20k+ miles in an interesting petrol car with poor MPG?

[Ved]

I do well over 20,000 miles a year and since I bought my R32 in July I've done nearly 11,000. Most of the mileage is with work so I get the usual 45p per mile back but I do a lot of personal trips as well. I put 40,000 on a Impreza STI before this with a V6 4motion Golf mixed in between and none got me more than 30mpg on average but I wanted an fun and reliable car to enjoy all the time as I don't have room for a second car or a garage.

Do any of you guys have a similar lifestyle that means you tend to clock up the miles in your only car or do you have a cheap hack to munch motorways and have something a little different for the weekends? Also, if you do, how did you go about picking the right car for the job?

I may well change mine again in summer when it'll be at the 4 years/40k mark but there doesn't seem to be much out there yet - GT86 perhaps, if I stretch



David

[Iain XR4i]

Remember the rate per mile drops to 25p at 10,000.

If the sums add up and the car you want isn't too uncomfortable for distance work I'd just go for the one.

I've always had to take a company car, though, so my weekend car spends most of its life locked in the garage.

[redgriff500]

I've tried having a shed and the problem is that you tend to then use it all the time as it's cheaper to run and you don't have to worry about it being stolen / damaged etc.

However it's also soul destroying when you stumble onto a good road etc.

LPG conversion is the answer IMO. Fun car with almost half the running cost.

[Ved]

Iain XR4i said:

Remember the rate per mile drops to 25p at 10,000.

If the sums add up and the car you want isn't too uncomfortable for distance work I'd just go for the one.

I've always had to take a company car, though, so my weekend car spends most of its life locked in the garage.

Yep you're correct about the 10k limit and I've never breached it in 4 years but that does mean 10k a year is on me. Generally it works out that petrol is free if I average around 30mpg, then it's just the cost of buying the car and servicing it. It's more about the car that can do everything in that price bracket that has me stumped and I wondered how everyone else came up with their choice of car. Depreciation isn't a factor for me as it's all agreed and so long as I pay it monthly the end value isn't a concern.

The more I write this the more I'm grateful for my job really too.

BTW, if you have a XR4i post up some pics I lusted after those things since I got a 1:18 model when I was 7

[Ved]

redgriff500 said:

I've tried having a shed and the problem is that you tend to then use it all the time as it's cheaper to run and you don't have to worry about it being stolen / damaged etc.

However it's also soul destroying when you stumble onto a good road etc.

LPG conversion is the answer IMO. Fun car with almost half the running cost.

Interesting idea, Griff. I know one chap with a very high powered WRX who did this. It has a dual-fuel system in case he's caught out too and he's just sacrificed a part of his boot. Sadly not something I can do as I tend to PCP my cars through dealers as my car allowance pays for it.

[GaryST220]

Hmm, well according to a handy little Android App, my Mondeo has cost me an average of £686.64 a month for the past 4 years and thats not including depreciation.

I need a new job and/or car, but I'm too fat and complacement to change either!!

Ah well.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Saab 900 T16S - 25mpg average
Eunos Roadster 1.8 - 25mpg average
Saab 9000 2.3T - 25mpg average

For the last 7 years I have been running these cars at various times. Usually do 12-14k per annum, self employed so all my own cash. I agree it's nice always to be in a fun car, but it's also nice to be in the shed and not worried (the 9000).

Only problem is, I have been driving the shed exclusively now for over 2 months and have no real desire to get into either of the other cars.

Could be time to kill myself

[paulmoonraker]

Impreza STi (mapped to 350 ish) for weekends and track days. Mondeo TDCI for the work hack.

I used to use an ST170 and then a WRX PPP for work (loads of motorway), but got fed up will filling them up several times a week, the eye watering depreciation (see my garage), and the general state they get. I do miss driving a fun car for work, especially when I find myself on a country route However, I paid 5K for my Mondeo and I claimed that in petrol within a year or so...

[DJRC]

You do realise that for most of us, there is no such thing as pence per mile right? It ALL comes out of our own pocket. Nett.

So yes, quite a lot of us, in answer to your question. I used to do 20,000 miles a yr in my Sagaris.

[Iain XR4i]

GaryST220 said:

Hmm, well according to a handy little Android App, my Mondeo has cost me an average of £686.64 a month for the past 4 years and thats not including depreciation.

I need a new job and/or car, but I'm too fat and complacement to change either!!

Ah well.

Or a new App! How can you spend that kind of money - almost £33k!!! - on a Mondeo and it NOT include depreciation? (Unless your insurance is a killer?)

[Iain XR4i]

Ved said:

BTW, if you have a XR4i post up some pics I lusted after those things since I got a 1:18 model when I was 7

[Ved]

DJRC said:

You do realise that for most of us, there is no such thing as pence per mile right? It ALL comes out of our own pocket. Nett.

So yes, quite a lot of us, in answer to your question. I used to do 20,000 miles a yr in my Sagaris.

Yes I am aware of this. I did the same thing until I took up the job I have now and did well into 30k on my own too.

[texasjohn]

Iain XR4i said:

How's that Sierra on a J plate?

[Iain XR4i]

New bodyshell and a 1991 XR4x4 donor so it got an age-related plate.

[Sir_Dave]

I do about 2-3k miles a month.

Current chariot of choice is an M3

[soda]

Currently racking up 2k a month at 18mpg in the Monaro since I got it in September.

I have convinced myself I need something more economical for the brunt of the mileage. I'm now trying to convince myself I could get 35mpg in an Elise