Finding ways to keep your motoring costs down should come into play before you even buy a new car.

When you are in the process of selecting a new car from the thousands of models out there one of the major factors will be the initial outlay, but also the day-to-day running costs.

So, one of the first conundrums will be whether you opt for a diesel or petrol model. Ordinarily diesels are cheaper to run because they give you better fuel economy. For example a basic 1.6 diesel Ford Focus has an official combined fuel consumption of 67.3mpg whereas the equivalent petrol model returns 47.9mpg. This should a be no-brainer surely? Go for the diesel.

However, petrol models tend to be cheaper to buy. The petrol Focus will set you back £15,880 but the diesel will cost you £17,095 – a £1,215 premium.

So, you need to know how long it would take you and how many miles you need to travel to make it worth shelling out the extra for the diesel model. You also have to factor in the pricier cost of diesel fuel too.

The arithmetic, therefore, can be tortuous, so help is hand with Parker’s Cost of Motoring tool, which lists all the cost of nearly all the new cars on the market. With a few clicks on a drop-down menu you can find out how much your annual or even monthly fuel will be. You can even compare models, so you can find out whether it’s the diesel or petrol model that makes the most financial sense.

Click here to use the Parker’s Cost of Motoring Tool

If you would like any additional guidance or help please do not hesitate to ask and one of the team at Avatar Vehicles will be happy to give completely unbiased advice as to which model and fuel type is best suited for your individual needs.

Article taken from Parker’s, many thanks for their information.

About the Author

Steve Roberts is the Owner of Avatar Vehicles which was established in 2007. Many years of experience make him an expert in the field of vehicle leasing and all aspects of motoring. He is passionate about helping others to obtain cost effective, no nonsense deals on their cars – saving them both time and money with any vehicle purchase.