31-03-2015, 11:33 AM
(30-03-2015, 12:52 PM)C.A.R. Wrote:(30-03-2015, 11:17 AM)Iceman299 Wrote:(30-03-2015, 11:15 AM)C.A.R. Wrote: Financially a diesel doesnt' make much sense unless you're doing at least 10,000 miles.
How did you work that one out?
It's widely acknowledged that because of multiple factors the 'break even' is quite high when it comes to diesel vs. petrol.
People immediately dismiss this as nonsense because they don't look at the argument fairly. When comparing two cars, with equal mileage, of equal condition and age - the diesel will almost certainly be more expensive, sometimes by a lot more.
The cost of fuel for diesel is higher, whilst the tax is often lower. It is important to carefully work out whether you are actually saving any money or are 'better off' in a diesel. Then, there is the potential cost for service items - always more complex and therefore more expensive to replace on a diesel car. This sort of maintenance can instantly skew your running costs and make it uneconomical to run a diesel.
However...
This is a 306 forum, and it is widely accepted that the 306 is a pretty reliable little rust bucket, with residual values struggling to see 4-figures on any model then the cost of the car definitely has to be considered as a factor. You can't lose much money on a car if you didn't spend much in the first place, right? Perhaps this is why the diesel vs. petrol model doesn't really work on these forums and is usually met with hostility from diesel owners doing 6,000 miles a year on vegetable oil!
I agree with both sides of the argument...
From my experience - even though it might actually be a little cheaper to purchase a petrol car, slightly more to fuel, but slightly less to service - it's the resale that kills it for me..
I know for a fact that people will snap up a 306 HDi in no time at all, especially if in good condition! They're in mega high demand!
Go try do the same for a 1.4/1.6/1.8 petrol car, nobody wants them, because they know they're pretty vile on fuel etc... People will always pay a premium for a "cheap to run" diesel car... Same with my V50, my car instantly has another £1-1.5k (on a car that's probably worth £3.5k!!!) on the price PURELY because it's a diesel! Plus the fact that I know that even though the petrol models are "worth" a little less, they're even more of a bastard to sell - you've got to find a buyer!
But it DOES mean if you're in the market for a slightly thirstier petrol model, because you prefer the sound/revs/fits with your religion/makes you feel fuzzy/think you're ken block etc you can get some cracking deals on them.
