When is diesel REALLY a cheaper option?

I'm talking about actual in my post and you're talking forecasts in your reply.

It's not going to work is it? :D
 
Its ahead of forecast, but it comes as no real surprise.

Your original reply to my post comparing the diesel version of my s-class with the petrol made it look as though you saying that its only recently that diesel has started to look unnatractive, wheras my view on diesels has been the case for years as this price differential was obviously going to happen.
 
My post isn't a reply to yours, it's towards the OP who is taking todays price differential and applying it to past buying trends and scratching his head for an explanation.

Well, clearly buying patterns will change - in time. This sort of thing has a tail and you need to wait for it to come around.

It's not like jumping from semi skimmed to full fat.
 
I think it would be more realistic to compare petrol cars that average nearer 30mpg, as not everyone can afford modern day efficient Petrol FSI cars. So say you are going out to buy a 2003 plate Mondeo, I thought the 2ltr petrol versions of those get maybe 33mpg ? And thats driving economically. The equivalent Diesel you can drive without having to think about driving that economically and they still return 50mpg I thought? So with that in mind even at 10,000 miles per year I still see a saving with Diesel assuming they cost the same to buy, plus diesel has lower road tax and insurance:

Petrol Mondeo @ 33mpg

10,000 / 33 = 303.03 gallons required
4.54609188 x 92.9 = £4.22 per gallon
303.03 x £4.22 = £1279.79

Diesel Mondeo @ 50mpg

10,000 / 50 = 200 gallons required
4.54609188 x 106.9 = £4.86 per gallon
200 x £4.86 = £971.95


I'm about to buy a car around 2003 plate, and I don't know whether to go Diesel or not.
 
Why do you assume to only reason to purchase a more economical car is to save money?

what other reason..

a. they want to spend more on a car?
b. they want less flammable fuel?
c. they have diesel jeans and want a matching set?
 
I'd also like to see evidence of this "Diesel's cost more to buy" and "more to service" "more to buy parts" thing as well. I'm not disputing it, but too many people post up these exact things, but then don't back it up with examples. I would agree with Diesel's being in demand they typically do seem to be costing more than the petrol equivalent in a lot of cases, but not all. The parts and servicing thing I can't comment on as have not owned a Diesel myself yet. Insurance I can comment on as have got quotes. All depends on the car obviously, but in some circumstances it was about £100 less per year to go Diesel for me.
 
what other reason..

a. they want to spend more on a car?
b. they want less flammable fuel?
c. they have diesel jeans and want a matching set?

Maybe they were talking about being more green? In which case, aren't Diesel's worse for the environment anyway?
 
When I owned my TDCi Mondeo for a 6 month period just 2.5 years ago there were times when diesel was cheaper than unleaded.
 
When I owned my TDCi Mondeo for a 6 month period just 2.5 years ago there were times when diesel was cheaper than unleaded.

Oh really? When I owned my Peugeot 306 XLd diesel was more than petrol, and that was 3.5 years ago and for about 18 months. :confused:

The only time diesel has been cheaper than petrol was before I started driving over 4 years ago, getting on for 5. :/
 
it would be more realistic to compare petrol cars that average nearer 30mpg, as not everyone can afford modern day efficient Petrol FSI cars.

What has "modern" got to do with it? My 21 year old Volvo 340 1.7 Petrol returns about 42mpg (combined) so the OP 39.8pmg is, to be honest, totally reasonable.

Chris.
 
What has "modern" got to do with it? My 21 year old Volvo 340 1.7 Petrol returns about 42mpg (combined) so the OP 39.8pmg is, to be honest, totally reasonable.

Chris.

It's a completely valid argument for sure. I'm just saying that if you took the average MPG from a petrol car on the road, it certainly would not be anywhere near 40mpg. Where as, if you took the average mpg of Diesel cars on the road, it could well be over 50mpg. So I was just trying to make the argument a more "typical" one that people face when about to purchase a car today. Unless you buy a petrol car that is quite new, they typically aren't engineered to be amazingly economical.
 
Oh really? When I owned my Peugeot 306 XLd diesel was more than petrol, and that was 3.5 years ago and for about 18 months. :confused:

The only time diesel has been cheaper than petrol was before I started driving over 4 years ago, getting on for 5. :/

Granted it wasn't too often but the price was reflected in petrol stations in and around Coventry. I think it lasted a couple of months at most.
 
He means some people 'prefer the way they drive' which is what many diesel owners will use to hide the fact they bought into the economy lie.

'yea I love the instant slug of torque that lasts for 2 seconds and rattles the crap out of my dashboard at idle'
 
I think the other thing that has to be taken into consideration is that some people like a specific car (eg focus) but then think about the type of engine afterwards. Perhaps when calculating diesel v petrol differences, you should view it as eg focus 1.8 v focus 1.8tdi?

It's easy otherwise to come up with two totally different cars which suit the characteristics of the side of the argument you want.

For me, I'm happy with my 320d, and to change over to a petrol wouldn't suit me. I don't necessarily drive it for the economy, but the performance is good enough without having to jump into 330.
 
[TW]Fox;12956928 said:
He means some people 'prefer the way they drive' which is what many diesel owners will use to hide the fact they bought into the economy lie.

'yea I love the instant slug of torque that lasts for 2 seconds and rattles the crap out of my dashboard at idle'

How people buy a Diesel for the aweful way they drive is beyond me. :confused:

Dont Diesels spit out aload of crap so I dont see how they can be "green" as such.
 
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