Doing big miles what car?
Discussion
Crusoe said:
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.
Sounds like a great car.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.
BMW's are pretty useless when it comes to snow so if you are driving in Scotland the winter tyres are a must.
Also if the snow is very bad put a heavy bag of sand in the boot. This helps add more traction.
Stay safe.
I spent 3 years driving from Fort William to London and back, every weekend. (Left Fort Bill on a Friday afternoon and drove back on a Sunday morning). On top of that I was doing around 150miles per day for work.
Asyou can imagine, with mileage limits and such, I went though a few company cars and was racking up the mileage on them very quickly.
I done a good 100k in a Mk 4 mondeo which was a nice place to sit, I had a couple of Insignias but the seats were very uncomfortable.
Keep your wits about you though, the driving took its toll on me and I was a walking zombie most of the working week.
O/T but in all that time doing those drives, I was only caught speeding once and pulled over once and never had an incident. The sobering thing was that I witnessed multiple huge accidents (one of them a double fatal on the M1 involving a van I had just given a friendly wave to as he passed me for letting me out earlier) so it's not without risk.
I moved house in the end btw and now live where I wa travelling to every weekend.
Hope you get something comfortable and most of all, stay safe man.
Asyou can imagine, with mileage limits and such, I went though a few company cars and was racking up the mileage on them very quickly.
I done a good 100k in a Mk 4 mondeo which was a nice place to sit, I had a couple of Insignias but the seats were very uncomfortable.
Keep your wits about you though, the driving took its toll on me and I was a walking zombie most of the working week.
O/T but in all that time doing those drives, I was only caught speeding once and pulled over once and never had an incident. The sobering thing was that I witnessed multiple huge accidents (one of them a double fatal on the M1 involving a van I had just given a friendly wave to as he passed me for letting me out earlier) so it's not without risk.
I moved house in the end btw and now live where I wa travelling to every weekend.
Hope you get something comfortable and most of all, stay safe man.
Crusoe said:
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.
So - after asking for PH'ers help at 7:35 this morning, by the middle of the afternoon, you've ignored the majority of people telling you to get keep the love for the Z4M and use the train or a B&B and you've gone and bought a car....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.
It sounds like a nice place to be - I hope so, as you're going to be spending an awfully long time behind the wheel.
TBH, I was expecting a lot more "man up, you're a PH'er..." type responses - seems the true PH'er is more about driving for pleasure, rather than merely driving - who woulda thunk it?....
Nigel_O said:
So - after asking for PH'ers help at 7:35 this morning, by the middle of the afternoon, you've ignored the majority of people telling you to get keep the love for the Z4M and use the train or a B&B and you've gone and bought a car....
It sounds like a nice place to be - I hope so, as you're going to be spending an awfully long time behind the wheel.
TBH, I was expecting a lot more "man up, you're a PH'er..." type responses - seems the true PH'er is more about driving for pleasure, rather than merely driving - who woulda thunk it?....
Well quite, plus a lot of us have done those sort of commutes (plenty of IT contract types around I suspect) and know just what the OP is letting himself in for. Especially as he was dead set on a BMW and lives in Scotland, where it's going to be nice and snowy. Let's hope the winter tyres do the job.It sounds like a nice place to be - I hope so, as you're going to be spending an awfully long time behind the wheel.
TBH, I was expecting a lot more "man up, you're a PH'er..." type responses - seems the true PH'er is more about driving for pleasure, rather than merely driving - who woulda thunk it?....
For all you Southerners who keep going on about Scotland being snowy: Scotland is a big country much of it coastal sees little or no snow, the west sits in the Gulf Stream.
Just like England has a varied climate, Scotland does too. The NE dry and cold, the west high rainfall and Tiree has the most sunshine in the UK (IIRC)
Yes it snows up north, but by and large the authorities have the ability to manage. A roads tend to be pretty quick and benefit from less traffic than other parts of the UK. You can cover reasonable distances. The central belt is congested, granted.
So please PHers remember that Scotland is not just a "county" of England it is and entire diverse country.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/weatherandclim...
I do think this commute will take a toll on the OP. It's a bit different doing these miles at your own cost and time rather than during the course of work in a co car.
Just like England has a varied climate, Scotland does too. The NE dry and cold, the west high rainfall and Tiree has the most sunshine in the UK (IIRC)
Yes it snows up north, but by and large the authorities have the ability to manage. A roads tend to be pretty quick and benefit from less traffic than other parts of the UK. You can cover reasonable distances. The central belt is congested, granted.
So please PHers remember that Scotland is not just a "county" of England it is and entire diverse country.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/weatherandclim...
I do think this commute will take a toll on the OP. It's a bit different doing these miles at your own cost and time rather than during the course of work in a co car.
Blaster72 said:
Is it backwards and forwards to the same location each day? If it is can't you look for digs to stay in 1 or 2 nights a week to give yourself a break from the driving.
200 mile a day commute by car is madness.
200 mile a day commute by car is madness.
I had 3 years of 80miles per day to get to work, taking about 2hrs each day via the M60. That ment up at 5:45am, out the door at 6:30ish to get to the office for 8:30, then leaving at 6pm, getting home 7:30/8pm if lucky.
Was an absolute slog, and leaves you with no energy to do anything in the evening, not that you have any money as your spending £100 a week on fuel. Plus added car maintenance costs.
So much better now that i've got a job closer to home, 40mins each way and can either drive in or take the tram.
loskie said:
For all you Southerners who keep going on about Scotland being snowy: Scotland is a big country much of it coastal sees little or no snow, the west sits in the Gulf Stream.
Just like England has a varied climate, Scotland does too. The NE dry and cold, the west high rainfall and Tiree has the most sunshine in the UK (IIRC)
Yes it snows up north, but by and large the authorities have the ability to manage. A roads tend to be pretty quick and benefit from less traffic than other parts of the UK. You can cover reasonable distances. The central belt is congested, granted.
So please PHers remember that Scotland is not just a "county" of England it is and entire diverse country.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/weatherandclim...
I do think this commute will take a toll on the OP. It's a bit different doing these miles at your own cost and time rather than during the course of work in a co car.
OP told us his commute was to Edinburgh along the A92 or M90 so we know exactly where he will be; some of us have lived in Scotland long enough to have been stranded in various awkward places :-) Or in one case walked the five miles to work to discover the only other person to make it in had come over the hump from Glasgow in a Megane while people a few miles up the road were sat toasty warm in their houses with 4x4s parked on the drive.Just like England has a varied climate, Scotland does too. The NE dry and cold, the west high rainfall and Tiree has the most sunshine in the UK (IIRC)
Yes it snows up north, but by and large the authorities have the ability to manage. A roads tend to be pretty quick and benefit from less traffic than other parts of the UK. You can cover reasonable distances. The central belt is congested, granted.
So please PHers remember that Scotland is not just a "county" of England it is and entire diverse country.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/weatherandclim...
I do think this commute will take a toll on the OP. It's a bit different doing these miles at your own cost and time rather than during the course of work in a co car.
The worst place to be in winter is somewhere that only gets snow every now and then - the authorities aren't geared up for it the way they are in places where the snow is guaranteed to always arrive.
I've done the sales rep 80k mile company car stuff many years ago in mk1 diesel Mondeo and various vag 1.9td and I used to drive my all the cars in my history as my only daily drivers which was often up to Aberdeen on summer tyres twice a week so sure I'll manage.
First day on the train today, some delays, lots of standing and a full car park. Not bad on the way down but a pain on the way back. Total door to door time 2hr 37min out and 2hr 5min on the way back (first day so they let me go a bit early to catch the express train), £41.10p because I found some free parking a few minutes away. Should be able to get that down a bit with weekly tickets for about £30 a day.
For the new car it claims over 70mpg but lots getting 60 actual so see how it goes. 320ed should be able to do it at a relaxed cruise in about 1hr 30min (will try it in the z4mc tomorrow). 162 miles at 70mpg would be a fuel cost about £11 a day. Service pack for this year so no service cost and maybe two sets of 16in tyres at £500 each so £4 a day for tyres. Total cost by car £15 a day so more than half.
If it works out I will probably take the train over winter weeks when it is frosty or snow forecast and then drive the rest of the time to save some cash and the 2hrs a day extra.
Drove a few options on Saturday and was going to wait a bit but my turn to get a sensible car anyway so even if I get the train the diesel will be used for long trips down south. Still have another petrol z4 roadster I can borrow from my wife.
First day on the train today, some delays, lots of standing and a full car park. Not bad on the way down but a pain on the way back. Total door to door time 2hr 37min out and 2hr 5min on the way back (first day so they let me go a bit early to catch the express train), £41.10p because I found some free parking a few minutes away. Should be able to get that down a bit with weekly tickets for about £30 a day.
For the new car it claims over 70mpg but lots getting 60 actual so see how it goes. 320ed should be able to do it at a relaxed cruise in about 1hr 30min (will try it in the z4mc tomorrow). 162 miles at 70mpg would be a fuel cost about £11 a day. Service pack for this year so no service cost and maybe two sets of 16in tyres at £500 each so £4 a day for tyres. Total cost by car £15 a day so more than half.
If it works out I will probably take the train over winter weeks when it is frosty or snow forecast and then drive the rest of the time to save some cash and the 2hrs a day extra.
Drove a few options on Saturday and was going to wait a bit but my turn to get a sensible car anyway so even if I get the train the diesel will be used for long trips down south. Still have another petrol z4 roadster I can borrow from my wife.
Edited by Crusoe on Monday 26th September 18:53
Crusoe said:
Loosen up quite a bit after 10k miles or so but depend how you drive too. Will report back with the result.
After a while you'll get to know the roads so well you'll want to press on so overtake more, lowering your mpg. I wouldn't bank on more than 50mpg even in an economical car.Crusoe said:
I've done the sales rep 80k mile company car stuff many years ago in mk1 diesel Mondeo and various vag 1.9td and I used to drive my all the cars in my history as my only daily drivers which was often up to Aberdeen on summer tyres twice a week so sure I'll manage.....
I didn't see anywhere of your cost per month taking into account the depreciation on the car? It will be worthless in 3 years.Edited by Crusoe on Monday 26th September 18:53
I wouldn't even consider this sort of mileage, stay at work 2 /3 nights per week.
The drive will leave you tired and not wanting to do anything, which in turn will annoy / anger your wife / girlfriend / kids and have a negative ffect on your home life, much easier just to stay away for a few nights!
Is it a possibility to drop to a 4 day week or home office?
Crusoe said:
Loosen up quite a bit after 10k miles or so but depend how you drive too. Will report back with the result.
Yesterday's had done 17500, the one from Glasgow 29000, the only BMW I've seen show an indicated 60+ is a manual 116d sport. All driven sensibly and at a max of 73mph, I've seen 40mpg out of a m135 and 32 out of a 5.0 V8 F type Had the 320ed out tonight for an extended test drive, was averaging high 70s once warmed up so over 60 is possible quite easily and more if you keep the speed down and avoid too much stop start. Due a service and a couple of minor marks touched in but nice and comfy, minimal effort with the 8 speed auto and it handles quite well on 16 in wheels. Pick it up Saturday. Left leg feeling it after 4hrs in the z4mc today. 78 miles with the satnav on shortest route, made some wrong choices hitting traffic on the way in so stuck for longer than I should have been and took 2hrs on the way in, but suggested route out was better in 1hr 40
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