Quick poll please - diesel or petrol?

[fencesitter]

Going to buy a new car - a Ford S-Max (an MPV) and we probably don't do enough miles to make diesel worthwhile. BUT, if we come to sell it in 3-4 years, just wondering if people are much more likely to want diesel for this kind of car.

TIA!

a diesal but bear in mind that a dieasal engine is havier so the tyres need replacing more often

Diesel for sure. Loads better.

Yes, diesel. They cost more to buy, but even on a lower mileage you will save loads on fuel costs.

You'd be better buying a nearly-new though - you don't lose so much money in depreciation that way.

Diesel - and second the buying nearly-new (just about to do the same thing on a Galaxy). Ex-demos can be a good deal

Thanks for the replies. We looked into buying 2nd hand but found that the depreciation was so small that it wasn't worth it, partly because it's only been out a couple of years, but also because we found a low-price dealer recommended by the S-Max owners' club (hard to believe there is such a thing - it has a forum and everything! It's like MN but they only talk about one type of car ) They seemed to think it is one of the few cars worth buying new. Also the badge is changing so rather than trying to sell an old LX we'd at least have the new one (now called Edge).

So looks like diesel is popular... Tis in a higher tax band though... (and costs £900 more to buy than petrol - pretty sure we wouldn't save that much in the 3-ish years we're expecting to own it).

I have a 2-litre diesel Zafira which easily does 45+ mpg; after an accident I had to hire a petrol one (can't remember if 1.6 or 1.8) and although I didn't clock it, I def used a lot more fuel than the diesel would have - not much better than 30mpg I'm pretty sure, so you would be using getting on for 50% more fuel to do the same mileage - it would mount up.

Are you sure about the road tax? I just found this on Honest John:

2.0 16v Duratec petrol manual
CO2 emissions: 194 g/km (Band F petrol £190pa VED)

2.5 petrol turbo manual
CO2 emissions: 224 g/km (Band F petrol £190pa VED)

1.8 Duratorq TDCi 125 diesel manual 5-speed
CO2 emissions: 164g/km (Band D diesel £135pa VED)

1.8 Duratorq TDCi 125 diesel manual 6-speed:
CO2 emissions: 164g/km (Band D diesel £135pa VED)

2.0 Duratorq TDCi diesel manual
CO2 emissions: 169g/km (Band E diesel £160 pa VED)

(That was from May 06 though, they have probably changed the bands & things since then)

WW - duh, yes you're right about the tax band; I got confused (dh and I have been back and forth about petrol and diesel and I forgot which was which!)

We'd go for a 1.8-litre. Apparently the fuel consumption is v good.

Doesn't look like there's any MN takers for petrol then!

We've got the 1.9 diesel S-Max and I LOVE my car!

I only do about 6000 miles a year but I still find the diesel so economical.