Car with Good MPG

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Thu 8 Oct 2020 17:55
Car with Good MPG - shoebpatel31

Hi All,

I’m after a replacement car, MPG is crucial currently 37mpg, I am doing about 11k a year(Commute includes motorway). Budget would be 2.5k/3k,max mileage 80k . I would ideally want MPG of around 50 plus.

I have been thinking of Fiesta 2009/10 1.6 tdci non DPF or a Megane 1.5 dci 2011(unsure about dpf). For me after MPG, reliability and holding as much value is most important.

Advice would be great.

Thanks

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Thu 8 Oct 2020 18:05
Car with Good MPG - Andrew-T

MPG is never 'crucial'. The differences between various similar models are unlikely to save you much over £100 a year, which in the grand scheme of things is small beer. Your driving style could make an equal difference.

If you are thinking of swapping your car for one with better consumption, the cost of changing will probably be much more.

Edited by Andrew-T on 08/10/2020 at 18:07

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Thu 8 Oct 2020 18:07
Car with Good MPG - Wee Willie Winkie

Standby for both of your choices to be shot down in flames.

The 1.6 diesel of the Fiesta is not highly regarded and I'm not sure a Megane that's nearly 10 years old will be at all reliable.

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Thu 8 Oct 2020 18:27
Car with Good MPG - badbusdriver

Doing some rough calculations based on the current average prices for petrol and diesel, going from a 37mpg petrol to a 50mpg diesel over 11k miles will save you around £380 per year, circa £7.30 per week.

It is easy to forget how much other ’running costs’ there are than mpg. If something goes wrong on a diesel engine, it will cost significantly more to put right than a naturally aspirated petrol. Any fuel savings can and will be completely wiped out and then some!.

Given your budget is so low, and assuming your current car is reliable, I’d just keep that until such times as your budget allows for something much younger.

As has been mentioned, the 1.6 diesel in the Fiesta (as well as various other Fords, Citroens and Peugeots), has a somewhat chequered record on reliability. The engine in the Megane is fairly reliable, but all things considered, the rest of the car probably won’t be!.

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Thu 8 Oct 2020 18:19
Car with Good MPG - Terry W

The difference between 40mpg and 50mpg over 11000 miles is 275 gallons vs 220 gallons - about £300.

For the money you want to spend, condition and service history may be more important than mpg - £300 can disappear on one simple repair or a set of tyres!

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Thu 8 Oct 2020 18:23
Car with Good MPG - shoebpatel31

I thought the fiesta was known to be reliable(oh well), Any suggestions for cars around the 3k mark.

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Thu 8 Oct 2020 18:35
Car with Good MPG - misar

I assume 37mpg is a real world figure for the OP's car in its current condition and with his driving style and usage. He needs to be careful comparing 37 mpg with published test data especially as he will be buying a relatively old and worn car. As already said, for meaningful advice he needs to reveal his current car.

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Fri 9 Oct 2020 11:21
Car with Good MPG - John F

Depreciation cost is at least as important. Better to spend an extra £300 on fuel for a car which depreciates at less than £1000 a year than go for a fuel miser which depreciates at over £1500 a year.

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Fri 9 Oct 2020 13:01
Car with Good MPG - misar

Depreciation cost is at least as important. Better to spend an extra £300 on fuel for a car which depreciates at less than £1000 a year than go for a fuel miser which depreciates at over £1500 a year.

The OP is looking for cars around the 3k mark so I doubt it will depreciate at over £1500 a year unless it expires shortly after purchase.

Edited by misar on 09/10/2020 at 13:03

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Fri 9 Oct 2020 17:24
Car with Good MPG - SLO76
At this money reliability and cost of repair are far more important that outright economy. I’d forget diesel here as they’re much more complex, less reliable and far more costly to repair. A good petrol supermini is the most economical way to travel for your budget and I’d shortlist the following.


Ford Fiesta 1.25/1.4
Mazda 2 1.3
Suzuki Swift 1.2
Toyota Yaris 1.33
Honda Jazz 1.4


All offer reliability and 50mpg plus if driven with reasonable restraint and you’ll avoid the costly woe an older diesel can deliver.
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Fri 9 Oct 2020 22:47
Car with Good MPG - galileo
At this money reliability and cost of repair are far more important that outright economy. I’d forget diesel here as they’re much more complex, less reliable and far more costly to repair. A good petrol supermini is the most economical way to travel for your budget and I’d shortlist the following. Ford Fiesta 1.25/1.4 Mazda 2 1.3 Suzuki Swift 1.2 Toyota Yaris 1.33 Honda Jazz 1.4 All offer reliability and 50mpg plus if driven with reasonable restraint and you’ll avoid the costly woe an older diesel can deliver.

Driving style makes a lot of difference. Years ago I bought a car from my best mate, he had usually got 25 mpg, on the same roads at the same times of day I got an average of at least 32 mpg.

How you accelerate, how you anticipate and how much you avoid having to brake affects your mpg: you don't take significantly longer to get from A to B and this style of driving is easier on the car.

Some older forum members may recall the Mobil Economy Runs, Here's a link to a Motor Sport magazine report which may be of interest

tinyurl.com/yxl7gx3p

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Sat 17 Oct 2020 12:41
Car with Good MPG - Engineer Andy
At this money reliability and cost of repair are far more important that outright economy. I’d forget diesel here as they’re much more complex, less reliable and far more costly to repair. A good petrol supermini is the most economical way to travel for your budget and I’d shortlist the following. Ford Fiesta 1.25/1.4 Mazda 2 1.3 Suzuki Swift 1.2 Toyota Yaris 1.33 Honda Jazz 1.4 All offer reliability and 50mpg plus if driven with reasonable restraint and you’ll avoid the costly woe an older diesel can deliver.

Driving style makes a lot of difference. Years ago I bought a car from my best mate, he had usually got 25 mpg, on the same roads at the same times of day I got an average of at least 32 mpg.

How you accelerate, how you anticipate and how much you avoid having to brake affects your mpg: you don't take significantly longer to get from A to B and this style of driving is easier on the car.

Some older forum members may recall the Mobil Economy Runs, Here's a link to a Motor Sport magazine report which may be of interest

tinyurl.com/yxl7gx3p

Indeed - a young colleague at my last job asked me why his smaller 1.4L Fiesta was only getting low 30s mpg on his similar trip to work (mostly along the A1) to mine in my larger and older Mazda3 1.6 (petrol) getting around 40 average.

I asked him roughly what speed he was doing and he said 'about 90' (needless to say I drive at legal speeds). A matter of days later, he crashed his car into a van in front whilst exiting the office car park, writing the car off and, so he spent £7k on buying a new Megane diesel so he could still drive at 90.

I shudder to think how much he was out of pocket and the increase in his insurance premium, given he was around 20 at the time.

I (just about) resisted the temptation to facepalm.

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Sat 17 Oct 2020 04:48
Car with Good MPG - Lucky Aka Luckyboy

I've had my 2011 Citroen C1 for 6 years,and always managed to get mid to late 50s MPG. Been a good car,bought for £4000, and now done 102,000 ( was 51,000 miles when I bought it). At the garage where i bought mine from,they currently have a 2013 Peugeot 107 ( the same car really) 5 door with just 38,000 miles on the clock for £3750.

I know its not as big as a Fiesta or Megane,but its big enough for me, even use it for car boot selling, and with the seats down,people are amazed about how much stuff I can get into a small looking car lol.At 6 years,its the longest I have had a single car since I started driving in 92

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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?