[MINIMAT]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hyper Active (original)

Low mileage drivers who buy a diesel car may not be saving as much money as they thought.

The soaring cost of diesel means the price differential with petrol is greater than ever.

AA figures show the average fuel prices in the UK are now 106.9p a litre for petrol and 114.8p a litre for diesel, which means an oil-burner is no longer the cheaper alternative.

Prices have risen due to rocketing sales of diesel cars and high demand for the fuel, which refineries have failed to meet.

A diesel car costs on average £1,400 more to buy than its petrol equivalent. A driver must now clock up over 46,000 miles before the benefits of fuel efficiency can be seen. At the start of this year, to break even with a petrol-engined car, the distance was 45,000 miles.

AA president Edmund King said: "Buying a diesel is not an automatic switch to cut-price motoring, particularly at current prices."

No one noticed the obvious flaws in this arguement yet?

Diesel is costing more due to the demand for it. Soooo supply will increase to match the demand. Sooooo prices will fall. It's all about supply and demand and at the moment demand exceeds supply. Give it time and supply will catch up. As buying a car is a long term decision I wouldn't base the decision on an article about what is a short term issue.

[MarkW]

no it won't, commercially there is more demand for diesel derivatives than petrol, one of the reasons diesel has been priced higher than petrol for a good few years is the increased demand for fuels for heating over winter

[Hyper Active]

Quote: Originally Posted by MINIMAT (original)

No one noticed the obvious flaws in this arguement yet?

Diesel is costing more due to the demand for it. Soooo supply will increase to match the demand. Sooooo prices will fall. It's all about supply and demand and at the moment demand exceeds supply. Give it time and supply will catch up. As buying a car is a long term decision I wouldn't base the decision on an article about what is a short term issue.

Diesel has cost more than petrol for the last 10 years . The chancellor of the exchequer has been putting more tax on diesel in his budgets for most of that time. That accounts for the difference.

There are no flaws in this discussion . The fuel economy advantage take many thousands of miles before the fuel price and vehicle price are over come . And thats never going to change.

[MINIMAT]

Drivers rush for diesel and avoid fuel-inefficient vehicles

By 2011 sales of diesel-powered cars will outstrip petrol-powered cars as millions more drivers seek to avoid the heavy tax penalties announced last week for fuel-inefficient vehicles.

Diesel accounted for 40.2 per cent of the 2.4 million cars sold in Britain last year, compared with only 13.8 per cent in 1999. It has already overtaken petrol in terms of the total fuel consumed by all vehicles in Britain. Last year drivers bought 25.5 billion litres of diesel and 24 billion litres of petrol.

Paul Watters, the AA’s head of roads policy, said that the victory of an Audi diesel at Le Mans in 2006, which prompted the race organisers to change the rules, had demonstrated the transformation of diesel technology.

He said: “The introduction of turbo diesels and systems to reduce vibration and noise were the biggest factors. You used to hear a diesel car coming a mile away because it sounded like a tractor. Now, you would be hard-pushed to tell a diesel from a petrol car if you were standing next to them at traffic lights.”

The UK Petroleum Industry Association said that diesel was more expensive than petrol, despite having the same duty rate, because oil companies had failed to predict the rise in demand.

A spokesman said: “They made a lot of investment in producing unleaded petrol in the 1980s and 1990s but petrol demand peaked in 1990. The pace of diesel growth has surprised people.”

[MINIMAT]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hyper Active (original)

There are no flaws in this discussion . The fuel economy advantage take many thousands of miles before the fuel price and vehicle price are over come . And thats never going to change.

I get more economy, cheaper car tax, cheaper car insurance than other Minis around at the time I bought it, and it will probably still be running long after the petrol engines have worn out. Oh and I do many thousands of miles. Why have a car if it doesn't go anywhere?

[MINIMAT]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hyper Active (original)

Ahh right, okay lol . Though a Cooper S isn't a petrol equivalent for a Dooper performance wise, or price wise .

I'll pass you while you are filling up at the garage again....

[feenaldo]

I don't think just because diesel is in more demand eventually the price will go down! Have you not noticed how the government already knows its got us by the balls when it comes to things that we need.. Its not as if we are doing a group buy on fuel is it!?

More people needing it is more of a chance for this government to tax you, the amount of profit a fuel company makes from fuel here is already a tiny amount so really there is no margin to reduce the price anyway.

[Jon Robson]

I chose a diesel Cooper over a petrol one for two reasons. First is the economy, I do 20,000 miles a year and will keep the car for three years, so I will save money. The second is that its not all about outright horsepower, it's the torque! The power delivery on the Dooper engine is similar to that of the 3 litre V6 Essex lump fitted to the old Mk 1 Granadas - far more driveable than a revvy 16v petrol any day of the week!

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jon Robson (original)

I chose a diesel Cooper over a petrol one for two reasons. First is the economy, I do 20,000 miles a year and will keep the car for three years, so I will save money. The second is that its not all about outright horsepower, it's the torque! The power delivery on the Dooper engine is similar to that of the 3 litre V6 Essex lump fitted to the old Mk 1 Granadas - far more driveable than a revvy 16v petrol any day of the week!

Yes, yes, yes!!


The petrol Cooper is really 'flat' and boring compared to the Dooper, and dont forget, not everyone can afford to insure or buy a Cooper S with the spec they want

Ive had 2 Petrol MINIs in the last 3 years, and loved them both, but the diesel with the torque and power delivery is amazing!! 4 weeks into mine and I love it! I hated the Petrol Cooper when i tested it!!!

I dont necessarily do the mileage to 'recover' the extra money I spent buying diesel, but thats not the reason I bought the car

[Streeters]

I've been explaining to people for years at work that anyone doing less than 10k PA shouldnt buy a diesel as it will take years to get a return on their extra outlay.So there wouldnt ACTUALLY be a saving at all. however there is a valid arguement on a day to day cost being cheaper for diesel (excluding the actual purchase price of course) due to better mpg, cheaper RFL . Its up to the buyer really but i'd agree that the power delivery on the Dooper's is superb, Mind you if i owned one i'd be more inclined to use to power than go for MPG, so i think i'll just keep saving for that R57 MCS i've promised myself, Roll on 2010

[andrewcregan]

I drive a Dooper, and when it went in for warranty work I got a 08 (53 miles on the clock) Petrol Cooper courtesy car. The courtesy car was only required for 24 hours, but I couldn't wait to get my Dooper back. The Cooper felt like it had no oomph on the motorway, but the Dooper was raring to go

[andrewcregan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Streeters (original)

....the Dooper's is superb, Mind you if i owned one i'd be more inclined to use to power than go for MPG

I use plenty of power, and average a good 75mph on the motorway, yet the Dooper still returns 57mpg . Power and MPG.

[Mejy Poo]

Hmm not entirely convinced with that first AA article.

I currently drive a One D and pick up my brand new Dooper in 10 days time. I do about 25,000 + miles a year and fuel in these parts costs about 111p per litre. In respect of that article I would probably see a return in about 1 and a half years time.

I also believe the resale value of my Dooper will be much higher than the petrol equivalent.

Not to also forget that my tax will be £35 for this year and £20 therafter.

Together with the very high mpg I get I think I am miles (mind the pun) better off with a diesel. And they ARE fun to drive - especially on the motorway!!!!

[Triffid]

I personally don't where this "you'll take years to recoup the cost of a diesel over a petrol" argument comes from.. Personally I believe that cars that do over 60 mpg and under tax band B, will be what people will be looking for in the future as fuel prices look to be on the way up on a permanent basis.. We'll be lucky to see a £1 litre again

Consequently I reckon in the very near future the premium I will get over the petrol on resale will be a lot more than the extra grand or so that I paid.

[LeakyTurnip]

When I was looking at changing my car, I tested the R56 Cooper & Dooper. The Cooper was very quiet and better that the 1.6 Leon that I had at the time but the Dooper was so much more usable. On the Motorway it still surprises me the amount of power/torque still available when at 70. My car was in getting a new wing mirror fitted on the 17th March and I was given a R56 MINI One.

Needless to say I was more than happy to get the Dooper back. I came to a hill that I would have always taken in second gear (about 15mph) and when I tired this in the One it stalled! Pulling away the One was really down on power...I'm really glad that I got the Dooper.

Also the fact the my road tax will cost £20 from next year is a very nice bonus!

[David King]

I disagree with the comments about the R56 being 'boring' and 'flat' you just have to drive it properly to get the real performance, i dont think its as much fun having the power way down the bottom of the rev range.

God created the red line - why not use it!

[David King]

I think its also quite funny that so many diesel owners have posted in here aswell.

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by David King (original)

I disagree with the comments about the R56 being 'boring' and 'flat' you just have to drive it properly to get the real performance, i dont think its as much fun having the power way down the bottom of the rev range.

God created the red line - why not use it!

When you drive the Cooper and CooperD you really notice a difference, trust me! I preferred driving my R50 MINI ONE to the R56 Cooper. Poxy thing had to be driven in 3rd to make it go anywhere

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by David King (original)

I think its also quite funny that so many diesel owners have posted in here aswell.

Well that was gonna be obvious from the start really wasnt it

At the end of the day, people buy cars for different reasons, does it really matter that diesel is more expensive than petrol? It is more expensive and what? If someone wants a Cooper (S) they will go buy one, if someone wants a Cooper D they will go buy one......

...oh and im not just saying that because i own a Diesel

[Yellow/Black OneD]

Quote: Originally Posted by LeakyTurnip (original)

Also the fact the my road tax will cost £20 from next year is a very nice bonus!

Will it really???? Excellent, I naturally assumed it would increase!!! Another £15 to spend on some nice Super Dooper V-Power diesel