83mpg Skoda from £13,740

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Will86 wrote:

theonlydt wrote:

Once again Beachland making baseless assumptions. You save £120 at the moment in tax every year for the diesel compared to the petrol - I'll work with £120, but we all know that within 5 years the petrol could see tax rises as it's 121-124g, whereas being below 90g the diesel should escape most taxes rises. So, 5 years ownership, £600 saved in tax. Someone purchases this because they do a higher than average mileage, though not much higher than average, say 15,000 miles a year. That's a £600 a year saving over the petrol. Over 5 years that's £3000. Total saving is £3600. Yet that's not the whole story - beachland didn't compare spec for spec the prices. The Greenline spec is higher than the "SE". So bring the 1.2SE up to Greenline spec and you're adding another ~£650. So the price difference is only £2700. In 5 years you'll saved £900 on running costs. Yet, obviously, this is not the whole story as I've not taken in to account depreciation. Residuals over 5 years are more difficult than over 3 (the car loses more value in the first 3 than the next 2). Looking at current market data cars on Fabias 5 years old - as well as the performance of "green used cars" we know that the diesel will have better residuals, but a higher purchase price. The diesel will lose £900 more in depreciation that the petrol. So over 5 years you break even, exactly, on 15,000 miles a year. Drive more miles, or keep it longer and you'll save money (especially as diesel residuals beyond 5 years and 90,000 miles are much stronger than petrol).

You can add showroom discounts your list too. Though I don't know if that will work in the diesel's favour or not.

Would be interested to see a test drive of this as I don't think we have seen the 1.2 TDI anywhere else yet. Prefer it in normal hatch form though.

ive seen a test of this engine in the new polo bluemotion... needs to be revved a bit, torque useful in the mid range, characterful hum.... cant remember where i read it tho...on here??