Man Maths & a Daft Plan

[Mezger]

Context, we are expats, planning a long trip back to the UK this summer for 7 weeks.

This got me thinking, could I buy a "fun" daily and sell it at the end of our trip more cost effectively than just hiring a car for 7 weeks. Effectively, could I buy something where the depreciation is smaller than the hiring cost + insurance, road tax etc. Or taking Man maths to the extreme buy and sell well "enough" that I come out neutral or potentially even up a little :-)

With a budget of 15-20k max and criteria of the following;

Fast Family Car (need ample space - 2 kids under 3)
350bhp+ desired
Estate, large saloon, 4x4 that drives well.
Minimal depreciation and easy re-sell.

Over to the wisdom of PH to suggest away!

[SWoll]

What could possibly go wrong?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Selling a car might take 2-3 months? Buyer may be suspicious of a car only owned for a short while? Second hand car blows up on third day?

Sorry to be so cheerful

[Mezger]

Quatrroporte - now we are talking! Though I think the spread on these things would be financially challenging.

RS4 B7 bought well appeals, use in the summer and sell in the winter.

[Mezger]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Selling a car might take 2-3 months? Buyer may be suspicious of a car only owned for a short while? Second hand car blows up on third day?

Sorry to be so cheerful

:-)

True, no issue if it takes a few months to sell if I'm confident on a decent return (better than shelling out 2/2.5k for the hire car).

But, yes, this may not be the most practical idea, let's see.

[ZX10R NIN]

My suggestion is a CLS55/63 AMG they're great cars & will sell as they're limited in numbers.

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

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

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

E55/63

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

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

Obviously the sensible answer is to hire a car but where's the fun in that.

[mbwoy84]

I’d say it was a good plan if you were looking at something older and about1/3 of that budget. I know of plenty of people who have done similar.

[Mezger]

ZX10R NIN said:

My suggestion is a CLS55/63 AMG they're great cars & will sell as they're limited in numbers.

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

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

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

E55/63

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

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

Obviously the sensible answer is to hire a car but where's the fun in that.

Yes, a Merc AMG is hard to resist, drove a CLS for a short period a few years back, that engine!

[67Dino]

Easily done: buy a car where the actual value is little more than the cost of 7 weeks hire. I’d spend a grand on a Teutonic luxo-barge. Providing it actually lasts 7 weeks I reckon you’re quids in.

[Mr Tidy]

67Dino said:

Easily done: buy a car where the actual value is little more than the cost of 7 weeks hire. I’d spend a grand on a Teutonic luxo-barge. Providing it actually lasts 7 weeks I reckon you’re quids in.

Very sensible advice.

But the idea of a Quattroporte has a certain appeal too! The engine is just fantastic.

[SWoll]

mbwoy84 said:

I’d say it was a good plan if you were looking at something older and about1/3 of that budget. I know of plenty of people who have done similar.

How about this for £8.5k? Not quite 1/3 of budget but..

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[Mezger]

SWoll said:

How about this for £8.5k? Not quite 1/3 of budget but..

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I've run one of these before as a daily, great cars and quite tempting to do so again!

[Mezger]

mbwoy84 said:

I’d say it was a good plan if you were looking at something older and about1/3 of that budget. I know of plenty of people who have done similar.

Good to know I'm not the only one to think of this daft plan then.

[Mezger]

67Dino said:

Easily done: buy a car where the actual value is little more than the cost of 7 weeks hire. I’d spend a grand on a Teutonic luxo-barge. Providing it actually lasts 7 weeks I reckon you’re quids in.

Yes an old A8 or the like and cross my fingers/pray!

[nunpuncher]

Whole load of stuff that will fit the bill at that budget. The problem is going to be selling such a car after owning it for 2-3 months as buyers will assume you're shifting an expensive problem.

[51mes]

So rather than selling it as a private sale and to work out a "cost" , figure out what a hire car would cost, then pick a candidate and throw it at wbac or one of the we buy your car mob, to see what the quote would be. Saves having the problem of selling it on the used market.

If the total 85% of quote (they always knock you down) + hire cost + insurance is about purchase price then you have a winner.

S.

[Pvapour]

Worth talking to a dealer on a buy back scheme, i threw the idea out to a couple of dealers on some dubai import lhd recently, and was surprised they were interested and gave quite good buy back figure on a 6 month ownership.

Lhd as you know drop far less money though so probably why the figures were decent..

30k out and 6months later 26k back in pretty much represented what was achievable in % terms. Under 700 a month cost, not too bad but who knows what the reality would be at buy back time..

[Mezger]

51mes said:

So rather than selling it as a private sale and to work out a "cost" , figure out what a hire car would cost, then pick a candidate and throw it at wbac or one of the we buy your car mob, to see what the quote would be. Saves having the problem of selling it on the used market.

If the total 85% of quote (they always knock you down) + hire cost + insurance is about purchase price then you have a winner.

S.

smart idea, will run the numbers on a few options and see. Thanks for the suggestion.

[ilikejam]

I'd just go for it...

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

[Court_S]

That M5 would be tempting at that sort of money. I love the E39 M5.