Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice)

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Thu 2 Jun 2022 09:19
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - Alex.9473

This is my first post so hello, so please be nice ??

Just after some advice really. I currently own a red Renault Clio (2018) petrol 1.2 litre engine which does approximately 40MPG - i purchased this outright. I have owned it for about a year since passing my driving test, I have found it to be a excellent car in terms of driving performance and reliability in getting me around. Mine has done approx. 37,000 miles to this date (with me accumulating about 3,500 miles in the last year).

However, very recently I have done a lot of travelling far and wide over the UK and in the last 3 months I have totalled up my fuel bills and this has come to way over £500 – nearly £600!. I know were in situation where fuel prices are rising weekly (sometimes daily where I live). I have many more trips planned ahead which will be long distance, so this makes me conscious of the fact the price of the petrol I will be consuming will be an expensive outgoing.

I have recently eyed up a 1.5 litre engine diesel red Renault Clio car at a local trusted garage that actually does around 60-80mpg. This I have worked out the costs of my fuel bill could potentially be halved with long distances I intend to travel – considering the MPG is double on my current clio. This Clio is 2017 and pretty much has all the specs my current Clio has (minus a reversing camera). This has done approx. 27,000 miles to this date. My intention would be to part exchange this outright in cash - which would only set me back by about a grand - but i know this is well in budget for me.

So I have test driven the diesel clio and found it is just as better to drive, if not better than my current clio. It has 5 gears rather than 6 which is easy, its more soundproof from the engine than my current clio. Apart from that there is nothing else different, it is identical to my current clio (minus the number plate).

I am wanting opinions/advice on if my above suggesting is something that would be sensible to consider? I know we are living in a world where petrol/diesels are being phased out due to global warming, and trust me if I could afford an electric car/hybrid car then I would!

I know I said I passed my test over a year ago, but I do drive my current car in way that I make it as fuel efficient as I possibly can (breaking gently, accelerating gently and so on!). Is it advisable to part exchange to a car year older than the current one you own? and also a year after purchase of your current car? The garage actually quoted me the exchange price and I would bet getting £200 more for my current clio than I actually paid for it a year ago.

Also with my current clio, the tax and MOT are due next month, so I am wanting to make a decision on this now rather than waiting beyond this which would save me costs on my current clio.

Any thoughts please?

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Thu 2 Jun 2022 09:49
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - elekie&a/c doctor
Stick with what you have . Diesel cars are more economical (generally) , but fuel is more expensive and Diesel engines are far more complicated and a lot more expensive to fix when they go wrong . Loads more emission kit fitted and a diesel particulate filter to contend with.
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Thu 2 Jun 2022 10:47
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - badbusdriver

You are not going to get anywhere close to halving your fuel costs. A diesel Clio is certainly going to be more efficient than a 1.2 petrol, but driven in the same manner, the most you might get is a 30% improvement of mpg.

But as said, if anything goes wrong with the diesel engine, it will cost a lot more to fix than a simple n/a petrol.

Look into different techniques for maximising efficiency while driving, but keep the car you have as long as it remains reliable.

Also, next time you need to replace the tyres, look into which one's offer the best efficiency as that can make a worthwhile difference.

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Thu 2 Jun 2022 11:11
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - Xileno

Firstly forget 80 mpg, I assume the sales person said that. The 'Real MPG' part of this website reports just under 60 mpg www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/renault/clio-2013

I had a Megane with the 1.5 diesel, that used to give 56 mpg routinely, 58 mpg with motorway miles and it is (or was since it's scrapped) a heavier car than the Clio.

As well as potentially higher repair bills with a diesel, you mighty need to look at the servicing costs. I suspect a cambelt change on the diesel will be more expensive, if only because it's trickier to do as the Clio engine bay will be more cramped with the diesel engine.

Also diesels (rightly or wrongly) are attracting more negative publicity, who knows what increasing pollution restrictions might be implemented.

I would stick with the petrol.

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Thu 2 Jun 2022 12:42
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - Andrew-T

Any thoughts please?

You only need one thought - your annual mileage is nowhere near enough to get any cost benefit from switching to diesel. There may be 20-30% benefit to the environment in terms of CO2. If you have any thoughts of visiting a place which excludes diesel cars, that may be another consideration.

Finally, it will cost you about £1000+ just to change one car for another, as car traders like to make a profit on their business. Nuff said ?

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Thu 2 Jun 2022 13:41
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - nellyjak

Stick with what you have....IMO you'd regret the change.

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Thu 2 Jun 2022 14:10
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - Alby Back
The implication of your recent mileage seems to suggest that your usage has increased recently? If that’s going to be your new normal, then there might be case building for a more economical engine.
But, if that increase is temporary, then I’d stick with the car you have.
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Thu 2 Jun 2022 14:21
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - Adampr

You are doing what many of us do; trying to reverse-engineer a good reason for buying a new car. If you want to do it properly, you need to think about how many miles you are likely to be doing over a long period, then use the Real MPG on this website to compare. It's unlikely to add up, but I have previously switched to a diesel to save money (I was doing 35,000 miles a year).

As other have said, every transaction you make with a dealer will cost you £1,000 minimum so, again, think about how long you're going to keep the car and how far you're going to drive it. Generally, I would suggest it's unlikely to be worth your while and a car that you've had for.some time is a better bet than getting another one. You don't know the full history of your car, but you know it's worked for a year and how it's been treated in that period, so it's lower risk.

If you just fancy a change, that's fine, but trying to rationalise it will always end up with a poor compromise.

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Thu 2 Jun 2022 16:50
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - Big John

If your current car is in good order then there is the risk factor of moving to the unknown? You might be buying another person's problem. The 1.2 is a fine and simple engine - I'd stick myself.

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Fri 3 Jun 2022 08:48
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - kiss (keep it simple)

I am surprised your 1.2 Clio only does 40mpg, especially on these long runs you are doing now. My 2 litre Mazda6 can do better than that. Maybe it needs to be checked out. Our 1.4 Polo will do over 50 on long runs, more like 55 on A-roads.

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Fri 3 Jun 2022 13:11
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - Alex.9473

Thank you for your help guys, is a big difference in price between parts for a petrol and diesel for the renault clio?

I have noticed my current Clio has developed some high pitch noises when starting up the engine and somtimes there like some high pitch whining noises when driving normall (particularly at 50mph in 6th gear) - I do follow what the oboard computer says when to change gears.

Thanks again for your help

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Fri 3 Jun 2022 14:03
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - badbusdriver

There is a big difference between parts prices between petrol and diesel for all makes and models of car.

Not sure what to say about your noise though.

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Fri 3 Jun 2022 14:16
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - SLO76
I’d keep what you have. The minor fuel saving after you factor in the higher cost of diesel fuel will never be recouped and you’re opening up the possibility of costly repair bills. The 1.2 petrol is well tried and tested and quite robust if looked after. They can whine a bit as they rev and they do need a timing belt and water pump change at 50k or 5yrs but then so does the diesel. Don’t scrimp on this as it’s the most common killer of both of these engines.
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Fri 3 Jun 2022 22:29
Renault Clio - Should I change my car to a diesel? (advice) - alan1302

- I do follow what the oboard computer says when to change gears.

Ignore it - change up when the cars ready to - a lot of the gear change indicators are not great.

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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?