What small city car?
Discussion
First time poster, so apologies if this has been asked numerous times.
I currently commute about 8 miles per day, plus usual weekend trips to the shop, football / rugby / swimming for the young lad, and about once a week 15 miles through the Blackwall tunnel to Stratford during rush hour and back that evening.
Current car is a 1.6 Mk3 Focus, and it's just not economical enough - I'm doing 3 fills every 2 months. Traffic in my area is crap so this can be more when they've dug ip the road for the millionth time. Also have use of second family car for longer motorway runs.
Possibly new / PCP / lease (not decided) but max budget about £150 per month.
City cars like the Up and Mii are probably a bit too small for me physically, but I haven't discounted them. Was definitely interested in electric but way too expensive.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
I currently commute about 8 miles per day, plus usual weekend trips to the shop, football / rugby / swimming for the young lad, and about once a week 15 miles through the Blackwall tunnel to Stratford during rush hour and back that evening.
Current car is a 1.6 Mk3 Focus, and it's just not economical enough - I'm doing 3 fills every 2 months. Traffic in my area is crap so this can be more when they've dug ip the road for the millionth time. Also have use of second family car for longer motorway runs.
Possibly new / PCP / lease (not decided) but max budget about £150 per month.
City cars like the Up and Mii are probably a bit too small for me physically, but I haven't discounted them. Was definitely interested in electric but way too expensive.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
It doesn't seem like you're getting through an unreasonable amount of fuel for the type of city driving you're doing?
£80 a month on petrol isn't anything to boast about, but with your type of driving I can't see you getting too much better than that for the amount of extra money you're going to pay on a new car? (assuming your Focus owes you nothing?)
Maybe I'm missing something?
£80 a month on petrol isn't anything to boast about, but with your type of driving I can't see you getting too much better than that for the amount of extra money you're going to pay on a new car? (assuming your Focus owes you nothing?)
Maybe I'm missing something?
I have a Toyota iQ which is considered very economical.
However i fill up once a week, so by your logic its not economical.
I guess what im trying to say is that frequency of filling is irrelevant. You may have a small tank or you may do many miles.
Mpg is what matters.
I wouldnt go changing car for financial reasons unless it does less than 35 mpg. Your cost savings even moving to something like a hybrid will be minimal compared to the depreciation/monthlies.
However i fill up once a week, so by your logic its not economical.
I guess what im trying to say is that frequency of filling is irrelevant. You may have a small tank or you may do many miles.
Mpg is what matters.
I wouldnt go changing car for financial reasons unless it does less than 35 mpg. Your cost savings even moving to something like a hybrid will be minimal compared to the depreciation/monthlies.
Edited by Benbay001 on Tuesday 23 October 09:43
pb8g09 said:
It doesn't seem like you're getting through an unreasonable amount of fuel for the type of city driving you're doing?
£80 a month on petrol isn't anything to boast about, but with your type of driving I can't see you getting too much better than that for the amount of extra money you're going to pay on a new car? (assuming your Focus owes you nothing?)
Maybe I'm missing something?
Seems sensible to me.£80 a month on petrol isn't anything to boast about, but with your type of driving I can't see you getting too much better than that for the amount of extra money you're going to pay on a new car? (assuming your Focus owes you nothing?)
Maybe I'm missing something?
OP could you use public transport?
& at what cost?
I suppose my reason for looking at a new car is my currently 11 plate is starting to cost a few quid per year to run. In the last year I've replaced 2 shocks, 4 tyres, other odds and sods - the bones of £1k on top of the petrol cost.
Further, and maybe I'm being unreasonable, but to me spending £80 - £100 a month on petrol is a lot given the small commuting distance.
Further, and maybe I'm being unreasonable, but to me spending £80 - £100 a month on petrol is a lot given the small commuting distance.
Shaw Tarse said:
Seems sensible to me.
OP could you use public transport?
& at what cost?
No I need to drop the small fella at school. Because of the bus routes, public transport would mean turning a 15 minute drive into 30 - 40 minutes and possibly longer on the bus. OP could you use public transport?
& at what cost?
Crash protection is important but not the be all.
Lets say you spend £100 a month on fuel, I suspect a city car will save you £20/£30 a month maximum in fuel which will cost you £150 a month to save. If you are going to lease a car you are also probably going to have to put 3 or 6 months payments down upfront plus the document fee so this could be anywhere from £600 to £1000 upfront to save £20 a month. Doesn't make much sense to me.
Also I suspect if you are used to the size of a Focus then a smaller car will annoy you very quickly.
Are you just excited at the thought of a new car and are just trying to use man maths to justify it?
Forget about the cost of the tyres, you have them now and that is something you won't have to spend out on for a few years.
Also I suspect if you are used to the size of a Focus then a smaller car will annoy you very quickly.
Are you just excited at the thought of a new car and are just trying to use man maths to justify it?
Forget about the cost of the tyres, you have them now and that is something you won't have to spend out on for a few years.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 23 October 12:11
Joey Deacon said:
Lets say you spend £100 a month on fuel, I suspect a city car will save you £20/£30 a month maximum in fuel which will cost you £150 a month to save. If you are going to lease a car you are also probably going to have to put 3 or 6 months payments down upfront plus the document fee so this could be anywhere from £600 to £1000 upfront to save £20 a month. Doesn't make much sense to me.
Also I suspect if you are used to the size of a Focus then a smaller car will annoy you very quickly.
Are you just excited at the thought of a new car and are just trying to use man maths to justify it?
Forget about the cost of the tyres, you have them now and that is something you won't have to spend out on for a few years.
+1 Also I suspect if you are used to the size of a Focus then a smaller car will annoy you very quickly.
Are you just excited at the thought of a new car and are just trying to use man maths to justify it?
Forget about the cost of the tyres, you have them now and that is something you won't have to spend out on for a few years.
Edited by Joey Deacon on Tuesday 23 October 12:11
This.
You don't have to explain yourself to anybody, if you want a new car then crack on and don't let us stop you. It just seems your applied man maths to justify it doesn't make sense that's all.
If you just want a new car, no shame in that IMO, then just say it :-)
I would go for a new Fezza.
My parents are on their 2nd after owning larger cars (to tow a caravan) and absolutely love it.
I've been in and also driven it and it's a very nice car, well equipped and seems to have loads of space inside.
You could trade in the Focus against a new Fiesta on PCP.
They are doing really low APR deals at the moment.
https://www.trustford.co.uk/hot-offers/new-car-off...
I would go for a new Fezza.
My parents are on their 2nd after owning larger cars (to tow a caravan) and absolutely love it.
I've been in and also driven it and it's a very nice car, well equipped and seems to have loads of space inside.
You could trade in the Focus against a new Fiesta on PCP.
They are doing really low APR deals at the moment.
https://www.trustford.co.uk/hot-offers/new-car-off...
It rarely is going to save you money to buy a new car. The maintenance on your current car would need to very high. There is more to motoring costs than fuel, it's just the most obvious one day to day.
What you should do is get yourself an Excel spreadsheet set up to actually calculate the costs over say 3 years (or the lease term), you may be surprised.
Use calculations based on:
Initial costs
Fuel
Tax
Insurance
Servicing
Monthly payments
Some of these will obviously need to be estimated on your best guess.
To work out your fuel costs per year you can use this formula:
=(Miles per year/MPG)*(Cost of Petrol*4.54609 to convert litres to gallons)
So 10,000 miles per year @ 35 MPG and petrol costing £1.30 = £1,688.55 or £140/month
Bear in mind considering non-financial benefits should also be in the equation IMO. If you just want a new car, that shouldn't just be discounted
Deciding how much that is 'worth' is a much more difficult question.
Also don't forget at the end of lease contract you have nothing to show for it. You've either got to take out another lease, or you're back to square one.
What you should do is get yourself an Excel spreadsheet set up to actually calculate the costs over say 3 years (or the lease term), you may be surprised.
Use calculations based on:
Initial costs
Fuel
Tax
Insurance
Servicing
Monthly payments
Some of these will obviously need to be estimated on your best guess.
To work out your fuel costs per year you can use this formula:
=(Miles per year/MPG)*(Cost of Petrol*4.54609 to convert litres to gallons)
So 10,000 miles per year @ 35 MPG and petrol costing £1.30 = £1,688.55 or £140/month
Bear in mind considering non-financial benefits should also be in the equation IMO. If you just want a new car, that shouldn't just be discounted
Deciding how much that is 'worth' is a much more difficult question.Also don't forget at the end of lease contract you have nothing to show for it. You've either got to take out another lease, or you're back to square one.
Cheers for the responses, much appreciated.
Yeah I suppose there is a bit of man maths there, but my overarching thing is the long term costs with the Focus. After the two shocks this year I'm just wary of that the older the car, the more likely something is to go wrong. I'm worried I'm going to burn out the clutch in the next year or two shifting from 1st to 2nd in city traffic (the Blackwall journey in particular is a nightmare).
Lease would probably be my preferred option - yes nothing to show for it at the end but I've fixed motoring costs for 2 / 3 years.
Yeah I suppose there is a bit of man maths there, but my overarching thing is the long term costs with the Focus. After the two shocks this year I'm just wary of that the older the car, the more likely something is to go wrong. I'm worried I'm going to burn out the clutch in the next year or two shifting from 1st to 2nd in city traffic (the Blackwall journey in particular is a nightmare).
Lease would probably be my preferred option - yes nothing to show for it at the end but I've fixed motoring costs for 2 / 3 years.
I wouldn't call a 1.6 petrol 2011 mk3 focus old or uneconomical, In my books yours would be a relatively new reliable and frugal car, but I suppose it all relative.
also cars do need bits replacing now and then, shocks and clutches especially tyres! are just wear and tear items. your car should go on for many years yet before it throws up something really serious/uneconomical to fix. in the long term its always going to be CHEAPER to keep the car you have. it just depends on your true motivation. if you want a newer car to avoid the inconvenience of regular repairs it might not work as even new cars can go wrong. better the devil you know I say.
also if you want ultimate reliability id always go Japanese.
however if you just fancy a change or like the look/feel of a new car then fine, but it will cost you more in the long run.
also cars do need bits replacing now and then, shocks and clutches especially tyres! are just wear and tear items. your car should go on for many years yet before it throws up something really serious/uneconomical to fix. in the long term its always going to be CHEAPER to keep the car you have. it just depends on your true motivation. if you want a newer car to avoid the inconvenience of regular repairs it might not work as even new cars can go wrong. better the devil you know I say.
also if you want ultimate reliability id always go Japanese.
however if you just fancy a change or like the look/feel of a new car then fine, but it will cost you more in the long run.
fitzy73 said:
I'm worried I'm going to burn out the clutch in the next year or two shifting from 1st to 2nd in city traffic (the Blackwall journey in particular is a nightmare).
There should be no clutch wear changing from 1st to 2nd if youre doing it correctly. A clutch wears almost solely as you slip the clutch to allow the engine speed to match the road speed.If you buy a new car then you've paid for someone to fit a clutch to that, so why not pay someone to fit it to your focus?
How much do you want to spend on buying a new car?
How much do you think you'll really save?
How long have you had the Focus?
You live in Greater London where there are potholes every hundred yards speed humps everywhere, you are going to wear components out more quickly than if you lived further out this bares true on a smaller city car that has less suspension travel.
Also you're only looking at your journey in terms of mileage but I know that journey can take over an hour just sitting in traffic which kills your fuel economy & even a car with stop start will be burning fuel.
Now changing the car for an auto makes sense as it makes your journey easier, but doing it for fuel economy reasons is a faux pas.
How much do you think you'll really save?
How long have you had the Focus?
You live in Greater London where there are potholes every hundred yards speed humps everywhere, you are going to wear components out more quickly than if you lived further out this bares true on a smaller city car that has less suspension travel.
Also you're only looking at your journey in terms of mileage but I know that journey can take over an hour just sitting in traffic which kills your fuel economy & even a car with stop start will be burning fuel.
Now changing the car for an auto makes sense as it makes your journey easier, but doing it for fuel economy reasons is a faux pas.
Speaking from personal experience, you could do worse than a Honda Jazz. I had a 11 plate EX manual, even if I drove it like I stole t it would return mpg in the low 40's it actually has more interior and boot space than your focus despite being a class smaller.
If you can get past the 'pensioners car' image. I did, and with the vtec engine at town speeds it would surprise a few people on its nippiness.
If you can get past the 'pensioners car' image. I did, and with the vtec engine at town speeds it would surprise a few people on its nippiness.
Hi, I do the Blackwall tunnel route daily aswell from Bexley. Just got myself a 182 Clio to use daily but can't tell you about my mpg yet. I did consider an UP gti which I test drove and nearly went for it. I'll advise you to check it out at your local dealers cause you'll be surprised at the amount of room it's got. I'm 6 foot and I sat comfortably in the back having set the front seat to a comfortable position. Only slight is that boot is small but do fold flat if I remember correctly and has a bottom storage area aswell. Mpg seems good from the reviews.
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