General Why bother with a diesel

Currently reading:
General Why bother with a diesel

My driving is mainly cross country, non motorway. I chose diesel for the torque. Staying in a higher gear and accelerating uses less fuel than changing down two gears and screaming the nads off a petrol.

Its my choice, and I'm happy with it.

Cheers

D
 
Beast's figures seem about right, however, using brim to brim figures (yes, I know the car's are different) my wife's 1.4 Stilo does about 38 mpg round town whereas my Panda MJ does about 50. My commute is 17 miles long consisting of 1 mile 30-40 limit with 3 sets of lights followed by 15 and 1/2 miles of motorway then 1/2 mile of 30 limit. Because I often leave home at about 05:10 hrs and it's cold at that time, the car is 3 or 4 miles into the journey before it gets up to operating temperature. I come home at about 14:00 when it's warm but the traffic is very heavy. On lates I leave home at 13:15 and leave work to come home at 01:00 when in winter it can be -4C. The Panda MJ regularly gives 52- 56 mpg whereas the Stilo does about 42. On
long motorway runs to the North East the Panda returns 55-57 mpg and the Stilo about 44. Under the right circumstances, the Stilo can be brilliant with petrol. We recently set off with a warm engine and headed off down the M56
which is very flat then down the A49 which is 60 limit but free flowing and it did 50.6 mpg. but as can be seen under normal circumstances the MJ is the much better bet.
 
136,438 miles then after that diesel is cheaper. :)

Feel free to correct my maths I know I'm rubbish at it. :(
I won't question your maths (I still use a calculator for everything!) but the way you've worked the figures only applies to people that intend to keep their car forever.

For the vast majority that will change it after a few years the higher resale value of the diesel will recover some of the extra £1,400 spent, meaning they will have to cover considerably fewer miles to break even.
 
I won't question your maths (I still use a calculator for everything!) but the way you've worked the figures only applies to people that intend to keep their car forever.

For the vast majority that will change it after a few years the higher resale value of the diesel will recover some of the extra £1,400 spent, meaning they will have to cover considerably fewer miles to break even.

However, if you invested the £1400 in a cash ISA paying interest at...........
 
You could buy the 1.2 then get a Gsr kit and remap will sound better then the mjet and should clear 80bhp. I think the mjet is a bit overpriced if you ask me just because its a diesel they charge more how does that work.
 
Thing is, in a year or so both these engines might be redundant, if the Multiair/Unijet valve system is as good as it s rumoured to be...
 
Figures are one thing but reality is another;)

Figures can be worked out and posted. If you can post projected future reality, bash on. ;)

I won't question your maths (I still use a calculator for everything!) but the way you've worked the figures only applies to people that intend to keep their car forever.

For the vast majority that will change it after a few years the higher resale value of the diesel will recover some of the extra £1,400 spent, meaning they will have to cover considerably fewer miles to break even.

You have any idea how long it took me to work that out??????
Had to have a nap afterwards! :sleep:
 
I won't question your maths (I still use a calculator for everything!) but the way you've worked the figures only applies to people that intend to keep their car forever.
also what about if fuel prices change etc. anything can happen in future. anyway good try with the maths, i like how u worked it out (y)
 
Have to say, I think that it's a bit of a shame that people get hung up on 'dissing' another model or option to justify their choice of purchase.
I'm so excited that I am finally going to pick up my much awaited 1.2 lounge tomorrow, and thought i'd check out the forum, that has so far fed my need during the almost painful wait. Unfortunately, I now feel deflated and wondering if the car will keep me happy, not only as a city car, but on some of the long motorway drives I need to make for my job. :confused:

I as soooo looking forward to making these drives, just me, Lulu and the road.....:cry:

Don't feel dispondent - from what i know of the 1.2 engine its very tight when new, needs a few thousand miles to loosen up. I'm sure you'll like your car very much, hope all goes wel at collection. The truth is the diesel is still £1400 dearer currently (and come discounts that gap is only likely to stay the same). Not everyone wants to be a speed merchant - there are thousands of 1.2 Puntos pootling around that owners are perfectly happy with, ditto VW Polos, Corsa, Fiestas.
 
And to clarify..

salesman don't know what discoutns there will be ....

it wasn't the sales manager, it was the feelt sales director who deas with the car brokers and lease companies - he knows exactly what discounts lease companies will be getting. He has 6 unsold cars on the way in the next 3 weeks, he has another 30 in the pipeline, about 1/3rd sold.

Don't believe the hype - Fiat will never control values and supply - only Porsche can do that succesfully with any sort of volume sales.

The reason a range of engines is offered is purely to give people choice, what bests suits them. None of them are dudders by any means. If its purely a city/short commuting car then the 1.2 is the choice, you don't need to spend more. If you want something for 1000miles a month then the diesel is pobably a slightly better bet for in gear acceleration, but if you're happy going along with the general motorway flow then the 1.2 suffices.
 
And to clarify..

salesman don't know what discoutns there will be ....

it wasn't the sales manager, it was the feelt sales director who deas with the car brokers and lease companies - he knows exactly what discounts lease companies will be getting. He has 6 unsold cars on the way in the next 3 weeks, he has another 30 in the pipeline, about 1/3rd sold.

Doesn't help normal customers though.
Fiat bulletin came yesterday or the day before I can't remember, with new price lists for all cars. ;)
 
My reason for starting this thread was not to start the war of the 500's(n) but to give my opinion on the fact that in my eyes £1400 more for the diesel is crazy the FACTS are the 1.2 costs the same to tax it is virtualy identical in performance, and in any given circumstance the 1.2 will only do a maximum of 13.2mpg less than the diesel ( fact! fiats own tests prove this )but diesel costs upto 10p more to buy per liter as i said initially diesels in larger cars makes sence no argument but in a little city car it doesn't :bang:.

if you do a lot of distance driving why are you buying a city car ?

and as for petrol's not advancing over the past 10 years show me a 2.0 diesel car with NO turbo that will match the power from a civic type r(200bhp) or a clio 197 (197bhp) both have no turbo and are 2.0
 
Doesn't help normal customers though.
Fiat bulletin came yesterday or the day before I can't remember, with new price lists for all cars. ;)


Huh ?? - you walk in with a quote and see how close they can get - surely better than not asking in the first place. You don't even need a quote, just take Whatcar with you (July issue i reckon should be a good one)
 
Huh ?? - you walk in with a quote and see how close they can get - surely better than not asking in the first place. You don't even need a quote, just take Whatcar with you (July issue i reckon should be a good one)

I mean Fiat say they will not supply any dealer with 500s if they are discounting them. New price list for the 500s has no discount on the previous prices. So if they do discount them they will not be able to sell them new for long, so will be hurting future sales of the car.
 
Back
Top