What would you buy for £300/MTH? - Page 1 - Car Buying

Esotericstuff

Original Poster

113 posts

137 months

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Tuesday 20th November 2018

This is probably my last opportunity before middle age to not worry about whether a pram will fit in the boot.

Got about 3k cash and/or/plus a comfortable £300/MTH ish towards some kind of finance, although still a bit reluctant to sign up to more personal debt.

- Whatever I buy will be parked on the street in a st area of North London, so common theft/vandalism/hate crime targets are probably uninsurable.
- Needs to be Auto because my missus has decided she hates clutches.
- It's our only car, so four seats and a boot would be useful.
- Economy be damned, filling it up is the least of my worries.
- I am also convinced that people will think I have a tiny c@ck if I bought a convertible. They would be wrong, but the stares no less hurtful.

What would you buy if you were me? Lease/Second hand, shed, luxobarge, pimp wagon? Tell me what and why?

Edited by Esotericstuff on Tuesday 20th November 20:32

davamer23

1,149 posts

175 months

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Tuesday 20th November 2018

If you’re convinced it’s gonna get damaged why would you go into debt or sign a lease? Just get something for 3k and use some of the £300 per month you would be spending to maintain it and use the rest to have a nice holiday. Your wife may not do clutches but I’m sure she’ll do some travelling?

HustleRussell

25,952 posts

181 months

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Tuesday 20th November 2018

Esotericstuff said:

I am also convinced that people will think I have a tiny c@ck if I bought a convertible. They would be wrong, but the stares no less hurtful.

O...K......

Esotericstuff

Original Poster

113 posts

137 months

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Tuesday 20th November 2018

davamer23 said:

If you’re convinced it’s gonna get damaged why would you go into debt or sign a lease? Just get something for 3k and use some of the £300 per month you would be spending to maintain it and use the rest to have a nice holiday. Your wife may not do clutches but I’m sure she’ll do some travelling?

I am pretty tempted by this idea, but I have always owned s

t cars, I just got a pretty decent payrise in my new job, so £300 still leaves enough for a couple of nice holidays each year.

95JO

1,934 posts

107 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

There's no way I'd leave any half decent car on the road, especially in London - Buy a shed and save some money to buy a nice toy which can be stored elsewhere, or the usual PH response of, move house.

Ryan_T

233 posts

126 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

Yeah the good value stuff for that monthly is exactly what gets nicked, especially in London. Golf R etc...

Esotericstuff

Original Poster

113 posts

137 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

95JO said:

There's no way I'd leave any half decent car on the road, especially in London - Buy a shed and save some money to buy a nice toy which can be stored elsewhere, or the usual PH response of, move house.

I love the area I live in, great friends nearby, amazing restaurants, but the post code is like a black mark to insurers. But I do own a 3 bed terrace vs. a poxy flat somewhere a bit posher.

The cars parked on my road vary from a Vauxhall Agila to a 65 plate 535i and occasionally the CLK65 black edition (that the local cash and carry owner pimps around in).

I've owned sheds all my life, but you're probably right. Cars + London are pretty mutually exclusive. So what kind of shed would you buy, if you were me?

ZX10R NIN

29,811 posts

146 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Wednesday 21st November 17:55

Esotericstuff

Original Poster

113 posts

137 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd get a loan & if you're not worried about fuel then I'd spend anything up to 12k (the worlds your oyster at this price point) & land yourself a very nice set of wheels with sensible miles & running costs.

Thank you for the list it's awesome! Do you know when the IS250 F Sport fell into the £290 tax bracket? The earlier ones are all £540 which I have an unnecessary aversion to.

The megane looks lovely and is a super quick car, but after owning 205's for years, I promised I'd never go near another French car.

I quite like the idea of the Cupra though, since it's a bit less obvious than a fast golf. Which would be your preference? I'm also going to test drive a 330i since my missus loves Beemers.

nunpuncher

3,609 posts

146 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

Esotericstuff said:

This is probably my last opportunity before middle age to not worry about whether a pram will fit in the boot...

- Needs to be Auto because my missus has decided she hates clutches.
- It's our only car, so four seats and a boot would be useful.

blah blah blah something about having a massive walloper.

Edited by Esotericstuff on Tuesday 20th November 20:32

I'm afraid you've already arrived at that point in your life.

Esotericstuff

Original Poster

113 posts

137 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

nunpuncher said:

I'm afraid you've already arrived at that point in your life.

Pretty much. Although if my career continues to proceed at this trajectory I am hoping to one day afford a mid life crisis.

ZX10R NIN

29,811 posts

146 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

Esotericstuff said:

Thank you for the list it's awesome! Do you know when the IS250 F Sport fell into the £290 tax bracket? The earlier ones are all £540 which I have an unnecessary aversion to.

The megane looks lovely and is a super quick car, but after owning 205's for years, I promised I'd never go near another French car.

I quite like the idea of the Cupra though, since it's a bit less obvious than a fast golf. Which would be your preference? I'm also going to test drive a 330i since my missus loves Beemers.

The IS250's are £290 unless it's a manual at which point they're £500 per year.

Of the hot hatches it would be the:

Megane (they're way more robust & reliable than they're given credit for)
2.5T Focus (these are a very good car the engines a peach plus a bit of Mountune fettling & you end up with a great car)
Seat (the least involving but they're no more reliable than the two above)

Of the rest it would probably be the:

S5 (it's a V8)
CLS 55 (the only reason I rate it second is the slightly higher running costs but it's an epic car)
Joint 3rd would be:
Insignia VXR (a properly underrated car but a very swift one with very sensible running costs)
C350 (Sport a properly stealthy swift set of wheels)
CC36/R36 (good cars but for me the Mercedes edges them imo but I wouldn't blame anyone for switching it.

The G37's are good cars very well made & a very safe leftfield option.

Two other worthy options are these, they're not light on tax but they're very swift & two very different ways of covering ground at a similar pace:

650i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Insignia VXR

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

JaredVannett

1,612 posts

164 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd get a loan & if you're not worried about fuel then I'd spend anything up to 12k (the worlds your oyster at this price point) & land yourself a very nice set of wheels with sensible miles & running costs.

Top man for posting all those suggestions! beer

Quick question... is the Megane RS good for daily duty?

I would expect it to be a bit rough with performance suspension, but then again french cars do road suspension well scratchchin

Edited by JaredVannett on Wednesday 21st November 19:41

ninjag

1,878 posts

140 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

Will the April 19 ULEZ effect your area or driving areas?

ZX10R NIN

29,811 posts

146 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

JaredVannett said:

Top man for posting all those suggestions! beer

Quick question... is the Megane RS good for daily duty?

I would expect it to be a bit rough with performance suspension, but then again french cars do road suspension well scratchchin

Edited by JaredVannett on Wednesday 21st November 19:41

In a word yes it'll be fine look for a Lux with the Cup Chassis & the bonus would be if you could find the former with the Recaro's fitted.

All the above will not be affected by the ULEZ.

Esotericstuff

Original Poster

113 posts

137 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

ninjag said:

Will the April 19 ULEZ effect your area or driving areas?

Yeah, I live just outside it, but my mum lives just inside. And I can't face it costing a tenner to pop round and visit her on a weekend.

ninjag

1,878 posts

140 months

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Wednesday 21st November 2018

Esotericstuff said:

Yeah, I live just outside it, but my mum lives just inside. And I can't face it costing a tenner to pop round and visit her on a weekend.

Just wondering if that still be the case after 25 Oct 2021 when it's expanded to the North and South Circular Roads? I also wouldn't put it past them to increase the requirements at the same time because their revenues will fall as people buy newer and more environmentally friendly cars, just like vehicle tax and bik tax. Not a problem if you plan to change the car in a few years though.

ZX10R NIN

29,811 posts

146 months

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Thursday 22nd November 2018

2021 will be the same standard as the central London ULEZ which means that all the above will be compliant.

ninjag

1,878 posts

140 months

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Thursday 22nd November 2018

ZX10R NIN said:

2021 will be the same standard as the central London ULEZ which means that all the above will be compliant.

There's no guarantee of this and I certainly wouldn't trust or rely on them. But we probably won't see any changes until Euro 7 for diesel comes out, although I did read it is going to focus on CO2, so petrol cars could end up being dragged into things.

ZX10R NIN

29,811 posts

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Thursday 22nd November 2018

ninjag said:

There's no guarantee of this and I certainly wouldn't trust or rely on them. But we probably won't see any changes until Euro 7 for diesel comes out, although I did read it is going to focus on CO2, so petrol cars could end up being dragged into things.

There is as this was part of a preset mandate when they passed the legislation for the ULEZ, so for now it's fine Euro7 is going to be C02 & Nox based so basically we'll see Hybrid diesel/petrol only cars for sale.