MGB

Trying to decide if the increased cost to lease a diesel car is worth it. The lease is $200 more for the diesel. I know how many kilometers we estimate we will be driving and the car's usage for each type but need to know the cost of the gas and diesel liters to figure out if it is worth the difference. We will be driving mostly in France, with some Germany, Swiss and Italy.
Thanks for any help, Mary Ann

hdgrace

Mary Ann-
Can't help you too much....just in Europe and didn't drive. I did look at some gas prices however in Germany and the other countries we were in(Austria, Hungary, Czech republic). The prices for unleaded were around .80-.85 Euro per liter. With the exchange rate that was around 1 dollar. I'm by no means a mathmatician, but the conversion is something like 1 gallon for every 3.78 liters. So if you compare it to here...will be paying in the 4 dollar range per gallon. I can't remember the exact price for diesel...I do know many of my friends have used diesel in Europe and swear by the savings due to the diesel cars being less of a gas guzzler. I would imagine that the German prices are probably pretty close to the prices in the countries you are going too. Gas was one of the more expensive things in the Eastern European countries we were in as well. Hope you have a fun trip.
Heather

Corky

Returned last week and prices vary for diesel.70c per liter at Itermarche &Leclerc to .80c at regular stations.
Gas was .97c to 1.27 Euro.
Here is the cost of my driving.
2190 km cost 145.20 Euro for gas Peuegot 307.
1685 km cost40 Euro in Golf VW diesel

dgruzew

I was in the south of France and Italy , just got back. The prices were .79 to .87 per liter for diesel and 1.05 to 1.15 for Gas

Try to figure out the gas mileage of your car as well.

MGB

Thanks everyone. We are looking at a Renault Megane Scenic.
The diesel uses 5.9liters per 100 kilom. The gasoline one uses 7.3 liters per 100 kilos. We will probably be driving about 3,600 kilom.
Using average prices of 1.15 for Gas and .85 for diesel it makes a difference of about 122 Euros which would be about $143 US and the Diesel car lease is $197 more.

It appears for the amount of our driving, the unleaded is more economical provided you actually do get the usage posted on the web site. I even threw in 100 kilometers in case we get lost somewhere.

Thanks again for the help.
Regards, Mary Ann

ita

just returned from Burgundy. Rented a Renault Megane from AutoEurope. We were given a diesel-no choice-and did not pay more. I think you get what is available. The car was very comfortable-we travelled on back roads. For 800 km we used 1 1/2 tanks of fuel. It came to $51cdn-which was about 32Euros. By the way we arranged for the car from home, which according to Fodorites is the most economical way to do it.

Michael

I figure that it takes about 3,000 miles to even out the cost when you do pay the differential. By the way, the mileage rating for diesels is about as accurate as the rating for gasoline engines.