Am I right or wrong? GF/lease car/diesel

Mucky_Pup

Mucky_Pup

Mucky_Pup

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OK, the girlfriend is in the position where she can get a lease car and wants one, and just want some advice from the people of motors.

First point, the car IS going to be a Citroen DS3, you can come in and suggest things like a Buying a cheap 1.5k Mx-5 or a Mk.3 Mondeo instead of leasing but it wont make a bit of difference, this is a woman we're dealing with here, so the car is going to be a DS3. I'm not exactly excited by the choice of the car but it's what she wants.

It's worth saying this is through an NHS lease, so insurance for 5 people, tax, servicing, repairs, breakdown, and tyres are included in the 3 year lease.

Next is the main problem I have is her choice of engine, she's constantly harping on about a diesel, suckered in by yes you guessed it; the MPGZzzzzzzzz. Now, given that I worked out her yearly commute mileage of 3,000 miles, and given that she's working in a hospital where it costs even staff a kings ransom for a parking permit, majority of her yearly commute will be via bus. And given this is a girl who currently drives round to her parents when they live 2 minutes walk Round the corner, I don't see her stretching the cars legs much out of work, infact on the quotes she's doing is putting annual mileage of 6,000 miles. Now, she's told me she gets either a weekly or monthly subsidy for fuel if she chooses a diesel, I'd like to see this in writing first as I'm not sure if shes mistaken, or if she's spinning me one of her patented tall tales.

Needless to say I mentioned the fact that 6,000 miles is nowhere near the mileage to justify a diesel, and short journeys round the doors, isn't going to get the car warm enough, and she's not going to get close to the quoted MPG figures. And there's obviously a risk of it breaking quicker, her response was if it breaks they'll just fix it, which I suppose is true, but it's not really an attitude I think someone should have really, but by the by.

Now, I'll admit I've never been in one or driven a one, they look nice and funky inside, she says it drives ok, I just can't imagine a 1.6 four pot Citroen diesel engine is going to provide that of an enjoyable driving experience, I just think she's being blindsided due to what she is currently driving a 1.4 r reg saxo which is now stalling on idle with and engine light, so anything is better than that shed.

Had a quick scan of the T&C's and if she wanted to buy it at the end it comes of current market value, whatever that is, but if she doesn't buy it and get a new one, warn relatives that a 3 year old blue diesel DS3 with less than 10,000 miles on it might not be a good buy :p

It's worth mentioning the quote for the car in the spec she wants with a diesel engine came out at £273 a month, remember that includes insurance for 5, servicing and breakdown. Tax and tyres are included but the tax costs nothing on these and I seriously doubt other than punctures the car will never get a set of new tyres. She has a fault accident on her record and had her license about 2 years, so insurance costs can be bad for her.

I've never been a fan of leasing cars personally, don't see the allure of paying to use someone else's car then after 3 years you either have no car or have to pay to buy a 3 year old car, on top of having forked out £10k over 3 years.

So, I'm adamant a petrol car is a better choice than a diesel in this instance, but I'm also not sure her paying over three years something that is going to spend most of its life stopping our drive from floating away rather than having miles put on it.

So what should I do? Just cut my losses and let her get on with what she wants, or try and guide her abit more?

Cheers
 
There was a similar thread on here not that long ago. That guy was also looking at getting the DS3 via the NHS scheme. I think he said if he bought an old small car himself, the insurance alone would be £1,800 in the first year so for him it seemed like a good option to take the DS3.

Buying a 2nd hand car outright will usually work out cheaper but if you can easily afford the monthly repayment on the DS3 then it's not that bad a deal if saving money is not your no.1 priority.

I think the DS3 is a cool looking car but personally would be tempted by the A1 or Fiesta.

Definitely try to convince her on a petrol though.
 
[FnG]magnolia;21576322 said:
That's very expensive for a NHS lease. I was paying £116 a month for a Peugot 207 Gti on a 3 year lease. Have you seen the quotes and Ts and Cs in writing yet?
Click to expand...

That's the quote she was given, gonna have a sit and read of T&Cs tonight.
 
How much is her insurance on her own car? How much would private insurance be on a DS3 outside of the scheme?

Is there not a BIK tax requirement on top of her lease going through the NHS scheme so monthly cost would be actually higher?
 
She will not receive a fuel subsidy if she isnt using her car for work - and if she did, it isn't fuel type specific.

Can't really see the sense in spending £10,000 over 3 years to borrow a car for such limited usage.
 
I'd find out what the fuel subsidy actually is... But with servicing, repairs, tyres, insurance all in - I don't think it's a bad deal. Obviously I'd rather petrol too but having it as a diesel isn't the end of the world.

[TW]Fox;21576383 said:
She will not receive a fuel subsidy if she isnt using her car for work - and if she did, it isn't fuel type specific.

Can't really see the sense in spending £10,000 over 3 years to borrow a car for such limited usage.
Click to expand...

I agree, but it's hard when someones mind is made up to change it.
 
Give up on most of the logical arguments and just focus on her getting a petrol engine tbh, except do not utter the slightest hint of an argument about reliability or you will get it in the neck if it ever breaks down "should have bought the diesel"

Make something up like you read something about that the diesel model has leaks which can stain the upholstery or clothes in the boot or something that she would give a toss about rather than performance, sound, smoothness etc

:p
 
Staying outside of the argument for having no car at all or a cheap one (which makes so much more sense it's very difficult in this situation, but I understand your plight) the diesel DS3 is actually not bad in 110 form, infact I (or we more appropriately) had ordered one but various delays meant I went elsewhere. It just seems woefully innapropriate to order one when the lowest powered petrol would do just fine for her needs. Could you maybe sell her on the base engine petrol with a high trim level costing less but giving her a nicer place to sit for all of the two minutes she drives it? Tell her diesel is going to become even more expensive than petrol too.

The deal doesn't sound particularly good btw - we had a ds3 110 standard 2 year lease agreed for around £220 per month on more than double that agreed mileage, ok no insurance included in that but it was buttons (relatively) anyway and the car is in warranty so maintenance will be next to worthless, particularly on such low mileage
 
Yea, the deal doesnt sound great. The benefits of inclusive tyres and servicing etc are more or less worthless - with her mileage she wont need any tyres, it'll be serviced perhaps once, and I doubt her insurance is particularly expensive either. It's also next to nothing to tax.

You can get the same car on a better deal for about 50 quid a month less without going through the scheme you've found.
 
Is the lease on the equivalent petrol DS3 cheaper than the diesel?

If it is, then work out how much over the year it will cost her in the diesel vs petrol. I reckon there wont be much in it and the diesel will probably come out slighly cheaper, even at 6K miles per year. If the diesel is cheapest your arguement goes against her requirements. Her requirements may be stupid but they're hers.
 
Guys thats crazy prices

I work for the NHS and pay the following: -

118D M Sport Coupe BMW Extra's 18" Alloys, colour etc. = £135pm

My mate has a : -

320d ED BMW = £109PM

BMW are the cheapest on NHS lease because of the lowest emissions and the 320D ED goes like stink!
 
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