Doing big miles what car?
Discussion
Nigel_O said:
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!
I never thought of this, but you're right. My commute is either dull or a wind up. I moaned to the wife yesterday that I didn't want to drive one mile round the corner because I generally hate driving these days. Very interesting.
Can borrow the wife's z4 2.5 roadster for fun so probably move my m coupe anyway. Crz not a bad shout as a station car though not sure I'd want to do a large mileage in one.
Train is 20 mile drive + £1 a day parking + £38 return ticket but goes down to £550 on a monthly. Total for the train is about £650 a month.
Car is a 81 miles A and B road journey mostly A92 or the longer but faster 96 miles if I go the motorway route to Edinburgh. 1 1/2 hrs each way with a clean run.
For 50mpg about £4500 in fuel (£3200 if you got 70mpg). Can get 25k out of a set of tyres and would need three services on a 5 series type car maybe options for a service pack but anything else would be covered by warranty if bought approved used. £800 tyres + £800 servicing + £400 for extras. £2k a year. Car £430 to £540 a month depending on mpg.
I will still do 6k miles at weekends and holidays in whatever car I have and obviously ignoring depreciation.
Train is 20 mile drive + £1 a day parking + £38 return ticket but goes down to £550 on a monthly. Total for the train is about £650 a month.
Car is a 81 miles A and B road journey mostly A92 or the longer but faster 96 miles if I go the motorway route to Edinburgh. 1 1/2 hrs each way with a clean run.
For 50mpg about £4500 in fuel (£3200 if you got 70mpg). Can get 25k out of a set of tyres and would need three services on a 5 series type car maybe options for a service pack but anything else would be covered by warranty if bought approved used. £800 tyres + £800 servicing + £400 for extras. £2k a year. Car £430 to £540 a month depending on mpg.
I will still do 6k miles at weekends and holidays in whatever car I have and obviously ignoring depreciation.
I would look at an old Saab 9-5 diesel although the latest shape before they cut production would fall into budget to.
I would look at covering my fuel costs and then trying to have the smallest amount of depreciation possible so would look at 3k cars and treating them as disposable.
Audi A6's are quite comfy or how about a Subaru Legacy diesel ? Can you charge a car at work ? You might just be able to get a leaf to do the trip and lower your costs. I guess a tesla would be out of contention ?
I would look at covering my fuel costs and then trying to have the smallest amount of depreciation possible so would look at 3k cars and treating them as disposable.
Audi A6's are quite comfy or how about a Subaru Legacy diesel ? Can you charge a car at work ? You might just be able to get a leaf to do the trip and lower your costs. I guess a tesla would be out of contention ?
Steve H said:
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.
A friend loves his CR-Z but I recommended it to him on the basis that he wanted a Sheep in Wolf's clothing. He cares about what a car looks like, MPG and good audio. Driving is a necessary chore. I think it's a bit insipid to drive and am surprised that there is no immediacy of acceleration with it's electric boost. He does big mileages but mostly motorway.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.
Simon
Crusoe said:
£20k max, any idea if an i3 with the regeneration engine could work, Skoda superb?
http://www.bmw.co.uk/en_GB/new-vehicles/bmw-i/i3/2016/drive-technology.html#rangeextender"The optional Range Extender can increase the range of the BMW i3 in COMFORT Mode from up to 125 miles to a total of 206 miles."
So just about, with 125 miles "free" presumably. But I'd be very wary, given how hard they make it to find the details! And you'd be writing the car off, value wise, in just two years. £30K of car to £0 wouldn't compensate for fuel savings.
Still think the OP is going to get sick of nearly 200 miles a day of driving.
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.
I was going to say exactly that.The i3 is a total non starter for a commute like this. Not enough range, with the Rex you'd be filling it every day, it's got skinny tyres and rear wheel drive, so not great for Scotland in the winter because they get blown about easily on the motorway.
If I was the op I'd be buying a diesel 4mo or Quattro something or other with major recent bills and a big whack of mileage already to reduce the initial cost. Doing miles like this the biggest cost will be depreciation if he goes for something new.
I think my shortlist would be Octavia, Superb, Golf, Passat, A4, A6, A8. Or maybe something Japanese like a CX5 or CRV.
If I was the op I'd be buying a diesel 4mo or Quattro something or other with major recent bills and a big whack of mileage already to reduce the initial cost. Doing miles like this the biggest cost will be depreciation if he goes for something new.
I think my shortlist would be Octavia, Superb, Golf, Passat, A4, A6, A8. Or maybe something Japanese like a CX5 or CRV.
Last comment because I'm just repeating myself.
Put the Man Maths abacus back in the cupboard. This much driving will leave you knackered, likely to have an accident, worse off and hating driving. How much fun do you think you'll be to live with when you have that on your plate every day? Take the train and stay in a B&B.
Put the Man Maths abacus back in the cupboard. This much driving will leave you knackered, likely to have an accident, worse off and hating driving. How much fun do you think you'll be to live with when you have that on your plate every day? Take the train and stay in a B&B.
SonicHedgeHog said:
Last comment because I'm just repeating myself.
Put the Man Maths abacus back in the cupboard. This much driving will leave you knackered, likely to have an accident, worse off and hating driving. How much fun do you think you'll be to live with when you have that on your plate every day? Take the train and stay in a B&B.
+1Put the Man Maths abacus back in the cupboard. This much driving will leave you knackered, likely to have an accident, worse off and hating driving. How much fun do you think you'll be to live with when you have that on your plate every day? Take the train and stay in a B&B.
I used to do 30K per year in a Golf 1.6TDI. Was a very capable car and did 65-70mpg but theres no pleasure in it. At 45K pa i'd be doing as you and others have proposed - using the train and staying over a couple of nights in a B&B if necessary.
Far far more relaxing than a 2+ hour commute each way.
Crusoe said:
Total for the train is about £650 a month.
versus...Crusoe said:
Car £430 to £540 a month depending on mpg.
So, let me put it another way: You can use the time on the train for other stuff. If you choose to take the car then you will drive 3 hours a day, if you have no holdups. 5 days a week, 4.33 weeks a month (average)? That'll be 65 hours a month.Even with the conservative estimate of the car only costing you £430 per month, is it worth getting knackered/risking having a tiredness-related accident/ barely seeing your home/having to be responsible for any unforeseen problems with the car for £3.38 per hour?
If cost is that important, you can rent accommodation for less than £400 per month in many places. Not much point in driving home very night if you barely see anything/anyone when you get there.
Also remember to factor in that at 45000 miles per year, even with extended intervals, you are on course for 2-3 services a year. Plus 1-2 sets of tyres. So that means you are also going to have to find time to schedule in all that work - either giving up your Saturday or losing holiday.
I'm only doing 80-ish miles/day (3 hours) commute which started this month and have to say it's definitely tiring especially when the traffic is bad. Sat Nav tries to divert through A/B roads but to be honest I'd rather stick to main roads especially during bad weather.
As other's have mentioned, consider a B&B option for 2-3 nights a week.
Regarding the what car option I've recently swapped my M135i for a 15 plate C300 Bluetec Hybrid. It's definitely made the commute more bearable. No road tax to pay plus 17" tyres should hopefully also mean lower running costs...Only cost that increase was insurance due to the mileage done. This is also something you'll need to factor into costs.
As other's have mentioned, consider a B&B option for 2-3 nights a week.
Regarding the what car option I've recently swapped my M135i for a 15 plate C300 Bluetec Hybrid. It's definitely made the commute more bearable. No road tax to pay plus 17" tyres should hopefully also mean lower running costs...Only cost that increase was insurance due to the mileage done. This is also something you'll need to factor into costs.
Initially, I'd get a Travel Lodge near work or within 30 mins drive of work (find a very cheap one) for 4 nights a week until you know the job is going to work out. Then try to work a day a week from home, then either more home working or relocate.
Best to turn up at work bright and fresh each day for the first few months than risk losing the job because you have a 2 or 3 hour drive each day before you even get there.
I wouldn't bother changing your car until you know what's going on.
Best to turn up at work bright and fresh each day for the first few months than risk losing the job because you have a 2 or 3 hour drive each day before you even get there.
I wouldn't bother changing your car until you know what's going on.
daemon said:
SonicHedgeHog said:
Last comment because I'm just repeating myself.
Put the Man Maths abacus back in the cupboard. This much driving will leave you knackered, likely to have an accident, worse off and hating driving. How much fun do you think you'll be to live with when you have that on your plate every day? Take the train and stay in a B&B.
+1Put the Man Maths abacus back in the cupboard. This much driving will leave you knackered, likely to have an accident, worse off and hating driving. How much fun do you think you'll be to live with when you have that on your plate every day? Take the train and stay in a B&B.
I used to do 30K per year in a Golf 1.6TDI. Was a very capable car and did 65-70mpg but theres no pleasure in it. At 45K pa i'd be doing as you and others have proposed - using the train and staying over a couple of nights in a B&B if necessary.
Far far more relaxing than a 2+ hour commute each way.
Threads like a conclusion so been out shopping 
Deal done on a 11k mile approved used 320ed with a load of kit (auto, leather, lumbar adjust, pro nav, adaptive lights etc.) Should be good for at least 60mpg,service pack on it already so 39k miles with no service cost and 16in wheels so cheap summer tyres and already have winter wheels and tyres from a 1 series that should fit. Might take the train sometimes if the weather is bad and the car when I need to be back earlier. Best news is I got a bit more than I paid for my z4mc two years ago against it.
Deal done on a 11k mile approved used 320ed with a load of kit (auto, leather, lumbar adjust, pro nav, adaptive lights etc.) Should be good for at least 60mpg,service pack on it already so 39k miles with no service cost and 16in wheels so cheap summer tyres and already have winter wheels and tyres from a 1 series that should fit. Might take the train sometimes if the weather is bad and the car when I need to be back earlier. Best news is I got a bit more than I paid for my z4mc two years ago against it.
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