Running costs

GSDog · 22 Apr 2011 at 17:28

Dredd said:
Intresting thread, people saying 750-1000 per month is crazy money ....

This just made me workout my car running costs,

Its really scary stuff, car only used for 6m in the summer, costs me around 750 a month, can't see how people get running costs of only 150 a month?

I require every year, 1 set of tyres, complete service including all fluids change, brakes and pads all round, also have a oil and filter change later in the year.

Only doing around 5000 Miles... ... Going to make me create a excel sheet the fox way

What car is it?

My brothers Audi RS4 has had to have over £8,000 of work done to it in the last 8 weeks alone. :eek:

Luckily it was all covered on warranty so his only outgoings besides fuel, insurance and tax is basically servicing.

Dredd · 22 Apr 2011 at 17:29

eidolon said:
But what about replenishing your savings in preparation for the next car?

Ohh great, I better add that too .... This rate making a excel sheet based on my running costs could drive me to drink ...

[TW]Fox · 22 Apr 2011 at 17:35

eidolon said:
But what about replenishing your savings in preparation for the next car?

What about it?

I didn't say depreciation was not a consideration as it quite obviously is. I said it did not form part of monthly cashflow as it doesn't.

It's realised at point of sale.

DM · 22 Apr 2011 at 17:35

GSDog said:
What car is it?

My brothers Audi RS4 has had to have over £8,000 of work done to it in the last 8 weeks alone. Luckily it was all covered on warranty so his only outgoings besides fuel, insurance and tax is basically servicing.

Every time someone mentions one of those RS4's there is thousands been spent in the sentence somewhere.

Cristian · 22 Apr 2011 at 17:57

complete set of brakes and pads every 5k miles? what car is that?

Dredd · 22 Apr 2011 at 18:25

Lotus exige, just been pricing everything up, around 2,500 in parts. Not that bad really only 500 a month, not including fuel, tax, mot or repair work. Also got labour charges on top.

Just can't see how people run cars on 150 a month? E.g fox said that with a 335i, when I had my BMW my rear tyre only last 5000 ish miles, they are 500 a set. they always break down,

Just working out my ford transit connect this year
Tax £200
Mot £100, always light bulbs and stuff
£1000, spent in jan on steering rack few bits
Tyres £100, last few years so I half it.

That's it so far this year,only thing will be a service that costs £200 ish

That's 1,600 a year. That's 133 a month

I'm doing something wrong?

[TW]Fox · 22 Apr 2011 at 19:11

Dredd said:
Just can't see how people run cars on 150 a month? E.g fox said that with a 335i, when I had my BMW my rear tyre only last 5000 ish miles, they are 500 a set. they always break down,

I did explain what those figures were based on - less than 10k a year (My commute is just 50 miles a week - barely 2000 miles a year!) in a car covered by a comprehensive zero excess warranty. If it breaks down, BMW fix it. Therefore the only expenses are tyres (Which are cheaper than those on my 530i), brakes, servicing etc. I also do quite a lot less than 10k miles a year.

I tend to get 2 years out of a set of rear tyres and 4-5 years out of front tyres. Servicing is every 2 years.

It's stuff breaking that costs money - which is why this time around, I am going for a car with comprehensive zero excess BMW Warranty.

Effectively swapping high running costs and lowish depreciation for higher depreciation but lower running costs.

Dredd · 22 Apr 2011 at 19:19

This thread made me think about my costs, never looked before.

I also don't do large milage, van only doing 15,000 a year and car doing 5000

Cristian · 22 Apr 2011 at 19:20

Dredd said:
I'm doing something wrong?

yes.
you expect that the average car will have a steering rack failure.
take that 1k off and you have 50 quid per month. sure there will be the odd bill here and there, but if you avoid diesels (and thus the egr, dmf, dpf, turbo, injectors and fuel pump potential bills) you will see that the average car doesn't constantly throw 1k bills at you if you maintain it properly. (unless it's an old BMW

)

Similar idea with the exige. the average car doesn't need a new set of brakes every 5k miles, disks on most cars last over 50k (depending on performance and driving style, obviously).

And come changing time, they don't really cost that absolutely ridiculous amount of money to change.

Dredd · 22 Apr 2011 at 19:28

[TW]Fox;18963772 said:
I did explain what those figures were based on - less than 10k a year (My commute is just 50 miles a week - barely 2000 miles a year!) in a car covered by a comprehensive zero excess warranty. If it breaks down, BMW fix it. Therefore the only expenses are tyres (Which are cheaper than those on my 530i), brakes, servicing etc. I also do quite a lot less than 10k miles a year.

I tend to get 2 years out of a set of rear tyres and 4-5 years out of front tyres. Servicing is every 2 years.

It's stuff breaking that costs money - which is why this time around, I am going for a car with comprehensive zero excess BMW Warranty.

Effectively swapping high running costs and lowish depreciation for higher depreciation but lower running costs.

How many miles you do? How much will it cost and lose over say 5 years?

Like to know the figure To compare against my van.

Dredd · 22 Apr 2011 at 19:36

Cristian said:
yes.
you expect that the average car will have a steering rack failure.
take that 1k off and you have 50 quid per month. sure there will be the odd bill here and there, but if you avoid diesels (and thus the egr, dmf, dpf, turbo, injectors and fuel pump potential bills) you will see that the average car doesn't constantly throw 1k bills at you if you maintain it properly. (unless it's an old BMW )

Similar idea with the exige. the average car doesn't need a new set of brakes every 5k miles, disks on most cars last over 50k (depending on performance and driving style, obviously).

And come changing time, they don't really cost that absolutely ridiculous amount of money to change.

Hmm year before I had fuel pump go :mad:

problem is my van is a diesel, them bills will pop up I think?

Also exige will never last 50,0000 miles on disks, I do a few track days per year maybe thats why they only last around 5000 ish. Always very low around November time when I put the car away for the winter, and I always remove them when in storage. Maybe they could last few more k when I refit them in spring, why do it, and change again in few weeks.

Morba · 22 Apr 2011 at 19:42

Spamalot said:
What do you get if you cross a 997 with a Boxster? A Cayman S!

I completely agree, completely

Peerzy · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:01

Morba said:
I completely agree, completely

Thought these were still £25k+? Surely get a 911 (997) over a Caymen S if he can afford 911 running costs?

DM · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:04

Some say Caymans drive better, i dont think so and i like having back seats, but tell him to try one if he dont mind 2 seats.

Noxia · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:06

Compared my MOT certificates, do an average of 3200 miles a year. Needless to say my running costs are low.

Peerzy · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:07

DM said:
Some say Caymens drive better, i dont think so and i like having back seats, but tell him to try one if he dont mind 2 seats.

Interesting, anything else worth trying? He didn't fancy a Z4 considering he recons the Boxster S would be better, doesn't want anything seen to be old (e46 M3) and nothing too big (e60 M5). New shape M3 is out of budget as well.

Rotty · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:09

Spamalot said:
Ok, what sort of miles you doing? £1,800 seems very cheap. How much for a full set of tyres for example?

done 34k in 30 months

8 tyres = £2000
Front discs and pads = £350
2 services = £1100
misc bits £500

total £3950

so more like £130 a month

Cristian · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:10

Dredd said:
Hmm year before I had fuel pump go problem is my van is a diesel, them bills will pop up I think?

Also exige will never last 50,0000 miles on disks, I do a few track days per year maybe thats why they only last around 5000 ish. Always very low around November time when I put the car away for the winter, and I always remove them when in storage. Maybe they could last few more k when I refit them in spring, why do it, and change again in few weeks.

that's the trouble with diesels I'm afraid, unless you do mega miles the odd bill will come to you from time to time.

As for the disks, of course they won't last 50k on an exige, but I was referring to the average car (which the exige certainly isn't) and how the average owner can manage reasonably low running costs.
To be fair 5k miles is still ridiculously low, but I suppose that changing them early and track days can lead to that.

LE: see above post - that's what disks should cost on a sports car.

DM · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:13

Peerzy said:
Interesting, anything else worth trying? He didn't fancy a Z4 considering he recons the Boxster S would be better, doesn't want anything seen to be old (e46 M3) and nothing too big (e60 M5). New shape M3 is out of budget as well.

Is he willing to use a bit of finance and buy a 30k 997 from OPC with the warranty? I never suggest finance but then iv never seen a 22 year old budget a grand a month to run a car. If he is then buy a 997.

If he only wants to spend 20k but still has to have a Porsche then a Boxster.

Fuzz · 22 Apr 2011 at 20:17

How on earth do you lot spend so much maintaining a car.
Budgeting a grand a month :eek:

Jesus Christ.

I don't think I've managed to spend that over three cars and that includes modifying the things.