Should I Sell

mufc802 · 22 Feb 2011 at 14:08

I've had my first car for 10 months now and I've learned what a drain of money it is. The car (Ford Fiesta W Reg) cost £1000 with about 70,000 miles. Insurance to go with it was £1700 (10 month cover). It needed a service which costed about £300. Road tax next which was £100 if I remember correctly.

Within those 10 months I use it to get to college and work last year when I had a job, and petrol just costs a stupid amount especially when I'm poor.

Now my MOT came about and the car failed not sure how much the repairs will be but I'm guessing £500+ including wielding. Insurance runs out next month which will be another £1000. How do teenagers afford to drive???

I can't even find a job now, so should I just sell the peace of junk? :mad:

I'm considering cycling everywhere instead including 12 miles to college 3 days a week which I think I am perfectly capable of. The problem is I will find it a lot harder to find a job now I have to cycle to get there.

I hate driving now as well.

Scrutinize · 22 Feb 2011 at 14:46

Makes sense to sell the car.

lordrobs · 22 Feb 2011 at 15:21

If you can't afford to run it then the only option is to sell it and buy another one when you get a job.

You students are a funny breed though. I overheard one student type complaining about £150 of repairs he just had to do to his car. In his hand was three T-Shirts that he was about to buy which totalled about £100... talk about getting your priorities right

Participant · 22 Feb 2011 at 15:30

1. Wait and see what the quote for the repair is.

2. Get two other quotes in case the MoT centre is taking advantage of the fact that it's easier for you to just go with them.

3. Get your Dad to insure the car and become a named driver instead. This is a bit naughty, but if you're using the car only three days per week then you can argue that this in itself proves you are not the main driver. Obviously this will cost you NCB but for short term cash flow problems, it's worth considering.

4. If you commit to cycling 24 miles per day come rain or shine, you'll have to buy lots of gear including a decent bike.

5. You won't get many cars that are cheaper to run than a W reg Fiesta, assuming it's not a nail.

mufc802 · 22 Feb 2011 at 16:23

Robbie G said:
1. Wait and see what the quote for the repair is.

2. Get two other quotes in case the MoT centre is taking advantage of the fact that it's easier for you to just go with them.

3. Get your Dad to insure the car and become a named driver instead. This is a bit naughty, but if you're using the car only three days per week then you can argue that this in itself proves you are not the main driver. Obviously this will cost you NCB but for short term cash flow problems, it's worth considering.

4. If you commit to cycling 24 miles per day come rain or shine, you'll have to buy lots of gear including a decent bike.

5. You won't get many cars that are cheaper to run than a W reg Fiesta, assuming it's not a nail.

1. £500
2. Too much hassle as it includes wielding.
3. I was thinking of selling my car and using his car as a named driver anyway in the winter.
4. I did buy a brand new bike £500 especially for this, but I need to MOT my car to be able to sell it.
5. Well it isn't as much of a problem if I had finished education but I haven't and am struggling to get a job.

Matt82 · 22 Feb 2011 at 16:51

quite sad how it didnt last better than that

id sorn it etc. it wont be worth much given it has no MOT etc so for what selling it would net you id consider keeping it (provided that the repair work will actually make it a good car after)

Nomisf · 22 Feb 2011 at 17:55

but I'm guessing £500+ including welding

Try getting a quote from a local independant, rather than the MOT place - also, where does it require repair ?

How do teenagers afford to drive???

I personally work every hour I can around my degree, and fortunatly have the required tools and skills to do 95% of my own repairs/work.

I can't even find a job now, so should I just sell the peace of junk?

You will make a hefty loss, probably best SORN'ing (assuming the MOT issues are too terminal) and getting it back on the road when you can. Cheaper than buying another car later.

monkey_boy · 22 Feb 2011 at 20:20

Would you consider looking into the 125cc motorbike/scooter route? It would give you more options regarding jobs etc, and scooters have a useful amount of storage and weather protection and cost literally buttons to run.

Participant · 23 Feb 2011 at 08:52

Yateszy said:
1. £500

It just happened to be exactly the figure you guessed it was going to be? You haven't had the quote yet, have you.

Yateszy said:
2. Too much hassle as it includes wielding.

You can't afford to run a Ford Fiesta, yet are reluctant to spend a few minutes of your time in getting a second opinion? I'd rethink your priorities, as 'avoiding hassle' isn't one of them. Also why do you keep calling it wielding? Are you paying mechanics £500 to wave a sword around?

Yateszy said:
3. I was thinking of selling my car and using his car as a named driver anyway in the winter.

Ask your dad you lend you some money to get your car through it's MOT, then pay him back with the job you won as a result of having a car.

Morba · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:33

So, robbie g advises to front on insurance and also to get money from the op's dad to pay for repairs on a car that the op cannot afford to run, just because of some imaginary job?
great

Participant · 23 Feb 2011 at 09:55

Whereas you haven't supplied any advice at all. Sometimes no advice is better than bad advice, but I stand by my points.

Besides, it might not be fronting as he'd only be using the car 3/7. Stick 3/7 into a calculator and you will see that it is less than 50%. The definition of fronting as I understand it, is where the main user of the vehicle is a named driver rather than a main driver on the policy. OP wouldn't be the main driver.

And what's wrong with asking for money from dad? You may not have that kind of relationship with your dad, but it may amaze you to learn that I am not privy to the nature of the OP's relationship with his father.

Fusion · 23 Feb 2011 at 10:10

You shouldn't have paid £300 to service a W-reg Fiesta! Even a major service would be less than £200.

Morba · 23 Feb 2011 at 10:34

Robbie G said:
Whereas you haven't supplied any advice at all. Sometimes no advice is better than bad advice, but I stand by my points.

Besides, it might not be fronting as he'd only be using the car 3/7. Stick 3/7 into a calculator and you will see that it is less than 50%. The definition of fronting as I understand it, is where the main user of the vehicle is a named driver rather than a main driver on the policy. OP wouldn't be the main driver.

And what's wrong with asking for money from dad? You may not have that kind of relationship with your dad, but it may amaze you to learn that I am not privy to the nature of the OP's relationship with his father.

The only driver, regardless of how often, will be the op. He will be the main and only driver.

Asking for money isn't the issue, it's on the proviso that it will be given back from earnings...

Morbius · 23 Feb 2011 at 12:15

monkey_boy said:
Would you consider looking into the 125cc motorbike/scooter route? It would give you more options regarding jobs etc, and scooters have a useful amount of storage and weather protection and cost literally buttons to run.

I have a 125cc bike at the moment. It will do 90mpg so it's good for the wallet. Also, you only need a CBT in order to ride one.

matthab · 23 Feb 2011 at 12:50

Morbius said:
I have a 125cc bike at the moment. It will do 90mpg so it's good for the wallet. Also, you only need a CBT in order to ride one.

Rode a 125cc when I was in college, infact i still have it. Cost me nothing to run and is very cheap in annual bills.

Participant · 23 Feb 2011 at 12:51

Morba said:
Asking for money isn't the issue, it's on the proviso that it will be given back from earnings...

What's wrong with that? You say 'dad I'll pay you back as and when I get a job, if that's ok'. My dad lent me money at the start of uni for a car, money that I didn't pay back for four years when I got a job. Or are you suggesting that the OP will probably never get a job lulz?

Regarding the scooter suggestion, surely it'll cost at least the MOT cost of £500 to get past the tests and buy all the gear? Let's say he could get a scooter for the price of his non-MOT'd Fiesta (I assume that wouldn't get you much scooter), he'd still need to find money for the gear and tests. I don't see how that solves any problems.

Morba · 23 Feb 2011 at 13:10

Robbie G said:
What's wrong with that? You say 'dad I'll pay you back as and when I get a job, if that's ok'. My dad lent me money at the start of uni for a car, money that I didn't pay back for four years when I got a job. Or are you suggesting that the OP will probably never get a job lulz?

You said:

Robbie G said:
Ask your dad you lend you some money to get your car through it's MOT, then pay him back with the job you won as a result of having a car.

So no, i dont think he is magically going to get a job due to having a car. If that was the case then he would have a job while having the car.....
Yes, eventually he might get a job, but in the mean time the car could develop issues, or need tyres and brakes or whatever. All things that would need MORE money being borrowed from dad.

He cannot afford to keep the car without input from others for the forseeable future.

Participant · 23 Feb 2011 at 13:15

There you have it folks: don't borrow money from your dad if you can't pay it back within three days. Thanks for clearing that up Judge Judy.

And I'm not sure what magic has to do with this? Owning a car opens up a greater radius in which you can seek employment, it's really not rocket science.

Morba · 23 Feb 2011 at 13:28

Robbie G said:
There you have it folks: don't borrow money from your dad if you can't pay it back within three days. Thanks for clearing that up Judge Judy.

It's wrong that I think that continually borrowing money from someone with no set way to pay it back is wrong? Whatever.

And I'm not sure what magic has to do with this? Owning a car opens up a greater radius in which you can seek employment, it's really not rocket science.

He has a car, he doesn't have a job. He has had the car for a year, he doesn't have a job.
You can see what I am saying here, right?

Participant · 23 Feb 2011 at 13:45

Yes, but he's even less likely to get a job without a car than he was with one.
That much is blindingly obvious.

Hmmm on the other hand, looking at this thread, a car is the least of his worries

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