anyone running a new'ish diesel, 8k annual mileage?

[AbbieCadabra]

i've read a fair few petrol V diesel threads & the general opinion seems to be if you're doing under 10k miles per year, petrol would be the better option.

i just wondered if anyone on here has any actual experience of lower mileage on a reasonably new diesel, perhaps under 2 years old?

i've been looking at the E250 cabriolet (possibly a nearly new E350CDI) & there's about £1k difference in price for new on the diesel, so not much in it cost wise. the diesel just seems the better combination for power & mpg, but i don't know if this runs true in real life?

our day to day use is mainly town driving, perhaps 15/20 mile trips & up to 40mph, with a couple of longer trips per week with 60mph. every 3 months or so there's a trip to cornwall, 600 mile there & back & approx 300 miles while we're there. i'm hoping this sort of use would mean no DPF issues?

i haven't actually driven either of them yet, but just trying to get as much info as possible so i know what questions i might need to ask.

thanks for any feedback

 

[Dr-Nab]

On the short runs I do most days (15 miles) mainly 30-50mph zones I use the E and it gets around 30 mpg, on a long run I can get 40+ mpg, somehow managed to get 45mpg on a 10 mile mixed run last week (how I've no idea)... But the effortless power is always there should you need it.

You won't really have any DPF issues because it will regenerate itself as needed, I've never had any DPF issues in just over a year of ownership and covered just under 9k miles.

OBC states that I'm getting 30mpg over the last 4k miles which is ok to me for mainly town driving.

 

[jumperjohn]

OBC states that I'm getting 30mpg over the last 4k miles which is ok to me for mainly town driving.

I'm averaging, as per computer, 24 mpg in my E500, so there's your answer, sacrifice 6 mpg, although save the 10p per litre between petrol and diesel, and buy an E500 (or any of the V8 models) and have fun driving and don't suffer a smelly hand at the pump either! All win win!

 

[Dr-Nab]

I'm averaging, as per computer, 24 mpg in my E500, so there's your answer, sacrifice 6 mpg, although save the 10p per litre between petrol and diesel, and buy an E500 (or any of the V8 models) and have fun driving and don't suffer a smelly hand at the pump either! All win win!

Already considering a new V8 TT E500 cabrio

 

[AbbieCadabra]

good to hear you've not had any issues Nab

the more i'm reading about modern diesels & what has to be done to them so that they meet whatever emission legistration is current (& due to come in), the more i'm thinking that my type of day to day miles will just be asking for trouble.

instead of guessing, i actually took notice of my trip to the gym, 3 miles there & 4 miles back at no more than 30mph. i'll be going out this afternoon on a similar journey. a diesel won't be liking that at all. once every 2 weeks will be a longer/faster trip, but no more than about 10/15 mins at a decent speed. from what i've read, i don't think our 3 monthly blast down the M5 will be sufficient to keep the DPF clear. initially i'm sure i'll be finding excuses to go places in my new toy, but 6 months down the line i don't want to be thinking "have i done a long enough journey at the right rpm this week" !

shame really as i think an E350CDI would have put a silly grin on my face!

i don't see a petrol E250 as a compromise though. our CLK only gets 22mpg urban & 30mpg on a long trip, the E250 will be better than this with a similar performance to now, plus it's less on road tax (£165 instead of £445!) & similar to insure.

 

[This is Pete]

The manual dictates that you take a 20 min run every 500km or so to avoid engine problems due to the DPF.

In very mixed driving, I'm getting about 32mpg, but I'm not driving like a grandad.

But yes, E350 CDI makes for silly grin times whenever you fancy.

 

[AbbieCadabra]

The manual dictates that you take a 20 min run every 500km or so to avoid engine problems due to the DPF.

which i'd probably be doing without even thinking about during summer, come winter, not so much.

nice to hear from another happy E350 owner

 

[10EDD]

We've a year old C250CDI Sport estate which we've had from new which my wife runs daily, mostly always on short trips around town. It gets about 37mpg on average for a tank only doing short trips and about 50mpg on runs of any kind.
I was loaned an E 250CGI coupe when my C63 was delivered late and it was slower and far thirstier than the diesel which I was both suprised and dissapointed with. It was a bit more refined as an engine when it was cold though.
Keep residuals in mind as well if it's relevant to you for ownership.
Edd

 

[Red C220]

E250CGI vs E350CDI - the drive in each of these cars will be very different.

Drive them both, that may be your deciding factor.

 

[@MARK]

There is a train of thought that says that you buy a diesel car because you get better MPG and there is truth in that however with the increased cost difference and not such a difference in MPG between petrol and diesel these days, the numbers are much closer.

But I bought a car with a big powerful diesel engine because I love the way big powerful diesel engines drive. Lots of shove and real world power that you simply don't get on a 2 litre turbo charged petrol with it's silly revs etc.

So if the difference between petrol and diesel in cost is small, drive both and see which you would rather drive in each day.

 

[AbbieCadabra]

thanks guys

it's a private purchase so future px does come into the equation. a 250cgi won't be any worse on petrol than our current CLK & should actually be a little cheaper to run overall.

IF we did go for a 350CDI, i think it would have to be a nearly new (max. of a year old) due to the price. thing is, we're picky buggers & there's only really 2 colours we'd have it in (if i'm spending this much, i want to love it's looks too!), so a used one is going to be a bit hit & miss/a long wait.

Nab does a little more miles every day than i would, but has had no issues & after reading the info in the earlier post about "20 min run every 500km'ish" i really don't know, i keep changing my mind .

i drove an E200 cabrio last September so i'm familiar with the car & i'm taking a C250CGI coupe out tomorrow. see where we go from there i suppose...

 

[st4]

If there is less than a grand difference used between a petrol and a diesel, get the diesel.

A wee run will keep the DPF in order, and refinement wise there isn't a lot in it.

Cost wise, the car you are getting is in warranty, and DPF issues will probably arise later in its life, after you are shot of it.

 

[Dieselman]

instead of guessing, i actually took notice of my trip to the gym, 3 miles there & 4 miles back at no more than 30mph.

Get a pushbike and you can forget the new car...and the gym...


3 miles....

 

[Red C220]

^@DM - subtle as ever

 

[@MARK]

If you are going for a 350 then remember that only the very recent ones have the 265bhp engine compared to the 231bhp engine before.

I am not sure there is an easy way to tell them apart so you need to double check.

 

[@MARK]

^@DM - subtle as ever

He has a very good point though.

I'm lucky in that I can actually walk to my office each morning but that commute up the stairs trying not to spill my coffee whilst negotiating the cat who has decided to sleep on the middle step can be a bit or a chore.

 

[AbbieCadabra]

if i rode a bike to the gym, i'd be too cream crackered to do a class or workout! men!

 

[st4]

if i rode a bike to the gym, i'd be too cream crackered to do a class or workout! men!

But you could ride the bike anywhere you wanted without shelling money out on a gym subscription as you wouldn't need the gym as you'd get all the exercise you want on the pushbike, for free.

Women!!!!

 

[trapperjohn]

But you could ride the bike anywhere you wanted without shelling money out on a gym subscription as you wouldn't need the gym as you'd get all the exercise you want on the pushbike, for free.

Women!!!!

Thus speaks a single man

 

[st4]

Thus speaks a single man

It could be no other way