How much will you pay for a year's motoring?

[Ozzie Osmond]

Inspired by SOTW where the Beemer 540i Touring is described as both "bargain of the century" or "money pit", depending on point of view, I am wondering how much people are prepared to pay for a year's good quality driving. To level the playing field we're only looking at two things,

• Depreciation

plus

• Repairs

Because a sub-£1,000 car certainly hasn't got far to depreciate but can easily deliver £1,000+ bills.

To my mind a combined £1,000 is very cheap motoring and anything less then £2,000 is a bargain. Under £3,000 and you're still in good shape.

Bear in mind this is quality driving we're talking about here - not pootling around town in a 20 year old Nissan Micra!

[Zippee]

So any variables depending upon what the car is for. Mine for example has cost me over 5k a year in servicing/repairs (not including insurance, tax or fuel) but has suffered zero depreciation - in fact it's worth more than I paid for it, albeit not cancelling out the service costs. Mine's purely a weekend toy and worth it to me for the enjoyment it brings, I'd run a mile at those running costs for a normal daily drive though

[Raize]

Next to insurance all other costs are trivial.

[falkster]

Being as tight as a ducks bum I try not to spend anything on my daily if I can help it but I don't mind spending on my P+Js.

Daily =

• £960 fuel (car share atleast 2 days a week)
• £600 insurance.
• £400 servicing
• £40 MOT
• £250 tax?? (Can't remember)
• £0 depreciation (only paid £4001.26 for it)

Just over £2,000 isn't too bad I suppose.

[Chrisw666]

What do you mean by quality motoring? My Puma will likely be under a grand for a year for everything but fuel.

It's a car that is fun to drive and praised by most who'e driven one but I doubt I could have run a 540 for the same money.

[Toltec]

Raize said:

Next to insurance all other costs are trivial.

The road tax is higher than the insurance on one of my cars.

[Raize]

Toltec said:

Raize said:

Next to insurance all other costs are trivial.

The road tax is higher than the insurance on one of my cars.

That's funny, you would expect it to be all or none of them :s

[carreauchompeur]

Purchase price: 4000
Years insurance: 500
Tax: 200
Fluffing 3100

Ouch. Hopefully it'll start to level out next year. After I've spent another 300 on alarm upgrade, 500 on roof fluffing, 400 on paint...

[Ozzie Osmond]

Raize said:

Next to insurance all other costs are trivial.

Ah the perils of youth!

[FreeLitres]

• ahem*

I don't like to harp on about it, but...

Tax: £0
Insurance: £0
Depreciation: £0
Repairs: £0
Tyres: £0
Recovery membership: £0
Dealer servicing: £0
Company car tax: £780/year.

Not bad considering I'm driving around in brand new, comfortable car