What would you do?

[Kentish]

I bought myself a brand new Pro Cee'd last August and I bought it with the intention to keep it and as such specced it with full leather, nice 17" alloys from the Sport model and reverse parking sensors are fitted. It's in popular white and is a coupe hatch styled car so looks the part, it has all the usual ABS, EPS, alarm & immobiliser, central locking, bluetooth phone integration including audio streaming, iPod input, so not a bad spec. The build quality is really impressive and the main dealers are very good.

It looks great and is still as new (not a dink or a scratch on it) with just 8.5k miles on the clock and over 6 years of transferable warranty. I paid almost £12.5k for it which was a lot less than a new Focus of the same spec. I'd be happy to keep it long term if I could use it daily but....

I have subsequently been made redundant (so has my wife). I bought a new Vivaro van to use for a new business venture but the Pro Cee'd just sits in the garage at home unused as I go everywhere in the van now.

If I trade the car in I'll lose about £4.5k (in 9 months). But would it make sense for me to buy something fun that holds it value better for weekend use rather than having a regular hatchback sitting there depreciating and worth next to bugger all in 3 years time?

I could get a circa 2004 Cooper or Cooper S and have about £3k in cash to pop back into my account.

What would you do?

[Kentish]

kambites said:

Why have a car at all, if you use the van for everything?

I sometimes won't want to use the Van (short trips to the nursery and such like).

It would also be nice to have something that is fun to hop out to the shops in sometimes.

[Kentish]

fathomfive said:

Do you need the extra seats of the Mini? I know it's an age old response but how about a (relatively) cheap MX-5 and more pounds in the bank, if it is only for weekend fun?

I'm up for that but

I need a rear seat for our 5 week old occasionally.

[Kentish]

kambites said:

I certainly wouldn't spend as much as a MINI woudl cost, anyway. You can get a perfectly good, fun car for about a grand. Something like a 306 or a mk1 Focus would probably fit the bill.

Uhhm, I see what you mean but I'd like something that's a bit of fun too.

If that wasn't important, I'd probably go for a sensible Passat I've seen. Cheap enough and great to drive.

[Kentish]

I've seen a great value 407 top of the range diesel with low miles, goes like stink too. Nice car but my heart says why buy something as sensible and economical for infrequent use.

[Kentish]

Liquid Knight said:

How about a van with a crew cab'?

That way when you do the nursary/school run you get to advertise as well.


Best of luck with the new venture.

Thanks LN.

I already have the van now plus I need the space but had I needed less space the crew cab would have been a good idea

[Kentish]

Davey S2 said:

How can you have been made redundant when you are the 'Owner of Maintenance Solutions Co'?

That's the new business.

I can confirm I have not made myself redundant

[Kentish]

Rude-boy said:

Bucking the trend here but I say keep the C’eed.

You know where it’s been, you know that the servicing should cost you 4 beans and a can of Tango. You have a full warranty for many years. Sure it will not set the World on fire but iirc it’s bought and paid for and your situation and that of your wife will almost certainly be different in 12 months and you or she might need to use the car daily again.
You’ve lost the worst hit and if you keep it for another 6 years you are likely to lose about £1k per year. How much will you drop on another car in that time?

Sure you might be missing out on some fun wheels in the meantime but then again you could sell the C’eed in another year, or two, or three when money is more available.

All good points.

I think it's because I know how much it will drop in the first 2 years and that during that time it will perhaps be used a few times in a month that I feel I could replace it with something more fun and have some cash too.