Cheapest way to do 30k a year

Cheapest way to do 30k a year

Author
Discussion

Joe M

Original Poster:

672 posts

245 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
I'm assuming small diesel, pcp or lease. Any suggestions? It would be personal, 2 or 3 years. Used could be an option but really a year old at most as want at least 2 years manufacturers warranty.

HairyMaclary

3,664 posts

195 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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125 scooter. Mine does 130mpg so £8.50 tank gets me nearly 250 miles ;p

You didn't say you needed 4 seats and a steering wheel.

Pints

18,444 posts

194 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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Assuming a few seats and a steering wheel, I'd be considering a Mazda 2.

Inexpensive car and the Mazda engines are impressively fuel efficient.

anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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The cheapest way is to not buy or lease something that new which will inevitably crucify you with depreciation.

Something mass market, about ten years old with sensible mileage would be my punt. Don't overlook the amount of time you'll be spending in it, refinement and comfort is going to be important.

ReaperCushions

6,004 posts

184 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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Check out what your local mini-cabbers run for an idea of what is:

a) Comfortable for that mileage
b) Economical
c) cheap to run and repair

Not exactly a fun list, but i'd suspect Mondeos, Insignias and Skodas are high up the list.

Of course, if you were a true PH'r you'd get something from the 1-5 Large Smoker Barge thread and report back accordingly. I'd suspect only meeting criteria 'a' on my list above though.

wemorgan

3,578 posts

178 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
Joe M said:
I'm assuming small diesel, pcp or lease. Any suggestions? It would be personal, 2 or 3 years. Used could be an option but really a year old at most as want at least 2 years manufacturers warranty.
New cars are seldom the cheapest, even on PCP or lease.
A 2nd hand Honda Civic perhaps......

CX53

2,971 posts

110 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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I'd be buying a polo 1.4 tdi Bluemotion from around 10 years ago.. 2,500-5,000 purchase price and 60+ mpg, torquey motor and reasonably comfortable and refined.

Leasing is or buying new or nearly new is never the cheapest option.

mikeyr

3,118 posts

193 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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Won't win any driving dynamics awards but we've got a Cactus, it's a nice size and incredibly comfortable. A friend does 80k a year in his job and has the turbo diesel variant. Cars are well specced with sat nav, Bluetooth, etc.

grayze

790 posts

168 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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30k is a lot of time to spend in the driving seat, I would be looking at a saloon with 1.8 minimum for my own sanity.

Newstuart

72 posts

110 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
Prob not the cheapest but In my business I need to turn up to clients in something half decent but still need to do 30,000 a year.

I spend around £20k on a 2-3 year old nice lowish mileage rep type car, run it for a year and put the miles on then swap it for another. Seems to be costing me on average around £3-4k a year and I get something half decent to spend 8 - 10 hoirs a day in which I think is important the amount of time im in it!


Ive had 3 F10 520 BMWs so far, all average around 45-50 mpg, low road tax, easy to get well looked after end of lease models with decent mileage so need very little in terms of servicing over the year I run them.



Edited by Newstuart on Friday 22 July 07:32

caelite

4,274 posts

112 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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With your 2 year requirement for warranty.

Try one of the Korean cars, Kia and Hyundai both offer practical platforms for a good price with 7 year warranties, 4-5 year old will leave you with 2 years.

To name a model, Kia Rio 1.5 diesel can be had for <£5k with 20-50k miles and 3-5 years old. Will do 50mpg urban and 65 motorway.

LasseV

1,754 posts

133 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
Toyota Avensis 1.8 Multidrive Saloon.

- Lot of toys if you are interested
- Best warranty in real life
- 1.8 petrols is a very frugal and has a decent power but has a weak torque. Multidrive makes that whole package better, it goes well enough in every situation and it is the most fuel efficiency petrol car what i have ever driven.
- Very good car for long journeys, little bit better that our e9x-series. Much more better that those SUV's what we have tested...
- As a Toyota, it can handle those high mileage situations very well. Service is cheap.

Overall a very good package and cheap to run. These kind of cars are the most undervalued of all now days.

Matt UK

17,688 posts

200 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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I'm doing 30k/yr in a 2007 Merc C220 cdi that cost me £1,700.

It's presentable, reliable if you keep on top of the little jobs, comfortable and averages a true 45mpg.

I don't think I could do the miles much more cheaply.


scubadude

2,618 posts

197 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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Steal a push bike and buy your food in Aldi.

motoroller

657 posts

173 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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2003-6 Seat Ibiza 1.9 TDi. You'll get a good 60-65mpg motorway, and they're cheap to buy. If you want to spend a bit more initially, the newer Ibiza (2009 on) is excellent with the 1.6 TDi engine.

Suggestions of bluemotions etc. are also very good.

For something a bit more spacious, an early Skoda Superb (2008 on) is ideal. Ex-taxis are good if they have history and are in good nick, as adding to the mileage won't devalue them much (they've hit rock bottom price already).

R E S T E C P

660 posts

105 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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You could get a return flight to New Zealand for about £500.

Works out £42 per month including tax, fuel and servicing. And a more reliable autopilot function than Tesla!

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

253 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
Self-defeating criteria.

You are asking for the cheapest car that is still depreciating like a cream tea, in order that it won't cost much money in £18 drop-links.


GreatGranny

9,124 posts

226 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
Toyotas have 5 years warranty so get a 2-3 year old one and enjoy a few years trouble free motoring.

The RAV4 is a nice place to be.

Well specced with the 2.0 diesel engine you'll be getting 45+ mpg.

Will be able to pick one up for £15k ish

spookly

4,018 posts

95 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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Be retired and get a free bus pass?

Monkeylegend

26,335 posts

231 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
Ticket dodging.