For the price of a new family hatchback...
Discussion
Having lived and worked in some other countries and had to put up with high used prices and a lack of choice, one thing that I love about the UK car market is the wealth of choice and that you can buy some very good cars for not much money. So for 20k, or in other words, the price of a fairly average new family hatchback, you could buy a whole fleet of 3+ cars to cover all the bases. Assuming that room to park extra vehicles isn't an issue then, what would your household vehicle fleet look like for a 20k cash budget?
Mine would probably look something like this. I've been thinking for a while that a 3 car solution would be a better one for us than our current 2 car solution (full-size MPV and a MINI Cooper). My wife uses the MPV for the school run, running errands in town and to do the weekly shop. The size is really useful sometimes for taking stuff to the tip, picking up building materials etc, holidays and when parents visit from overseas (7 seats) but the rest of the time, it's a big old bus, not the best on fuel and not that easy to park in town. 90% of the time, a small hatchback would be perfectly ample for her.
1) If it was my car, I would be tempted by an Imperial Blue Mondeo ST220 hatch for around 4k but as it's for the Mrs, she doesn't like Fords and would prefer something a bit smaller, so I would go with a mk5 Golf GTi. I had a couple of these as company cars back in the day and loved them. Great all-rounders and this one's manual, has the 18 inch wheels, hopefully has the tartan seats and isn't black, which 90% of them seem to be!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
2) For when we need the space/practicality/seats and I need to get to work in a blizzard, as I live in a hilly part of the country, I've always fancied an older Discovery and this TD5 model with the auto box would do very nicely.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
3) I have a fairly lengthy commute, so need something economical but preferably not diesel and ideally something that isn't boring and is a little bit different. I'm a little sceptical of hybrids/EVs but whether I like it or not, they are the future, so perhaps I need to embrace them now and having always wanted an 80s CRX, I find these quite intriguing. Maybe it's not quick enough or too impractical to be that slow but it should be reliable, somewhat fun and economical.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
4) I could probably stop there but I have around 4k left and do miss having a convertible, so maybe for those sunny commutes? A 4k Boxster would probably be a bit of a disaster but I've always thought the original SLK to be a very good-looking and classy little car. It's no sports car to drive but perfectly acceptable and with a V6, this one should at least go pretty well and sound pretty nice!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
So with 20k cash to spend on your household fleet, which vehicles would make the cut for you?
Mine would probably look something like this. I've been thinking for a while that a 3 car solution would be a better one for us than our current 2 car solution (full-size MPV and a MINI Cooper). My wife uses the MPV for the school run, running errands in town and to do the weekly shop. The size is really useful sometimes for taking stuff to the tip, picking up building materials etc, holidays and when parents visit from overseas (7 seats) but the rest of the time, it's a big old bus, not the best on fuel and not that easy to park in town. 90% of the time, a small hatchback would be perfectly ample for her.
1) If it was my car, I would be tempted by an Imperial Blue Mondeo ST220 hatch for around 4k but as it's for the Mrs, she doesn't like Fords and would prefer something a bit smaller, so I would go with a mk5 Golf GTi. I had a couple of these as company cars back in the day and loved them. Great all-rounders and this one's manual, has the 18 inch wheels, hopefully has the tartan seats and isn't black, which 90% of them seem to be!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
2) For when we need the space/practicality/seats and I need to get to work in a blizzard, as I live in a hilly part of the country, I've always fancied an older Discovery and this TD5 model with the auto box would do very nicely.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
3) I have a fairly lengthy commute, so need something economical but preferably not diesel and ideally something that isn't boring and is a little bit different. I'm a little sceptical of hybrids/EVs but whether I like it or not, they are the future, so perhaps I need to embrace them now and having always wanted an 80s CRX, I find these quite intriguing. Maybe it's not quick enough or too impractical to be that slow but it should be reliable, somewhat fun and economical.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
4) I could probably stop there but I have around 4k left and do miss having a convertible, so maybe for those sunny commutes? A 4k Boxster would probably be a bit of a disaster but I've always thought the original SLK to be a very good-looking and classy little car. It's no sports car to drive but perfectly acceptable and with a V6, this one should at least go pretty well and sound pretty nice!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
So with 20k cash to spend on your household fleet, which vehicles would make the cut for you?
kambites said:
Our two cars (a mk2 Octavia VRS and an S2 Elise) cost about £20k combined. They're still worth not far off £20k combined ~10 years later. 
That's impressive...and the Elise is being daily driven too? Elise must have gone up in value then or are mk2 vRSs becoming sought after classics? 
We’ve done it too. Ignoring Mrs Marsred’s car I have an e46 330ci (daily), camper converted T4 (family duties and camping) and a TVR S2 (weekends).
All low miles and no maintenance problems (so far!). Not familiar with this depreciation thing? Less than 20k for the three.
Works well for me.
All low miles and no maintenance problems (so far!). Not familiar with this depreciation thing? Less than 20k for the three.
Works well for me.
Currently (and in true PH fashion I’ll change my mind next week) my £20k garage would look like this:
£8k E38 BMW 750il for trips.
£8k 2007ish low mileage CLK 350 Sport cabriolet for the summer.
£4k Jaguar X Type 3.0 AWD estate Sport- I don’t know, I really like them! I actually think this one would get driven the most!
£8k E38 BMW 750il for trips.
£8k 2007ish low mileage CLK 350 Sport cabriolet for the summer.
£4k Jaguar X Type 3.0 AWD estate Sport- I don’t know, I really like them! I actually think this one would get driven the most!
+1 on the thread - Gonna enjoy reading this one whilst I'm 'working' at my desk later!
- £12k (good haggler) Elise - weekend country roading
- £1.5k (black with black windows and chrome
) Mitsubishi Shogun Sport - Load carrier, tip runs and a good chuckle
- £6.5k (good haggling) Abarth - daily for the commute and shopping
Off the top of my head
- £12k (good haggler) Elise - weekend country roading
- £1.5k (black with black windows and chrome
) Mitsubishi Shogun Sport - Load carrier, tip runs and a good chuckle- £6.5k (good haggling) Abarth - daily for the commute and shopping
Off the top of my head
Currently own;
£6k Audi S4 Cabrio for top down posing (and the V8 noise)
£?k Volvo XC90 for family duties (about to depart us for the pearly scrappage gates) but £14k would see you own a <50k MY10/MY11 XC90.
or for a 3 car garage;
£6k Audi S4 Cab
£9k Volvo XC90
£5k Audi A3
£6k Audi S4 Cabrio for top down posing (and the V8 noise)
£?k Volvo XC90 for family duties (about to depart us for the pearly scrappage gates) but £14k would see you own a <50k MY10/MY11 XC90.
or for a 3 car garage;
£6k Audi S4 Cab
£9k Volvo XC90
£5k Audi A3
Edited by _Mac_ on Friday 14th September 13:58
white_goodman said:
Prinny said:
I’ve got 2/3 already...
760il for travelling (10k)
500SL for sunny days (4.5k)
I’d most likely spend the remaining £5k on a v70 for everything else. (Had one before, would buy another).
That sounds like a nice mix. Running costs not too painful? 760il for travelling (10k)
500SL for sunny days (4.5k)
I’d most likely spend the remaining £5k on a v70 for everything else. (Had one before, would buy another).
Since Buying:
760: (Dec 16)
£800 for plugs/sensor misfire (plugs were due at 80k, so ‘perfect’ timing.
£1000 for set of tyres (summer)
£1000 for set of tyres (winter)
£300 winter wheels
£300ish paint when some low-life keyed it
£200 wheel refurb
£350 gearbox flush
£600ish insurance
£600ish tax
£100 MOT
£not added it up fuel, but around 14mpg average, around 5k total miles, so £2300 @£1.4/l
£1300 logic7 amplifier
Call it £8800 for 5k miles not including purchase/depreciation.
The SL has really only driven to the body shop & the garage - probably less than 500 miles, but I’ll probably spend the purchase price again getting it right.
The M6 is spendy too, £480 for brakes (rear), £1300ish for a windscreen (self inflicted too). £900 for a set of summer tyres, £900 for a set of winters. Probably done 3k miles this year.
It’s not cheap motoring when you add it all up!
(but it’s so, so worth it, every journey is an event).pb8g09 said:
+1 on the thread - Gonna enjoy reading this one whilst I'm 'working' at my desk later!
- £12k (good haggler) Elise - weekend country roading
- £1.5k (black with black windows and chrome) Mitsubishi Shogun Sport - Load carrier, tip runs and a good chuckle
- £6.5k (good haggling) Abarth - daily for the commute and shopping
Off the top of my head
Haha, nice mix. I'm kind of between a black Shogun Sport with a trim level named after a contraceptive manufacturer or a Discovery too. Shogun Sport would likely be cheaper to purchase and more reliable, if a bit less refined.- £12k (good haggler) Elise - weekend country roading
- £1.5k (black with black windows and chrome
) Mitsubishi Shogun Sport - Load carrier, tip runs and a good chuckle- £6.5k (good haggling) Abarth - daily for the commute and shopping
Off the top of my head
Prinny said:
Well, depends how you measure it... Work has been very busy the last 6 months, so I’ve not updated the RR threads (I’ve a v10 M6 as well). In terms of actual things going wrong, nothing much, but I do like my cars to be in tip-top condition, so I’ve spent when needed.
Since Buying:
760: (Dec 16)
£800 for plugs/sensor misfire (plugs were due at 80k, so ‘perfect’ timing.
£1000 for set of tyres (summer)
£1000 for set of tyres (winter)
£300 winter wheels
£300ish paint when some low-life keyed it
£200 wheel refurb
£350 gearbox flush
£600ish insurance
£600ish tax
£100 MOT
£not added it up fuel, but around 14mpg average, around 5k total miles, so £2300 @£1.4/l
£1300 logic7 amplifier
Call it £8800 for 5k miles not including purchase/depreciation.
The SL has really only driven to the body shop & the garage - probably less than 500 miles, but I’ll probably spend the purchase price again getting it right.
The M6 is spendy too, £480 for brakes (rear), £1300ish for a windscreen (self inflicted too). £900 for a set of summer tyres, £900 for a set of winters. Probably done 3k miles this year.
It’s not cheap motoring when you add it all up! (but it’s so, so worth it, every journey is an event).
Thanks for the breakdown. That's quite a spend but vs. depreciation on the new equivalents there may be some merit...Since Buying:
760: (Dec 16)
£800 for plugs/sensor misfire (plugs were due at 80k, so ‘perfect’ timing.
£1000 for set of tyres (summer)
£1000 for set of tyres (winter)
£300 winter wheels
£300ish paint when some low-life keyed it
£200 wheel refurb
£350 gearbox flush
£600ish insurance
£600ish tax
£100 MOT
£not added it up fuel, but around 14mpg average, around 5k total miles, so £2300 @£1.4/l
£1300 logic7 amplifier
Call it £8800 for 5k miles not including purchase/depreciation.
The SL has really only driven to the body shop & the garage - probably less than 500 miles, but I’ll probably spend the purchase price again getting it right.
The M6 is spendy too, £480 for brakes (rear), £1300ish for a windscreen (self inflicted too). £900 for a set of summer tyres, £900 for a set of winters. Probably done 3k miles this year.
It’s not cheap motoring when you add it all up!
(but it’s so, so worth it, every journey is an event).Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff