[Laird Scooby]

Buy a petrol and have it converted to LPG, you'll get similar running costs to a diesel car now but won't have to pay the financial penalty of owning a diesel when the fuel goes up.

Secondly, diesels spew more carcinogens than enough out and cause breathing difficulties.

Also petrols warm up quicker, so you're not likely to be either cold running all th time if your journeys are short or only just getting the engine up to temperature by the time you reach your destination.

Also if you plan on keeping it a while, i'd suggest a pre-2000 with either, post-2000 petrols had to have Type Approved cats (£xpensive!) and were full of electronics. Diesels had to have dpfs from (i think) 2004 and again from 2000 were full of electronics.

On many cars various parts of the fuel system are coded to the car so even a relatively cheap component failing can cost a fortune having the replacement coded.

Again, a pre-2000 car will likely be at the bottom of its price curve now so you'll get it cheap and the chances are, it will improve in value of you maintain it correctly.