Q: If you was buying a car now, would you go for unleaded or diesel engine? I'm a weekend driver - about 5k miles a year
A: Petrol every time, especially if you only do 5k miles a year. Diesels are pretty nasty things, IMHO, and only make any sense if you're a tightwad doing 20k+ miles p.a. The fact that most people are tightwads however, means you'll be able to get yourself a good bargain with a petrol engine, particularly if you're a good enough insurance risk to go for a bigger car. Nobody is buying big petrol cars right now and the ones on most dealers forecourts have cobwebs on them, they've been standing so long! Pick one from just before the crazy tax takes effect (I.E. pre March 2001), and make a stupidly low offer on that big BMW you've always fancied!