Van: Diesel or Petrol?

**peasea** · 3rd June 2008, 19:25

Originally Posted by dhunt

So am I understanding you correctly a turbo requires more maintenance and can be expensive to fix?

Yeah my current Van is definitely on the gutless side of things so I'm already used to hugging the left lane.

This I don't understand. Why for basically the same vehicle one diesel, one petrol the diesel one costs more to register

If a turbo goes pop, lotsa coin. If the engine sees turbo boost a lot (ie; you thrash it coz you can) things like head gaskets can give up, more coin. They go heaps better but everything's a trade off; you pay for power one way or another.

I am not aware of any diesel being more to register than any other type of vehicle but you will be paying road user charges, something to take into account.

I have a couple of builder buddies who haul all manner of shite in their diesel HiAces and they're going like trains. Both non turbo tho.

**dhunt** · 3rd June 2008, 19:44

Originally Posted by peasea

I am not aware of any diesel being more to register than any other type of vehicle but you will be paying road user charges, something to take into account.

Taken off the LTSA website. Hopefully the formatting comes out ok. But Diesels are definitely more expensive to register for some reason.

Originally Posted by LTSA

MR2A/2B Registration of motor vehicle (issued with standard plates)



Passenger car/van                                                6 months  12 months

Private passenger 	Petrol driven - 1301-2600 cc  235.59      323.42

                                Petrol driven - 2601-4000 cc  265.97      353.80

                         Non-petrol driven - 1301-2600  cc  284.72      421.66

                         Non-petrol driven - 2601-4000 cc   315.10      452.04

**peasea** · 3rd June 2008, 19:48

Originally Posted by dhunt

Taken off the LTSA website. Hopefully the formatting comes out ok. But Diesels are definitely more expensive to register for some reason.

Are you sure that's not the one-off 'as-new' registration cost, not the annual re-licensing?

**dhunt** · 3rd June 2008, 20:00

Originally Posted by peasea

Are you sure that's not the one-off 'as-new' registration cost, not the annual re-licensing?

Nah definitely the annual relicensing. See here for details http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/vehicle-owne...istration.html

**Korumba** · 3rd June 2008, 20:49

I rest my case! Life is just so unfair.

**mazz1972** · 4th June 2008, 10:54

Originally Posted by dhunt

Nah definitely the annual relicensing. See here for details http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/vehicle-owne...istration.html

Annual rego costs are going up on 1st July and the new prices are as per the above link. Bugger

We just sold our 2.8l hiace lwb diesel van - sad to see it go but it just sat there not getting used as we have another vehicle and hubby has a company ute. Couldn't tell you the economics of running it but it was pretty reasonable and was pretty peppy for a diesel.

**Drew** · 4th June 2008, 16:11

Not sure if the van our sponsors gave us is 3ltr or 2.8, but it's auto and seems to go mint. Stays in overdirve most the time, and only drops under 90kph in a couple spots just outside of Hunterville and Taihapi.

The auto is primo after thrashing a bike all day at the track, just get in and drive.

Prices have gone stupid now though since the importing laws have changed for diesles.

**bungbung** · 4th June 2008, 16:27

If you're talking cheap vans, doing your own oil and filters and ignoring depreciation:

I'll use L300 2.5TD vs 2.4P figures from my own experience

For 20,000km/year

Diesel
Reg $302.50
RUC 20km/3t $665.36 (counter transaction, all 20km at once)
4 X 5l diesel oil $140 ($35 per 5l)
4 x filter $60 ($15 ea)
1 x fuel filter $28
1800l diesel @ 1.73l (9l/100km consumption) $3114
Total $4309.86 or 21.55c/km

Petrol

Reg $183.22
2 x 5l oil $70
2 x oil filter $30
2600l 91 petrol @ 2.01 (13l/100km consumption ) $5226

Total $5509.22 or 27.55c/km

**bungbung** · 4th June 2008, 16:30

The links given in posts by dhunt and mazz1974 are for cost of relicencing a vehicle (say for lapsed rego) including new plates.

To buy the annual 'rego' the costs are below:

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/vehicle-owne...sing-fees.html

**k14** · 4th June 2008, 16:53

I upgraded from an 87 2 litre petrol hiace to a 01 Hyundai H100 last year. Best decision ever. Even though the Hyundai has done 384000kms it is still going strong. Has a 2.5l mitsi engine and is great value for the money. If you can get a 200000km or so one that has decent service history I'd stake my life on it. Cruises sweet as at up to 120 and consistently gets 10l per 100km. Can't complain about that. The old hiace used to get 12L if I was lucky and would struggle big time up the hills. The diesel loves the hills and is great for passing on the flat too, don't have to get a 200m run up on the busses and trucks. I've done 45000km in the last 12 months and I have no reason to suspect that it won't do that again!

**dhunt** · 6th June 2008, 08:58

Originally Posted by bungbung

If you're talking cheap vans, doing your own oil and filters and ignoring depreciation:

I'll use L300 2.5TD vs 2.4P figures from my own experience

For 20,000km/year

Diesel
Reg $302.50
RUC 20km/3t $665.36 (counter transaction, all 20km at once)
4 X 5l diesel oil $140 ($35 per 5l)
4 x filter $60 ($15 ea)
1 x fuel filter $28
1800l diesel @ 1.73l (9l/100km consumption) $3114
Total $4309.86 or 21.55c/km

Petrol

Reg $183.22
2 x 5l oil $70
2 x oil filter $30
2600l 91 petrol @ 2.01 (13l/100km consumption ) $5226

Total $5509.22 or 27.55c/km

Thanks bungbung that's a really useful comparision

**Drew** · 7th June 2008, 10:26

Purchase price isn't in that evaluation though, $1200 cheaper to run a diesle over 20,000kms, but you would pay that and more to get a van of the same condition when ya buy it. So if you have the money and aren't getting a loan to buy it, then you will save money after a couple years, otherwise it cost about the same over three years.

It comes down to preference, peterol is great when you have gas left over from racing cos you get to chuck it in the van for the trip home.

**Petrolic** · 8th June 2008, 20:53

I have a 2003 mitsi 2.4lt petrol ,revs way to hi at 100km and uses the most gas but heaps of power. Also a 2003 nissan caravan 2lt cheaper to run but less power and both cost $15000 with 100 000km. I also have a delica 2.5 diesel turbo really nice to drive and not all that much cheaper to run than petrol vans. when you include rd tax and double cost for oil and parts in servicing. My last van is a 1998 econo van lwb with cd player and tinted windows ect but has 240 000km. I am currently selling for 1800 bcos I have one to many vans.

**Mike748** · 8th June 2008, 21:18

I'm a big fan of Diesel and have a 07 Toyota Hilux for work and it is magic for towing, you can even pass while towing up hills.

I would say if you are going to be loaded up most of the time go Diesel, if you just want the space and won't be loading it to the roof get petrol.

I was told that the emissions laws stopped many turbo imports from getting in, even stopped some new vehicles.

**bungbung** · 9th June 2008, 08:45

Originally Posted by Drew

Purchase price isn't in that evaluation though, $1200 cheaper to run a diesle over 20,000kms, but you would pay that and more to get a van of the same condition when ya buy it.

If you're talking about the low end of the market, old high k petrol hi-aces have a price premium over the equivalent diesel model due to the perceived unreliability issues.

I'm talking of the up to 4k price range, 180k - 250k mileage