Best option for a DD/Station car?

[tomd1338]

Im thinking about selling my 2010 ibiza cupra and getting a caterham.

I don't really want to DD the caterham and definitely wouldnt want to park it at the station every single day (commute into london for work)

So it leaves me with a few options, buy something cheap (Shed money) and old (106, saxo, clio I) which will be fine but could end up being costly in repairs. Get something brand new (skoda citigo, VW UP, Fiesta) on PCP with about £3000 down and ~100/mnth.. or get something mid range about 5-6 years old for ~3000 and hope nothing breaks.

Im leaning towards the brand new option as it will be under waranty and very little hassle or stress (Im assuming most of my spanner time will be dedicated to the caterham) but think that a shed could be good value as realistically if anything breaks you scrap for half value and buy something else for similar money. PCP on a new car would cost about £6500 over 3 years.

My man maths is getting complicated so would appreciate any advice or thoughts!

Thanks

[AngryPartsBloke]

Shed's are the way forward!

[Mr SFJ]

Buy a £500 snotter, then you won't worry about parking scrapes, if it fails it's MOT scrap it and get a new one. Cheap motoring, then keep the Caterham for the fun days and the weekends.

[Kolbenkopp]

See shed of the Week Audi A2 ? Or a Suzuki Swift. Budget a bit tight for a Sport, but the 1.5 is or 1.3 is nippy as well.

[t400ble]

100% get a shed

[richatnort]

if it's only going to be used for DD and the occasional shopping trip then go look at lease deals on a fiesta or VW UP. They're stupidly cheap at some places and could get one for £80 a month with maybe 5k a year if it's for DD.

[Tickle]

I am doing something very similar, just waiting to sell my current car then buying an Elise S1 and a D/D to get me to the station in the mornings.

For the D/D I am going for a Panda 1.1 Ecodrive. A fair few available under £3k and only £30 a year to tax. Cheap on tyres, parts too.

[Matt UK]

I'd get a £1,000 1.6 petrol Ford Focus with 12 months t&t.

[Fastdruid]

Sheds FTW.

Get something petrol and undesirable.
Something like a mk2 Mondeo. Great cars, cheap to run, cheap to buy, reliable, cheap spares. Unloved.

Even a top end one won't break the bank and is (genuinely) a nice place to sit. OK it's no Jaguar but fine for tootling down the station and back.

[uuf361]

Shed - I'd recommend a K11 Micra based on my own experience...

[tomd1338]

Yeah im leaning towards the shed idea, would have to be a 1.0 or 1.2 though to keep insurance, petrol & tax down but seems like the best option. Something under 1k with 12months T&T should be job done.

[D4MJT]

tomd1338 said:

(106, saxo) which will be fine

True indeed.

tomd1338 said:

but could end up being costly in repairs.

LOL

I think the most expensive thing that could possibly go wrong with a saxo is the rear beam trailing arm bearings fail, in which case you can get a new beam from IM Axles for £225 and it's basically 4 bolts to swap the beam.

Even most engines <16v are around £50 to replace if something terminal went wrong, and again, even the engines are a doddle to remove and replace.

If you get a diesel one they're agricultural, but it will run on air, and there's basically nothing to go wrong.

[mrtwisty]

tomd1338 said:

Yeah im leaning towards the shed idea, would have to be a 1.0 or 1.2 though to keep insurance, petrol & tax down but seems like the best option. Something under 1k with 12months T&T should be job done.

In that case - mark 1 Yaris for c.£1k.

Chain driven cams and legendarily reliable and cheap to run.

Slightly more expensive than a Clio/Saxo/106 etc to buy, but will almost certainly be cheaper in the long run.

[Shaoxter]

Cycle to the station? No need to pay for parking...

[walm]

Tickle said:

I am doing something very similar, just waiting to sell my current car then buying an Elise S1 and a D/D to get me to the station in the mornings.

Just use the Elise!!

Elise S2 111s followed by an Exige S were my station cars.
They were both awesome and made me look forward to the commute!!

Zero depreciation, low tax, great MPG and very reasonable fixed price servicing (HGF aside...).

OK it was hard to climb in, they don't demist, it was scary in the wet and you can't take luggage, but still...

[Tickle]

I ran one as a daily for 2 years about 8 years ago (S2). I want a shed for day to day because there are so many knobs on the roads/car parks these days. The impracticality didn't bother me.

Kudos for the Exige/Elise combo!

[MichalPH]

Aren`t You going to do any longer trips, holidays etc with the car? I wouldn`t go smaller than Golf-sized for for my commuter. 5-10 yo Japanese car (7th gen Civic?) would be my choice of a shed.

[vexed]

What is this DD of which you all speak?

[Atmospheric]

Matt UK said:

I'd get a £1,000 1.6 petrol Ford Focus with 12 months t&t.

This will be your best option. Reliable, good handling and cheap. Don't even bother with anything of value IMHO. Spend the money on the open car.

[danp]

Matt UK said:

I'd get a £1,000 1.6 petrol Ford Focus with 12 months t&t.

Agree, something like this - wouldn't get too fixated on what it actually is (within reason!), just something honest with decent t+t that is reasonably local.