2 cars down to 1 - sanity check please
Discussion
I leased a lovely Volvo V60 D5 through work in 2012, but found that my wife won't drive it at all - so ended up buying a run-around Clio.
Fast forward to 2014 and it's clear that we don't need 2 cars. Between them, we do 6k personal miles and I do 8k business miles (which can be reduced by switching to rail if needs be).
My maths tell me that I'd save £3-4k per annum by switching to one c.£15k privately-owned car, claiming some business mileage and waving goodbye to escalating BIK tax. I don't strictly need to save the money, but that sort of saving is not to be sniffed at! (We'd also get some money back from selling the Clio).
£12-15k seems to buy a decent Golf Mk6 in Match or GT trim, which is about all I think we really need as a family right now. I'd probably go for a 1.4 petrol, possibly with DSG (which we both really liked on my old Audi S3). I know I could get something more exciting, but I have two pre-school kids and less desire than ever to do amateur mechanics at weekends!
Any advice or alternative suggestions?
Fast forward to 2014 and it's clear that we don't need 2 cars. Between them, we do 6k personal miles and I do 8k business miles (which can be reduced by switching to rail if needs be).
My maths tell me that I'd save £3-4k per annum by switching to one c.£15k privately-owned car, claiming some business mileage and waving goodbye to escalating BIK tax. I don't strictly need to save the money, but that sort of saving is not to be sniffed at! (We'd also get some money back from selling the Clio).
£12-15k seems to buy a decent Golf Mk6 in Match or GT trim, which is about all I think we really need as a family right now. I'd probably go for a 1.4 petrol, possibly with DSG (which we both really liked on my old Audi S3). I know I could get something more exciting, but I have two pre-school kids and less desire than ever to do amateur mechanics at weekends!
Any advice or alternative suggestions?
wemorgan said:
£3k/yr is a nice saving. But if you're that focused on saving money why then buy a £15k car that will depreciate ~20%/yr.
I'd take a bigger jump myself and buy a ~£5k car.
But if it's what you want, then why not.
100% sense IMO, if 5k won't buy you what you want then maybe 8-10k will and you'll still be in the black.I'd take a bigger jump myself and buy a ~£5k car.
But if it's what you want, then why not.
Basil Hume said:
£12-15k seems to buy a decent Golf Mk6 in Match or GT trim, which is about all I think we really need as a family right now. I'd probably go for a 1.4 petrol, possibly with DSG (which we both really liked on my old Audi S3).
http://www.mercland.com/model/1382-2010(60)-VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-1.4-TWIST-5-DOOR-HATCHBACK-MANUAL-BLACK.htmlOK, so this is a manual, but it shows that for quite a bit less than your budget you can still buy quite a new Golf with low mileage.
Thanks for the pointers to cheaper motoring chaps. 
For maximum savings, I could always keep our 5-door 2008 Clio, although it wouldn't be big enough for holidays, lacks power (75bhp) and feels like it will need a clutch at some stage this year.
It seems that the 1.6 TDI is more common than the 1.4 TSI in the Golf, especially with DSG. I don't really want a diseasel for the mileage we do, but there seem to be 2-3 on sale for every 1.4!
For maximum savings, I could always keep our 5-door 2008 Clio, although it wouldn't be big enough for holidays, lacks power (75bhp) and feels like it will need a clutch at some stage this year.It seems that the 1.6 TDI is more common than the 1.4 TSI in the Golf, especially with DSG. I don't really want a diseasel for the mileage we do, but there seem to be 2-3 on sale for every 1.4!
Yeah VW UK really pushed the 1.6 TDI especially to the fleets so they are significantly more common. The 1.4 TSI is a nicer engine but was always harder to get hold of so is a rarer site on the used market.
New Leon might be worth a look also. Sits on the same MQB chassis as the Mk7 Golf but used examples are priced more in line with the Mk6. You'd comfortably get into a new 1.2 TSI SE DSG for your budget, which actually offers the same performance as the old 1.4 TSI 122. Most of them have the Technology Pack which means Sat Nav, DAB and LED Headlights.
Here is an example up for £14,490 on a 13 plate - http://www.robinsonsmotorgroup.co.uk/seat/used-car...
New Leon might be worth a look also. Sits on the same MQB chassis as the Mk7 Golf but used examples are priced more in line with the Mk6. You'd comfortably get into a new 1.2 TSI SE DSG for your budget, which actually offers the same performance as the old 1.4 TSI 122. Most of them have the Technology Pack which means Sat Nav, DAB and LED Headlights.
Here is an example up for £14,490 on a 13 plate - http://www.robinsonsmotorgroup.co.uk/seat/used-car...
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