Commuting again, need a diesel ?.

[Fatboy40]

Starting a new job in a few weeks time, currently I live about 1.5 miles from my place of work but the new job gives me a journey of 27.5 miles each way.

With my current car, a Honda Civic 1.8 VTi, I've worked out that I'll spend around £2,033 a year on fuel, a diesel car, say a Passat 1.9 TDi, would save me around £725 a year on fuel.

Right now I just can't decide if I should replace my Civic ?.

It's a 98 Civic with 76k on the clock so it will last me around another three years with the mileage I'll be doing. I expect that I'll get around £1,500 as a part ex against the above Passat, I would set myself a limit of not looking at any diesel car that is priced over £5,500.

Should I stick with the Civic and run it into the ground or scrape up the 4k and go for a decent diesel (Passat sized) ?.

So far the only diesels I'd consider are early 00's, probably Passats as the they're common and pretty reliable, then maybe an Avensis. The trouble is that for around 5.5k these cars all seem to have upwards of 80,000 miles on the clock, I know that you should expect a diesel engine to last that little bit longer but I realy want something five to six years old with no more than 50k on the clock.

What do I do

[hitman67]

You're saying Passat so I will say Octavia, think of it as a cheaper Passat with a different badge and much the same equipment. A quick Autotrader search of the country showed Octavias starting at around £1,200 with Diesel varients starting at only £1,695 for a 1999 V Reg SKODA Octavia 1.9 TDi GLX Estate. Go up to around £3-£3500 for some really nice Ones like this one:

51 reg. Met Green, 130 bhp red i pas abs rcl alarm immob ac climate ewx4 mot service history looks and drives great any trial Warranty included, All major credt cards accepted, THE ARCHES COVENTRY . £3,295. 024 76651495

130bhp will be a rapid car and still give you at least 40mpg, ok it hasn't the badge of the passat but scrape away the body and it is mechanically very similar.

Pretty much any car running a VAG 1.9 will be a great flexable commuter, try to get at least a 110bhp model for good poke, the Un-turbo SDi is to be avoided but the 90bhp tubby can be a competant car.

[Fatboy40]

Yep, aware of the Octavia, nice big boot but being Golf based it's not got the interior space that I'd want if I do change cars. The Skoda alternative is the Superb, for some odd reason these realy hold their price and are more expensive than the Passat !.

Money is the key thing for me so I'd be happy with the 100bhp 1.9 TDi to get the 50mpg.

[hitman67]

Re-read my edit, 130bhp for less than £3,300. Why exactly do you need all the space of the Passat? I mean you coming from a Civic now and you didn't say that you found it too small for you.

[Fatboy40]

Now a family man so would like the extra space for the rugrat and any future ones

The Civic is good inside but add in a 2 year old + push chair + shopping/or luggage and there's not much left...

ADDED: Oh, and I'm inclined to steer clear of the 130bhp 1.9 TDi's as they start to negate the reason for thinking about changing the car in the first place (I'd be getting around/just over 30mpg in the Civic). I'd love a Passat 1.9TDi Sport (with a six speed box and then get it chipped) but that's a no go

[schmunk]

With my current car, a Honda Civic 1.8 VTi, I've worked out that I'll spend around £2,033 a year on fuel,

You say around £2,033 a year, but just to clarify, we're talking the whole £2,032 - £2,034 range, right?

[schmunk]

Seriously, though, you could get a pretty good Mundano for your budget, e.g. something like these

[hitman67]

Oh, and I'm inclined to steer clear of the 130bhp 1.9 TDi's as they start to negate the reason for thinking about changing the car in the first place (I'd be getting around/just over 30mpg in the Civic).

The 130 will still do a good 45-50mpg. I know guys with 150bhp golfs and ragging the nuts off them still got high 40s in MPG figures.

[Fatboy40]

Seriously, though, you could get a pretty good Mundano for your budget, e.g. something like these

Well, I'm not totaly sold on a Mondeo. Yes, Ford is now back up there again as a good car manufacturer but I'd have the replacement car for at least five years and from what I know (internet/friends/owners) the interiors start to wear/rattle generaly get tired quicker with a Ford than say a German/Japanese car.

I'm happy to be corrected though...

[Howard]

That's still only about 13k a year, is the extra cost of the car going to make it worth buying a diesel?

Fair enough if you're after something more spacious and family-orientated though

[Fatboy40]

That's still only about 13k a year, is the extra cost of the car going to make it worth buying a diesel?

Fair enough if you're after something more spacious and family-orientated though

That's where I'm confussed, it'll be 14.5k a year and I'll save £730 odd by moving to a diesel. The extra space is not the reason for change, it's purely financial (I'd use public transport if it was an option).

As I mentioned elsewhere I could stick with the Civic, spend £80 or so a year for AA cover with Relay just incase, and run the Civic until it rusts away or the engine gives up ?.

[usxhe190]

i didn't think old passat are THAT reliable....also not all diesels are the same..some diesels are actually worst than petrols...

sounds like you have to get your car replaced anyways...

actually i would have thought you could get Skoda for around that price (manual)

[arbitor]

As said a saving of 700 quid a in a whole year?

Wouldnt even think twice about ignoring it.

tbh if i saved by 2 grand id be hesitant if i liked my current car.

700 quid could be saved in many other ways that are less hassle.

[Howard]

It's also a Civic VTi, an often overlooked gem of a car! Do you not enjoy driving it? And it's notthat old, nor does it have that high a mileage on it. I wouldn't say it's going to give up on you any time soon unless it's been neglected, it's a honda ffs


edit: OK I worked it out roughly too, assuming you get an average of 30MPG in the Honda and 45MPG in the diesel:

£2031/year cost of petrol, assuming 96p/litre
diesel £1384/year assuming 98p/litre

that's a mere £647

[Fatboy40]

It's also a Civic VTi, an often overlooked gem of a car! Do you not enjoy driving it? And it's notthat old, nor does it have that high a mileage on it. I wouldn't say it's going to give up on you any time soon unless it's been neglected, it's a honda ffs

The late nineties VTi is definately an overlooked gem of a car, and it was a hoot to drive but I now have a two year old son so have to be far more carefull (with my safety and with the car), have to put sensible tires on it now to save cash as I used to get through Eagle F1's like nobodies business

I had an epiphany in bed last night and will stick with the Civic, and look after it, and just save any cash I have spare for replacing it when it's done over 100k and starts to get to expensive too maintain...

[Howard]

You could buy an Accord Type R