Would you spend an extra $5,000 on a diesel car, just so that it can save $3,000 in fuel costs over 10 years?
Would you spend an extra $4,800 MORE for a car, just to save $3,230 in fuel costs over 10 years ???
Let me explain: a Canadian 2010 Golf 3-door 2.5L = $22,940 MSRP
While a Canadian 2010 Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI clean Diesel = $27,740 MSRP ($4,800 MORE)
( both cars ordered with Automatic transmissions ).
The Gasoline powered car will get 23 city, 30 hwy, 26 combined, and based on 45% hwy driving, 55% city driving, 15,000 miles/year and $2.79 per gallon for regular, and $2.92 per gallon for diesel, the Gas car will cost $1,611 per year while the diesel will cost $1,288 per year, a savings of $3,230 over 10 years.
So is it worth spending an extra $4,800 MORE for a car, just to save $3,230 in fuel costs over 10 years ???
If you’re an American, you can get a huge $1,700 credit (or more) from the government for buying a diesel car, but here in Canada we don’t have anything like that, maybe $50 or $200, but almost nothing.
As much as I love a good gas powered car if you are wanting to keep the car for a long time then diesel is the way to go as less maintenance costs and overall better reliability.
I have a 2010 GTI and love it! You are choosing a great looking car 
Review: The 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI is fun, frugal and fast