Wot, another post ! Just a quickie before I close down, I have been on this flippin computer most of the day, my eyes are on stalks and my head is fuzzy. I had a phone call today saying the cheque for my smashed up car is on it's way, hooo flippin ray ! It's been head down, tap tap, click click, scribble scribble, and now I have managed to narrow it down to five possible cars.
I fancied a bigger posher car, a Ford CMax or a Vauxhall Zafira, but that has gone out of the window now. I seem to have gone full circle. At first I was adamant I wanted another Ford Focus diesel estate, but low mileage ones of about three years old are hard to find. There was an 08 model at Hull, 45,000 on the clock but it looked a bit rough round the edges, so I decided against that.
Everywhere I went people said I should consider a petrol because I will get a newer, lower mileage car. OK I give in, so I started looking all over again. The Auto Trader site is quite good. After making notes, I started checking Road Tax, based on emissions. It was then that the bigger cars were crossed off my list. How much! Good grief!
Then I started looking for cars with a smaller engine, lower emissions and lower insurance groups. Guess what I found, a Ford, diesel, estate, 1.4 Fusion. I mentioned it in a previous post, and John said he would have liked one. Anyway I have found two possibles. There were quite a few petrol models but when I checked the road tax, it is £30 for a diesel and £155 for a petrol, massive saving there, and a much better MPG with the diesel.
The only downside is that I would have to compromise on space, although an estate they are not as big as the Focus, and the interior is a little bit basic. Cost has to be a priority though. Both cars are low mileage, one is an 08 and the other an 07, with £1,000 difference. Both are near Doncaster so I'll give them a ring romorrow.
I have three cars in reserve just in case, two Astra's and a Vauxhall Meriva. The Meriva looks interesting, it is more a people carrier than an estate, but it is diesel, low mileage, 59 plate, £110 road tax, and good MPG.
I'm exhausted. Goodnight
A Medicine?
3 hours ago
Good luck with your car quest. Do you have anyone with technical/mechanical knowledge that can give you a second opinion or are you Ok with all that. I personally would not have a clue.
ReplyDeleteSue
I havent got a clue about cars, just as well hubbie is into cars x
ReplyDeleteWell, if you can't get a good deal buying a car, I don't know who can ;)
ReplyDeletewe have a 1.7 diesel astra 07 plate. its fantastic on fuel, is cheap on insurance and tax. we have found theparts cheaper than other cars we have owned (namely wing mirrors). and the servicing is 20,000 miles or or once a year. As we do over 20000 a year comuting to work, this is more pallatable than a petrol and lower servicing miles.
ReplyDeletewe have also found that our local vauxhall do a compatible service and we get the stamps from the garage for the book.
we have been very pleased with it. we wont go back to a petrol now unless we do alot less mileage and then we will get a hybrid.
48-50 mixed urban and motorway. we keep a log on it. The corsa seems a really good choice as well as there are some that apparently do 70 to the gallon
Gosh, you have done your homework! Good luck with finding the right one!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why all your scrimping principles go out the window when it comes to buying a car.
ReplyDeleteWhy buy a nearly new car and then take all the depreciation? Why buy from a dealer where you will have a hefty profit and all the showroom overheads factored into the sticker price?
There are thousands of perfectly good 10 year old cars around that can be bought for a few hundred pounds and will give years more service.
I've had my 15 year old car for 5 years and have had no bills other than routine servicing and wear and tear items.
It renders all your other economies pointless if you blow thousands on a car just to watch it depreciate.
Some interesting comments here. Slice of life, that's a good choice of car. I have just found a 2007 Astra diesel, 1248cc, with 40,000 on the clock. Road tax is £90, addmitedly a small engine but very economical to run. Also a 2007 Astra 1364cc, petrol, 11,000 on the clock, road tax is £125, and very good running costs. I am leaning a bit more towards the Meriva, I had a look round one today.
ReplyDeleteabc1 thank you for your comments. Yes it must seem odd that I am spending a large amount of money on a decent car. Half of it will have come from the insurance company, the cheque arrived today, and I have saved the up rest. I will address the issues you raised in a fresh post, as it's getting late now.