Should I buy a car for mile munching - opinions greatly rece

[Newstuart]

Hi Guys

After some thoughts on if I should purchase a 3rd car or if my "man maths" is running away with me trying to justify it.

Curcumstances are as follows,

Wife and I have a 3 yr old Freelander which is my ex company car on 115,000 but all motorway miles and drives like new, we also have a 2004 M3 as a weekend toy on 85,000. Both are serviced every 6,000 miles and well looked after.

I have now gone self employed and am using the landrover extensivily for business averaging 1,500 miles most months getting around 43 mpg. We live in the countryside and have issues with snow each year as well as 3 kids so the freelander is very useful in this regard.

My wife is due to give birth to our 3rd child so will be at home more and will want transport for local trips over the next 6 months and does not like driving the M3 so our initial thought was for me to use the M3 for work doing 1500 per month and her to use the Freelander but I am conscious the M3 is potentially a ticking time bomb if something expensive goes on it. I am also concerned that the Freelander is going to get into seriosuly high mileage over the next few years with the amount of mileage I am doing.

My wife thinks keep what we have, hope the M3 is ok for the higher use over the next 6 months and just let the Landorver rack up the miles over the next few years essentally running it into the ground.

The other option is to use some savings and buy or lease a 3rd car just for business purposes (I could put approx £10k into this) which would keep the use of both other vehices much lower.

I hope that makes sense and welcome your thoughts?

[carreauchompeur]

Difficult one. I wouldn't want to be putting the mileage on the M3 as it'll depreciate like a stone, cost you about 50% more in fuel than the FL and will become less 'special'

In your shoes I would continue to use the FL and buy a cheap runaround for your wife...

[Simpo Two]

Running three vehicles would mean 50% more tax, MOT, servicing, insurance and all the other bits.

I'd swap the M3 for a diesel Wagwar.

[bearman68]

I'd buy something different. E46 320d or similar £2k, run it into the ground, scrap and repeat. I'd be reluctant to be doing loads of miles in the M, and since the freelander has to stay at home, what other option is there?

[davepoth]

The oily bits on the Freelander will be OK for a couple of years yet - as you say, it's all motorway miles which are kind to a car. I reckon that given what you've said (3 kids, live in the country, snow every year) it's about the right sort of car for her.

I'd not like to run an M3 for that sort of work - not least because it'll be an appreciating asset in a couple of years. Keep it, but keep it away from commuting if you can.

So that leaves the question of what to get for you. I reckon something like a Skoda Octavia TDI 4x4 would do the job if you can find one.

[kaillum]

Having had similar discussions when my wife started a new job we decided that the £300 ish a month on finance or lease plus insurance, plus tax, plus servicing 3rd vehicle could pay for a whole load of servicing and fuel for her current car! Id use the M for 6 months, at least you'll have some fun on your 1500 miles a month!!

[Newstuart]

Thanks for the responses everyone, leaning toward using the M3 and taking the hit for resuduals and keep my fingers crossed I don't hit a big bill for 6 months. Depending on what the wife does after 6 months maybe then would be the time to buy or lease something.

Bearing in mind I've only done 900 miles between MOTs it'll be fun to get some use out of it.

[Newstuart]

Thanks for the responses everyone, leaning toward using the M3 and taking the hit for resuduals and keep my fingers crossed I don't hit a big bill for 6 months. Depending on what the wife does after 6 months maybe then would be the time to buy or lease something.

Bearing in mind I've only done 900 miles between MOTs it'll be fun to get some use out of it.

[rog007]

Newstuart said:

Bearing in mind I've only done 900 miles between MOTs it'll be fun to get some use out of it.

My initial reaction to that was 'will it be reliable'? So low miles may throw up issues when switching to much higher miles; a very good recovery package should be purchased if not already held.

[Newstuart]

Hi

It's a concern that isn't lost on me neither. The car is well serviced though and I can't really think of anything a I can do to make it less likEly to be unreliable.

Although it only has 900 miles in last year it is used almost every weekend (I just don't go far).

[SunsetZed]

I'd get a comfortable, reliable diesel if I was doing 1,500 miles a month and then just use the M3 on the weekends personally.

The saving on depreciation (and then replacement parts) for the M3 would pay for a cheap runabout or at least a decent chunk of a more expensive mile muncher

[abucd4]

Personally I'd sell the M3, cry a bit, then buy something along the lines of a 535d and enbrace the torque!