Petrol vs. Diesel - which is cheaper?
This might be of interest to you.
I've just been over at the Honda UK web site, looking at the FR-V and wondering about the price difference between petrol and diesel models.
Honda's new diesel engine has a fantastic reputation, so would be a good choice for anyone. But it costs. For example, on the Sports model (the only one with which you can get cruise control) you pay an extra £1400 for diesel.
Hmm, okay, you're thinking. That's a bit steep, and what's the justification? Well, the petrol model does 40.9 mpg on the extra-urban cycle (I look at this one because I do almost all of my miles on this cycle); whereas the diesel does 53.3. I can believe these figures, because I do around 52 mpg with my Passat, combined.
So that's quite a difference, isn't it? Over 30,000 miles, you'd use 733 gallons of petrol, but just 563 gallons of diesel. Or 3335 litres versus 2562 litres.
But as well as the diesel car costing a premium, the diesel at the pump costs more, too. Let's say you can fill up with unleaded for 95 pence a litre. And diesel is going to cost you a pound, as it does in many places at the moment.
How long before the diesel "pays for itself". How long? 70,000 miles. If you're an average driver, 12,000 miles a year, that's going to take you nearly 6 years to get your money back. And don't forget, at 60,000 miles or so that diesel will start to cost you money - new cam belt etc.
For the sake of argument, if you invested the £1400 in a savings account for 6 years and earned a relatively low rate of interest (say 3%), it would turn into in excess of £1700. Put it against your mortgage at current rates (5%, say), and you'd save maybe £480 in interest over that same period.
So you could have a 70,000 miles diesel car, or a 70,000 mile petrol car and around £1700.
It just doesn't make sense, for most people, to buy a diesel. So forget about it.
In my case, I'd do that 70,000 miles in more like 2 years and 4 months, so it's slightly more do-able. But it still doesn't seem worth it. I could have a 70k mile diesel and nothin' or a 70k petrol and, say, £1500.
This has been a public service announcement.
I've just been over at the Honda UK web site, looking at the FR-V and wondering about the price difference between petrol and diesel models.
Honda's new diesel engine has a fantastic reputation, so would be a good choice for anyone. But it costs. For example, on the Sports model (the only one with which you can get cruise control) you pay an extra £1400 for diesel.
Hmm, okay, you're thinking. That's a bit steep, and what's the justification? Well, the petrol model does 40.9 mpg on the extra-urban cycle (I look at this one because I do almost all of my miles on this cycle); whereas the diesel does 53.3. I can believe these figures, because I do around 52 mpg with my Passat, combined.
So that's quite a difference, isn't it? Over 30,000 miles, you'd use 733 gallons of petrol, but just 563 gallons of diesel. Or 3335 litres versus 2562 litres.
But as well as the diesel car costing a premium, the diesel at the pump costs more, too. Let's say you can fill up with unleaded for 95 pence a litre. And diesel is going to cost you a pound, as it does in many places at the moment.
How long before the diesel "pays for itself". How long? 70,000 miles. If you're an average driver, 12,000 miles a year, that's going to take you nearly 6 years to get your money back. And don't forget, at 60,000 miles or so that diesel will start to cost you money - new cam belt etc.
For the sake of argument, if you invested the £1400 in a savings account for 6 years and earned a relatively low rate of interest (say 3%), it would turn into in excess of £1700. Put it against your mortgage at current rates (5%, say), and you'd save maybe £480 in interest over that same period.
So you could have a 70,000 miles diesel car, or a 70,000 mile petrol car and around £1700.
It just doesn't make sense, for most people, to buy a diesel. So forget about it.
In my case, I'd do that 70,000 miles in more like 2 years and 4 months, so it's slightly more do-able. But it still doesn't seem worth it. I could have a 70k mile diesel and nothin' or a 70k petrol and, say, £1500.
This has been a public service announcement.
posted by Anonymous at
Saturday, September 10, 2005
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