Which diesel car?

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Mon 19 May 2008 10:29
Which diesel car? - ryder
I will be starting my own business soon and need to very economical car to drive. Will be driving about 75 miles daily, 7 days a week. Need to replace my existing petrol car (30 mpg) with something that cheap to buy and run. Image not imporant, but no Micra, no French cars. The car needs to be reliable.

Any opinions. Thinking of the following diesels VW Polo 1.4, Skoda Fabia 1.4 , Toyota Yaris 1.4, Mitsubishi Colt 1.5. Any thoughts?

{slight tweek to subject line so as not to confuse buying a car with all the recent fuel related threads kicking about}

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 19/05/2008 at 11:24

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Mon 19 May 2008 11:03
Which diesel - Happy Blue!
First thoughts - why change the car?

The cost of going from a 30mpg car to a 55 mpg car is about £1,700pa. A fair sum, yes, but there are lots of other costs including deprectiation, uncertainty, cost to change (i.e. traders profit) etc.

You may be better off staying with the petrol car for at least a year and seeing how things go. It is a car you know and is presumably reliable. If, after a year you can see how the business would benefit from a cheaper to run car then do so, but from a business perspective only, I wouldn't change just yet. The capital needed is not what a new business should be spending on.
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Mon 19 May 2008 11:06
Which diesel - bimmer-driver
Think about the cambelt changes on the VAG group cars. Yaris and Colt are chain AFAIR.
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Mon 19 May 2008 13:46
Which diesel - ryder
The car would be used for me to commute to the place of work and thus a private car.

I see you point about the cost to change. Perhaps its best I stick with a car I know in the initial months inspite of the higher costs.

Is the cambelt cost a significant one? I've always had chain driven cars, so havent got a clue what these costs are.

Any opinions on the Yaris/Colt Diesel engines?
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Mon 19 May 2008 12:16
Which diesel - boxsterboy
Given your self-imposed restrictions (which make no sense to me, but hey-ho), I would go for the Fabia - the most modern design and probably better for your long distances than Yaris or Colt.

Without the blinkers, I would go for a 207 with 1.6 HDI. This is a great engine (which can of course be had in a MINI or various Fords).
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Mon 19 May 2008 14:37
Which diesel - oldnotbold
How far will you be commuting, and what sort of trip is it?
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Mon 19 May 2008 15:18
Which diesel - madf
Fuel consumption is one cost.
VED is another.
Even more so are servicing costs.. enquire.. you may get some nasty surprises...
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Mon 19 May 2008 22:37
Which diesel - OldSkoOL
with that kind of daily millage think about your comfort

what about an older chain driven avensis diesel - the 2.0d should get you 55mpg


make sure you get the facelift one as it comes with more power and is chain driven


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Mon 19 May 2008 23:55
Which diesel car? - pendulum
Shame about the "No French cars".
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Tue 20 May 2008 08:48
Which diesel car? - Collos25
In the reliability stakes forget the firdt one if that is a major criteria,the cit ci or any of its derivitves Pug,Toyota in petrol form would be my choice.
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