Diesel V Petrol ???

[Dryce]

Wouldn't you?

If I was technical director - no - I'd be ashamed of the resulting number.

If I was marketing director - well you know the answer to that.

 

[timskemp]

My 170bhp E240 slug - 29 - 33 mpg over the last year.



Well my car cost about £3K less than an equivalent age/spec E220 when it was bought. Probably about £6K to £7K less than a E270.

So the fuel would still be a bit in your favour but not as much as the initial purchase price gap which pulls it back in mine. And then the cost of spark plugs and higher resale may well push it back to you!

But I reckon your E240 with my driving pattern wouldn't be seeing anything near 29mpg.

And my E270 with your driving pattern would have been seeing 40mpg.

One needs to evaluate individual usage patterns, for most people driving under 8000 miles a year then there's no diesel advantage on cost terms.

 

[verytalldave]

Running costs didnt enter the equation when I went to buy myself into the MB fraternity.
I drove both a diesel and a petrol to see which I PREFERED.
'Prefered' being the operative word.
The winner was petrol for many reasons.
As it turned out, my petrol W203 C200 is actually quite economical taking everything into account.

So for me - petrol is the winner.

 

[johny5_uk]

I have been looking at comparisons of different petrol and diesel cars recently and it is surprising at the loss if you only run for 3 years.
Especially at the price of petrol/diesel and that petrol cars are achieving around 45+mpg but with the lovely torque of the diesel and refined engines (in certain manufacturers!) I will stick with diesel.

This is an excellent comparison link:

Petrol vs Diesel | Running costs - Parker's

 

[verytalldave]

That link is very good. Thanks for that.

 

[Value Motering]

In 1998 petrol was 60.9p per litre. As a guide in 1983 it was 36.7p, 1988 a mere 34.7p, 1993 45.9p and in 2003 77.9p.




Read more What were average petrol prices ten years ago?

I guess we may never see these prices again, I was just looking to try and find the % diff in Diesel/Petrol over the years.

It would be nice to know how the price split/% diff between Petrol and Diesel will be over the coming years.

I think over the next few years, new Petrol MPG figures will slide up nearer to the super Diesel figures we get at the moment, so if the % price of petrol slips any more from Diesel at the pumps, we could see Petrol be the best option for many.

Looks like America will start using more Diesel cars in future, I wonder if supply and demand will see us watch Diesel prices roll up in the UK .​

 

[Dryce]

Looks like America will start using more Diesel cars in future, I wonder if supply and demand will see us watch Diesel prices roll up in the UK .​

Supply/demand effect should be regional based on refinery capacity.

 

[Dryce]

I have been looking at comparisons of different petrol and diesel cars recently and it is surprising at the loss if you only run for 3 years.

Unless you compare a E250 CGI AG auto against a E220 CDI AG auto at list.

 

[snoop51]

I have been looking at comparisons of different petrol and diesel cars recently and it is surprising at the loss if you only run for 3 years.
Especially at the price of petrol/diesel and that petrol cars are achieving around 45+mpg but with the lovely torque of the diesel and refined engines (in certain manufacturers!) I will stick with diesel.

This is an excellent comparison link:

Petrol vs Diesel | Running costs - Parker's

Shows me that I might NOT break even in 3 years over an equivalent petrol!
BMW 530d SE (Business Media) breaks even a lot quicker 148 days

Drop down to a 525d SE (Business Media) and it breaks even at 82 days.

Unfortunately and not wanting to start the usual "why are you on this forum if you like BMW type argument" Mercedes have got a lot of catching up to do in terms of diesel engine technology.

In fact after looking at MB, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Alfa Romeo, VW, Saab & Volvo, MB seem to be the least likely to break even over the 3 year, 12000 miles a year they are basing their calculations on. Yes I realise they are not all equivalent marques but when fuel costs are going up like they are the other marques start in some eyes to look more attractive!

It will certainly make me have a look over "the fence" at the dark side when it comes around to changing, IF the current fuel situation is not improving by then

 

[bpsorrel]

My Saab breaks even in just 5 days! :bannana:
But my 211 breaks even in 1 year! Hmmm.....

 

[verytalldave]

Its actually cheaper to make diesel than petrol. Diesel needs less refining than petrol and less additives.
The reason diesel is more expensive than petrol at this moment in time is world supply and demand.
Diesel is in much greater demand in the developing countries like India and China and coupled with a worlwide refining shortfall for diesel, the price goes up to reflect this demand.
I cant see this situation changing in the foreseeable future either. Until there is more refining capacity worldwide, then its only going to get worse.
Shell Haven refinery closed in the UK just over 10 years ago and Petroplus Coryton looks like it might follow suit. Not because of lack of demand but just because lack of investment. What this country desperately needs is a brand new LARGE refinery capable of producing quality fuels for modern day needs.
But I cant see it happening unless the government make it a viable investment by incentives and tax breaks.
We as an island have almost lost the capability to be self-sufficent in our MOGAS requirements, and that is a frightening place to be. To have to rely on tankers to ship our fuel in from the continent is not good.

 

[snoop51]

What this country desperately needs is a brand new LARGE refinery capable of producing quality fuels for modern day needs.
But I cant see it happening unless the government make it a viable investment by incentives and tax breaks.
We as an island have almost lost the capability to be self-sufficent in our MOGAS requirements, and that is a frightening place to be. To have to rely on tankers to ship our fuel in from the continent is not good.

No different to anything else in UK nowadays. We are self sufficient in very little nowadays unfortunately!

 

[steve333]

Petrol for me,v8 growl is addictive

 

[Oli]

Unless I was buying a car specifically for performance I would always go for a diesel, and to be fair there's some damn quick diesels around nowdays in thier own right!.
For buying a run around, say a Golf for example I see absolutly no point in getting a petrol one over a diesel, when the diesel will hold its value better and get better MPG.

 

[Londonscottish]

Petrol for me - I do a low mileage and my cars are for weekend fun. Top spec V8's are cheap.

Having said that the latest V6 Merc diesels are a very good compromise and pull like trains from idle.

BMW wood burners even better.

So not as black and white for me as it would have been two or three years ago.

 

[snoop51]

15000 - 20000 miles a year and BMW 520d or 525d are looking a good bet next time around unless MB catch up in the next couple of years.

 

[markjay]

I started to think this way but I think when you sit down and work out the real-life mpg figures, the diesels are far superior.
Add into the mix residuals and you can see why diesels are so popular. Not so much better, just popular....

The depreciating from new of a petrol car is indeed much higher than diesel car in general.

But this is only applicable to new cars (or 'nearly new' ones) - if you buy second hand the depreciation has already been shouldered by someone else, so you can either buy a cheap petrol car and then sell it on cheaply, or a more-expensive diesel car and get more for it come selling time.

Either way residuals are generally no longer an issue for second hand cars.

 

[s200rey]

In my opinion, a petrol is only worth having if it fits this criteria;

* Over 100bhp weighing less than a tonne (fun!)
* Or in a bigger car, if it isn't pushing over 250bhp, its not worth having. (over a diesel)

Otherwise diesel all day long!! & up until a year ago, all I had was hot hatches, and fast petrols, and not so long ago 'I woke up and smelt the diesel' so to speak.

Now I wouldn't go back to a petrol unless it was a second car, or for weekend use. I would be annoyed if I found one now, let alone bought one. Most cars/makes/models are much more desirable in Diesel, fact. Other than the likes of Audi RS4's BMW M3's AMG Mercedes etc etc...

Daily Driver - Diesel. All day looooooong!

 

[markjay]

In my opinion, a petrol is only worth having if it fits this criteria;

* Over 100bhp weighing less than a tonne (fun!)
* Or in a bigger car, if it isn't pushing over 250bhp, its not worth having. (over a diesel)

Otherwise diesel all day long!! & up until a year ago, all I had was hot hatches, and fast petrols, and not so long ago 'I woke up and smelt the diesel' so to speak.

Now I wouldn't go back to a petrol unless it was a second car, or for weekend use. I would be annoyed if I found one now, let alone bought one. Most cars/makes/models are much more desirable in Diesel, fact. Other than the likes of Audi RS4's BMW M3's AMG Mercedes etc etc...

Daily Driver - Diesel. All day looooooong!

OR - if you do not do many miles annually.

Wife does the school run so her mini-MPV only gets 1k to 2k a year. It's now 6 years old and has 11k on the clock. I don't think it has ever seen a motorway...

Any potential saving on mpg will be minimal and dwarfed by the higher costs of buying and running a diesel car.

Plus petrol is still smoother and less cluttery...

 

[Dieselman]

OR - if you do not do many miles annually.

Wife does the school run so her mini-MPV only gets 1k to 2k a year. It's now 6 years old and has 11k on the clock. I don't think it has ever seen a motorway...

Do your Kids not have legs?