Thread: Cheap to run car

And then there's this:

Diesels | The Dog and Lemon Guide

Doing that kind of mileage don't get something flash! It's a waste. You'll rack up the k's very fast. I do 800KM ish a week and I've had my truck I think two years (or not quite). I've put nearly 100,000kms on it in that time.

Also you'd be crazy to buy a modern petrol over a diesel. Less horsepower, less torque, and it's all computer controlled now so regardless of what kind of fuel it takes when something goes wrong you're f*%ked.

I drive a number of new smaller petrols semi-regularly and I HATE it. Gutless little things you have to fang the nuts off just to get moving (even mu folks '12 Mazda 3, which is a 2.0L). I'll stick to my turbo diesel hilux thanks.

Ryan that service interval on the diesel seems very high.

One of the biggest thing with fuel economy is how you drive.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Ryan that service interval on the diesel seems very high.

One of the biggest thing with fuel economy is how you drive.

Have seen intervals of 20 000km from Citroën in their HDi models. Just for shits and giggles I phoned Giltrap Volkswagen and enquired about the interval for a 2004 Golf 2.0 TDi. 15 000km or 12 months whichever comes first was the reply.

That is good.

Yep 15 k for the FORD RANGER

Be aware that while new cars (Euro ones especially) have amazing official fuel economy figures, the real-world fuel economy is often not up with the claim - manufacturers are getting very good at tuning a car for the lab test rather than the real world. They're still very efficient, but people who expect to get the claimed figure tend to be disappointed.

Chap next door had a turbo diesel golf had incredible mileage and heaps of grunt when needed.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

Be aware that while new cars (Euro ones especially) have amazing official fuel economy figures, the real-world fuel economy is often not up with the claim - manufacturers are getting very good at tuning a car for the lab test rather than the real world. They're still very efficient, but people who expect to get the claimed figure tend to be disappointed.

Anyone who trusts the manufacturer's claims implicitly (petrol or diesel) are fools, however European turbo-diesels are the benchmark in modern day diesel technology. They come closer to the manufacturer's claim than anyone. Consider the percentage of diesel powered new vehicle purchases in Europe - particularly France.

One only has to cast their eye to Le Mans to see the proving ground for contemporary turbo-diesel technology. VAG and PSA dueling.

depends what your into, i'll be buying the misses a diesel holden cruze next, they go extremely well for what they are and good on diesel

Anyone got any ideas on something older that will get good kms then?
Should I be looking at small things like older civics or an older corolla?

Seems for 12-15k can get an 06+ something rather with 80-120kms on it.
But if I can get better economy than I get now for only 5k, then I'd look at doing that.

What is your current car?

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Ryan that service interval on the diesel seems very high.

One of the biggest thing with fuel economy is how you drive.

Service interval on my amarok is 20,000km and 15 is pretty common now on newer vehicles. Not totally sure its for the better though.

15k servicing is mad.
The TBN of the oil is fucked in most vehicles at about 7000km.
Oil is the cheapest thing that will ever be spent on a vehicle.


The 1st of the new VW beetles had a allowable consumption if 1l/1000kms and a service interval of 15k
Ours burnt 0.7l/1000
Do the Maths on how many engines they had to replace under warranty..
If we hadnt checked it ours would have been in the list too.