Most cost effective way 30,000 mile a year diesel estate

[egoold]

My mileage has now gone up to 30,000 miles a year so I am going to give my golf r estate to my wife to run for the next year and I am going to go for a diesel estate

Have a few different ways I could finance or do it but just trying to work out the most cost effective. And which car will loose least over 30,000 miles a year

Budget wise for the car I was thinking about £15k for the car.

Option 1
Buy a newish skoda Octavia or superb estate and keep for 2 or 3 years and take it from say 10,000 to 60,000 miles after 2 years and sell

Option 2
Buy something like a BMW 3 series 3-4 years old with 40,000 miles and take to 100,000 miles

Option 3

Buy something older like Mercedes e class 5-6 years old with say 50,000 miles BUT change after a year when it would be up to say 80,000 miles and repeat every year

Which would cost least in depreciation?

[kiethton]

I'd be inclined to get something that's 3-4 years old (option 2), maintain it properly but then run it until it dies. Nothing wrong with high miles, as long as the car is looked after properly.

Selling a car, especially annually, is a massive ball-ache and likewise buying a 6 year old diesel, low mileage premium estate annually is a world of potential pain - people don't often sell unless there is a problem on its way/low miles diesel estates aren't that common and are potentially clocked.

[BoRED S2upid]

Don't change it run it until it dies then replace so option 2 and a good independent for regular servicing.

[Liggle]

I do slightly less miles than you (25k) and have tried a few different options over the years commuting. By far the most cost effective way is an older car at the bottom of its depreciation curve like option 3.

The only issue with this is throw in a big bill or two over the next 60k and the running costs aren't a lot lower than the newer car thats under warranty. If you choose wisely, option 3 would be the way to go.

I currently lease an Octavia vRS Tdi and despite paying the excess mileage its going to work out at ~35ppm which is only 6ppm more than the old MK3 Mondeo I used a couple of years ago. The peace of mind with being self employed is worth the premium for me personally.

[egoold]

Thanks for replies so for, the one other option I didn't ask was leasing something like a skoda Octavia VRS DSG and , however by my calaculations and even allow for a discount on excess mileage from VWFS I recon it would cost £8650 over 2 years and 60,000 miles, or £4325 a year.

Trying to work out if something like this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Would cost as much And loose as much as £4325 a year to own?

[wemorgan]

That BMW would be cheaper, but by how much, and how much is the peace of mind of a new car worth to you?

[CYMR0]

Suspect Option 1, but keeping beyond 60k miles, perhaps to 100k, would be more cost-effective. The difference between the cheapest Octavia S estates on AutoTrader at four years (116k) and three years (75k) is only about a grand.

Considering that you can get a 2016 for only £5/6k more with 60/100k miles less, both seem as though they've held their value well.

[ZX10R NIN]

To be honest I'd buy a low mileage car & run it until it drops the only thing that would be a must is an auto box any of the cars below tick the boxes & all are decent steers.

Mazda6 Sport/SE-L

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Mondeo Titanium X/Sport

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Passat Highline

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

V60 D5 Lux

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

A4 S Line

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

BMW 320d M Sport

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Insignia Elite (these represent great VFM right now)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Skoda vRS

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[steve-5snwi]

I would be going used, something like a mondeo and running it until it dies or looking at a kia, hyundai or toyota that have good warranties. Or find the last of the renualy lagunas. £3000 with get you something around 5 years old.

[MorganP104]

Whenever my annual mileage has gone through the roof, I've gone out and bought myself a high-mileage DERV wagon, which will have done most of its depreciation (thanks to used buyers' aversion to miles).

For me, piling miles on a low-mileage car makes me wince. I'd much rather stick a load of miles on a car that's already a high-miler.

When buying such a vehicle, the usual caveats apply, plus a few more; Satisfy yourself the majority of the miles covered have been done on the motorway network, that it's only had a few owners (not the world and his dog driving it), that the car has a full service history (no gaps bigger than 10k miles, for example), and that the major bork items have been done.

So, in answer to your question, I'd be erring toward option 3, with the proviso I'd be running the vehicle into the ground - once a car's done more than 200k miles, it's worth naff all anyway.

[A900ss]

MorganP104 said:

So, in answer to your question, I'd be erring toward option 3, with the proviso I'd be running the vehicle into the ground - once a car's done more than 200k miles, it's worth naff all anyway.

^^^^^^^this person talks sense^^^^^^^

And a facelift auto W211 is a fairly nice place to spend the miles and still have a fair bit of change or a W212 but slightly less reliable.

Good luck.

[markirl]

This doesn't answer the most cost effective way of doing 30k miles in a diesel estate as that's probably an old Peugeot 406/Mondeo or something but looking at your list I think you're looking for a premium solution.
My recommendation would be to buy a nice 3 series estate with FSH & less than 60k miles and stick a monthly BMW mondial warranty on it (£52/month with £100 excess). You'll have piece of mind and it stays valid as long as you own it and continue to pay it. Drive it forever with minimal risk - they'll do big miles and the comprehensive warranty gives good piece of mind.

I'd personally go for the 3.0d as it's a much nicer engine and easier to find a high spec car. Warranty costs are the same.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

You can always get something nice with less than 100k but warranty costs £40 more per month.

Edited by markirl on Wednesday 16th August 21:21