New car sales plunge 20% in September

[Chippy_Tea]

They appear to be saying a lot of people are being put off buying as they cannot decide which version to buy diesel is now considered the spawn of the devil so its a toss up between Petrol, Hybrid or electric.

Have any members bought a new car?

Did you change from Diesel to petrol, petrol to diesel or petrol/diesel to electric or hybrid?

I am changing my car (diesel) in a couple of years * i don't do a huge mileage so at the moment am thinking of going for a petrol (probably 1.0L - 3 cylinder Fiesta of the Vauxhall Corsa equivalent as they both get very good reviews) but would now consider electric as some of my concerns about running one were answered earlier on 5 live.

* It wont be new i am way too tight to stomach the depreciation in the first couple of years.

A representative from the National grid has been on 5 live and answered the usual questions asked when people discuss electric cars.

1] If we all switch will there be enough electric.

He said - we have a lot more gadgets now but they take far less electric to run them so if everyone was to switch tomorrow it would take us back to the consumption figures of the Mid nineties so no problem.

2] How are people living on terraced streets etc going to charge their cars.

He said - We do not fill our petrol/diesel cars every time we use them and unless you are doing a high daily mileage there is no need to top up an electric car every day, as electric vehicles become more popular more charging stations will become available you will be able to charge your car in the works car park or when you are doing your weekly/monthly shop etc not having a charging point outside your house will not be an issue.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45743771

 

[Gunge]

Bloody cars, nowt but money pits. And for what? To get to sodding work and back to pay for them! Employers should pay for cars and their upkeep, and they shouldn't be more than a grand new! Electric ones should never see the light of day. Tree huggers - pah! Make me sick, they do. D'you know, I read somewhere only last week that Iceland's rumbling Katla volcano emits more CO2 in one day than humankind has done in a hundred years. Just one volcano that's not even in eruption! Save the planet crapola! Yellowstone wants to let rip... who'd be saving us from the planet then?? I'm off to find some tofu-munching, sandal-wearing weird-beards to vent my wrath. Gaaah!! Did I just go off on one?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I wondered how long it would take you to find the thread.

 

[Leon103]

We replace our main car every 6 months, renewal is due this month but haven't ordered anything yet. It's a petrol. I have recently changed my commuting car and it's a diesel, I don't care it's a diesel, I get so many more mpg.

If my workplace had charging points for staff I would buy an hybrid. I do 36 miles each way which would be on the limit for most electrical batteries

 

[MmmBeer]

1] If we all switch will there be enough electric.

He said - we have a lot more gadgets now but they take far less electric to run them so if everyone was to switch tomorrow it would take us back to the consumption figures of the Mid nineties so no problem.

Following the enforced closure of this country's coal power plants, there is a shortage of reserve electricity supply. The answer to this was to build lots of small modular generators, based in our towns and cities and running on diesel. The company I worked for built several of them. So if any of Gunge's tofu, sandal and beard brigade end up buying electric cars, they will, at least partially be powered by a diesel engine, a couple of miles across town.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If my workplace had charging points for staff I would buy an hybrid. I do 36 miles each way which would be on the limit for most electrical batteries

As mentioned in the OP the more electric cars are sold the more charging points will appear, if i owned either of the two cars below i could easily do my commute on a single charge and if the charging points you see on car parks are 480V (see below) or quick chargers you could top up the battery while doing the weekly shop.

• 6) 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf – Range: 125 mi.
• 5) 2018 Nissan Leaf – Range: 151 mi.

A: Most people will charge their Nissan LEAF™ overnight at home, similar to a cell phone. A full charge will take approximately 7 hours on a 208-240V home-charging station. In select markets, 480V quick-charging systems are now available and provide an 80% charge in under 30 minutes.

 

[Leon103]

As mentioned in the OP the more electric cars are sold the more charging points will appear, if i owned either of the two cars below i could easily do my commute on a single charge and if the charging points you see on car parks are 480V (see below) or quick chargers you could top up the battery while doing the weekly shop.

• 6) 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf – Range: 125 mi.
• 5) 2018 Nissan Leaf – Range: 151 mi.

The thing is the only time I use a car is to commute so charging points in supermarkets are no good to me.

Will carry on with my diesel until hybrids become cheaper and there are decent 2nd ones about

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The thing is the only time I use a car is to commute so charging points in supermarkets are no good to me.
Will carry on with my diesel until hybrids become cheaper and there are decent 2nd ones about

At the moment a 72 miles round trip is too close to the limit if you have no option to charge when you are at work but i am sure as EV's become more popular companies will be given a nice intensive by the government to install charging points, as most of our cars spend most of their daily life at work its the obvious thing to do to get rid of range anxiety.

 

[BarnBrian]

I bought a Nissan Leaf earlier this year and I love it. Running cost is 1/4 of the price of diesel or petrol. Phenomenal acceleration for a family car. It's got a range of 160 to 180 miles so when I drive south to visit relatives I stop half way for a brew and a bite, 45 minute charge and then on my way. When I drove a diesel I still stopped for the same sort of break so no difference. My home electric tarrif dropped from 18.5p per Kw to 13.4p so I'm saving a small fortune on heating the house as well. I just sold my Caterham Super Seven which has been the car of my dreams for 50 years and I can honestly say I enjoy driving the Leaf just as much.
I've still got my Ducati just for a bit of noise.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I bought a Nissan Leaf earlier this year and I love it.

How does servicing compare as that is an expensive yearly cost in a diesel/petrol car?

 

[marshbrewer]

Just ordered a new car, I do upwards of 50k business miles a year so the only realistic option is a diesel. Went for a VAG again (Skoda), although nearly went for a Renault.

Usually keep my cars for 4 years, and I suspect that it will be my last oil burner, I'm hoping in 4 years time there will be better options for high mileage users.

 

[BarnBrian]

I've not had a service yet and I'm overseas at the moment so can't check what the service intervals are. When we bought it the salesman said a service was around £90. When you consider that all that needs service is the running gear and brakes, I'm not sure if the motor is brushless. I'd recommend taking one for a test drive, I think you'd be surprised.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'd recommend taking one for a test drive, I think you'd be surprised.

Not sure how old this guys cars are but he is well impressed, i like the fact the motorway chargers are the rapid type and the dealers will let you charge the car for free and if you need to make a very long journey they will lend you a petrol or diesel car, excellent service.

 

[hemanresu]

I bought a Nissan Leaf earlier this year and I love it. Running cost is 1/4 of the price of diesel or petrol. Phenomenal acceleration for a family car. It's got a range of 160 to 180 miles so when I drive south to visit relatives I stop half way for a brew and a bite, 45 minute charge and then on my way. When I drove a diesel I still stopped for the same sort of break so no difference. My home electric tarrif dropped from 18.5p per Kw to 13.4p so I'm saving a small fortune on heating the house as well. I just sold my Caterham Super Seven which has been the car of my dreams for 50 years and I can honestly say I enjoy driving the Leaf just as much.
I've still got my Ducati just for a bit of noise.

from Wiki

From 23 March 2011 the UK duty rate for the road fuels unleaded petrol, diesel, biodiesel and bioethanol is GB£0.5795 per litre (£2.63 per imperial gallon or £2.19 per U.S. gallon).[14]

Is there is a comparable element in the cost of electricity for transport ?

 

[Norfolk79]

from Wiki

From 23 March 2011 the UK duty rate for the road fuels unleaded petrol, diesel, biodiesel and bioethanol is GB£0.5795 per litre (£2.63 per imperial gallon or £2.19 per U.S. gallon).[14]

Is there is a comparable element in the cost of electricity for transport ?

That’ll come when the tax take from fuel duty starts to reduce I’m sure. Else they’ll have a massive hole in their budget

 

[simon12]

So around 2/3rds of the petrol price is tax compared to electric (If I'm correct in thinking it's not vated) so the price difference is nearly totally in tax. I wouldn't buy any new car but certainly not electric as future models are likely to improve quickly and make them devalue even more than petrol.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I forgot to add you get nearly £5000 off a new EV with the government subsidy.

 

[BarnBrian]

from Wiki

From 23 March 2011 the UK duty rate for the road fuels unleaded petrol, diesel, biodiesel and bioethanol is GB£0.5795 per litre (£2.63 per imperial gallon or £2.19 per U.S. gallon).[14]

Is there is a comparable element in the cost of electricity for transport ?

Certainly not for home charging yet as it's not on a separate meter.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If they put tax on electricty for charging cars it'll put people who are already undecided (I imagine most of us) off buying.

 

[Clint]

Just wait til your EV battery degrades.... there's no guaranteed life on them as the technology is still being developed,( we ran loads of prototype in work),the likely replacement cost would be around £5000....but I suspect you'd get a "good will" freebe off the dealership.. hopefully.