Petrol Or Diesel C4

[lab44]

Being extremely bored I just did some quick calculations to work out the difference in costs of a diesel c4 versus a petrol.

 

A Petrol 1.6 costs £1205 in fuel to run (10,000 miles at 92.9 a litre) - 35 mpg

 

A Diesel 1.6 costs 861.69 in fuel to run (10k at 94.9 a litre) - 50 mpg

 

Thats a £343.31 per 10,000 mile saving for the diesel

 

Now considering the difference in purchase price of a 1.6 VTR+ and a VTR+ diesel there is a £1714 difference.

 

This means to recoup the costs of the diesel model you would have to do some 50,000 miles. If taking into account the extra/more frequent servicing intervals of the diesel this rises to over 70,000 miles just to break even!

 

I'm just wondering how many people buy a diesel model on the assumption it will save them money and never realise these savings. Obviously for someone doing 20,000+ a year the savings are obvious in the long term for most people I wonder how much they actually save by buying a diesel.

 

Btw i am not arguing about which is better here ( i know everyone has their preferences as to which they would prefer to drive - just looking at the cost factor)

 

Told you I was bored lol :wacko:

[Mike5483]

It makes interesting reading.

 

As you say, i know so many who have bought a diesel thinking cause they get 50MPG and 500-600 Miles to a tank, it saves them money.

 

However, how many private buyers actually put 70000 miles on a car during the typical length of ownership???

 

Not many thats for sure.

[wozza]

Said this before myself just not worth it owning a diesel.

 

However you do usually get a little more on resale over a diesel and save a little on tax.

 

But are those fuel figures a little off last time i looked diesel was more expensive than optimax and other super unleaded fuels.

[lab44]

For fuel prices I just took the cheapest petrol price, compared with the cheapest diesel price in my area - I have seen diesel almost the same price as petrol as well as 5p a litre more - guess a UK average would be a better indicator.

 

As for higher resale value I would say the higher costs of servicing a diesel would negate any gains here so you are still looking at 50+ k. Not sure how much more a diesel is to service (doubt its much different) - all I know is for the C4 its every 12,000 miles and 20k for the petrol meaning in 60k you have to service the petrol 3 times and the diesel 5 (thats two extra services to add in).

 

I can see the point for high milage users (i know one user on here said he did 30k a year which makes a diesel definately worthwhile) but for those of us doing around 15k it hardly seems worth it (or maybe i'm just bitter I couldnt afford the diesel lol)

[Z3M Roadster]

I do 35-40k a year, but can only choose diesels as it is a company lease car and don't pay for any fuel either. I am actually growing to like diesels especially on motorways where the amount of extra torque the 1.6 diesel offers over the 1.6 petrol is fairly significant.

[bill03]

Nothing to do with fuel prices or economy, I just prefer the "modern" diesel. :P

[C4VTS]

I prefer diesel to petrol for a number of reasons.

 

Here is a few....

 

Better torque

Better economy

More reliable in flooded road conditions as no coil/spark plugs to get wet.

Safer, as diesel fuel has a lower flash point than petrol.

Engines last longer.

[incubus]

Well...This is my first Diesel..1.6HDI VTR+110BHP 1 Year old..Did'nt buy new. I get 50+ around town and over 60 ish MPG on Motorway/Long haul..My C4 cost me 10K..The engine is quiet and responsive...The feel good factor i get from just the MPG is very nice indeed thank you very much.. ;)

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Cant justify buying a Diesel........ :P

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Are you a Mentalist........ :P I'm not going back to Petrol..No way

 

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[Z3M Roadster]

I wouldn't say mine is quiet, it used to be until a few weeks ago and now it sounds like a tractor and the idle is rough from cold. Can't be bothered to take it to the dealers again as it has just been in for the 6th time to get the wheels balanced (which they have still failed to do) and find out why the aircon only blows cold when the car is moving (I am told this is normal!)

 

If the main dealers knew what they were doing I would take it in, but would rather wait until it breaks down for the 3rd time and then they'll finally believe me that there is something wrong.

[incubus]

I wouldn't say mine is quiet, it used to be until a few weeks ago and now it sounds like a tractor and the idle is rough from cold. Can't be bothered to take it to the dealers again as it has just been in for the 6th time to get the wheels balanced (which they have still failed to do) and find out why the aircon only blows cold when the car is moving (I am told this is normal!)

 

If the main dealers knew what they were doing I would take it in, but would rather wait until it breaks down for the 3rd time and then they'll finally believe me that there is something wrong.

Change your Dealer....NOW..! Dont hesitate.

[Z3M Roadster]

Tried 4 now, 2 in London and 2 in Essex, all the same incredibly poor service. If it was my own car I might have more leverage and would have rejected the car by now.

[incubus]

Tried 4 now, 2 in London and 2 in Essex, all the same incredibly poor service. If it was my own car I might have more leverage and would have rejected the car by now.

ehhhhhhhh..... ;) Its not your car.... :P

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So why join a forum for C4's then...???? I dont think i'd bother if the car weren't mine.....?

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Not avvin a go Roadster...Just curious.... :P

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[fuelguage]

The point is you just won't know why untill you own a Diesel. They are just so much better to drive and own. I have had petrol cars for over 35 years but none of them perform as well as the modern diesel. Those who do the calculations are barking up the wrong tree the diesel is just a different drive, a more complete car in fact a better car all round from my experience. You have to own one to know!!

[Ciaran2903]

So why join a forum for C4's then...???? I dont think i'd bother if the car weren't mine.....?

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Not avvin a go Roadster...Just curious.... :P

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It makes sense, when you go into a dealership you have backup, therefore they have no advantage over you and cannot srew you around! Not that it looks like that is the case in Roadster's case!

[wozza]

The point is you just won't know why untill you own a Diesel. They are just so much better to drive and own. I have had petrol cars for over 35 years but none of them perform as well as the modern diesel. Those who do the calculations are barking up the wrong tree the diesel is just a different drive, a more complete car in fact a better car all round from my experience. You have to own one to know!!

That depends on driving style though. I personally prefer the way a petrol drives i like the wider powerband and when driving a little more spirited i dont need to change up every few seconds as the powers gone.

 

Diesels arent really to everyones fancy why i wouldnt want one plus the way they drive the modern diesel is mainly due to the turbo charger take the turbo away and your left with a slow car.

 

And yes i have driven diesels quicker ones than the 110 hdi's and i still prefer a petrol engine as a car to rack up miles on though diesels arent too bad but i dont do enough miles only do around 12000 a year so to me a petrol is better hence wy im going for a performance petrol car next.

[citroeneddie]

C5 40,000 miles per year = diesel

Pic 8,000 miles per year = petrol

 

Easy!

[sammys hdi vts]

Financially diesel doesnt make sense but you have to choose a car depending on where you driv e. I have been using my parents Toyota mr2 gt tbar, 168bhp for the last two weeks and it sounds great and CAN go like the clappers but you have to be high up the rev range. Great fun if you have national speed limit country roads, crap if you live in london with speed cameras. Got back into my c4 2.0 hdi vts today and for day to day driving it is much more useable. Diesel for citys and motorways, petrol for country roads. Done.

[Z3M Roadster]

Tried 4 now, 2 in London and 2 in Essex, all the same incredibly poor service. If it was my own car I might have more leverage and would have rejected the car by now.

ehhhhhhhh..... :D Its not your car.... :o

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So why join a forum for C4's then...???? I dont think i'd bother if the car weren't mine.....?

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Not avvin a go Roadster...Just curious.... :D

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Sorry perhaps I wasn't clear.

 

The car is effectively mine, just not owned by me as it is a company car. If the car were owned by me I would feel that I would have more leverage to complain to the dealers when things are not satisfactory.

[xavtia]

I'd prefer a diesel even though I am happy with my little 1.4 most of the time . Had a diesel BX for 3 years and it was so much cheaper to run around town than the petrol, and insurance was cheaper. I'd expect the C4 diesel to be even better than the petrol but it is a personal thing, my mum hated my diesel and refused to drive it anywhere.

[wozza]

The petrol C4's may not have as much torque but what they do have is available from 2000rpm so there not gutless at low speeds. Hit 4000rpm though and the power kicks in and they do take off then.

 

And the n/a MR2's do need to be grabbed by the scruff of there neck since the power is up at 7000rpm. Thats the case with most small size high output engines that are n/a. The turbo variant which was import only is more drivable because of the extra torque the turbo gave and much quicker with at least 220bhp.

 

Non turbo diesels are painful to drive though so bloody slow.

[Stuey]

I have driven a 307 1.6HDI for a while and the torque was fantastic but it redlined at 4000rpm which took ages to get used to while the petrol C4 will rev up to 6500.

 

Wozza is right though, I wouldnt want a diesel without any sort of turbo!!

[incubus]

But Diesel does make sense........ :o

[sammys hdi vts]

completley agree with you wozza, no point in a non turbo diesel, but dont forget that the turbo works from about 1900rpm in the 2.0 diesel so its similar revs to the petrol. Must admit i did like the mr2, sounds bloody brilliant with the roof off for a car with 91k on the clock, didnt mind being redlined at all! hmm maybe need a sportscar next?