Citroën DS3: Petrol or Diesel?

Spike_UK · 23 Jun 2013 at 11:05

I currently drive a SMART ForTwo (horrible, I know!) on which the lease is about to expire. I don't enjoy the car so I'm looking to hand back the keys and get something more enjoyable.

After much research I've settled on the Citroën DS3.
Lovely looking car which seems to do pretty well in the reviews for it's class (I'm only looking at Supermini style cars).

One thing that I'm unsure over though is if I should get the Petrol or Diesel engine.

I know from the reviews that the Diesel is very economical, however as my journey to and from work is only 26 miles total (13 miles there and back) I'm not sure I'll really feel the benefit a Diesel engine can provide me.

As the Diesel models are at least £1000 more expensive than the Petrol and with Diesel prices at the pump higher than Petrol I'm not sure I'll see a return on the extra investment for some time.

Will I be better off saving the extra £1000 and getting a Petrol model?
Opinions?

Jono8 · 23 Jun 2013 at 11:07

at that mileage ( assuming you don't go on extra long trips every month) i would definitely get petrol.

Spike_UK · 23 Jun 2013 at 11:12

Occasionally I'll visit family in Huddersfield or Grantham, but that's only maybe 2-3 times a year. Nothing major.

Third Opinion · 23 Jun 2013 at 11:21

Go for petrol or you will risk DPF problems.

13 miles a day is not out of the limits of a diesel but risky there will not be enough constant speed driving for a regeneration to finish successfully.

Spike_UK · 23 Jun 2013 at 11:30

It'll be 26 miles per day total. 13 miles there, 13 miles back

Third Opinion · 23 Jun 2013 at 11:39

Spike_UK said:
It'll be 26 miles per day total. 13 miles there, 13 miles back

Still risky mate. Although my diesel only does that kind of mileage (with dpf) and is at 65k with no problems.

It's up to you and of course the desirability and residuals tend to be better on diesels. I take you will have a full warranty so any issues are covered anyway.

rodenal · 23 Jun 2013 at 11:57

The 1.6 petrol turbo is quite a nice little engine, that's where my money would go

Goksly · 23 Jun 2013 at 13:00

I've got the thp 155 - really happy with the car. Do a mixture of driving and get between 42 and 47mpg. Only annoyances are no cup holders, sun visor doesn't cover up to the window and glove box is small.

The version I've got is more than nippy enough too.

Spike_UK · 23 Jun 2013 at 15:32

Third Opinion said:
Still risky mate. Although my diesel only does that kind of mileage (with dpf) and is at 65k with no problems.

It's up to you and of course the desirability and residuals tend to be better on diesels. I take you will have a full warranty so any issues are covered anyway.

My route into work is a two junction 8-9 mile trip along the M1. It's clear most mornings so I would be doing 70 pretty much the full duration. The rest of the journey is just side roads.
Approx 20-40 minutes most days.
I've never owned a Diesel before so the thought of this type of driving causing issues does concern me.

Goksly said:
The version I've got is more than nippy enough too.

I'm not too worried about speed. I currently drive a SMART ForTwo, anything is a improvement!

Shrek · 23 Jun 2013 at 16:12

Ive got the 1.6 120BHP VTi - I find it quite nippy - comming from a Megane

Read up on the THP Engines - People have told me there are serveral issues with it? - Not sure if its been corrected?

Third Opinion · 23 Jun 2013 at 16:15

The motorway trip will be more than enough for regeneration. They only regenerate every 500-700 miles anyway.

So much rubbish is written about DPF filters on diesels.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/fuels-and-environment/diesel-particulate-filters.html

That should give you the general heads up on modern diesels. I am working closely on a project with a diesel mechanic and particularly on this part. It is something you should consider before purchasing a modern diesel, however the failure rates are dropping considerably as people have more understanding about them.

Unless it is a very severe failure which has been neglected for ages the DPF should be able to be removed and regenerated for a couple of hundred pounds, rather than the £1000's many still believe.

Conanius · 23 Jun 2013 at 18:30

a friend of mine has a DS3 petrol thats apparently tuned to over 200bhp.

It certainly felt quick enough when I went out with him in it, and it didn't seem to be bad in the handling stakes. He'd got factory fit nav and various other gubbins and it seemed really quite nice inside

K.C. Leblanc · 23 Jun 2013 at 19:08

Third Opinion said:
Go for petrol or you will risk DPF problems.

I don't think DPFs are the issue they once were. My folks have a C4 HDi with DPF. I think it's only done about 20k in the three years they've had and often gets used for short runs. No DPF problems.

Oh and before you ask why they have a diesel to do such a low millage it's a motability car.

rodenal · 23 Jun 2013 at 19:23

The petrol is economical enough, cheaper and removes the potential dpf, dual mass fly & clutch (early at least), injector etc issues, plus you're giving up the petrol drive and adding a clattery soundtrack. I'm guessing the car will be quite new so most of this would be warranty anyway, but it's still not nice to have to deal with it.

Just don't think you're getting anything back at what is only about 6k work miles per year even if it's no more or less reliable than its petrol equivalent. I spend about a tenner extra a week on the 330ci over my civic diesel to do what is about 230 miles (30-33mpg average compared with about 45) in a work week at the moment so very little in the grand scheme of car ownership and it's absolutely worth it

J1nxy · 23 Jun 2013 at 21:08

My wife has the 1.6 THP 155 Petrol and its an absolute blast to drive and returns decent fuel economy. Considering we use it primarily to drive into and around town its currently returning an average of near 36mpg and on the occasional longer journey it shown into the mid high 40's. We bought it especially to do the shorter journeys as its much better suited to it than my XF 3.0DS and fits into parking spaces

Third Opinion · 24 Jun 2013 at 09:35

K.C. Leblanc said:
I don't think DPFs are the issue they once were. My folks have a C4 HDi with DPF. I think it's only done about 20k in the three years they've had and often gets used for short runs. No DPF problems.

Oh and before you ask why they have a diesel to do such a low millage it's a motability car.

I think you are right. As I have said many times before we had all this hysteria when petrol cars started to be fitted with CATS. For the first few years the failure rates appeared to be high with people spending lots of money getting them removed convinced it was robbing them of power and prone to failure. Does anyone worry about them now?

The other thing is dual mass flywheels. They can fail and be ludicrously expensive. However most modern petrol cars use them now. You could argue the lower torque and less vibration is kind to them. However if you drive a car quite hard you are at equal risk. There are growing reports that some of these smaller, modern turbo charged engines are equally as hungry for them.

Spike_UK · 24 Jun 2013 at 20:26

Thanks for the input everyone.

I still haven't made a decision yet.
It looks like there really isn't much difference between the two choices from a running cost perspective.

What I save on car tax and insurance with the Diesel I most likely lose on the higher price of fuel at the pump.
Visa versa what I save on fuel with the Petrol I will probably lose on the higher tax and insurance.

The only real difference appears to be the initial cost of the vehicle, which is higher with a Diesel.

So with a 11k budget I can get a 2010-2011 Diesel, or a 2011-2012 Petrol.

Value for money, I think Petrol looks the better option.