Petrol or Diesel?

james.miller · 12 May 2009 at 19:10

The_Dark_Side said:
If you're planing to buy another car anyway then that's irrelevant.
For most people, the first thing they do is decide the budget, then see what that budget will get them.
Anyone who's going to spend upwards of £6k in order to save £100/year or so is obviously foolish.....but exactly how many people do that?

quite a few id imagine.

The_Dark_Side · 12 May 2009 at 19:15

james.miller said:
quite a few id imagine.

What makes you believe that people spend thousands on a car just because it falls into the £35/year (or even the £zero) bracket?
I'd say the number who do that is miniscule, as everyone I've ever dealt with has first decided that they want (or need) to change their car THEN they look what's around for their budget.....in fact I'd go further and suggest that most people don't even know which cars fall into the ultra low tax bands until they've already decided to buy a new(er) car and start looking.

james.miller · 12 May 2009 at 19:57

The_Dark_Side said:
What makes you believe that people spend thousands on a car just because it falls into the £35/year (or even the £zero) bracket?
I'd say the number who do that is miniscule, as everyone I've ever dealt with has first decided that they want (or need) to change their car THEN they look what's around for their budget.....in fact I'd go further and suggest that most people don't even know which cars fall into the ultra low tax bands until they've already decided to buy a new(er) car and start looking.

same people who'd buy new a new diesel because they are more fuel efficiant even if they cost more - as backwards as that sounds to us. much like people spending thousands more on finance to buy a car they otherwise couldnt afford i guess. No logic in it, but there you go - people still do it lol.

The_Dark_Side · 12 May 2009 at 20:02

james.miller said:
same people who'd buy new a new diesel because they are more fuel efficiant even if they cost more - as backwards as that sounds to us. much like people spending thousands more on finance to buy a car they otherwise couldnt afford i guess. No logic in it, but there you go - people still do it lol.

Yes but they only choose the more expensive diesel after they've already made the decision to buy another car, therefore the only "extra" money they've spent is the difference between the petrol and the diesel versions of that car and not the entire purchase prices of the vehicle itself.

Dogbreath · 12 May 2009 at 20:08

The_Dark_Side said:
Anyone who's going to spend upwards of £6k in order to save £100/year or so is obviously foolish.....but exactly how many people do that?

I think you would be shocked at the number of people that base car purchases on such stupid parameters. If these kind of idiots weren't out there, cars like the Bluemotion wouldn't exist. Manufacturers know they can entice these berks into buying a more expensive, yet more poorly equipped car by pushing it into a lower or tax free bracket. The proportion of clueless/naive people in the country is worrying.

InvaderGIR · 12 May 2009 at 20:10

A lot don't go on budget from what I've seen. They pick a car that has the right emissions, maybe the right size for them, but emissions are more important, then they get it on finance. :rolleyes:

The_Dark_Side · 12 May 2009 at 20:12

Dogbreath said:
I think you would be shocked at the number of people that base car purchases on such stupid parameters. If these kind of idiots weren't out there, cars like the Bluemotion wouldn't exist. Manufacturers know they can entice these berks into buying a more expensive, yet more poorly equipped car by pushing it into a lower or tax free bracket. The proportion of clueless/naive people in the country is worrying.

I agree with you mate, but again they only bring in these (sometimes misguided) parameters after they've decided to change their car in the first place.

The_Dark_Side · 12 May 2009 at 20:14

InvaderGIR said:
A lot don't go on budget from what I've seen. They pick a car that has the right emissions, maybe the right size for them, but emissions are more important, then they get it on finance.

Most of the women I've sold to didn't know what emissions were.
Once they'd decided which car they liked aesthetically, they started to ask about running costs.....but only MPG/Insurance. Servicing costs and things like emissions almost never were brought up.

Tute · 27 May 2009 at 15:10

Just thought i'd give this a quick bump as I test drove a couple of cars today.

First up was a 2.0 Civic Type-S 05 plate. Took it up haldon on the A38 and down the other side. Didn't like it much at all, it felt really sluggish, and surprised me, as it was supposed to be 150bhp. Even when revved hard it didn't respond very quickly. Also the ride comfort was acceptable, but nothing special.

Next I took out a 1.8 Focus Sport, 08 plate (all they had in stock, I wanted a 2.0 05/06). Much, much better, despite being down on power compared to the Civic. Zipped around like a little go-kart, and beautifully comfortable inside.

Unless the other two test drives I have booked throw up a surprise, i'll be going for one of these I think (other two are a Leon 1.9TDI and a Fabia vRS).

Although i'm still no closer to deciding between petrol/diesel though!

[TW]Fox · 27 May 2009 at 15:12

This is because the Civic you test drove has a VTEC engine which makes all its power right the way up the rev range. Some people like this, some people hate it. I hate it and it sounds you like you did as well. This is why you found the Focus barely any slower, unless you rev the Civic the available power is probably similar if not higher in the Focus.

Tute · 27 May 2009 at 15:16

Is VTEC a Honda thing only, or do other manufacturers have it as well?

iaind · 27 May 2009 at 15:45

I thought the Civic you were looking at was a diesel?

[TW]Fox · 27 May 2009 at 15:47

Tute said:
Is VTEC a Honda thing only, or do other manufacturers have it as well?

Honda only, although it can be found in some low volume sports cars as well. Other manufacturers have differing versions, though.

Bear · 27 May 2009 at 15:47

Tute said:
Is VTEC a Honda thing only, or do other manufacturers have it as well?

Yes other manufacturers have their own variants of VTEC but are called something else.

Tute · 27 May 2009 at 16:04

iaind said:
I thought the Civic you were looking at was a diesel?

Never said that, it was always a Type-S.

[Edit] So let me get this right - unless I rev the Civic almost up to the redline i'm not going to get the benefit of the power?

iaind · 27 May 2009 at 16:25

Tute said:
Never said that, it was always a Type-S.

[Edit] So let me get this right - unless I rev the Civic almost up to the redline i'm not going to get the benefit of the power?

Ah I made the assumption for some reason.

That is pretty much it with VTEC engines (and Toyota's VVTI)

Tute · 27 May 2009 at 16:28

I've been trying to read up on VTEC for the past hour, but i'm having trouble. All the articles find either go right over my head, or read like a big bowl of fanboyism.

What I want to ask, is that, if I have to rev it hard, isn't it just going to drink fuel, and feel woefully inadequate around town?

[TW]Fox · 27 May 2009 at 16:34

It's rubbish pick something else

The idea is that around town where you dont need the performance, you drive it normally and its economical. Then when you do need the performance, you give it a damn good thrashing and it delivers the performance, but at a cost obviously of fuel economy. It's an engine of two sides, so to speak.

PiKe · 27 May 2009 at 16:37

Interestingly, my firefox tab reads "Petrol or Die..." so there is your answer.

Eriedor · 27 May 2009 at 17:04

Tute said:
...

First up was a 2.0 Civic Type-S 05 plate. Took it up haldon on the A38 and down the other side. Didn't like it much at all, it felt really sluggish, and surprised me, as it was supposed to be 150bhp. Even when revved hard it didn't respond very quickly. Also the ride comfort was acceptable, but nothing special.
...

Was it an FN2 or an EP3? (newer generation model or previous)