I have an N reg 1.0 Nissan Micra 9K11 type) with 60k on the clock.Just passed its MOT and had oil change, 4 new tyres and new exhaustfitted.I have started a new job which involves 100 miles per day commuting.75% on motorways and A roads, 25% in traffic jams (M1 south of Leeds,A64 and York ring road if there are any Yorks readers here ).Do I need a diesel?* The Micra gives excellent mpg, about 45 mpg I would guess. * The Micra has a full MOT and is very reliable. It should not needservicing for 6 months or so.* But 25k a year will probably knacker the Micra out (or will it?)Is it economically sensible for me to think about getting a diesel?Bruce

Your Micra is worth very little. If you can stand doing that many miles in it then I would drive it until is knackered. Put the money that you save by not buying a newer car now into a savings account, and then when the poor little thing dies (which could be years), or your ears scream "Enough!", then you'll have much more cash to play with....But in short, for 25k miles a year, and a Mondeo-type class car suited to that sort of mileage:Petrol @ 35 mpg and 80p/litre = UKP 570Diesel @ 45 mpg and 81p/litre = UKP 450So you would save yourself in the region of UKP 120 a year by going diesel. Keep the car five years and you've saved (at constant fuel prices....) UKP 600.Of course, depending on what you buy the diesel may well cost you at least UKP 600 more than the equivalent gasoline model....Ian

In news:1gk10j0.1gwq8fb1s10jkaN% SteveH decided to enlighten our sheltered soulswith a rant as followsonly because even he's not rich enough to fuel a petrol one.Now they *are* thirsty bastards.

25k a year: Do I need a diesel ?

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AstraVanMan 21 years ago

I test drove an X reg 311CDI with 78k on the clock (for sale at a very cheap price), and really didn't like it. Didn't seem nearly as torquey low down in the rev range as everyone seems to make out, hit the limiter at a very precise 3500rpm, gearchange was stiff, generally not particularly good to drive, certainly not anywhere near the improvment on my frogmobile van that I was hoping for. I've also driven a mate's 03 reg Renault Trafic dCI-100 and was very impressed with the ride quality, handling and general pull of the engine. They're very expensive though (though I'd go for a Master dCI though, can't justify spending extra on an old shape Master dCI that'll be exactly the same as my current van bar the engine, and the new model's just come out, so I'll stick with mine for a while).

Learned a lesson though - I drove up to near Pontefract to have a look at the Sprinter, and whilst it was in very good condition (all original paintwork, real honest condition, definitely hadn't been patched up like a lot of them) I just didn't like it. I could have been Andy Pipkin from Little Britain.

Peter

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SteveH 21 years ago

ISTR he has a Land Cruiser.

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Pete M 21 years ago

only because even he's not rich enough to fuel a petrol one.

Now they *are* thirsty bastards.

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Doctor D 21 years ago

AFAICR Volvo XC90 I think - the big 4x4 thingy.

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Doctor D 21 years ago

I agree with your comments later in the thread about the 406 - but that's about all I agree with!

I do a lot of motorway miles and would always choose a diesel. Lane changing without changing down, joining the motorway without doing 6000 rpm to get enough speed up. Also overtaking on A roads is so easy with a torquey TD.

I've had a Scenic 2.0 16v with variable valve timing. Loved the noise and the extra power when winding up the revs. It just didn't suit the family car, also hated the average 27mpg and lack of grunt when fully loaded. Then had a Peugeot 307 SW 2.0 16v. Better, but no quicker than the diesel 206, still needed lots of gear changes and averaged 29mpg. Then a few weeks with a new Mondeo 1.8 convinced me that the TDCi was a far superior machine. I've a mate who runs a newest shape 2.0 Mondeo and he preferred the TDCi so much that he's just ordered a C-Max TDCi.

I've never managed a better average than 30mpg in any of my "quickish"petrol cars.

.........and I'd probably ban all petrol engines with their pollution from tiny particulates and nasty CO2 emissions. But fortunately for the rest of the world neither of us will get our way! :-)

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Malc 21 years ago

MTAAW

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Adrian 21 years ago

AstraVanMan ( snipped-for-privacy@WithThanks.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Hell, yes - don't they just? The 312D I've driven certainly has that whine...

IIRC, the CDIs have a top-speed limiter. The 312 certainly just hits a brick wall of lack of power, but not in top - and max velocity is well into "Sorry, Officer" territory...

Without a bulkhead, there's a LOT of air to cool down...

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AstraVanMan 21 years ago

True, though the bit immediately around the driver is the most important bit!

Peter

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Adrian 21 years ago

Douglas Payne ( snipped-for-privacy@cheerful.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Along with Renault 12s, they form around 85% of the traffic in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

They are universally knackered. Utterly scrap. I don't think one single example had *any* lights or windows. Most were at least one door short. A good percentage were missing things like bonnets or front wings. More than a few had been in serious accidents, and were very bent - including having been rolled.

And still they were in use as taxis. With a payload of around 40 people plus all their chattels.

They're strong alright...

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25k a year: Do I need a diesel ?

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