Buying Help Please - Which Car - Petrol Or Diesel?

[Mbrignall]

I need to replace my 1998 1.8GS estate (144k) which has been fantastic and need some advice.

I'm considering another Avensis estate - three years old with around 70,000-80,000 on the clock (around the £6,000 mark) but do I go for a petrol (1.8 again) or diesel 2.0?

We don't do a big mileage each year 8,000 tops - and the petrols are good on mpg 38ish. However, it looks like fuel costs are going to keep rising fast, and 48mpg of the diesel will look attractive.

I will keep the car for 5-6 years, and want low running costs and no nasty big garage bill. Are the diesels more prone to expensive failures with big mileages. My current 1.8 GS petrol has been fantastic.

I will go for a post 2005 1.8 if I buy petrol which I gather gets around the oil burning issue - is that right?

Are advice very gratefully received

thanks

[TeyaDog]

I need to replace my 1998 1.8GS estate (144k) which has been fantastic and need some advice.

I'm considering another Avensis estate - three years old with around 70,000-80,000 on the clock (around the £6,000 mark) but do I go for a petrol (1.8 again) or diesel 2.0?

We don't do a big mileage each year 8,000 tops - and the petrols are good on mpg 38ish. However, it looks like fuel costs are going to keep rising fast, and 48mpg of the diesel will look attractive.

I will keep the car for 5-6 years, and want low running costs and no nasty big garage bill. Are the diesels more prone to expensive failures with big mileages. My current 1.8 GS petrol has been fantastic.

I will go for a post 2005 1.8 if I buy petrol which I gather gets around the oil burning issue - is that right?

Are advice very gratefully received

thanks

Hello ......... Glad that you are considering the latest generation Avensis for your next car. Given the mileage that you currently do I don't see too much of a saving if you opt for the diesel variant. Your initial outlay for a diesel model will not see you save significantly over a 5-6 year period with the mileage that you are quoting. Buying a petrol variant will allow you to get more for your money and as you so rightly say, the mpg of a 1.8 is extremely good. I suppose that it all comes down to personal choice and the experience gained if one has owned both types. I would always go for a petrol over a diesel based on my annual mileage of 7-9k and the costs associated with servicing and maintainance are always lower. Research the used car market, test drive both variants and do a little maths and you should come up with the right model for you. Good luck!

TeyaDog

[igormus]

I need to replace my 1998 1.8GS estate (144k) which has been fantastic and need some advice.

I'm considering another Avensis estate - three years old with around 70,000-80,000 on the clock (around the £6,000 mark) but do I go for a petrol (1.8 again) or diesel 2.0?

We don't do a big mileage each year 8,000 tops - and the petrols are good on mpg 38ish. However, it looks like fuel costs are going to keep rising fast, and 48mpg of the diesel will look attractive.

I will keep the car for 5-6 years, and want low running costs and no nasty big garage bill. Are the diesels more prone to expensive failures with big mileages. My current 1.8 GS petrol has been fantastic.

I will go for a post 2005 1.8 if I buy petrol which I gather gets around the oil burning issue - is that right?

Are advice very gratefully received

thanks

hello mate

look -- each engine type has both advantage and disadvantage as actual. you're right the cost for crude oil rises each day and the cost for diesel oil is lightly difers from petrol. but the service cost for diesel engine is more than petrol one and it is proved on the practice. secondly the quality of diesel oil (sulphur etc) is desired to be better. as a result of it -- there are many issues with lose of power in diesels. re either car -- 70-80k -- is the limit of cat convertor life time (~~usd600-700 + work). re petrol vvt-i -- it is only fortune whether you'll have a problemless engine or not with oil "drinking". i have been having diesel during six years and know what does it mean the fuel quality + paraffin dropping at minus 16 + sulphur. it is better to purchase the car with warranty :D , otherwise nobody is assured from the heavy problems.

good luck/igor ;)

[vmssys]

Hi there.

this seems like a no brainer to me.

petrol over diesel for lowish mileage user???

diesel costs 5% more per litre. you gain 20% on miles per gallon.

however the lower initial cost and cheaper servicing means that you will save more by buying the petrol varient.

I personally have the 2.0 petrol t-spirit and run it on super unleaded. I'm a high mileage user but I like to drive hard. the smoothness and performance of the engine wins hands down over the 2.0D4D that the girlfriend has. when I choose to drive sensibly I get 34+mpg and my boot is always laden with tools and spare parts (adds about 80kg)

go for the petrol mate!!