It's amazing how many people I know drive diesels and yet do very few long trips. In this case could the dealer be responsible for selling something not suitable for the job?

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/blast-what-car-dealership-told-14173836

I don’t think so. All the information is out there and and easily accessible, so if they choose an inappropriate engine, that’s their business.

The same goes for everything we buy; beds too hard, sofas too big, shoes uncomfortable, houses with too-low doorways. People make serious mistakes and if they let emotion and foolishness cloud sense they will continue to do so. We make choices and sometimes get it wrong. But we must take responsibility, especially over something as expensive as a car. Do we really trust salespeople to act in our best interests, really? Of course not.

Buyer beware applies especially at the market level of a 2 grand Vauxhall Meriva. If it's actually got a fault the dealer should fix it.. but poor design isn't down to them.


Theres a few problems, first an awful lot of used cars are from lease companies and off PCPs. Until very recently it was petrol cars were much worse future sales propositions than equivalent diesels. So they had low future values in those calculations. So despite the lower sticker price monthlies on a diesel were much lower due to apparent higher future value. Most people on this would say so lower monthlies and smaller fuel bills? How can I lose?

As a result you end up with 50% diesel market penetration in about 2009 iirc, despite annual mileage being somewhere south of 10k a year. These cars are now on the used market out of warranty. In certain sectors petrol basically died, try and find a high spec none diesel family car that's not a sports model. They are out their but very thin on the ground. Supply and demand in certain sectors would mean you are looking at diesel whether you want it or not.

Even something as relatively ordinary as my car is affected. In about 2016 equivalent cars to it were down to 4.5 to 5k. Now 2 years on after diesel gate the same car is worth 5k..so it's effectively stopped deprecating, it'll fall again obviously but it speaks of a lack of supply in the market for reasonably sized, well equipped economical petrol cars when for years the default choice has been diesel at that market level.

Basically there are going to be a lot of diesels on the roads for at least 15 years..and the vast majority will not be high mileage motorway cars.