Gasoline vs. diesel: a look at used car prices

In order to be able to make a good comparison, we looked for used cars from 2015 for every model. That was also the last year that diesel drivers could still benefit from a low addition. The petrols and diesels had to approximately match each other in terms of body style, power, equipment level and mileage. The Peugeot 308 SW, Renault Mégane Estate, Volkswagen Golf and Volvo V40 were allowed to participate in this comparison. These cars fish approximately in the same pond and at the time were all available with an addition-friendly ‘savings diesel’.

Peugeot 308

With the Peugeot 308 we went for two copies in the equipment level ‘Blue Lease’. As a significant part of the Dutch business community did seven years ago. This 1.6 BlueHDI with 120 hp and 300 Nm of torque was a real sales stunner at the time. Now it is for sale with 136,532 kilometers on the clock for €9,448. The petrol alternative is this 1.2 with 13o hp and 230 Nm of torque. With 134,091 kilometers on the clock, it is for sale for €10,990. The price difference in this case amounts to €1,542 in favor of the diesel.

Renault Megane

Then the Renault Mégane, also an ‘additional gun’. This 1.5 dCi is waiting for a new owner as ‘Limited’ with 118,763 kilometers on the clock. He can take it home for €7,750. The price difference between petrol and diesel is considerably greater in this case, because a 1.2 TCe Limited on petrol costs €11,750 with 131,625 kilometers on the clock. That is a price difference of €4,000 in favor of the diesel. The Bovag’s statement that the residual value of diesels is plunging is thus coming a lot closer.

Volkswagen Golf

The Golf does not do justice to that assumption. This 1.0 TSI Business Edition with 116 hp and 141,319 kilometers on the clock is for sale for €11,950. For exactly the same amount you can also get into this 1.6 TDI Comfortline with 142.623 kilometers on the clock and about the same options. There does not appear to be any sign of a declining residual value for the TDI for the time being.

Volvo V40

Finally, the Volvo V40, also a very popular offer in the C-segment at the time. In the case of the V40, the diesel is also cheaper than a comparable petrol variant. This V40 D2 Momentum with 120 hp and 100,428 kilometers on the clock is for sale for €12,947. Prefer a T2 with approximately the same mileage, the same equipment level and a comparable mileage? Then you have to put about €2,000 extra on the table.

Conclusion

The prices of used diesels are not as bad as the Bovag makes it seem, at least not with these popular models in the C-segment. You can really only call it a bargain in the case of the Mégane. In the D-segment, the popularity of diesels seems to be on the wane and the price of a used diesel in the case of an Audi A4 sometimes even halves compared to one with a petrol engine under the hood.