Hybrid's

[Spaceboy]

Thinking about replacing the diesel workhorse (Renault Grand Modus 1.5d) as I'd like to drive something a bit more modern.

I'm looking for 5-door, hatch/estate, cruise control + other toys, and possibly hybrid.

Commute to work is 28miles each way so ideally I'd be doing that on just leccy? Is that how hybrid's work? Do they run on battery until it's dead then switch over to fuel ?

If someone could educate this old man on all these new-fangled things, and maybe recommend a motor that'd be smashing


Oh, and looking at 2nd-hand / nearly-new

[BUDFORCE]

I'd just get a petrol car, they are far more efficient now.

I'd be interested to see the numbers but I don't think buying a hybrid car will save you much money if you factor everything in.

[Spaceboy]

Indeed - been doing a little research.

To commute on leccy I'd need a leccy car (not a hybrid). Hybrid's seem to use the leccy part to boost mpg... given I get 70mpg average already that's not a motivation


I do want something more fun than my diesel though, with toys, and cruise control, even if it ends up costing more to run.

[A Ginger Sheep]

The 1.4tsi engine in my Leon is about the same as the diesel vectra I had before (35mpg, mix of slow town driving, some B roads around town and the odd journey of 15/20 minutes). On a run, I can get 50mpg or so. The newer versions of the engine are even better on fuel too as they have ACT despite being higher output engines (140 or 150bhp mostly).

[Aaron]

What year is your Leon?

[omega]

inb4 get a VAG

[BigIan88]

Although I've had problems with diesels in recent times, my experience with a 2.0 petrol Passat put me off going back to petrol for a little while longer. Spending £65 on fuel in 4 days, 3 of which were normal driving with one day being a ~100 mile trip to Blackpool and back. The Blackpool trip alone cost me £20 in fuel and I could have done the same trip for 1/3 of the fuel cost in the Mazda 3 I had before it.

Until I can afford a hybrid thats ~140bhp and comfortably does 60mpg+, I can't see me switching.

One things for sure, with everyone being forced to switch to petrol and electricity, I can't wait to see the monopoly the stations try and spin on it and the cost of petrol skyrocket.

[A Ginger Sheep]

What year is your Leon?

2012, last of the MK2

Although I've had problems with diesels in recent times, my experience with a 2.0 petrol Passat put me off going back to petrol for a little while longer. Spending £65 on fuel in 4 days, 3 of which were normal driving with one day being a ~100 mile trip to Blackpool and back. The Blackpool trip alone cost me £20 in fuel and I could have done the same trip for 1/3 of the fuel cost in the Mazda 3 I had before it.

Until I can afford a hybrid thats ~140bhp and comfortably does 60mpg+, I can't see me switching.

One things for sure, with everyone being forced to switch to petrol and electricity, I can't wait to see the monopoly the stations try and spin on it and the cost of petrol skyrocket.

To be fair, you did buy an old 2.0 n/a engine. If buying a 2l petrol engine these days, it needs to be turbo'd and make at least 240bhp or your doing it wrong.

[BigIan88]

240hp in my area? LOOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Insurance wouldn't go near me! I'm paying £150 a month as it is for a 140HP Jetta!

[A Ginger Sheep]

you kinda missed my point. 2l engines should only be bought if buying a hot hatch type car. for normal everyday cars with decent MPG, you should be looking at 1.4-1.6 turbo petrols if it is a petrol you are looking for. The likes of the 2.0 FSI engine you had is no longer made for a good reason, nobody would buy one when smaller, more frugal engines give the same output.

[BUDFORCE]

Yup exactly, smaller petrol engines are getting very efficient, reliable and are putting out decent HP for the size, small engines means less weight also. Less weight = better fuel economy.

I'm not writing off diesels but you need to factor to n purchase cost and servicing, there will no doubt be a cross over point where diesels are more economical but I think that point t is getting further and further these days with modern petrol engines.

[niceguyrichy]

I'm not writing off diesels

If he lives in a major city, and he likes to plan ahead, you probably should tbh

[A Ginger Sheep]

I bought my Leon FR with 15k on it for 8k. The low mileage 2.0 Tdi 140 engines in the same spec were generally around 9k and with 40k on the clock. Even factoring in the fact I buy my fuel in RoI where diesel is cheaper than petrol, it would take me about 6 years of ownership at about 7/8k per year to recoup the extra £1000 spent at purchase. That is of course ignoring any EGR or DPF issues with that would possibly occur through city driving for most of my ownership. Not to mention the petrol is far, far more refined than the diesel. Zero vibrations and it is basically silent at idle. Unless your doing over 10k miles per year and you do enough of those on decent stretches of A roads or Motorway, I would definitely advise going for a petrol. Also, in my car the TSI engine is group 16 vs group 20 of the 140 diesel. 0-60 times are basically identical, so if insurance is high in your area then a smaller, turbo petrol may save you money that way also.

[Spaceboy]

I spend 50 miles per day on the motorway
I live about 1/2 mile from one end, and work about 1 mile from the other end... and I do about 25k per year.

Diesel for me then for the time being I guess.

[A Ginger Sheep]

Yeah, 100%. Diesel is definitely the best option for you as you do a lot more mileage than the average user.