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Syphon

Site Owner
Staff member
Feb 28, 2002
10,878
3,116
South West
www.seatcupra.net
Anyone fancy having a go at calculating average running costs on an FR TDI vs Cupra per year. It's for me (maths anoys me) but might prove useful to other peeps considering both cars. :)

Basic figures
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Assume around 10k miles a year

Tax: Cupra £190 - Fr £135

Average fuel prices in my area: 94p for Super unleaded and 94p for Diesel

Average weekly mileage (e.g. Monday is 5 miles in the morning to work and then 5 miles back):
Mon 10 (b roads)
Tue 10 (b roads)
Wed 30 (b roads / motorway)
Thu 10 (b roads)
Fri 20 (b roads)
Sat 45 (average 40mph)
Sun 15 (motorway / b road)
Tot: 140

Holidays, Touring cars, and other trips will make up the other 3k miles so will be primarily motorway miles.

Cupra mpg:
Urban 24.8
Extra urban 43.5
Combined 34

FR TDI:
Urban 36.2
Extra urban 56.5
Combined 47.1

Tyre costs will be the same for both(£210 ish yearly on 18"s so don't include them)

Insurance would probably be about £200 more a year for the Cupra.

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Erm, that's about it I think. I know there are some people out there who actually get a kick from maths, so go nuts. :p

I obviously know my costs to change and repayments to consider so I'll add that in after.

Muchly appreciated. :)

Scott
 
well a rough calculation (based on combined figures) puts the annual fuel cost at:

petrol: £914.86 (£17.59 per week)
diesel: £661.70 (£12.73 per week)

but of course it coule be more dependant how heavy your right foot is, it seems to me most people on here dont achieve the offical mpg figures...

so in terms of:
fuel, road tax and insurance the TDi is approx £508 cheaper annually. or give and take a bit a tenner a week.

what about servicing? would it be correct to think the TDi will be slightly more to service?
it may need a clean more often too? ;)
 
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as diesel uses more crude but saves you money think of the enviromental bigger picture and get the the petrol :):):)
 
Cheers guys. Muchly appreciated. Not as big a difference as I thought.

Of course, the Cupra is going to be 2-2,500k more expensive on top of that. :rolleyes: And probably depreciate more - given where car running costs will be in 3 to 4 years time. We'll all be in diesels. :p

Scott
 
Ok after more thought.

Let's say the FR saves me 2K across the 4 years I would probably keep the car.
There are deals around now with 2K off list (with options) for an FR - very little, if anything for the Cupra.
Come sale time, it could be worth not that much less than a Cupra the same age (total assumption - but possibility in 4 years time).
90% of the time my wife will be driving the car with 1-2 babies in the back and wouldn't push the FR to its limits, let alone a Cupra.
I'll have the FR paid off by August 07, but the Cupra Feb 08 (if I'm lucky).

It's a bit of a no brainer really........

Scott
 
Depends on your circumstances though i guess. As i told Scott the other night, i can't make the choice for him. But as him and the wife are looking at possibly expanding the family. Then you have to ask yourself is a more expensive car that you'll rarely drive, that good a fianancial choice?

Its easy for me, I am single and don't have any dependants. My car is my hobby and my primary source of spending my wedge. So even if the Cupra costs me more to own and run than say a diesel FR. I can still consider the Cupra, simply for selfish reasons.

He can sit in mine from time to time though if he wants :cartman:
 
Cheers guys. Muchly appreciated. Not as big a difference as I thought.

Of course, the Cupra is going to be 2-2,500k more expensive on top of that. :rolleyes: And probably depreciate more - given where car running costs will be in 3 to 4 years time. We'll all be in diesels. :p

Scott
right up until too many of use drive diesels and they slap extra tax on diesels which emit too many particulates etc... or oil goes up in price again...

but i think from what i read on here, it seems the FR is the better choice for your circumstances.