Petrol or Diesel engine?

[Smarty]

I will be buying my first Mercedes soon but a remark from my local garage, who I trust, remarked as I would only be doing around 4000 miles or less a year then probably go for petrol over diesel. I lost my big dogs this year, so time will come soon to replace my second vehicle a van with an estate.
Apparently diesels need milage to keep running clean? Where petrol engines are fine. I have not bought a car for quite a long time and want comfort and reliability this time. Also while am looking at retirement in a few years and have plenty of no claims, still do not want to pay over the odds with running costs.
So petrol or diesel, then 2.0 or 2.5 or bigger? What would be a good balance?

 

[whitenemesis]

At 4k miles a year I'd go for petrol without doubt. V8 preferably

 

[A-AvantGarde]

For that type of mileage definitely a petrol. Modern diesels just don't cope very well with short distances / low mileage. They take time to warm up and there is just too much emissions control stuff (DPF filter etc) to go wrong.

What sort of age car are you looking for?

 

[BTB 500]

As above it's short trips that are the problem for modern diesels fitted with particulate filters (DPFs), rather than the annual mileage. In 7 years we've had no problems with the Vito we have for our dogs (which is a 3.0 V6 diesel, with DPF), but it gets fairly regular motorway runs going to shows.

When we replaced my wife's old Audi A4 diesel we got a petrol C Class (2.5 V6) ... we probably spend a bit more per year on fuel but the car was significantly cheaper (for the year/mileage) than a diesel version would have been. One downside though is the road tax, which is a lot higher.

 

[j.schmeltzer]

Very sorry about your dogs. I know what a blow it is, especially two in a short time. We had this a few years ago. But through circumstance we were given a new (older) female within a week. She rescued us from the depths of despair. Only drawback is she won't tolerate other dogs. RECOMMENDATION: get another dog soon.

Re: Engines...we have had both diesel and petrol. Now retired on the Isle of Wight with limited mileage so have petrol only A friend just had to replace his DPF (Citroen) at a cost of £1800 for an older car.

Good luck on both counts.

 

[John]

I would also go with a petrol for that mileage.

I'd go for the 5.5V8 D) but if you aren't sure - drive examples of the engine sizes to see what you think.

If the smallest is fine - opt for that. Cost you less in VED and fuel most likely.

 

[automaniaman]

Petrol...IMO

 

[carlls]

yep petrol

 

[Fudger]

Very sorry about your dogs. I know what a blow it is, especially two in a short time. We had this a few years ago. But through circumstance we were given a new (older) female within a week. She rescued us from the depths of despair. Only drawback is she won't tolerate other dogs. RECOMMENDATION: get another dog soon.

I echo those comments; I bought my E Class estate solely because of the dog

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I do around the same mileage and would say definitely petrol. The newer models are pretty economical too. My C350 petrol does high 30s on a run and low 30s overall (mainly very short trips). Even VED isn't bad at £175 a year currently.

 

[stwat]

Petrol for sure.

 

[KennyN]

A few things that have not been mentioned :

His preferred car choice may not be available in both variety's of engine, mine wasn't - diesel or nothing.

How old a car are we looking at , as if it is a newer car then it will still be under warranty so no issues with repair bills.

Big petrol engine = big insurance and tax and low MPG.

There seems to be a "thing" about DPF filters , they can be cleaned , removed and replaced so it may not be such a deal breaker.

I am a diesel engines nightmare , 2.5 mile trip to work and back again every day. The car never really gets up to temp properly and I have had no issues with the filter on my car over the last 15 months of ownership AFAIK. This statement may be the rock I perish on over time.

If the OP is only doing a 50mile round trip twice a week then a diesel with a DPF would be fine.

Until we know their full driving requirements then an accurate answer cant be given.

Kenny

 

[whitenemesis]

"Big petrol engine = big insurance and tax and low MPG."

Bit of a sweeping statement ... Only the last point is true and even then it's relative and at low mileage does it really matter?

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Big petrol engine = big insurance and tax and low MPG.

Not necessarily. My petrol engine is 3498cc (not massive, but quite big). Here's what the real figures are for me:
Insurance: £238.89
Tax (VED): £175.00
MPG: 32 overall (with fuel that's cheaper than diesel)

 

[Deleted member 65149]

There seems to be a "thing" about DPF filters , they can be cleaned , removed and replaced so it may not be such a deal breaker.

Expensive to replace, illegal to remove.

 

[whitenemesis]

5.4ltr

Insurance £200
RFL £285
MPG ave 20.3

 

[KeithJG]

I do about 4000 year as i am retired but i use shell nitro + cleaners and no problem at all around the houses.......my diesel has no DPF with excellent mpg with performance

I like performance and use it all of it! ....so the mpg per performance ratio should not be equaled by a petrol......it is horses for courses!

 

[KennyN]

"Big petrol engine = big insurance and tax and low MPG."

Bit of a sweeping statement ... Only the last point is true and even then it's relative and at low mileage does it really matter?

Not at all a sweeping statement - On average a large displacement petrol car IS more expensive to insure and tax than the equivalent diesel. Living with 20 mpg on average may be fine for some but not for others.

Not necessarily. My petrol engine is 3498cc (not massive, but quite big). Here's what the real figures are for me:
Tax (VED): £175.00
MPG: 32 overall (with fuel that's cheaper than diesel)

A modern 3.5l diesel will be cheaper on tax and the extra cost of diesel will be more than offset by a higher MPG you will be getting.

Expensive to replace

Only IF required , a bit like any major part of the car really.

The insurance figures quoted in some of the posts are purely academic as there are so many variables in the insurance equation , a few digits out for the postcode will see the premium go through the roof for some V8 "performance" vehicles.

As stated , until we know all the OP requirements then it is all speculation.

My CLS is my first oil burner and to be honest and in hindsight I may have went for a 500 , 55 or 63 if I had made my purchase with my heart , but at some point the real world running costs would have to be addressed , £500pa for tax as I wanted the newest one I could get for 20k , insurance with a PA1 postcode would NOT have been cheap and having an average speed of 13mph then even the 20 mpg obtained by some would have been pie in the sky.

Kenny

 

[whitenemesis]

Not at all a sweeping statement - On average a large displacement petrol car IS more expensive to insure and tax than the equivalent diesel. Living with 20 mpg on average may be fine for some but not for others.

Kenny

Well my 270CDI was almost twice as costly as my CLS55 to insure, RFL was the same

 

[KennyN]

Well my 270CDI was almost twice as costly as my CLS55 to insure, RFL was the same

That just shows that there is no rhyme nor reason to insurance "logic" and for the RFL being the same then that is only because your CLS slips into the older taxing bracket , it would be a far more costly affair if it was a year or so newer.

If it all goes to plan then my AMG itch will be getting scratched with a CLS63 in three years , just not at this moment in time due to having two teenagers that seem to think that the bank of mum + dad is open 24/7/365.

Kenny