Doing big miles what car?
Discussion
Help me choose the best commute option.
New job means 45k miles a year, bit of stop start but mostly Scottish A roads.
£6k a year to take the train, including parking but still do 6k miles getting to and from the station so would probably need a station car unless I kept the z4 for that.
Currently do 8k miles a year in my Z4MC so don't want to put 45k miles on that. Should keep it as they are still appreciating but I don't have the space so if I change it will have to go.
Something that would do more than 50mpg would rival the train for costs and if you could do 70mpg I would be at least £100 better off assuming £200 a month for a maintenance budget.
If you include depreciation the train probably still comes out on top but driving is probably my preferred option.
Was thinking of trading my Z4 for a low milage 520d with a decent list of toys and approved warranty, probably an ED with the small wheels and better economy. Anyone doing something similar who can comment on reliability and running costs. Worth just going for an old Volvo or ford rather than put the miles on a newer car?
New job means 45k miles a year, bit of stop start but mostly Scottish A roads.
£6k a year to take the train, including parking but still do 6k miles getting to and from the station so would probably need a station car unless I kept the z4 for that.
Currently do 8k miles a year in my Z4MC so don't want to put 45k miles on that. Should keep it as they are still appreciating but I don't have the space so if I change it will have to go.
Something that would do more than 50mpg would rival the train for costs and if you could do 70mpg I would be at least £100 better off assuming £200 a month for a maintenance budget.
If you include depreciation the train probably still comes out on top but driving is probably my preferred option.
Was thinking of trading my Z4 for a low milage 520d with a decent list of toys and approved warranty, probably an ED with the small wheels and better economy. Anyone doing something similar who can comment on reliability and running costs. Worth just going for an old Volvo or ford rather than put the miles on a newer car?
Wowzers, that many miles over those sorts of roads means that you will be practically living in whatever car you choose.
I'd normally take the pick whatever you want and to hell with the MPG, but in this case I'd choose whatever Korean s
tbox gave the most MPG with the longest warranty. you'll hate the thing after 6 months of that mileage anyway.
I'd normally take the pick whatever you want and to hell with the MPG, but in this case I'd choose whatever Korean s
tbox gave the most MPG with the longest warranty. you'll hate the thing after 6 months of that mileage anyway.Relocation not an option for now but on the cards in a year or two. Train takes about 5hrs a day (two changes so some waiting on connections) and driving could get that down to 3hrs depending on the traffic/time of day. 35hr week and flexible hours outside 10am-4pm which helps the car journey time.
SonicHedgeHog said:
Get the train. That many miles in the wet and dark on those roads is going to leave you knackered. The chance of a fatigue-related accident is also much higher than average. Get a £500 station car and forget any thought about driving.
This is very good advice. Train all day. Is this all a commute then as depending on circumstance you may be better off staying a couple of nights over at your place of work.Djtemeka said:
I wouldn't care too much about the mpg. Get a car that's a nice place to be in and is comfy. You're going to be spending an awful lot of time in it 
If you absolutely must use the car, this is the perfect advice, I do c.40-50k pa and my Q7 is my daily as it's such a nice place to be But on Scottish A roads is personally suck it up and use the train, much less likely to kill you
How many miles from home to work?
It's a tough one, the ability to chill out/read/watch iPad/world go by etc on the train would be a significant plus point on that sort of daily journey time IME.
But if it's 5 hours on train vs 3 hours in car then that's quite a major journey time difference. Do we presume it's 1.5 hours each way in the car? Roughly 100 miles each way?
If so that may not be too bad, I'd be looking at something comfy and fully loaded with some all weather ability for Scottish winter.
A4 Allroad - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Volvo V60 - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Or XC60, VW Passat CC?
5 series is good but I would be wary of M Sport model BMWs being a bit firm for 45k pa.
It's a tough one, the ability to chill out/read/watch iPad/world go by etc on the train would be a significant plus point on that sort of daily journey time IME.
But if it's 5 hours on train vs 3 hours in car then that's quite a major journey time difference. Do we presume it's 1.5 hours each way in the car? Roughly 100 miles each way?
If so that may not be too bad, I'd be looking at something comfy and fully loaded with some all weather ability for Scottish winter.
A4 Allroad - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Volvo V60 - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Or XC60, VW Passat CC?
5 series is good but I would be wary of M Sport model BMWs being a bit firm for 45k pa.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/honda/cr-z/u...
On the roads you're going to be driving it sounds like something small and reliable would do the job better than a diesel barge. I don't know what these are supposed to be like on the hybrid reliability but if no horror stories I'd be considering it.
On the roads you're going to be driving it sounds like something small and reliable would do the job better than a diesel barge. I don't know what these are supposed to be like on the hybrid reliability but if no horror stories I'd be considering it.
I think your maintenance estimate for running even a medium diesel car for 45k miles a year is way too light at £200pm. I reckon that you'll probably get through two, or even three sets of tyres in that mileage, especially if you get a torquey diesel AND you want to stay out of the ditches / stone walls on the Scottish roads.
When I was faced with around 20k miles a year three years ago, my modded Fiat Coupe became an expensive indulgence, so I bought a (very) cheap Alfa GT diesel, with 150k already on the clock. Its now on 213,000 and has needed a turbo and a clutch (as well as the usual "Alfa consumables" like suspension arms and brakes). It has averaged about 46mpg, but this includes a daily two-way slog on the M42, which is often at a crawl.
One problem is that if you buy a new-ish car with low miles (and thus hopefully low maintenance bills), you will very quickly turn it into a high-mileage car and the big bills will start to flow. You'll also kill its value. I'd suggest you try to find a high-mileage / well-maintained car that's already had the first round of major replacements such as clutch, turbo etc, so you'll probably get 3 years before the next lot.
Personally, after using the trains for three hours a day when my car allowance was withdrawn, I'd move mountains (or at least drive across them) to keep my commute under my own control. That said, I've worked out your commute at about 95 miles each way - even in a 50mpg car, that's about £25 a day in diesel alone. £125 a week, £6,000 a year - don't forget you'll have to earn £10,000 to net the £6,000 in order to pay for the fuel....
After all of the above considerations, the final one you need to make is that after driving 45k miles a year, you probably won't want to drive just for the fun of it. Despite being huge fun, my Coupe hasn't turned a wheel in three months - beware of commuting knocking the PH-ness out of you!
When I was faced with around 20k miles a year three years ago, my modded Fiat Coupe became an expensive indulgence, so I bought a (very) cheap Alfa GT diesel, with 150k already on the clock. Its now on 213,000 and has needed a turbo and a clutch (as well as the usual "Alfa consumables" like suspension arms and brakes). It has averaged about 46mpg, but this includes a daily two-way slog on the M42, which is often at a crawl.
One problem is that if you buy a new-ish car with low miles (and thus hopefully low maintenance bills), you will very quickly turn it into a high-mileage car and the big bills will start to flow. You'll also kill its value. I'd suggest you try to find a high-mileage / well-maintained car that's already had the first round of major replacements such as clutch, turbo etc, so you'll probably get 3 years before the next lot.
Personally, after using the trains for three hours a day when my car allowance was withdrawn, I'd move mountains (or at least drive across them) to keep my commute under my own control. That said, I've worked out your commute at about 95 miles each way - even in a 50mpg car, that's about £25 a day in diesel alone. £125 a week, £6,000 a year - don't forget you'll have to earn £10,000 to net the £6,000 in order to pay for the fuel....
After all of the above considerations, the final one you need to make is that after driving 45k miles a year, you probably won't want to drive just for the fun of it. Despite being huge fun, my Coupe hasn't turned a wheel in three months - beware of commuting knocking the PH-ness out of you!
Ved said:
SonicHedgeHog said:
Get the train. That many miles in the wet and dark on those roads is going to leave you knackered. The chance of a fatigue-related accident is also much higher than average. Get a £500 station car and forget any thought about driving.
This is very good advice. Train all day. Is this all a commute then as depending on circumstance you may be better off staying a couple of nights over at your place of work.Crusoe said:
Changing industry from oil and gas so a bit less than I would like but decent prospects and perks include free beer Getting on for five months out of work so it's the best opportunity I've been offered and I'll just have to make the commute for now.
Find a B&B close to work. Stay there for a 2-3 nights and use the train. That means you can do paperwork on the train and you aren't under pressure to leave work on time because you have a massive communte home. Getting on for five months out of work so it's the best opportunity I've been offered and I'll just have to make the commute for now.I work in an industry where loads of people commute very long distances. No one tries to get home every night. All that happens is that you get delayed at work, then get stuck in traffic, get home about 8-9pm and have to be up at 5am to get back to work. It makes you tired and miserable. Use a B&B, relax, have a pint and a pie down the local rather than trying to find a way to make something that can't work, work.
Can you fly?
45K per year ~ 1000 per week ~ 200 per day
On those roads I think you're optimistic to consider being able to do 200 miles in 3 hours. More like 4-5 hours.
Consider that 50mpg is going to be about £20 a day in fuel alone - how much would a Travelodge (or even cheaper digs, try spareroom.co.uk) set you back?
45K per year ~ 1000 per week ~ 200 per day
On those roads I think you're optimistic to consider being able to do 200 miles in 3 hours. More like 4-5 hours.
Consider that 50mpg is going to be about £20 a day in fuel alone - how much would a Travelodge (or even cheaper digs, try spareroom.co.uk) set you back?
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