What would you do?

[Kentish]

I bought myself a brand new Pro Cee'd last August and I bought it with the intention to keep it and as such specced it with full leather, nice 17" alloys from the Sport model and reverse parking sensors are fitted. It's in popular white and is a coupe hatch styled car so looks the part, it has all the usual ABS, EPS, alarm & immobiliser, central locking, bluetooth phone integration including audio streaming, iPod input, so not a bad spec. The build quality is really impressive and the main dealers are very good.

It looks great and is still as new (not a dink or a scratch on it) with just 8.5k miles on the clock and over 6 years of transferable warranty. I paid almost £12.5k for it which was a lot less than a new Focus of the same spec. I'd be happy to keep it long term if I could use it daily but....

I have subsequently been made redundant (so has my wife). I bought a new Vivaro van to use for a new business venture but the Pro Cee'd just sits in the garage at home unused as I go everywhere in the van now.

If I trade the car in I'll lose about £4.5k (in 9 months). But would it make sense for me to buy something fun that holds it value better for weekend use rather than having a regular hatchback sitting there depreciating and worth next to bugger all in 3 years time?

I could get a circa 2004 Cooper or Cooper S and have about £3k in cash to pop back into my account.

What would you do?

[kambites]

Why have a car at all, if you use the van for everything?

[fathomfive]

Do you need the extra seats of the Mini? I know it's an age old response but how about a (relatively) cheap MX-5 and more pounds in the bank, if it is only for weekend fun?

[Kentish]

kambites said:

Why have a car at all, if you use the van for everything?

I sometimes won't want to use the Van (short trips to the nursery and such like).

It would also be nice to have something that is fun to hop out to the shops in sometimes.

[Kentish]

fathomfive said:

Do you need the extra seats of the Mini? I know it's an age old response but how about a (relatively) cheap MX-5 and more pounds in the bank, if it is only for weekend fun?

I'm up for that but

I need a rear seat for our 5 week old occasionally.

[McSam]

fathomfive said:

Do you need the extra seats of the Mini? I know it's an age old response but how about a (relatively) cheap MX-5 and more pounds in the bank, if it is only for weekend fun?

It's a nice thought, but I think you're probably going to need the availability of something with more than two seats and that isn't a van, aren't you? Depends on your lifestyle, I suppose, but I would definitely find myself limited with just a Vivaro and an MX-5. Some sort of older sports saloon would be the way I'd look.

But then, it always is

ETA - Ooh, a little one is in the equation
Best make it a sporting estate, then!

I'm thinking something like this lovely 156 with eleven months' ticket. That V6, black with tan leather to boot

Edited by McSam on Tuesday 17th May 10:57

[kambites]

I certainly wouldn't spend as much as a MINI woudl cost, anyway. You can get a perfectly good, fun car for about a grand. Something like a 306 or a mk1 Focus would probably fit the bill.

[fathomfive]

Kentish said:

fathomfive said:

Do you need the extra seats of the Mini? I know it's an age old response but how about a (relatively) cheap MX-5 and more pounds in the bank, if it is only for weekend fun?

I'm up for that but

I need a rear seat for our 5 week old occasionally.

Ah, well that would preclude the Mazda.

ETA: Puma / Racing Puma?

[Kentish]

kambites said:

I certainly wouldn't spend as much as a MINI woudl cost, anyway. You can get a perfectly good, fun car for about a grand. Something like a 306 or a mk1 Focus would probably fit the bill.

Uhhm, I see what you mean but I'd like something that's a bit of fun too.

If that wasn't important, I'd probably go for a sensible Passat I've seen. Cheap enough and great to drive.

[Liquid Knight]

How about a van with a crew cab'?

That way when you do the nursary/school run you get to advertise as well.


Best of luck with the new venture.

[Kentish]

I've seen a great value 407 top of the range diesel with low miles, goes like stink too. Nice car but my heart says why buy something as sensible and economical for infrequent use.

[Kentish]

Liquid Knight said:

How about a van with a crew cab'?

That way when you do the nursary/school run you get to advertise as well.


Best of luck with the new venture.

Thanks LN.

I already have the van now plus I need the space but had I needed less space the crew cab would have been a good idea

[kambites]

Kentish said:

Uhhm, I see what you mean but I'd like something that's a bit of fun too.

If that wasn't important, I'd probably go for a sensible Passat I've seen. Cheap enough and great to drive.

Personally I prefer the way a 306 GTI drives to a MINI cooper.

[McSam]

Kentish said:

I've seen a great value 407 top of the range diesel with low miles, goes like stink too. Nice car but my heart says why buy something as sensible and economical for infrequent use.

Then buy that Alfa I put above!

[Chrisw666]

What about something like a ford Puma?

Much cheaper than the mini and if you keep it in good condition shouldn't lose too much as they are close to shed money anyway.

[wiliferus]

McSam said:

I'm thinking something like this lovely 156 with eleven months' ticket. That V6, black with tan leather to boot

Edited by McSam on Tuesday 17th May 10:57

Crikey - 1.5k - Thats alot of bang for your buck! Albeit does come with the usual Alfa 'risk', but how bad can it be for fifteen hundred notes? I'd snap that up in a jiffy.

Walks away and curses his long daily commute...

[Liquid Knight]

Kentish said:

I've seen a cheap value 407 top of the range diesel (all the extras included because it was the only way to sell the bloody things) with low miles (because it probably keeps breaking down), goes like stink too.

EFA

How about selling the Cee'd privately for best price you can get and buy a rattly old Golf (Gti TDi for under a grand) or something for domestic (trackdays/fun) duties? The VAG Diesels are as quick as the petrol variants these days and handle just as well. Keep the rest for when it rains.

[McSam]

wiliferus said:

Crikey - 1.5k - Thats alot of bang for your buck! Albeit does come with the usual Alfa 'risk', but how bad can it be for fifteen hundred notes? I'd snap that up in a jiffy.

Walks away and curses his long daily commute...

Gorgeous machines. Fairly low miles, that one, and the V6 engine is basically a sound one. Biggest worry with these is the standard water pump, which once replaced with a decent one isn't a problem, and keeping up with cambelt services at maybe £500 a pop every 60k.

As for your commute, those seats are supremely comfy!

I so very nearly bought one, but couldn't find a nice enough 2.0TS Veloce saloon with the facelifted interior in black with red leather and a recent cam belt service within my tiny budget and leaving enough over for insurance at the age of 18.

I have no idea why not

[hornetrider]

McSam said:

wiliferus said:

Crikey - 1.5k - Thats alot of bang for your buck! Albeit does come with the usual Alfa 'risk', but how bad can it be for fifteen hundred notes? I'd snap that up in a jiffy.

Walks away and curses his long daily commute...

Gorgeous machines. Fairly low miles, that one, and the V6 engine is basically a sound one. Biggest worry with these is the standard water pump, which once replaced with a decent one isn't a problem, and keeping up with cambelt services at maybe £500 a pop every 60k.

As for your commute, those seats are supremely comfy!

I so very nearly bought one, but couldn't find a nice enough 2.0TS Veloce saloon with the facelifted interior in black with red leather and a recent cam belt service within my tiny budget and leaving enough over for insurance at the age of 18.

I have no idea why not

Don't forget the wishbones which should also be classed as consumables

[McSam]

hornetrider said:

Don't forget the wishbones which should also be classed as consumables

Ooh, point. As I now have an A4, I forgot that suspension parts aren't supposed to be service items