Cost of ownership for fuel efficient car

IE7BETA · Post by **IE7BETA** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:57 pm

Some suggestions, as to which car would incur least insurance & overall cost?

I am planning to change my car to some fuel efficient one, and considering.. Mercedes A-Class, Honda Civic/Jazz, Corolla...

Some other suggestions?

**Sponsor:**

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:29 pm

How many kms do you do per year....

We just switched to diesel but we clock up over 30 000 per year.

mCowboy · Post by **mCowboy** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:37 pm

for under 20 000km/year, you're better off with a petrol car...

I think best value is some 1.6l or smaller Toyota
- very common
- least maintenance issues = low costs
- low insurance
- low fuel consumption

etc

meplusthree · Post by **meplusthree** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:44 am

Try and check the service costs before you buy - if you intend to use the official dealer to service the car. I had both Peugeot and Citroen - Citroen was 30% more for similar service. So I will not be buying a car that requires service at VEHO (Very Expensive Huolto Overheads). Unfortunately for you that rules out the Merc and Honda.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:26 am

penelope wrote:
We just switched to diesel but we clock up over 30 000 per year.

Now just when I am feeling pleased with myself for getting a diesel car this totally retarded new govt decides to hike up tax on diesel.

http://www.yle.fi/news/id67935.html

I agree about Veho (we have an ancient MB but have abandoned Veho as they are useless, we found a "real" mechanic in E. Hki who does a great job) and that Renault garage in Espoo wasn't too efficient either (which is why we got rid of the Scenic). I think Toyota has a very good reputation in Finland.

mCowboy · Post by **mCowboy** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:39 am

generally it's not a good idea to buy French or Italian cars in Finland, since they are more or less (still) manufactured for milder climates and that may lead to problems. Usually French and Italian cars lose their value much more rapidly than the Japanese, Swedish or German.

bm50 · Post by **bm50** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:10 am

A real mechanic in E Helsinki, good and reasonable charges?
They are hard to find, any chance of his name?

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:27 pm

Sure. I drove my SO there last week... but don't have name/address (it was next exit after Kulosaari). Will ask him when I see him (tomorrow) and post it. The garage only does MB and a couple of other makes.

bm50 · Post by **bm50** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:34 pm

Toyota manual/automatic gearbox? I fancy automatic i just can't see why i'm still driving a manual in 2007, it just seems primative! But what are the pros and cons?

simon · Post by **simon** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:21 pm

bm50 wrote:Toyota manual/automatic gearbox? I fancy automatic i just can't see why i'm still driving a manual in 2007, it just seems primative! But what are the pros and cons?

Cant bump start an automatic----if you have a flat battery

mCowboy · Post by **mCowboy** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:32 pm

simon wrote:
bm50 wrote:Toyota manual/automatic gearbox? I fancy automatic i just can't see why i'm still driving a manual in 2007, it just seems primative! But what are the pros and cons?
Cant bump start an automatic----if you have a flat battery

No point of getting an automatic if your engine is smaller than 1.8 or 2.0, cuz it would be very sluggish... and an automatic sucks up a liter more gas per 100km too...

donald · Post by **donald** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:59 pm

Cant bump start an automatic----if you have a flat batt

Nowadays you shouldn't bump start manual transmission cars either - it could damage the catalyc converter (or how do you call in in English). And some cars don't even let you to bump start.

Automatic transmission generally consumes more fuel as some energy is lost through the torque converter. That's why most automatics use larger engines. Ever driven a 1,6l automatic transmission car? Kind of a rocket experience... no. Aditionally, automatic gearboxes tend to have less gears than manual gears, although through the last years it seems that both versions come with five or six gears. Less gears = increased fuel consumption.

But there are exeptions to the rule, too. A few automatics have been designed to be fuel efficient and use eg. the DSG used by VW and Audi.

And, most of all, it is a matter of taste! There are quite a few people out there who prefer driving wiht manual transmission, me included.

simon · Post by **simon** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:08 pm

donald wrote:
Cant bump start an automatic----if you have a flat batt
Nowadays you shouldn't bump start manual transmission cars either - it could damage the catalyc converter (or how do you call in in English).

Out of curiosity how?

donald · Post by **donald** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:34 pm

The catalyst converters are quite sensible in terms of what they can process and what could damage them. This is especially true for converters on diesel engines (I guess, at least catalysts on diesel engines are mouch more complex than for petrol engines). Too much of a certain type of an exhaust gas, or the wrong ratio between different gases coming from the engine, can damage them.

That's why the fuel injection system must work properly, injecting the right amount of fuel at the right time as it will affect what kind of exhaust gases will result in the combustion process. Now when you bump start a car, chances are that the electonics of the injection system will misinterpret the situation and inject a wrong amount of fuel, or inject it at a wrong time. Despite of all this, I reckon that nowadays the fuel injection is controlled completely electronically, so it wouldn't even start to inject fuel if the car is not started properly.

Who cares about a broken catalyst converter anyway, as long as inspection is not due soon

mCowboy · Post by **mCowboy** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:40 pm

donald wrote:
Who cares about a broken catalyst converter anyway, as long as inspection is not due soon

Everyone does, since once it's broken, your car becomes a sluggish and powerless. Engine needs properly rationed flow of air throughput in order function. I had a broken cat in my old BMW and it was like driving a Fiat Uno Fire (0.8l engine). And you don't want to have it replaced either, since mine cost 1350e to replace.

So everyone does cares about a broken cat.

Finland Forum

Find information about moving to, living in and life in Finland