Any use buying a banger to lower miler on a newer car?
Discussion
Got a 16 plate car that I use for business. It's on a HP but the miles are clocking up as I'm using it quite a lot outside of business use. I do 200 miles of urban business miles a week and about 200 going various places.
That's a fair amount of miles on a newish car and I'm wondering if I could spend £2kish on a banger to clock the miles on that. Does it remotely make sense?
That's a fair amount of miles on a newish car and I'm wondering if I could spend £2kish on a banger to clock the miles on that. Does it remotely make sense?
Plenty of cars out there to wack the miles onto without pulling your pants down with depreciation.
Some people say think simplicity, less to go wrong the better. A good choice may be something petrol and Japanese.
Others say go big or go home, get a big powerful barge, talking German or Volvo.
What ever you get, understand there will be some issues, there will be maintenance required, but long term its going to be a lot cheaper.
Some people say think simplicity, less to go wrong the better. A good choice may be something petrol and Japanese.
Others say go big or go home, get a big powerful barge, talking German or Volvo.
What ever you get, understand there will be some issues, there will be maintenance required, but long term its going to be a lot cheaper.
Leicesterdave said:
I do 200 miles of urban business miles a week and about 200 going various places.
That's a fair amount of miles on a newish car...
Not really. 400/week is 20k/year. That's all.That's a fair amount of miles on a newish car...
This is a finance mileage limit thing, isn't it? How many are you likely to be over, how much per mile?
Is the car you are trying to keep the miles off a keeper? Something that's a bit special, rare and warrants keeping low mileage then yes a banger is ideal. Rack up the miles on something that it makes no difference too. Well, it's what I've done and still do now.
If the main car is a regular runabout, something you'll get shot of in a few years and is mainly a workhorse, then I wouldn't bother. Not to save money at least.
If the main car is a regular runabout, something you'll get shot of in a few years and is mainly a workhorse, then I wouldn't bother. Not to save money at least.
What’s the point of buying a car that you’re scared to use? If you’re shelling out a lot then driving an old s
theap round anyway something’s wrong somewhere. Either drive your nice new car round and don’t worry about mileage as that’s why you have it, to use, or get rid and buy something cheap. I wouldn’t be paying out lots and still suffering a banger as well.
That’s my tuppence worth.
theap round anyway something’s wrong somewhere. Either drive your nice new car round and don’t worry about mileage as that’s why you have it, to use, or get rid and buy something cheap. I wouldn’t be paying out lots and still suffering a banger as well. That’s my tuppence worth.
I think you need to use some man-maths! If you want a 2nd car, you need to add some more reasons (excuses).
Life is much to short and precious to waste, so do not buy a budget wreck that is a nasty place to be or an energy-sapping irritation. A 2nd car should not replace your newish/nice depreciating car, so it ought to be one that you would not use for all the same activities, but must add something to your life.
Something fun and disposable that you can use on track days without worrying about possible damage and the consequences of track time mechanical wear.
Maybe a 2 seater sports car (convertible?) that cannot do all of the things that your daily driver now does?
Perhaps something with a totally different driving experience - tall 4x4?
A shed so cheap, or so economical, that you enjoy the feeling.
A classic that might appreciate rather than depreciate - maybe a pre 1978 so that it's tax and MOT exempt from May this year?
I have 3 road legal vehicles for different purposes - my daily driver is a BMW 130i - not a particularly expensive car, but nice enough to take anywhere and a rewarding driving experience. A 23 year old diesel Toyota 4x4 for towing, horse/dog activities and anything else that's dirty or smelly (and for snowy days when the BMW could never escape the village) and the tiniest, bike-engined road/track car - because it's hilarious!
My wife parked and sorned her 3l Subaru because the £500 tax and 23mpg was starting to offend her. She asked for an economy shed to commute to and from the stable yard. So, I bought a dented (CAT D) 2007 Fiat Panda. It's been utterly reliable for the last 8000 miles, returns 55mpg, with old winter tyres it's great in the snow and ice, it is warm and dry and so ugly and unappealing that it doesn't matter that it's revoltingly filthy & stinks of horses. It really cannot depreciate from salvage value! I have a growing respect for it, so I changed the oil and filters the other day...and I even pressure wahsed it!
Life is much to short and precious to waste, so do not buy a budget wreck that is a nasty place to be or an energy-sapping irritation. A 2nd car should not replace your newish/nice depreciating car, so it ought to be one that you would not use for all the same activities, but must add something to your life.
Something fun and disposable that you can use on track days without worrying about possible damage and the consequences of track time mechanical wear.
Maybe a 2 seater sports car (convertible?) that cannot do all of the things that your daily driver now does?
Perhaps something with a totally different driving experience - tall 4x4?
A shed so cheap, or so economical, that you enjoy the feeling.
A classic that might appreciate rather than depreciate - maybe a pre 1978 so that it's tax and MOT exempt from May this year?
I have 3 road legal vehicles for different purposes - my daily driver is a BMW 130i - not a particularly expensive car, but nice enough to take anywhere and a rewarding driving experience. A 23 year old diesel Toyota 4x4 for towing, horse/dog activities and anything else that's dirty or smelly (and for snowy days when the BMW could never escape the village) and the tiniest, bike-engined road/track car - because it's hilarious!
My wife parked and sorned her 3l Subaru because the £500 tax and 23mpg was starting to offend her. She asked for an economy shed to commute to and from the stable yard. So, I bought a dented (CAT D) 2007 Fiat Panda. It's been utterly reliable for the last 8000 miles, returns 55mpg, with old winter tyres it's great in the snow and ice, it is warm and dry and so ugly and unappealing that it doesn't matter that it's revoltingly filthy & stinks of horses. It really cannot depreciate from salvage value! I have a growing respect for it, so I changed the oil and filters the other day...and I even pressure wahsed it!
Leicesterdave said:
Got a 16 plate car that I use for business. It's on a HP but the miles are clocking up as I'm using it quite a lot outside of business use. I do 200 miles of urban business miles a week and about 200 going various places.
That's a fair amount of miles on a newish car and I'm wondering if I could spend £2kish on a banger to clock the miles on that. Does it remotely make sense?
Unlikely to make financial sense, the cost of maintaining, servicing, MOTing and taxing a second car will probably eclipse the cost of the extra depreciation on your main car so unless you're up against some pretty severe excess mileage fees it probably doesn't stack up.That's a fair amount of miles on a newish car and I'm wondering if I could spend £2kish on a banger to clock the miles on that. Does it remotely make sense?
It's always a false economy assuming the decision is purely financial and presuming the car you use for business is a boring diesel barge. The savings will be minimal and you will be in an old shed for much of your driving instead of a new car.
If you apply some man maths and pick a fun and interesting older car then it could start to make more sense. By getting something more enjoyable to drive than your corporate barge like an MR2 Roadster, MX5 or similar you are actually improving your overall driving experience at zero or possibly negative cost.
If you apply some man maths and pick a fun and interesting older car then it could start to make more sense. By getting something more enjoyable to drive than your corporate barge like an MR2 Roadster, MX5 or similar you are actually improving your overall driving experience at zero or possibly negative cost.
A £2k can be a perfectly reasonable daily hack. I have one.
What car to get depends entirely on what you want and what it needs to do. I tend to work on the MO that I want my cars to be different. So if your decent car can handle most duties OK - seems a fair assumption given it is already doing so. I would the consider something vaguely left field.
For example a mk3 MR2 is cheap to buy, has fair MPG and should be reliable. Has downsides on the NVH and storage front which might rule it out though.
On a more sensible front Civic Type Rs might be possible at this price point (not sure) if they are all dogs then the Celica with the VVTL engine (190bhp odd) would be more practical than the MR2 whilst still keeping the reliability side of things. Maybe a Renaultsport Clio. I've always like the look of the Ford ST170s. And of course there's always the MX5.
Beyond that you've got various bargy things if that floats your boat. Say a 330i or 530i. Perhaps a CLK320. For those who value build and girth then the Lexus GS or LS are a lot of car for the money. If sir is feeling a little braver and in need of some true British luxury perhaps an XJ or S-Type. Of course fuel costs may exclude these...
What car to get depends entirely on what you want and what it needs to do. I tend to work on the MO that I want my cars to be different. So if your decent car can handle most duties OK - seems a fair assumption given it is already doing so. I would the consider something vaguely left field.
For example a mk3 MR2 is cheap to buy, has fair MPG and should be reliable. Has downsides on the NVH and storage front which might rule it out though.
On a more sensible front Civic Type Rs might be possible at this price point (not sure) if they are all dogs then the Celica with the VVTL engine (190bhp odd) would be more practical than the MR2 whilst still keeping the reliability side of things. Maybe a Renaultsport Clio. I've always like the look of the Ford ST170s. And of course there's always the MX5.
Beyond that you've got various bargy things if that floats your boat. Say a 330i or 530i. Perhaps a CLK320. For those who value build and girth then the Lexus GS or LS are a lot of car for the money. If sir is feeling a little braver and in need of some true British luxury perhaps an XJ or S-Type. Of course fuel costs may exclude these...
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