Large capacity engines. Very sought after or hot potato?

Large capacity engines. Very sought after or hot potato?

Author
Discussion

QBee

20,984 posts

144 months

Monday 6th June 2022
quotequote all
I am an accountant, and can confirm what you are all thinking, which is that the biggest single cost by far in motoring is....depreciation.

So I thought about it, decided I didn't need to be in anything new and shiny, and adopted a zero depreciation model about 5 years ago.
Bear in mind we have grandchildren and dogs.

My main car is a petrol 2002 Saab 9-5 estate, bought for £900 three years ago and now 20 years old.
My wife's car is the same car, same model, but 3 years older, bought 7 years ago for £875.
My towing car is a 2005 diesel Nissan XTrail - pushed the boat out that time, £2,200 in 2019. Still worth the same.

Road tax on all is at pre-2006 rates of duty, so around £300. Insurance averages £200 a car.
Yes, I get the odd repair bill, but they are all surprisingly reliable.

I do have a fun car as well, used mainly for track days. Maintenance is not cheap, but it has actually gone up in value by about 50% in the last 10 years.

anonymous-user

54 months

Monday 6th June 2022
quotequote all
Why not just buy the Merc and a standard diesel commuting/shed car.

Decent stereo, Automatic, Cruise, 2.0 Diesel. £5k is plenty. 2 cars for 2 jobs.

SidewaysSi

10,742 posts

234 months

Monday 6th June 2022
quotequote all
QBee said:
I am an accountant, and can confirm what you are all thinking, which is that the biggest single cost by far in motoring is....depreciation.

So I thought about it, decided I didn't need to be in anything new and shiny, and adopted a zero depreciation model about 5 years ago.
Bear in mind we have grandchildren and dogs.

My main car is a petrol 2002 Saab 9-5 estate, bought for £900 three years ago and now 20 years old.
My wife's car is the same car, same model, but 3 years older, bought 7 years ago for £875.
My towing car is a 2005 diesel Nissan XTrail - pushed the boat out that time, £2,200 in 2019. Still worth the same.

Road tax on all is at pre-2006 rates of duty, so around £300. Insurance averages £200 a car.
Yes, I get the odd repair bill, but they are all surprisingly reliable.

I do have a fun car as well, used mainly for track days. Maintenance is not cheap, but it has actually gone up in value by about 50% in the last 10 years.
Fecking accountants...kill the fun out of life.


smile

NDA

21,578 posts

225 months

Monday 6th June 2022
quotequote all
It's probably already been said, but large capacity 'daily drivers' will most likely disappear. Especially as average EV's will have a similar performance and are a tenth of the cost to run (at the moment). Large capacity 'fun' cars that spend most of the time tucked away will be around for a long time.

I'm doing this now. Range Rover - unused. Tesla - daily. Morgan V8 - summer weekends, on SORN over winter.