[Fr2013]

Hi Everyone,
Long time lurker here...

I've been thinking about an Arona 1.0 TSI FR Sport DSG as a company car.

I have an MK5 Ibiza 1.0 TSI DSG at the moment so very similar, but still a big upgrade.

The thing that worries me is MPG. For company mileage, it'll mostly be exclusively hauled up and down the M6 a couple of days a week, probably 400 miles per week (2x 200 mile days)

The personal MPG doesn't bother me, as I guess it'll be similar to my Ibiza but I've never really used my Ibiza as a motorway hauler (we have the Leon for that), so don't really know what it's capable of.

Is the combined figure of 56 MPG actually achievable with the 18" wheels and DSG? Generally I'll sit between 60-65 out of the roadworks, and as we all know, the M6 also has lots of 50mph sections that also aid MPG.

Hopefully all of you FR Sport and Xcellence Lux owners with 18" wheels can give my your experience. I also welcome anyone elses experience too

 

[Snowdaddy]

The mpg varies considerably with traffic levels.

After the first 2000 miles (once engine has loosened up)
Can get 51-55 mpg when cruising at 60mph fairly easily, bit more in favourable conditions

Drops to about 48-50 mpg at about 75-80mph (usual disclaimers )

Heavy rush hour traffic in London area has resulted in low 30mpg, but that is the usual crawling that TfL traffic lights (which ignore waiting traffic even at night) seem to create.

With the traffic laden roads in Surrey and no open roads to cruise along, tend to get nearer 40mpg overall, but it is more urban driving. Have got nearer 50mpg on some longer trips but that includes getting out of London so not all easy roads.

 

[AronaKent]

Have you considered a diesel, with the miles you are doing?

 

[Brian566]

Hi
At that mileage You should be Looking at diesel More MPG plus you will have more torque

 

[Fr2013]

The Arona just about fits into my budget. I want FR Sport trim and DSG...I don't think SEAT provide what I want :roll:

Plus, Diesels cost more per month in Tax for me (seems to be a new government thing to incentivise Petrol/Hybrid)

The other option would be an Ibiza FR Sport, but similarly I don't think that they do a diesel DSG in FR Sport?

Golfs and Leons are available(1.6TDI DSG) but in lower spec SE trim which I don't think I'd consider.

 

[scotti290586]

I'd definitely consider a diesel if it's not much extra as you'll make it back in fuel savings if doing enough miles.

I typically get around 70mpg on a leisurely commute.

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[Snowdaddy]

Took these figures from Parkers

Petrol at 128p/litre approx. £1021-1058 for 10,000 miles
Diesel at 131p/litre approx. £916-931 for 10,000 miles

But these fuel prices bit out of date and Op is looking at 20,000 miles per year so adjusting gives:

Petrol at 120p/litre approx. £1914-1983 for 20,000 miles
Diesel at 131p/litre approx. £1832-1862 for 20,000 miles

so diesel will save you about £101 per year at current prices (about £9 per month)

The TDI on FR sport spec is £1710 more (but TDI DSG not available, so can only compare manual prices) so at current petrol-diesel fuel price differential looks like in real world would take about 170,000 miles to get the diesel premium back (8-9 years at 20k miles per year)

Have to confess I was surprised by this, and even if you assume real world mpg is 80% of test mpg, and therefore assume 80% of breakeven mileage, then breakeven would be 136,000 miles

Hope this helps

 

[Marc]

I'm assuming the op will claim back business miles on expenses, in which case the claim per mile will be higher for a petrol because of the reduced mpg. It all really depends on how may private miles are done.

 

[stottycabanas]

Round our way (West Mids) there seems to be a differential of 15p-18p between petrol & diesel at the moment. Plus thè govt may increase tax on diesel more to dissuade people from buying them.

 

[Snowdaddy]

Round our way (West Mids) there seems to be a differential of 15p-18p between petrol & diesel at the moment. Plus thè govt may increase tax on diesel more to dissuade people from buying them.

Where I live price difference is 11p, which is what I used in updated calcs
but at 15-18p differentials kills off diesel Arona as got to do nearer 200,000 miles to get back the extra £1700 extra price.

Becomes Paying 12-15% extra fuel cost to get about 20% extra mileage, net saving only 5-8%

 

[Marc]

Snowdaddy is correct in saying you need to do a lot of miles to claw back the extra cost of a diesel engine and add to this the uncertainties of the resale value you need to think long and hard before choosing a diesel.

However with a company car things can be different. I have a company car a SEAT Leon SE Technology 1600 deisel estate, I had a choice of deisel or petrol, this was June 2016 and at the time the company car tax rates were lower for the deisel as it had lower CO2 emmisions, this could have changed now I have not checked. This meant the deisel was cheaper for me as I had less tax stopped out of my salary, my employers would have paid any extra for the cost of the car.

My wife now has an Arona but before that she had an Ibiza SE Technology 1200 TSI Petrol, we live in the West Midlands but have a place in North Wales that we go to most weekends, in the deisel Leon it costs £20 round trip, in the petrol Ibiza it cost £30 round trip. So with a company car the deisel costs me less in tax and about £500 a year less in private milage fuel. Any company car drivers reading this need to check what the current company car tax is though before deciding.

 

[Snowdaddy]

Two years ago petrol and diesel prices were similar
Now diesel is at least 10p more (and nearer 15p more is not uncommon)

Petroleum analysts suggest diesel could be 25p more by 2020 (due to low sulphur marine fuel introduction under new rules which can only be made by utilising some diesel refining capacity.

Obviously if someone else (employer) pays for fuel, (and possibly the higher purchase price) then its different economics, (although Government has added a diesel company car tax supplement to take this into account). However paying the extra for diesel makes no logic for a private buyers who buy their own fuel (unless you average something like 800+ miles per week)