Cheap for for 25k a year
Discussion
Hypothetical at the moment. But if my partner decides to take a new job she had been offered, it involves 4 trips of 26 miles a day, so about 25k a year. Mostly dual carriageway and motorway.
Currently drives a 1.1 Fiat Panda, lovely car that we have put some money into to get it up to scratch.
The issue is, she will be worse off financially with the fuel consumption and I can't imagine it'll be the nicest journeys in the Panda.
The question is, stick or twist? What else is there that is nice and cheap that'll be comfy and good on fuel for that sort of mileage?
She would at least try the Panda on the journey first, but I expect it'll be uncomfortable.
Cheers
(Title should say Cheap car, obviously)
Currently drives a 1.1 Fiat Panda, lovely car that we have put some money into to get it up to scratch.
The issue is, she will be worse off financially with the fuel consumption and I can't imagine it'll be the nicest journeys in the Panda.
The question is, stick or twist? What else is there that is nice and cheap that'll be comfy and good on fuel for that sort of mileage?
She would at least try the Panda on the journey first, but I expect it'll be uncomfortable.
Cheers
(Title should say Cheap car, obviously)
Guess it depends on the mileage rates the employer will be paying for use of her personal vehicle,
Government rates are;
10,000 * £0.45 = £4,500
15,000 * £0.25 = £3,750
£8250 in mileage rates per year.
Personally I'd be sticking with what i had until I had enough built up from the mileage payments to change. Need to get through probation periods etc before I'd consider spending money. 100 miles in 4 journeys won't be too bad, get friendly with a local mechanic and make sure the car is well service and it should be fine.
Government rates are;
10,000 * £0.45 = £4,500
15,000 * £0.25 = £3,750
£8250 in mileage rates per year.
Personally I'd be sticking with what i had until I had enough built up from the mileage payments to change. Need to get through probation periods etc before I'd consider spending money. 100 miles in 4 journeys won't be too bad, get friendly with a local mechanic and make sure the car is well service and it should be fine.
500 miles a week for £20?
4p per mile to cover fuel and running costs of the car?
They're taking the piss!
She would need to claim the difference between what shes paid and the allowance rate as MAR but a company paying so much below the rates would ring alarm bells and the government bit is tax relief
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-...
https://www.litrg.org.uk/tax-guides/employment/emp...
I'd have a good hard think about whether or not I'd like to work for that employer!
obviously if shes earning mega money it could be worth while but trying not to jump to conclusions, running an old panda that needs work suggest the job may be fairly close to minimum wage.
4p per mile to cover fuel and running costs of the car?
They're taking the piss!
She would need to claim the difference between what shes paid and the allowance rate as MAR but a company paying so much below the rates would ring alarm bells and the government bit is tax relief
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-...
https://www.litrg.org.uk/tax-guides/employment/emp...
I'd have a good hard think about whether or not I'd like to work for that employer!
obviously if shes earning mega money it could be worth while but trying not to jump to conclusions, running an old panda that needs work suggest the job may be fairly close to minimum wage.
Edited by andburg on Wednesday 26th August 10:32
Sorry to interrupt, but isn't this just a cost of commuting? It's not a p-take at all. I don't expect to be reimbursed for my cost to travel to the office, why would i?
So on that basis, the OP is looking for an economical car to do 25k per year in, and a 1.1l Fiat can't be fun if it's all up and down DC.
So on that basis, the OP is looking for an economical car to do 25k per year in, and a 1.1l Fiat can't be fun if it's all up and down DC.
It is a low paid job, very much so. As a stop-gap whilst she does her degree. (this job isn't exactly a noticeable pay rise....)
She does have a current job with them, but this job was offered as a more desirable job, further away. It is about 300 miles extra a week.
Obviously I can't make the decision for her, but I've told her that really she needs more money out of them.
She does have a current job with them, but this job was offered as a more desirable job, further away. It is about 300 miles extra a week.
Obviously I can't make the decision for her, but I've told her that really she needs more money out of them.
crashley said:
Sorry to interrupt, but isn't this just a cost of commuting? It's not a p-take at all. I don't expect to be reimbursed for my cost to travel to the office, why would i?
So on that basis, the OP is looking for an economical car to do 25k per year in, and a 1.1l Fiat can't be fun if it's all up and down DC.
commuting is travel to and from a single place of work, this is clearly not the case with 4 trips of 25 miles per day.So on that basis, the OP is looking for an economical car to do 25k per year in, and a 1.1l Fiat can't be fun if it's all up and down DC.
I go to my office - my cost
I then need to go to 3 other other locations in the day, this is business use and should cost me nothing.
andburg said:
commuting is travel to and from a single place of work, this is clearly not the case with 4 trips of 25 miles per day.
I go to my office - my cost
I then need to go to 3 other other locations in the day, this is business use and should cost me nothing.
it is to home and back twice in a day. For 2 shifts.I go to my office - my cost
I then need to go to 3 other other locations in the day, this is business use and should cost me nothing.
gman88667733 said:
andburg said:
commuting is travel to and from a single place of work, this is clearly not the case with 4 trips of 25 miles per day.
I go to my office - my cost
I then need to go to 3 other other locations in the day, this is business use and should cost me nothing.
it is to home and back twice in a day. For 2 shifts.I go to my office - my cost
I then need to go to 3 other other locations in the day, this is business use and should cost me nothing.
thats not exactly a great space then as its to and from a single place so would be classed as commuting not business!
sounds like this job is going to potentially cost more than she gains to me. 25000 miles per year, lets say that is completely without incident, all VERY fuzzy on cost.
Insurance - SDPC for 25,000 miles, that's gonna cost I'll put a token £500 extra on it
4 tyres per year, £200 assuming a mid range known brand 155/80/13 steels.
fuel cost at 50mpg £2500
12k mile service intervals - 2 services a year lets call that £200 for 2 basic services at a friendly local garage (no accounting for major service/timing belt)
Now reliant on the car to get to work twice in the day, better take out some Breakdown cover with a hire car in case she breaks down £100
my very fuzzy estimates make that £3500 expenses not accounting for breakdowns, depreciation if there is any of note on the car and other costs like screenwash etc.
For that expense she will get x pay uplift and £1040 in mileage payments.
that pay uplift needs to be at least £3000 to break even with my basic calculations.
Have you worked out if this means she will be doing more hours? four 25 mile journeys are gonna take a lot of time out of her day given you'd said this is further away then her current role.
Sounds silly but those hours are worth something to you/her even if its just study time.
anyway we're way off topic now, dont change car, going from 50mpg petrol to 60mpg in a diesel will mean negligible savings.
andburg said:
Eurgh!
thats not exactly a great space then as its to and from a single place so would be classed as commuting not business!
sounds like this job is going to potentially cost more than she gains to me. 25000 miles per year, lets say that is completely without incident, all VERY fuzzy on cost.
Insurance - SDPC for 25,000 miles, that's gonna cost I'll put a token £500 extra on it
4 tyres per year, £200 assuming a mid range known brand 155/80/13 steels.
fuel cost at 50mpg £2500
12k mile service intervals - 2 services a year lets call that £200 for 2 basic services at a friendly local garage (no accounting for major service/timing belt)
Now reliant on the car to get to work twice in the day, better take out some Breakdown cover with a hire car in case she breaks down £100
my very fuzzy estimates make that £3500 expenses not accounting for breakdowns, depreciation if there is any of note on the car and other costs like screenwash etc.
For that expense she will get x pay uplift and £1040 in mileage payments.
that pay uplift needs to be at least £3000 to break even with my basic calculations.
Have you worked out if this means she will be doing more hours? four 25 mile journeys are gonna take a lot of time out of her day given you'd said this is further away then her current role.
Sounds silly but those hours are worth something to you/her even if its just study time.
anyway we're way off topic now, dont change car, going from 50mpg petrol to 60mpg in a diesel will mean negligible savings.
It will 100% cost her more than it is worth, much more thats not exactly a great space then as its to and from a single place so would be classed as commuting not business!
sounds like this job is going to potentially cost more than she gains to me. 25000 miles per year, lets say that is completely without incident, all VERY fuzzy on cost.
Insurance - SDPC for 25,000 miles, that's gonna cost I'll put a token £500 extra on it
4 tyres per year, £200 assuming a mid range known brand 155/80/13 steels.
fuel cost at 50mpg £2500
12k mile service intervals - 2 services a year lets call that £200 for 2 basic services at a friendly local garage (no accounting for major service/timing belt)
Now reliant on the car to get to work twice in the day, better take out some Breakdown cover with a hire car in case she breaks down £100
my very fuzzy estimates make that £3500 expenses not accounting for breakdowns, depreciation if there is any of note on the car and other costs like screenwash etc.
For that expense she will get x pay uplift and £1040 in mileage payments.
that pay uplift needs to be at least £3000 to break even with my basic calculations.
Have you worked out if this means she will be doing more hours? four 25 mile journeys are gonna take a lot of time out of her day given you'd said this is further away then her current role.
Sounds silly but those hours are worth something to you/her even if its just study time.
anyway we're way off topic now, dont change car, going from 50mpg petrol to 60mpg in a diesel will mean negligible savings.
. But I can't decide for her!Assuming she does take it, we will stick to the Panda then, for now.
As it's most dual carriage way and motorways, if traffic allows +60mph then the Panda will be quite noisy otherwise it would be fine and the most cost effective choice.
I was doing 98miles a day, my car was noisy on the M25, I brought a 3.5year old used car, after a year it developed an engine fault, was about £1.5k to get it fixed, that wiped out the fuel savings the newer car made for about 1.5 year. Did pay for the repair and more (fuel saving) by the time covid stuck.
Hence changing cars can be a risk. If the Panda has a major fault then would be a good time to look for a new car.
I was doing 98miles a day, my car was noisy on the M25, I brought a 3.5year old used car, after a year it developed an engine fault, was about £1.5k to get it fixed, that wiped out the fuel savings the newer car made for about 1.5 year. Did pay for the repair and more (fuel saving) by the time covid stuck.
Hence changing cars can be a risk. If the Panda has a major fault then would be a good time to look for a new car.
gman88667733 said:
It will 100% cost her more than it is worth, much more . But I can't decide for her!
Assuming she does take it, we will stick to the Panda then, for now.
Is it valuable experience for her career? It's not always about the monetary... . But I can't decide for her!Assuming she does take it, we will stick to the Panda then, for now.
That said, there's a few ways to save money. Lift sharing is obvious but seems unlikely. Good tyres (Michelin IMO) can go well beyond 25,000 miles and don't cost much at that size, DIY servicing (motorfactors filter, supermarket oil, oil suction pump and a drip tray), I believe the FIAT engine is non-interference so run it till the belt snaps and hope it's a sensible spot...
ETA - The cheapest Leaf 24kWh is £5,000 on Autotrader. And you'd need to charge twice a day to be sure in all weathers.
Edited by Evanivitch on Wednesday 26th August 12:38
£3500 divided by 25k miles is 14ppm, without depreciation. That is very good going. I doubt you would get much cheaper unless you go electric but then depreciation would hit hard.
I was using a Saab petrol which was costing me about 23ppm all in on 20k miles a year. Of that 23ppm 17ppm was fuel.
To add not sure if they still do it but my mate got Toyota Aygo on contract hire for £110 a month. Just had to pay insurance and fuel. They cover everything else even tyres.
I was using a Saab petrol which was costing me about 23ppm all in on 20k miles a year. Of that 23ppm 17ppm was fuel.
To add not sure if they still do it but my mate got Toyota Aygo on contract hire for £110 a month. Just had to pay insurance and fuel. They cover everything else even tyres.
Edited by Aiminghigh123 on Wednesday 26th August 21:54
Edited by Aiminghigh123 on Wednesday 26th August 21:58
gman88667733 said:
It will 100% cost her more than it is worth, much more . But I can't decide for her!
Assuming she does take it, we will stick to the Panda then, for now.
It's partly the money - I think the cost warrants a rethink. But it's also the time. . But I can't decide for her!Assuming she does take it, we will stick to the Panda then, for now.
For comparison, my fiancée was travelling to South West London and we live in Kent just near the M25. Due to the fact that it's a highly uncommon commute pattern it took between 1.5 - 2 hours (depending on the level of TFL incompetence) each way. It completely drained her.
She took a new job (granted with a substantial pay rise) and the commute is now 45min - 1hr and the difference to her is enormous. Psychological energy, mental health, physical energy; the whole lot. I have seen a marked change in her demeanour and general level of happiness as a result.
So perhaps, if the effect on your significant other would be negative and the pay increase likely to be offset from the commute/car purchase; maybe the answer is something a bit closer to home.
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