Two car family on a budget?
Discussion
BorkFactor said:
What about something like a petrol mk3 Mondeo for the family car? They can be picked up for buttons, parts are really cheap, and they are very cheap to run. Loads of room and they do an estate as well.
+1You could just go out and buy another Mondeo Mk3 if anything serious went wrong with it.
Common place and mechanical simplicity is your friend.
Just get cheap, common, well looked after cars. £1500 to £2000 per car - You cant beat a little £6K nest egg / war chest in the bank for peace of mind if you've got financial responsibilities.
pstruck said:
SlowV6 said:
Out of interest what failed on your 2.4 Accord. I would consider keeping that btw.
Rear brakes. Ceased callipers, knackered ABS sensor. It wasn't huge bill, but enough to make me wince, especially after a similar bill on the wife's car not so long ago. Now I have another light on the dash which is likely to cost a fair bit to sort also. The £8k budget is only hypothetical, based on the value of the two cars I have now plus a bit which I would happily add if necessary. Of course I would be happy with lower purchase cost. But for me it's not so much the purchase cost, it's the ongoing running costs which I'd like to see reduced. I guess I've just lost the love of motoring and therefore struggle to shrug off/forgive the costs. I'd love to runs something which cost me sweet FA in tax and insurance and runs of thimble full of fuel per week. I know, hand in my PH membership at the door......
There are some interesting suggestions here, but I can't help but feel that many would leave me no better off. Old Saabs for instance are indeed cheap to buy, but they are also quite good at the occasional 'big bill'. I know anything I buy will cost a certain amount in maintenance and avoiding regular servicing can lead to expensive failures.
I faced this same problem a few years ago, unexpected pregnancy with twins 6 months after a divorce = economy drive!
I bought a £5k V70 T5 that was about 6/7 years old at the time with 75K on the clock and then spent £2k on a half decent Mk1 MX5 for my commuting needs. In retrospect a £2k hatchback of some sort would have made more sense but the MX5 has been tough, reliable and cheap as anything to run. The MX5 is going now but the V70 soldiers on. If I'd had more money to play with I'd probably have gone for a D5 V70 and then the only real criticism (thirst) that can be levelled at my T5 would be gone.
I bought a £5k V70 T5 that was about 6/7 years old at the time with 75K on the clock and then spent £2k on a half decent Mk1 MX5 for my commuting needs. In retrospect a £2k hatchback of some sort would have made more sense but the MX5 has been tough, reliable and cheap as anything to run. The MX5 is going now but the V70 soldiers on. If I'd had more money to play with I'd probably have gone for a D5 V70 and then the only real criticism (thirst) that can be levelled at my T5 would be gone.
We do it on much less than that.
Bought a 115k E46 330i Sport touring for 3k 2 years ago - over 20k later and it's cost us fuel, oil, and front lower arms. Large enough for all the little guy's stuff, reasonable turn of speed, leather, a few toys, reliable. Not great on fuel but will do over 30 on longer trips (it's an auto). My wife uses this as a daily and we use it when we need the space.
I run a Clio 172 - fun from day to day, safe enough for me to be happy to carry our 2 year old in on the daily nursery run (4 star NCAP at the time) and used for trips where the space of the E46 isn't a neccessity. Cost under 2k, does, over 40 to the gallon on a run, mid 30's around town.
Although TBF the Clio is the most unreliable car I've ever owned. When I can be arsed it will be sold and replaced with something like a 9-5 Aero or S60 T5. Or will put a chunk more cash in and get a DC5.
Bought a 115k E46 330i Sport touring for 3k 2 years ago - over 20k later and it's cost us fuel, oil, and front lower arms. Large enough for all the little guy's stuff, reasonable turn of speed, leather, a few toys, reliable. Not great on fuel but will do over 30 on longer trips (it's an auto). My wife uses this as a daily and we use it when we need the space.
I run a Clio 172 - fun from day to day, safe enough for me to be happy to carry our 2 year old in on the daily nursery run (4 star NCAP at the time) and used for trips where the space of the E46 isn't a neccessity. Cost under 2k, does, over 40 to the gallon on a run, mid 30's around town.
Although TBF the Clio is the most unreliable car I've ever owned. When I can be arsed it will be sold and replaced with something like a 9-5 Aero or S60 T5. Or will put a chunk more cash in and get a DC5.
WinstonWolf said:
How far is the commute? I regularly do an eighteen mile one on a bicycle, it only takes about twenty minutes more than the car on a good day.
23 miles each way with a big damned hill in the way + I'm unfit. Suppose I wouldn't be for long though if I got off my ar$e a cycled. Trouble is I do need a car for work (business miles) sometimes also.I ran an Avensis estate as a family wagon for 4 years before wife wrote it off. Cost £1300, and I got £750 payout, so dpcn was virtually nothing. O2 sensor and rear wiper motor failed, but otherwise just needed fluids and tyres. The 1.8 petrol gave low 30s mpg.
Utterly boring to drive, but thing I miss the most is roof rack for diy purchases and large boot for tip runs.
Remaining car is £1,300 alfa 156. Lovely to drive and be inside, but far too small inside given its physical size, and the Alfa niggles are real, and annoying. 1.6 engine is less economical, less powerful but higher tax than the 1.8 Toyota, so would recommend to avoid.
Ian
Utterly boring to drive, but thing I miss the most is roof rack for diy purchases and large boot for tip runs.
Remaining car is £1,300 alfa 156. Lovely to drive and be inside, but far too small inside given its physical size, and the Alfa niggles are real, and annoying. 1.6 engine is less economical, less powerful but higher tax than the 1.8 Toyota, so would recommend to avoid.
Ian
If you're skint then find a way to get down to one car. You don't need two, you just want two.
Lift share to work? Use a motorbike/pushbike? Put the Mrs in a taxi if she NEEDS to travel somewhere. The possibilities are endless but one car is workable. Get down to one cheaper to run car and you'll be saving money like mad.
Lift share to work? Use a motorbike/pushbike? Put the Mrs in a taxi if she NEEDS to travel somewhere. The possibilities are endless but one car is workable. Get down to one cheaper to run car and you'll be saving money like mad.
One car might be possible, at a push, but it would be damned inconvenient. I need my own transport for work and the wife takes junior to pre-school and back three days per week - too far to walk, no bus, etc. Yes it would save a lot of money, but it's just a step too far for us. I'm not skint, just not happy spending quite so much. I'm sure we can keep two cars but with lower costs than at present.
Japanese and petrol for the family wagon (Civic, Corolla or for a little more maybe a Swift)? - first 2 can be picked up for £2k and third for probably £3k.
Ford or VAG diesel for the commuter (£3k would get a lot of car with either of these) - or if you're willing to go full shed, as someone else mentioned, 306 Diesel for c£1k or less.
All those should be cheap on maintenance, fuel, tax, insurance and parts.
Ford or VAG diesel for the commuter (£3k would get a lot of car with either of these) - or if you're willing to go full shed, as someone else mentioned, 306 Diesel for c£1k or less.
All those should be cheap on maintenance, fuel, tax, insurance and parts.
I've not done anything about this since posting it a couple of months ago, but it's still on my mind.
I'd certainly like to buy something modern, safe and hopefully reliable for the family transport. Estate, petrol and manual is a must. Would rather keep out of the top tax bracket stuff, but don't want a wheezy, slow old barge either.
Not so fussed about my daily commuter - cheaper, older maybe, low running costs, needs four seats for the occasions when the other car is in the garage (hopefully rarely) and a bit of boot space as I carry some work gear around.
Budget is £10k max for the two.
I'd certainly like to buy something modern, safe and hopefully reliable for the family transport. Estate, petrol and manual is a must. Would rather keep out of the top tax bracket stuff, but don't want a wheezy, slow old barge either.
Not so fussed about my daily commuter - cheaper, older maybe, low running costs, needs four seats for the occasions when the other car is in the garage (hopefully rarely) and a bit of boot space as I carry some work gear around.
Budget is £10k max for the two.
May daily commuter is a little VW Fox Urban 1.2 petrol 3 cyl. EDIT, surprisingly roomy!
With this car everything costs peanuts. Simple to home service and can hit 52mpg if you drive nicely, measured brim to brim
I got it at three years old and still going strong.
After having a Suzuki Jimny this is like free motoring!
Wife has a Golf Bluemotion for family duties with no issues so far. Again running costs are peanuts.
With this car everything costs peanuts. Simple to home service and can hit 52mpg if you drive nicely, measured brim to brim
I got it at three years old and still going strong.
After having a Suzuki Jimny this is like free motoring!
Wife has a Golf Bluemotion for family duties with no issues so far. Again running costs are peanuts.
Edited by Sleepers on Monday 1st June 11:23
pstruck said:
I'd certainly like to buy something modern, safe and hopefully reliable for the family transport. Estate, petrol and manual is a must. Would rather keep out of the top tax bracket stuff, but don't want a wheezy, slow old barge either.
It's already been said, but a very, very good mk3 Mondeo could be picked up for £2k and ticks all of the boxes. The petrols are reliable (no personal experience of a diesel but I understand that they're flaky). Mine was very scruffy but only £500 and was the cheapest motoring I've ever had - I only ever had to clean the EGR valve. 2.0 is no more thirsty than the 1.8 but noticeably quicker, IMO the 1.8 felt underpowered. Parts are cheap, safe and very comfortable. In many respects I wish I hadn't sold mine to be honest.Running 2 cars is never going to be cheap, it also depends highly on what level of car you are willing to accept for either duty? However if you want to spend the money then id probably get something like this Mondeo for the family (Skoda Octavia also tempting, or even look at a Kia?):
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
and this for commute perhaps:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
although personally id be tempted by something like a Nissan Primera for a fraction of that. Run it till it breaks, get another one or similar.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
and this for commute perhaps:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
although personally id be tempted by something like a Nissan Primera for a fraction of that. Run it till it breaks, get another one or similar.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
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