Is it crazy to buy a diesel now?

[Howard]

17000 miles a year is a heck of a commute!

Works out at about 35 miles each way depending on how much annual leave is taken etc. Could be a lot worse, depending on the type of journey.

Mind you, my 25 mile-each-way commute would probably start to annoy me if I didn't only have to do it three days a week.

 

[jpaul]

Indeed, 35 miles a day and an empty no crawling, duel carriageway ... that's the stuff of dreams.
... roll on the Northern powerhouse investment; allow us to live/work somewhere nicer.

 

[Jez]

17000 would be living the dream for me, currently it's around 25000

Same! Mine is about 28000 after annual leave taken etc. (135/day)

 

[Belloni]

Following this thread with interest as I'm in the same position now. My new job means my miles per annum has gone from 9,000 or so, to now 15,000+. Currently in a Seat Leon petrol 1.4 but it's getting me around 40ish mpg. Been looking at diesels as I borrowed the missus Audi A3 a couple of times and achieved 60mpg which is making me consider a switch over. Would it be a terrible idea to get a 2015/16 A6 Avant ultra?

 

[#Chri5#]

Following this thread with interest as I'm in the same position now. My new job means my miles per annum has gone from 9,000 or so, to now 15,000+. Currently in a Seat Leon petrol 1.4 but it's getting me around 40ish mpg. Been looking at diesels as I borrowed the missus Audi A3 a couple of times and achieved 60mpg which is making me consider a switch over. Would it be a terrible idea to get a 2015/16 A6 Avant ultra?

Using the calculator here: https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/costs/fuel-cost-calculator

If you can average 60mpg in the diesel (which is probably unlikely), then 15,000 miles a year is £1482
If your Leon returns 40mpg on standard UL, 15,000 miles costs £2140

A quick look on AT shows 2015/16 A6s start at 10k if you are happy with 100k+ miles on the clock. So the annual fuel saving would pay for a £10k A6 in about 15 years!

 

[Semple]

If you can average 60mpg in the diesel (which is probably unlikely), then 15,000 miles a year is £1482

Why would that be unlikely? I'm averaging 62.5mpg in my diesel over 37k miles clocked, with my best return being 69.75mpg.

60 should be easily achievable in a diesel on long motorway runs.

So the annual fuel saving would pay for a £10k A6 in about 15 years!

I'm sure the comfort of all those miles in an A6 over a leon would pay for itself much sooner!

 

[#Chri5#]

Why would that be unlikely? I'm averaging 62.5mpg in my diesel over 37k miles clocked, with my best return being 69.75mpg.

60 should be easily achievable in a diesel on long motorway runs.

I need to dig the huge pile of fuel receipts out my VW tractor but my first stab would be that over 100k miles in it, 48 to 50mpg is more typical for me. 55 or higher is doable on a long motorway run with the cruise at 70 (and the inevitable 50mph road work snooze-fests).

 

[weathmatth]

I need to dig the huge pile of fuel receipts out my VW tractor but my first stab would be that over 100k miles in it, 48 to 50mpg is more typical for me. 55 or higher is doable on a long motorway run with the cruise at 70 (and the inevitable 50mph road work snooze-fests).

It all depends on engine size. Mine is a Focus ST 2.0 tdci and i usually average 40-45mpg, but the 1.5 tdci focus can easily get over 60+. That being said i doubt a A6 would average over 60mpg.

 

[themul]

It all depends on engine size. Mine is a Focus ST 2.0 tdci and i usually average 40-45mpg, but the 1.5 tdci focus can easily get over 60+. That being said i doubt a A6 would average over 60mpg.

I have a ford focus diesel 1.5 tdci ST line 18 plate and my many commutes to and from Glasgow regularly produce 55-56 mpg at 70mph and this includes going a bit faster on some straights when the road is clear ahead.
I usually brim the car and trip the computer and check the mpg after I refill and over the last 6 months it pretty much stays at the mid 50s and would be higher if I sat at 70mph more often and no bursts of speed.

 

[Cristian]

I still think (some) diesels are absolutely untoucheable in terms of fun / mpg balance. For short town trips they are indeed unsuitable, but anything involving 50+mph an a moderate basis they are very good.
I average around 40mpg on my 335d a mixture of motorway and central London driving (albeit at quiet times) but still has enough power and torque to make you smile. That being said, it is probably the one the best real life diesels out there when remapped, the twin turbos give it an absolutely decent powerband and it will surprise many a wannabe performance cars. Sound wise I have absolutely nothing on a petrol equivalent, it's a bag of spanners when cold but under full chat it actually sounds reasonable - more like a wannabe v8 than fake 4 pot scream.

Reliability wise, there is a list of niggles - nothing that can't be sorted in a weekend with a bit of patience and £500 worth of parts of preventive maintenance. There's a huge diy community and they are common enough that there's no surprises out there. They will then go on forever, mine is at 120k and doesn't miss a beat.

 

[bakes0310]

Bought a 16 plate DS3 we have gone from spending £150 a week on fuel to spending £50.

 

[Vita]

I still think (some) diesels are absolutely untoucheable in terms of fun / mpg balance. For short town trips they are indeed unsuitable, but anything involving 50+mph an a moderate basis they are very good.
I average around 40mpg on my 335d a mixture of motorway and central London driving (albeit at quiet times) but still has enough power and torque to make you smile. That being said, it is probably the one the best real life diesels out there when remapped, the twin turbos give it an absolutely decent powerband and it will surprise many a wannabe performance cars. Sound wise I have absolutely nothing on a petrol equivalent, it's a bag of spanners when cold but under full chat it actually sounds reasonable - more like a wannabe v8 than fake 4 pot scream.

Reliability wise, there is a list of niggles - nothing that can't be sorted in a weekend with a bit of patience and £500 worth of parts of preventive maintenance. There's a huge diy community and they are common enough that there's no surprises out there. They will then go on forever, mine is at 120k and doesn't miss a beat.

Couldn't agree more. The m57 engine is brilliant. I really miss mine, fantastic cars with that engine.

 

[J35T3R]

It all depends on engine size. Mine is a Focus ST 2.0 tdci and i usually average 40-45mpg, but the 1.5 tdci focus can easily get over 60+. That being said i doubt a A6 would average over 60mpg.

Glad to see it wasnt just mines that had poor MPG for a 2.0 diesel.

I've never managed more than 490 miles to a single tank in the Focus, 42 mpg was my average in 3 years ownership. 440-460 tank range for my 68 quid to fill up never quite seemed right.

 

[leoncuprar]

I do ~17000 a year mileage and have owned a 65 plate f10 530d for about the last 18 months.. Will my next car be diesel, probably not, but only because I intend to keep this another 2 or 3 years. I think a diesel purchase now is still a viable option, for me nothing hybrid or full ev takes my fancy or fits in budget.

 

[Jez]

I've never managed more than 490 miles to a single tank in the Focus, 42 mpg was my average in 3 years ownership. 440-460 tank range for my 68 quid to fill up never quite seemed right.

That does seem quite poor, I’ve covered 80k miles in my E350 (3.0 V6, heavy convertible) diesel and my fills are around the same as that. Approx £75 at current prices (60L fills) and approx 500-550miles between fills.