Finance to Freedom. Dacia Content, Viewer Discretion Advised
Discussion
2017 Focus ST diesel estate in 'Essex tan' tangerine with 40k.
2015 Sean Leon FR diesel DSG with 46k.
We had always intended to pay off my wife's Leon in August (the end of a 4 year PCP). 3 weeks ago the DSG started to throw it's toys out of the pram. Coupled with that and what looks like a future of WFH, we decided to chop it in to the nearest Arnold Shark garage. The settlement figure was 5k, we socially fisted the distant kumquat at £8200. £3200 in our sky rocket.
I was always intending to trade in my Focus ST at the end of this year, the half way point of my finance. I enjoyed the car but it was very, well, tangerine. I popped my car into WBAC just to see how much negative equity it had. They were offering £11300. I eventually found a site called Wizzle. I put on some pictures and let the dealers on there bid for my car. I was shocked when it topped out at £12800. My outstanding finance was £12836. 2 years and 12k onto my Focus and it had depreciated £36!
A driver for the garage came from the Midlands to Glasgow and bought the car the next day, deal done.
An in-law who is in the motor industry managed to get me into a 2014 Dacia Sandero Stepway for £2000 with 68k FSH. It had an engine rebuild hence why he was able to pass it onto me at a very fair price.
A few weeks of searching for a £5k-8k car for my wife and we were left a bit annoyed at the quality of the main stealer, ex rental turds.
I have a puma engined, mk5 Fiesta Zetec S as a project car. As a result, I have various Zetec S alerts on the Facebook MeatMarketplace. I noticed a mk6 Fiesta Zetec S locally, going for a tempting price...
On viewing, the car was absolutely filthy and clearly been stood for a while. Inside was like a vet's coat with dog hair. A deal was struck at £1500, knowing some money would have to be spent. The car has good bones though with 77,000 miles, only 2 owners, FSH, and it drove well apart from the brakes.
Our family went from £550 per month on financing cars to having no monthly car payments. Both cars were just about fully funded by the unexpected equity from the Leon trade in. Such a great feeling and I can honestly say for now, I am enjoying being invisible on the road, having always financed quick and or bright cars!
We have been really fortunate to be in secure work throughout the pandemic. Having plenty of time to reflect as the cars sat unmoved on the drive, we started grudging the payments. The value of the trade ins made it an easy choice and I am glad we have stepped off the ride for now. The dealer who bought my ST has it for sale on Autotrader at £15250!
I will pop a few photos up and document some of the first world problems as we go. Over the years I have had such a laugh lurking on Pistonheads, like Britney after the head shaving and umbrella waving, i want to give back.
It will give you a good laugh if nothing else!
Ryan
SOLD Tangerine Scream
SOLD Leona Lewis
The one that I might sell but I might not. It will definitely maybe be back on the road this year, or next year at the latest!
And now, the real deal. The one that gets yer Granny all hot and bothered. Roof bars to make yer Papa weak at the knees. The 2014 0.9 TURBO (full send) Dacia Sandero Stepway.
And the wife's Fiesta Zetec S after driving it home. Requires a clean.
2015 Sean Leon FR diesel DSG with 46k.
We had always intended to pay off my wife's Leon in August (the end of a 4 year PCP). 3 weeks ago the DSG started to throw it's toys out of the pram. Coupled with that and what looks like a future of WFH, we decided to chop it in to the nearest Arnold Shark garage. The settlement figure was 5k, we socially fisted the distant kumquat at £8200. £3200 in our sky rocket.
I was always intending to trade in my Focus ST at the end of this year, the half way point of my finance. I enjoyed the car but it was very, well, tangerine. I popped my car into WBAC just to see how much negative equity it had. They were offering £11300. I eventually found a site called Wizzle. I put on some pictures and let the dealers on there bid for my car. I was shocked when it topped out at £12800. My outstanding finance was £12836. 2 years and 12k onto my Focus and it had depreciated £36!
A driver for the garage came from the Midlands to Glasgow and bought the car the next day, deal done.
An in-law who is in the motor industry managed to get me into a 2014 Dacia Sandero Stepway for £2000 with 68k FSH. It had an engine rebuild hence why he was able to pass it onto me at a very fair price.
A few weeks of searching for a £5k-8k car for my wife and we were left a bit annoyed at the quality of the main stealer, ex rental turds.
I have a puma engined, mk5 Fiesta Zetec S as a project car. As a result, I have various Zetec S alerts on the Facebook MeatMarketplace. I noticed a mk6 Fiesta Zetec S locally, going for a tempting price...
On viewing, the car was absolutely filthy and clearly been stood for a while. Inside was like a vet's coat with dog hair. A deal was struck at £1500, knowing some money would have to be spent. The car has good bones though with 77,000 miles, only 2 owners, FSH, and it drove well apart from the brakes.
Our family went from £550 per month on financing cars to having no monthly car payments. Both cars were just about fully funded by the unexpected equity from the Leon trade in. Such a great feeling and I can honestly say for now, I am enjoying being invisible on the road, having always financed quick and or bright cars!
We have been really fortunate to be in secure work throughout the pandemic. Having plenty of time to reflect as the cars sat unmoved on the drive, we started grudging the payments. The value of the trade ins made it an easy choice and I am glad we have stepped off the ride for now. The dealer who bought my ST has it for sale on Autotrader at £15250!
I will pop a few photos up and document some of the first world problems as we go. Over the years I have had such a laugh lurking on Pistonheads, like Britney after the head shaving and umbrella waving, i want to give back.
It will give you a good laugh if nothing else!
Ryan
SOLD Tangerine Scream
SOLD Leona Lewis
The one that I might sell but I might not. It will definitely maybe be back on the road this year, or next year at the latest!
And now, the real deal. The one that gets yer Granny all hot and bothered. Roof bars to make yer Papa weak at the knees. The 2014 0.9 TURBO (full send) Dacia Sandero Stepway.
And the wife's Fiesta Zetec S after driving it home. Requires a clean.
Welcome to freedom from money not having you by the balls at the end of every month. 
Shove the extra cash in a pension or investments or pay the mortgage off early or have some great holidays or ring your boss first thing on Monday and tell him to stick his job up his arse and go part time or use the freedom to start a business or even a entirely new life.
Whatever being a completely effortless six and a half grand a year better off does for you it's got to be a result in anybody's book.
Shove the extra cash in a pension or investments or pay the mortgage off early or have some great holidays or ring your boss first thing on Monday and tell him to stick his job up his arse and go part time or use the freedom to start a business or even a entirely new life.
Whatever being a completely effortless six and a half grand a year better off does for you it's got to be a result in anybody's book.
Macron said:
That's a good read.
I've been paid to drive an L405 and C43 in the past 2 years, fine if like me they're not to be replaced, or like you to down value the replacements. Good find on the Dacia!
Yes that was the concern to me as a serial car changer. I have tried to explain the current situation with friends and neighbours when they have asked about trading in my "good cars" for these. Most just assume I am in financial ruin, happy to let the Joneses run with that if it helps them! I've been paid to drive an L405 and C43 in the past 2 years, fine if like me they're not to be replaced, or like you to down value the replacements. Good find on the Dacia!
Tyre Smoke said:
If you're in Scotland, the WF plate on your toy is a long way from home!
Stepway would look a lot better without the ladder bars, but I bet it's a very capable little machine.
The toy has been about a bit! An American student bought the car when she studied in Portsmouth. Then she went travelling in the car and finally decided that she was nearly ready for a job...so ended up back studying in Glasgow Uni! My brother bought the car for his clutch burning wife as a beater. £100 later and it was his. It is the black edition model with the leather interior inside, quite the novelty on a mk5.Stepway would look a lot better without the ladder bars, but I bet it's a very capable little machine.
At the same time I was scrapping a Ford Puma I had used as a skip car during a renovation. I donated the engine to the fiesta and the rest is history. 7 previous owners and a few burned out clutches later, it ended up on my drive and I have been fighting it ever since.
The engine in the Sandero is actually decent but it doesn't half shake about. I can't stand the roof bars, I keep banging my head when I put my daughter in the back seats. I don't have the key and there is no numbers on the lock. Considering taking a drill or something to the lock. Any advice on that would be taken on board.
Probably as easy to remove the roof rails with the ladder bars attached, and then attack them.
Or refit the roof rail bolts without the rails for that extra aero dynamacy to help the TURBO 0.9
My Volvo V70 is one of only three I've seen with no roof rails. It came like that from the bomb site car dealership in 2008. I quite like the look.
Or refit the roof rail bolts without the rails for that extra aero dynamacy to help the TURBO 0.9
My Volvo V70 is one of only three I've seen with no roof rails. It came like that from the bomb site car dealership in 2008. I quite like the look.
Jaguar steve said:
Welcome to freedom from money not having you by the balls at the end of every month.
Shove the extra cash in a pension or investments or pay the mortgage off early or have some great holidays or ring your boss first thing on Monday and tell him to stick his job up his arse and go part time or use the freedom to start a business or even a entirely new life.
Whatever being a completely effortless six and a half grand a year better off does for you it's got to be a result in anybody's book.
Thank you for that Steve! Shove the extra cash in a pension or investments or pay the mortgage off early or have some great holidays or ring your boss first thing on Monday and tell him to stick his job up his arse and go part time or use the freedom to start a business or even a entirely new life.
Whatever being a completely effortless six and a half grand a year better off does for you it's got to be a result in anybody's book.
You have hit the nail on the head there with your mindset. Having just had a thyroid operation last month, it did get me thinking about what our goals were as a family. Paying off the mortgage has always been a priority for us and for me it is about looking towards a different career. I have a job which frequently pops up on the careers forum as, "A well paid job with little stress for the money". It has provided me with a good income but it doesn't float my boat for a number of reasons.
Certainly not having a large outgoing on cars helps to open up the idea of retraining and taking on more meaningful work.
I am sure the Dacia will fit in nicely alongside the faux middle class cars in the work car park.
Edited by Gibby88 on Saturday 5th June 08:14
Great result. It's a perfect time and market to downsize at the moment.
I bought my car off the lease company 19 months into a 24 month lease last April and could WBAC it at the moment and get £4k more back for it over a year later. Was tempted recently to sell but I'd end up paying more, putting more money into something else, rather than getting something cheaper. Enjoying having no monthly car payments and still having cars that should have many reliable years ahead.
I bought my car off the lease company 19 months into a 24 month lease last April and could WBAC it at the moment and get £4k more back for it over a year later. Was tempted recently to sell but I'd end up paying more, putting more money into something else, rather than getting something cheaper. Enjoying having no monthly car payments and still having cars that should have many reliable years ahead.
Edited by ncjones on Saturday 5th June 08:20
Bought my Duster brand new in Feb for £10.5k new.
The only times I miss my performance orientated cars are the rare times I'm well out of London and on a nice empty road, ie very rare.
It cruises easily on the motorway and is nippy on the London commute, plus it averages 40mpg.......in town.
Oh! and so practical.
I've got the roof bars that stop at the rails btw
The only times I miss my performance orientated cars are the rare times I'm well out of London and on a nice empty road, ie very rare.
It cruises easily on the motorway and is nippy on the London commute, plus it averages 40mpg.......in town.
Oh! and so practical.
I've got the roof bars that stop at the rails btw
I have a bit of a thing for new wipers and tyres. It is probably a rubber fetish. I will need to try one of those rubber gimp suits. No doubt the Sandero owner's forum will have a subsection for deviant behaviour.
Such a blessing to have jumped on the ultra rare, once in a generation, Euro Car Parts sale!!!
The Rain-X works a treat.
The old tyres were the ditchiest of ditchfinders. They were only fit for use as a kids swing.
4 new tyres ordered from BlackCircles. I don't bother with anywhere else nowadays.
I normally order Avon, Conti's, that type of brand, whatever is on a deal but not rubbish budgets.
To handle the blistering power of the Sandra TURBO, I opted for Kumho Ecowings as they were 4 for £197 fitted. It also has an ECO sticker on the back window so I am basically Greta Thunberg.
Handling is now, yeah. Anyway, like my new airfreshner? MOTHER OF GOD!
Such a blessing to have jumped on the ultra rare, once in a generation, Euro Car Parts sale!!!
The Rain-X works a treat.
The old tyres were the ditchiest of ditchfinders. They were only fit for use as a kids swing.
4 new tyres ordered from BlackCircles. I don't bother with anywhere else nowadays.
I normally order Avon, Conti's, that type of brand, whatever is on a deal but not rubbish budgets.
To handle the blistering power of the Sandra TURBO, I opted for Kumho Ecowings as they were 4 for £197 fitted. It also has an ECO sticker on the back window so I am basically Greta Thunberg.
Handling is now, yeah. Anyway, like my new airfreshner? MOTHER OF GOD!
croyde said:
Bought my Duster brand new in Feb for £10.5k new.
The only times I miss my performance orientated cars are the rare times I'm well out of London and on a nice empty road, ie very rare.
It cruises easily on the motorway and is nippy on the London commute, plus it averages 40mpg.......in town.
Oh! and so practical.
I've got the roof bars that stop at the rails btw
Haha window cleaner specials mine! I must admit, it is class thundering the 3 cylinder down a back road, stones chips and all, not a care given. How do you find the stereo sound in your Duster? I struggle to actually hear it before it starts to sound like a jackhammer. The only times I miss my performance orientated cars are the rare times I'm well out of London and on a nice empty road, ie very rare.
It cruises easily on the motorway and is nippy on the London commute, plus it averages 40mpg.......in town.
Oh! and so practical.
I've got the roof bars that stop at the rails btw
Gibby88 said:
croyde said:
Bought my Duster brand new in Feb for £10.5k new.
The only times I miss my performance orientated cars are the rare times I'm well out of London and on a nice empty road, ie very rare.
It cruises easily on the motorway and is nippy on the London commute, plus it averages 40mpg.......in town.
Oh! and so practical.
I've got the roof bars that stop at the rails btw
Haha window cleaner specials mine! I must admit, it is class thundering the 3 cylinder down a back road, stones chips and all, not a care given. How do you find the stereo sound in your Duster? I struggle to actually hear it before it starts to sound like a jackhammer. The only times I miss my performance orientated cars are the rare times I'm well out of London and on a nice empty road, ie very rare.
It cruises easily on the motorway and is nippy on the London commute, plus it averages 40mpg.......in town.
Oh! and so practical.
I've got the roof bars that stop at the rails btw
I think the stereo is ok. A bit woolly. Needs less base and more treble.
Before I got it I hadn't realised that it would seemlessly connect to my phone. It does and callers don't even realise I'm in the car....until I start swearing
Stuff on Spotify is a lot better to listen to quality wise than the radio.
Even used the AC the other day, another thing I didn't realise it would have, and it was good.
Added cruise control just by replacing the button for speed limiter with one from a Kadjar which had limit and cruise. Cost £18 lol.
Edited by croyde on Saturday 5th June 09:35
That is top work. Well done there. Must be a nice feeling, saving all that cash each month.
I’m approaching a similar situation soon - into the last year of pcp, thoughts of keeping it but DSG grumbles every now and again have me wondering and could just about walk away just now with what it’s valued at.
Two routes I could take - get something a really want but it’ll cost me a fair bit. I’ve never had a ‘really nice’ car and this is the first time I’ve been in a position to get one.
Or - by something cheap and cheerful which I’ll be completely bored with after a week but will save me a fortune in monthly payments (we are trying to pay our mortgage off as quickly as possible too).
It’s a few months away, but it’s literally gonna take me that long to decide what to do. I definitely think you’ve done the right thing but not sure I can bring myself to do it.
I’m approaching a similar situation soon - into the last year of pcp, thoughts of keeping it but DSG grumbles every now and again have me wondering and could just about walk away just now with what it’s valued at.
Two routes I could take - get something a really want but it’ll cost me a fair bit. I’ve never had a ‘really nice’ car and this is the first time I’ve been in a position to get one.
Or - by something cheap and cheerful which I’ll be completely bored with after a week but will save me a fortune in monthly payments (we are trying to pay our mortgage off as quickly as possible too).
It’s a few months away, but it’s literally gonna take me that long to decide what to do. I definitely think you’ve done the right thing but not sure I can bring myself to do it.
With the roof bars, you might find there is a hole in one of the ends where the lock is and looks blanked off internally.
I have bars with a similar design and it is basically a cover that the lock rotates to restrict access, I would guess drilling through this will allow an allen key to be used to loosen the bar and allow it to be removed.
Obviously try at your own risk but YMMV.
I have bars with a similar design and it is basically a cover that the lock rotates to restrict access, I would guess drilling through this will allow an allen key to be used to loosen the bar and allow it to be removed.
Obviously try at your own risk but YMMV.
spaceship said:
I definitely think you’ve done the right thing but not sure I can bring myself to do it.
If you agree it's the right thing then whats stopping you?Try it. Nothing is cast in stone for all eternity and if you find you really don't like cheaper cars or enjoy the financial advantages they bring or perhaps end up feeling you've failed at the Game of Life in some way then you can always go back to more expensive ones.
A significant stack of extra cash left in the bank every month for no effort at all has got to at least be worth a go surely?
Well done on the car front.
My previous car, although I liked it more than any other I have owned, was past the point of economic repair.....it was 2005 Alfa 156JTDM 150 with a remap. I bought it with 60,000 ran it to about 160,000, drove it to Monaco and did a couple of track days with it. I ran it for far longer than was 'viable' but I could not really find anything that would do what a decently sorted and set up 156 would do, for me anyway !
So when it had to be 'retired'....ie scrapped due to terminal chassis rail corrosion, I had no idea what I wanted, and money was tight.
I 'borrowed' a good pals 2003 Polo diesel1.9 ( non turbo !!) worth about £500, ran that for about 4 months, hammered it up and down the A1 to Newcastle on my then long commute, while looking around for a car....
Anyway, ended up with test driving a Volvo V50 1.6D drive E, just by chance as I would never have usually considered it, and realised that that type of car would do for me as it is basically a Ford Focus with a nice Nordic minimalistic interior !
I did not buy that one as it has a dodgy clutch and was too high mileage for me, but that got me searching for a similar Volvo.
I eventually found a mint 2010 C30 R design with only 33,000 miles at a Volvo main dealer 'Down South" and bought it.
My commute coincidentally reduced from 70 miles a day to 20 with the current pandemic situation, but all in all I have reduced my car costs considerably.
My point I suppose is that I empathise completely with you regarding car costs etc.
Although the Volvo is not anywhere as powerful or 'charismatic !' as an Alfa, it handles very well, the brakes are superb ( especially compared to my 156 !), the build quality is very good ( albeit the car was assembled in Belgium!), it does about 43 mpg day in day out, the VED is £30 and the insurance is much lower. I do miss that extra grunt that my Alfa had, but a remap on the Volvo will compensate a bit for that....partially anyway !
I suppose that we are all Petrolheads on here, but a compromise can sometimes have many benefits, as I have realised.
And regarding the Dacia, I agree that the roof-bars should definitely go no matter what it takes, and if you de -badge it ( which I always do anyway !) it could pass for an number of similar looking mini SUVs or whatever the acronym is...!!!
And every time you drive it, you can appreciate the money you are saving...!!
My previous car, although I liked it more than any other I have owned, was past the point of economic repair.....it was 2005 Alfa 156JTDM 150 with a remap. I bought it with 60,000 ran it to about 160,000, drove it to Monaco and did a couple of track days with it. I ran it for far longer than was 'viable' but I could not really find anything that would do what a decently sorted and set up 156 would do, for me anyway !
So when it had to be 'retired'....ie scrapped due to terminal chassis rail corrosion, I had no idea what I wanted, and money was tight.
I 'borrowed' a good pals 2003 Polo diesel1.9 ( non turbo !!) worth about £500, ran that for about 4 months, hammered it up and down the A1 to Newcastle on my then long commute, while looking around for a car....
Anyway, ended up with test driving a Volvo V50 1.6D drive E, just by chance as I would never have usually considered it, and realised that that type of car would do for me as it is basically a Ford Focus with a nice Nordic minimalistic interior !
I did not buy that one as it has a dodgy clutch and was too high mileage for me, but that got me searching for a similar Volvo.
I eventually found a mint 2010 C30 R design with only 33,000 miles at a Volvo main dealer 'Down South" and bought it.
My commute coincidentally reduced from 70 miles a day to 20 with the current pandemic situation, but all in all I have reduced my car costs considerably.
My point I suppose is that I empathise completely with you regarding car costs etc.
Although the Volvo is not anywhere as powerful or 'charismatic !' as an Alfa, it handles very well, the brakes are superb ( especially compared to my 156 !), the build quality is very good ( albeit the car was assembled in Belgium!), it does about 43 mpg day in day out, the VED is £30 and the insurance is much lower. I do miss that extra grunt that my Alfa had, but a remap on the Volvo will compensate a bit for that....partially anyway !
I suppose that we are all Petrolheads on here, but a compromise can sometimes have many benefits, as I have realised.
And regarding the Dacia, I agree that the roof-bars should definitely go no matter what it takes, and if you de -badge it ( which I always do anyway !) it could pass for an number of similar looking mini SUVs or whatever the acronym is...!!!
And every time you drive it, you can appreciate the money you are saving...!!
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