338 said:

Hi, 

 

Thanks for the attachment! That’s really useful. Out of interest, what did you end up deciding when changing car? I will need to make something similar including the % difference in the initial cost of buying a diesel vs petrol, as you say a saving of around £420 per year - but could be a couple more thousand to buy a diesel with similar age / miles as it’s petrol counterpart? 
 

Running costs aren’t a big issue, I just like to know what sort of costs I am looking at before committing to a new car. Especially after coming from a small, relatively economical engine. 
 

 

If I can offer some buying advice: Decide how long you intend to keep your next car before you choose it. How long you intend to keep it may have quite an impact on what you buy. Plan ahead.

I'd check the price differential between diesel and petrol, as I'd suggest the price premium on used diesels is no longer a thing.

Diesels seem to be increasingly being viewed as a bit of a risky purchase, with reliability and pollution charges being issues impacting people's perception of diesels. I think diesels offer pretty good value for money just now.

I also have the perception that it's a bit of a seller's market when it comes to used cars at the moment, but I might be wrong on that.

 

I spent a good while looking for the right car, but nothing perfect for me came up. I wasn't in a rush as I had a perfectly good car, I just fancied a change.

For the longest time I wanted a diesel vRS with a manual gearbox, but I actually ended up buying a petrol automatic.

 

When I choose a car, I take a lot of things into consideration, but they are personal to me, and probably not much use to other people.

Running costs: Insurance, VED, fuel, reliability, servicing and parts? DPF issues put me off getting another diesel, due to my low annual mileage.

Practicality: Will it fit me, my family and our luggage comfortably? Have I got children who will vomit onto my lovely Alcantara seats?

Driveability: Will it be enjoyable to drive and have enough acceleration?

Longevity: Will the car age well during my ownership of it? (I typically keep cars for 8-10 years or until my wife writes them off, but I intend this car to be my last, if I can look after it)

Desirability: Is the car likely to draw unwanted attention from police, or criminals of various sorts. (People who want to steal bits off the car, steal the car or just vandalise it because someone else has a nice car.) Low desirability is important to me, while others prefer a "flash" car. I like flash cars too, I just can't be arsed with the aggro that comes with them.

 

Fuel cost isn't a big issue as I do less than 5K miles a year at the moment, but that may change after retirement. I can't be doing with filling up all the time and I have to be able to run the thing on a pension when I retire, so reasonable economy and low running costs are wanted.

Still looking ahead to being an old git, I figured an automatic would be useful too. I'm in my 50's now, but sadly I get older every year.

Coming from a grunty diesel, I wanted a car with some grunt, whatever it was. So got the power curve for my old car, and compared that with power curves for cars I was considering, paying particular attention to the power delivery under 2500rpm.

Hell! I even produced spreadsheets comparing specs & engines between models and years. Sounds very nerdy, but you'd be surprised how specs change from year to year. (As it is, I ended up with a car without a CD player because I just assumed all cars had CD players these days. )

 

Like I said, I probably overthought the whole thing, but I quite enjoyed myself and I ended up with a decent car that suits me well.

11 hours ago, EnterName said:

If I can offer some buying advice: Decide how long you intend to keep your next car before you choose it. How long you intend to keep it may have quite an impact on what you buy. Plan ahead.

I'd check the price differential between diesel and petrol, as I'd suggest the price premium on used diesels is no longer a thing.

Diesels seem to be increasingly being viewed as a bit of a risky purchase, with reliability and pollution charges being issues impacting people's perception of diesels. I think diesels offer pretty good value for money just now.

I also have the perception that it's a bit of a seller's market when it comes to used cars at the moment, but I might be wrong on that.

 

I spent a good while looking for the right car, but nothing perfect for me came up. I wasn't in a rush as I had a perfectly good car, I just fancied a change.

For the longest time I wanted a diesel vRS with a manual gearbox, but I actually ended up buying a petrol automatic.

 

When I choose a car, I take a lot of things into consideration, but they are personal to me, and probably not much use to other people.

Running costs: Insurance, VED, fuel, reliability, servicing and parts? DPF issues put me off getting another diesel, due to my low annual mileage.

Practicality: Will it fit me, my family and our luggage comfortably? Have I got children who will vomit onto my lovely Alcantara seats?

Driveability: Will it be enjoyable to drive and have enough acceleration?

Longevity: Will the car age well during my ownership of it? (I typically keep cars for 8-10 years or until my wife writes them off, but I intend this car to be my last, if I can look after it)

Desirability: Is the car likely to draw unwanted attention from police, or criminals of various sorts. (People who want to steal bits off the car, steal the car or just vandalise it because someone else has a nice car.) Low desirability is important to me, while others prefer a "flash" car. I like flash cars too, I just can't be arsed with the aggro that comes with them.

 

Fuel cost isn't a big issue as I do less than 5K miles a year at the moment, but that may change after retirement. I can't be doing with filling up all the time and I have to be able to run the thing on a pension when I retire, so reasonable economy and low running costs are wanted.

Still looking ahead to being an old git, I figured an automatic would be useful too. I'm in my 50's now, but sadly I get older every year.

Coming from a grunty diesel, I wanted a car with some grunt, whatever it was. So got the power curve for my old car, and compared that with power curves for cars I was considering, paying particular attention to the power delivery under 2500rpm.

Hell! I even produced spreadsheets comparing specs & engines between models and years. Sounds very nerdy, but you'd be surprised how specs change from year to year. (As it is, I ended up with a car without a CD player because I just assumed all cars had CD players these days. )

 

Like I said, I probably overthought the whole thing, but I quite enjoyed myself and I ended up with a decent car that suits me well.

Much appreciated mate. 
 

I also like to plan for the future. My mileage has been way down this year, obviously partly due to lockdown etc so I am looking forward to getting back out there and enjoying driving. 
 

thanks for your help!

Although technically my annual mileage is borderline for a diesel the actual journeys I do just aren't suited to a diesel.

 

I could have got a 1.6 TDI and yes it would have saved on running costs it just wouldn't have been suited.

 

I'm still saving loads compared to our previous Saab, which although was a diesel it guzzled fuel since it was heavy, old style torque converter auto and had lots of torque that was hard to resist 😁😁

 

I'm now enjoying the massive improvement in refinement, quieter engine and MUCH faster warm up times.

 

I also done have the worry of the diesel bans they're talking of (and already partly introduced) here in Germany.