Spec me a New Car possible scrappage banter!
- Thread starter Docaroo
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They don't... if you dropped the attitude you might realise people are making a valid point. It is MORONIC to spend £10k (which IS a lot of money to anyone) on a fiesta - yes it might 'work' unlike your astra but you could spend much less on something much nicer. Unless you are doing mega miles on motor ways each year you are not going to see huge savings. £185 a year road tax is not 'stupid' its what it costs to run a car - and its much less stupid than spending £10k on a very adverage new fiesta.
Soldato
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No. And the vast majority of advice has been about other cars, just worth pointing out all of the facts. It is easy to get SMS (shining metal syndrome) and just buy a car because it's been polished to within an inch of it's testicles. I've done it, many others here have. We are trying to help you not make that error so covering all bases.
fair do's on the MOT. £185 a year to tax??? Oh noes!!!! 70 miles off a tank??? End of the world!! Maximum of £30 a month for your commute? That is nothing compared to several hundred pounds on a loan.
Cool. Bin it and get something new. Had you posted that earlier it may have helped others do what you asked - advise.
Ok, once again, fine. But do you understand that there is no status in a new Fiesta/nearly new Focus after a few months? Both are capable A-B machines but status comes with neither I'm afraid.
Nobody will ever suggest a Corsa here, nobody is telling you to buy a motor boat. What they are advising you is there are significantly better cars out there, that buying a car for £11k to save a hundred quid on fuel and a couple of hundred on tax is one of the most retarded things you could do. They are trying to save you from general pre-conceived ideas of the public at large that a new car is instantly better than something older. That it is acceptable to spend £11,000 over 3 years to save £1000 a year. That a 'new' reg late makes you look better, even if it's on a heap of crap.
Can I ask, do you like driving? And also, being honest, are you ALLOWED to get something good or does the missus get involved and slap that down? No shame in that, happens to a VERY large percentage of the populous.
Soldato
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The point that people on this forum try to get across time after time, is that affordability is a perception of the purchaser and the logic behind the perception is often flawed.
In this case, the justification is to spend 10k on a car using finance to save a couple of hundred quid a year and get something better than a R reg Astra is very flawed.
The fiesta is not even a good car for the money. Equally, Docaroo, you are doing such low mileage a diesel does not make sense. If you want a small car, you could buy a Clio 172 with 30k on the clock for 4k, get 35mpg, get uber performance and have a very accomplished car. Something up from that could be a Type R.
The difference in cost to run a 172 over the fiesta for 3 years is probably likely to cost you less than the interest on the 10k of finance.
If you were looking to spend 10k on a car as you can afford circa 300pm over 3 years then there are many other options.
Have you considered that you could probably get a one year old BMW 320d M Sport on PCP/lease finance for the same as the fiesta due to the high residuals?
Spending a lot of money to buy a cheap to run car is a false economy. Just buy a cheap car. Ergo you have saved all the money in the first place.
I doubt he is going to help you with this to be honest.
Ok... thanks - that's a lot more helpful - can you see where my annoyance has come from though? Someone suggested a BMW or a S2000 - honestly that is a ridiculous suggestion based on what I asked for!
Anyway... I would say anything under 9-10k is doable, I love driving and my commute isn't the only place I drive. I have no restrictions to what to get other than I don't want ridiculous running costs, I want cheaper tax as I'm annoyed that the government put my tax up so much when it changed and I want better fuel economy.
I focus would work, anything around that size is fine. I don't want a bigger car, estate or similar. Fiesta-Focus sized whatever is suggested.
The point is a BMW 320d M Sport isn't fuel efficient, isn't cheap to run or service and isn't cheap on tax is it?
The finance side is not a disaster - like I said I can take a graduate loan which offers a good interest rate (something like £12,000 over 5 years would only be around £12,900 IIRC). That's pretty good value.
Hence why, buying a new car with money off and scrappage and a good deal on a load made sense in my mind.
Soldato
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Er I think you will find the 320d is fuel efficent (55mpg combined), cheap to tax and cheap to run with predicatable service costs and superb build quality. Plus great performance to boot.
Given your mileage, you will not even go through a set of tyres in 2-3 years. In fact given you mileage most average cars won't cost you much in upkeep.
I was more making a point with it rather than putting it forward as a suggestion for you as it is a totally different type of car. If you look at the per monthly figure and what you can get for that, the fiesta sucks.
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Soldato
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Can I ask why an S2000 or a BMW is ridiculous? You tell us you commute 50 miles a week. that is c. 2000 miles a year. Even if you more than double that for social use, you are only talking 5k a year.
Take a Focus at 50mpg (optimistic, but for argument's sake) That means 100 gallons, or £450 at today's prices
Take the S2k at 25mpg. That's 200 gallons or £900. Add in £100 extra tax, £200 extra service costs and that is £750 a year over the Focus maximum and that's not a great deal tbh for owning a performance car that will be infinitely more fun to drive and will be worth £2k - £3k more after 3 years anyway so in the long run, costs no more. If no one points it out, you don't know
If practicality is essential, i.e, no other ca, need 4 seats, a BMW 330i will be similar costs to the S2k.
Not trying to be argumentative, just letting you know from another angle.
Take a Focus at 50mpg (optimistic, but for argument's sake) That means 100 gallons, or £450 at today's prices
Take the S2k at 25mpg. That's 200 gallons or £900. Add in £100 extra tax, £200 extra service costs and that is £750 a year over the Focus maximum and that's not a great deal tbh for owning a performance car that will be infinitely more fun to drive and will be worth £2k - £3k more after 3 years anyway so in the long run, costs no more. If no one points it out, you don't know
If practicality is essential, i.e, no other ca, need 4 seats, a BMW 330i will be similar costs to the S2k.
Not trying to be argumentative, just letting you know from another angle.
Soldato
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It makes me laugh how people can't understand how nice it is to have a car for a few years without having to spend money on fixing it. I decided I would rather have a small fixed payment each month, than continually having for fork out for unexpected mechanical failures. Perhaps if you add up every little expenditure I make, or would have made with a 2nd hand Focus (for example) - I may end up paying more. However seriously, if you think the long term cost of a new 11k Fiesta and spending 10k on a 330 are going to be the same - you are living in dream land.
However, I wouldn't want to pay for any car over 5 years. That's a long while to keep paying for one car. I was fortunate in that I had some cash available to buy a car almost outright - so I chose to take the plunge and buy new for a change.
Having driven most of the cars in this niche, I would say its between the Mazda 2, the Fiesta and the Clio.
The Mazda was ok, but I didn't like the interior. The clio I tried was the 1.2 turbo which was fun, but both cars felt decidedly less well made and grown up than the Fiesta, which really felt in a class of its own. Being a couple of grand more - I'd certainly hope so too.
If I had the choice again I'd get exactly the same engine. The 1.6 TDCI is a great engine with plenty of poke, plus good economy. I tried the 1.4 diesel, but its a SOHC 8v, less efficient engine and just didn't do it for me. Now I've driven the diesel, I absolutely love the effortless driving characteristics of it. Its just so much more relaxing than petrol.
Dont be fooled by the official mpg figures though. I 'can' get 70mpg - however if I drive over 50mph it will go down. 70mph sees more like 55mpg.
However, I wouldn't want to pay for any car over 5 years. That's a long while to keep paying for one car. I was fortunate in that I had some cash available to buy a car almost outright - so I chose to take the plunge and buy new for a change.
Having driven most of the cars in this niche, I would say its between the Mazda 2, the Fiesta and the Clio.
The Mazda was ok, but I didn't like the interior. The clio I tried was the 1.2 turbo which was fun, but both cars felt decidedly less well made and grown up than the Fiesta, which really felt in a class of its own. Being a couple of grand more - I'd certainly hope so too.
If I had the choice again I'd get exactly the same engine. The 1.6 TDCI is a great engine with plenty of poke, plus good economy. I tried the 1.4 diesel, but its a SOHC 8v, less efficient engine and just didn't do it for me. Now I've driven the diesel, I absolutely love the effortless driving characteristics of it. Its just so much more relaxing than petrol.
Dont be fooled by the official mpg figures though. I 'can' get 70mpg - however if I drive over 50mph it will go down. 70mph sees more like 55mpg.
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Does it really make you laugh? I mean you'll have to go to the dealer everytime your new car has a problem or needs a service or consumeables if you want to keep your warranty. New Cars are as likely to break as old ones, just because it's factory fresh doesn't mean it's going to be hassle free.
Caporegime
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Sometimes it's just nice and fun to have a new car. Not every decision we make is financially sensible. Sometimes we just buy things we feel like buying for the sheer life pleasure of it. Every single person in here either has already or will in the future make an automobile purchasing decision that is not necessarily the most sensible, rational, or practical.
Not everyone is as poor as Janesy B.
Not everyone is as poor as Janesy B.
I did say it was fair enough if he wants a new car but why spend so much and then be tightfisted over a bit of tax when he could have a better model?
I'm not poor, far from it and I don't know how you can come to that conclusion, I'm just sensible, HORRIBLY sensible.
I just don't like the way the OP is being so dismissive when given good suitable alternatives and then launches into a rant about what tossers we are.
I'm not poor, far from it and I don't know how you can come to that conclusion, I'm just sensible, HORRIBLY sensible.
I just don't like the way the OP is being so dismissive when given good suitable alternatives and then launches into a rant about what tossers we are.
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Soldato
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It makes me laugh how utterly deluded that post is.
I think you might be trying to indicate the 330 would be a waste of money, when the long term cost is probably less as the depreciation is nothing compared to a new fiesta.
My Focus is now 10 years old, Ive had it 2.5 years and done 38k. Its had 6 tyres and less than £100 spent on parts in that time. Thats what? 2 monthly payments?
Just to rub it in I get 75mpg at 75mph
Not at all. What I'm trying to indicate is that a 10k 330 is going to have BMW running costs. Thats all, and at the mileage you're likely to get one for 10k, its at the stage where certain parts are going to need replacing. I personally fancied, for a change, having a car at the early stage of its life where all these things don't need replacing. Where every part of the car is exactly as it was originally designed to be. Where I know it hasn't been over any pot holes, or has any worn shocks, bearings, joints. No one has ever put the wrong oil in, or hand brake turned it. No backstreet mechanic hasn't bodged anything, or done any temporary fixes, or fitted non OEM parts. I just wanted something perfect.
I know you're going to be sitting there with your fingers crossed that something is going to go wrong and you can rub my nose in it saying 'I told you so'. And if it does - so be it. At least it will be under warranty.
Yer, now who's deluded.Just to rub it in I get 75mpg at 75mph
I'm glad you've only had to put new tyres on your car and spent £100 on it in 2.5 years. I hope that continues for you, because not properly servicing a car always ends well.
Soldato
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Do you get free servicing with the fiesta then?
I was highlighting the costs that would be different between a new car and an old car.... not running costs. Of course I can service my car myself without any issues with its resale valve, you cant do that with a new car.
I was on about my Insight with the 75mpg figure, not the Focus. I totally understand your reasons, but coming out with 'I laugh when people dont understand how nice it is to have a new car...'
I think most people understand how nice it is to have a new car, most also understand how much the privilege costs so there no need for a pseudo mocking laugh at the people that dont buy new cars.
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Soldato
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Feels nice to have a new car?
2009 1.2 Fiesta slow as hell and no toys... but economical and doesn't cost much to tax
And for example's sake...
2004 Mondeo ST220 3.0 V6 with loads of toys and cost half the price.
Which would you prefer?
Both will cost you the same over 3/4 years.
Hmmm tough decision.
2009 1.2 Fiesta slow as hell and no toys... but economical and doesn't cost much to tax
And for example's sake...
2004 Mondeo ST220 3.0 V6 with loads of toys and cost half the price.
Which would you prefer?
Both will cost you the same over 3/4 years.
Hmmm tough decision.
Soldato
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delete
I'd rather a 1.6 TDCI Titanium Fiesta - with practically every toy you could think of wanting thanks.