More new car advice

[Sparkymart]

Cheers for all the ideas guys, I do like the idea of electric cars but we do drive up to London from Cornwall 5-6 times a year but I guess I could always hire a real car, but I did read that BMW have got some schemes where you can swap your i3 for a set number of times a year for a engined car, I need to also have a look at the new petrol cars as I have been an oil burner man for a long time.

[Dommo]

If the car doesn't have to be new, I've always quite liked the Alpina D3s.

 

Also got a hankering after an electric car here, and really hoping my company soon offer the car lease scheme mentioned earlier!

[Sparkymart]

[John K]

If it wasn't for me towing the Westfield on a trailer I'd be going for a petrol engine car.   Having said that new petrol turbo engines such as the VAG 2.0 TFSI are nice and torquey.

 

If I was you Sparky I would be looking at the Ford Ecoboosts, Fiesta or Focus.   Us DERV owners are rapidly becoming the Devils on the road.

 

Funnily enough when I was looking at figures last night, I was looking at the VW Golf models as there are two very similar in terms of performance DERV and Petrol versions... 

 

ACT 1.4 TSI 150PS BlueMotion Technology (3dr) GT

2.0 TDI 150PS BlueMotion Technology GT

 

If you use the VW consumption figures and based on 12,000 a year

The Diesel gets through 175 gallon a year

The Petrol 204 gallons a year

 

Looking at average fuel prices for both we get Petrol £1,218 and Diesel £1,077

 

So that's £150 a year more to run what is arguably a more fun car.

 

And once the diesels get older and the expensive things like injectors, hi-pressure fuel lines and dual mass fly wheels start breaking. I'm not so sure they are the better bet.

 

DERV is in fashion at the mo - but don't we all have a pair of fluorescent purple loon pants in the wardrobe that were once in fashion..?

[TAFKARM]

90mpg from a 307?

 

You dont mention your budget, Im currently running a 1.6tdi bluemotion Golf that i can get 70mpg out of on a run. Perfectly nice place to be TBH. 

 

Replacing it with a Golf GTD that arrives next month that should add a bit of performance (185bhp) into the equation and still get resonable economy (im hoping i can get 60+ )

[msisleman]

Have a drive of the 1.0 EcoBoost (125ps) Fiesta and Focus - I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by the usable torque/power. Forget the fact it's a 1.0L until you've driven them.

[Sparkymart]

90mpg from a 307?

You dont mention your budget, Im currently running a 1.6tdi bluemotion Golf that i can get 70mpg out of on a run. Perfectly nice place to be TBH.

Replacing it with a Golf GTD that arrives next month that should add a bit of performance (185bhp) into the equation and still get resonable economy (im hoping i can get 60+ )

http://cars.uk.msn.com/features/green-motoring/top-10-most-economical-cars the woman in the show room quoted me just under 95mpg, and as for budget I'm thinking about personal lease around the £350 per month

[John K]

We are all petrol heads (or DERV heads at this rate  ) here so I don't want to teach folk to suck eggs.

 

But aren't these mpg claims for small turbo engines (petrol of diesel) just pie in the sky?

 

The tests are done on a rolling road and the entire test 'route' is set so the turbo never spools up. Which also means the car never accelerates anywhere...

 

Sure you can get 80+ mpg but only if you never rev to more than sod all rpm - and there is a double whammy that turbo diesels are gutless barges unless the turbo is spinning.

 

TFSI I think are different as they run a blower and a turbo.

 

I would be really impressed if you can get 80+ mpg and still make real world progress.

[TAFKARM]

http://cars.uk.msn.com/features/green-motoring/top-10-most-economical-cars the woman in the show room quoted me just under 95mpg, and as for budget I'm thinking about personal lease around the £350 per month

In fairness I've just checked and they quote my Golf as 88mpg!

[JOCKER]

Don't discount the Cornwall to London trip in an electric car - its easily doable. I've done loads of long journeys in an EV.

 

Have a look at this link which shows all the charging points...

 

http://www.nextgreencar.com/electric-cars/charging-points.php

 

Most cars can charge very quickly, in my car I can charge to around 85% power from completely empty in 25 mins - a quick coffee break or toilet stop and its ready to go.

 

Most major services have chargers and they are completely free to use. You could do a return trip to London from Cornwall for less than £3! I did Cheshire to London return for £2.40!

 

I was recently in St Austell on holiday and the local taxi company run LEAF as their only cars!

[peet]

I currently drive an 06 1.4 Polo tdi. Has a bit of pep and cruises at 85mph all day. We took it to Cornwall last year from London following a camper so slower.

Used it all week all over Cornwall returned via Bristol and used £75 of fuel!!! New Polos are supposed to be even better being same size as old Golf. Running costs are cheap too, virtually Audi build quality too now.

Mpg quoted as 88mpg and I can believe it!

[Sparkymart]

I'm really keen on the BMW i3 I think when I get back to the UK I'll take a trip to our local dealer and gave a look and find out some monthly costs to see if I can afford it.. SWMBO said just sell the westy and but the money towards it, I suggested I sell her...! Nice and quite now lol

[Yanto]

I had a Volvo C30 1.6d stop/start, real world mpg between 68mpg in winter, best of 87 mpg on a run to Scotland and back.

 

My current Scirocco 2.0 TDi GT with dsg gearbox sits pretty constantly at 56mpg (if you believed the computer that would be 70mpg!! rubbish computer)

 

I would love an electric car, but my office is 56 miles away so unless I get a Tesla, or a hybrid i'm scuppered - i hate the looks of the Prius.