What Car - Long Commute
Discussion
So I 'need' a new car. For one reason or another I've now found myself with 750 mile weekly commute. 95% free flowing motorway. I can't move, and given the state of the industry I work in at the moment can't find a job closer to home.
Luckily all of my mileage is business so I get a 15p a mile and monthly allowance to pay for the car. I currently do the commute in a petrol Honda civic (Old scheme was fuel card based) and whilst it has done a sterling job it lacks a few luxuries and is costing roughly 16p a mile to fuel.
So criteria:
50mpg + The greater the better as any surplus fuel payments will pay for the additional depreciation / running costs.
(As an example if I could get a car that did 65mpg I would be roughly £175 a month better off.)
Good Seats - I spend a lot of time sat in them!
Good Stereo - I spend a lot of time listening to it!
Good for motorway - No point in compromising on this for dynamics as car will spend 95% of it's life on a motorway.
Depreciation resistant as far as possible. Will likely keep the car for a year as I'll get bored / fancy a change / move jobs.
Less than 4 year old. Car has to be less than 5 to qualify for car allowance, this ties in with above as well.
Preferably less than 30k miles as this would allow me to keep it below 60k miles when I sell it on (Experienced a prejudice to selling cars with mileage greater than 60k)
Cost around 8-12k although will go a little higher / lower if there's merit.
Current thoughts are:
Volvo C30 1.6d + Volvo, good seats, good stereo, supposed 60+mpg. - maybe too small
Volvo V50 as above slightly larger car with small engine - Good compromise?
Volvo S80 A lot of car for the money would be a 2.0d so less mpg but significantly bigger more comfortable car? higher end of budget
Audi A3 1.9tdie + Supposedly solid 65mpg ?
Seat leon ecomotive + cheap, cheerful, poor mans bluemotion?
VW pole bluemotion + up to 90mpg! - soul destroying?
Would appreciate some thoughts! Flit between cheapest most economical car to save the cash and buy something fun for the weekend, and why would I want to drive on a weekend after all that driving so get something a bit more comfortable.
Luckily all of my mileage is business so I get a 15p a mile and monthly allowance to pay for the car. I currently do the commute in a petrol Honda civic (Old scheme was fuel card based) and whilst it has done a sterling job it lacks a few luxuries and is costing roughly 16p a mile to fuel.
So criteria:
50mpg + The greater the better as any surplus fuel payments will pay for the additional depreciation / running costs.
(As an example if I could get a car that did 65mpg I would be roughly £175 a month better off.)
Good Seats - I spend a lot of time sat in them!
Good Stereo - I spend a lot of time listening to it!
Good for motorway - No point in compromising on this for dynamics as car will spend 95% of it's life on a motorway.
Depreciation resistant as far as possible. Will likely keep the car for a year as I'll get bored / fancy a change / move jobs.
Less than 4 year old. Car has to be less than 5 to qualify for car allowance, this ties in with above as well.
Preferably less than 30k miles as this would allow me to keep it below 60k miles when I sell it on (Experienced a prejudice to selling cars with mileage greater than 60k)
Cost around 8-12k although will go a little higher / lower if there's merit.
Current thoughts are:
Volvo C30 1.6d + Volvo, good seats, good stereo, supposed 60+mpg. - maybe too small
Volvo V50 as above slightly larger car with small engine - Good compromise?
Volvo S80 A lot of car for the money would be a 2.0d so less mpg but significantly bigger more comfortable car? higher end of budget
Audi A3 1.9tdie + Supposedly solid 65mpg ?
Seat leon ecomotive + cheap, cheerful, poor mans bluemotion?
VW pole bluemotion + up to 90mpg! - soul destroying?
Would appreciate some thoughts! Flit between cheapest most economical car to save the cash and buy something fun for the weekend, and why would I want to drive on a weekend after all that driving so get something a bit more comfortable.
Saab 95 or 93 oil burner..
I would personally be looking for something at the absolute upper limit of the age threshold and with a Saab or such like a higher mileage one as you will be getting into the sub £5k cost and depreciation is then a moot point really.
Like this one...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
I would personally be looking for something at the absolute upper limit of the age threshold and with a Saab or such like a higher mileage one as you will be getting into the sub £5k cost and depreciation is then a moot point really.
Like this one...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
You can indeed, so I can claim tax relief on the difference between the 45p and 15p, i.e 30p a mile for the first 10,000 miles and the difference between 15p and 25p thereafter.
This would be the same no matter what car so not really factored in!
S60d5 would be ideal it's finding one young enough?
This would be the same no matter what car so not really factored in!
S60d5 would be ideal it's finding one young enough?
te you got in the MK2'sA bit of a leftfield choice would be a renault laguna coupe - not sure on depriciation or reliability though. Forgot about the renault/ peugeot 1.5dci engine. I believe it's meant to be fairly frugal. Worth a look.
Mondeos - You don't actually get as much bang for your book as you used to. Been looking at these and they are more expensive than you think. On the list though.
Mondeos - You don't actually get as much bang for your book as you used to. Been looking at these and they are more expensive than you think. On the list though.
What about a previous shape Astra? NOt the last word in anyting really but I found the one I had for 8 months pretty much spot on. Rod holding was pretty good, the 1.9 derv unit was returning 64 mpg with a fairly enthusiastic driver, seats were comfy (for me) and the stereo was pretty handy. Only thing it had was a remap.
Very much run of the mill, but in all the time I drove it I actaully became pretty fond of it and its blandness
Very much run of the mill, but in all the time I drove it I actaully became pretty fond of it and its blandness
jackh707 said:
newer civic 2.2 diesel,(not the very latest, the spaceship one) lovely overlooked motorway barge, reliable, nice play to sit...some bargains to be had from main dealers, should be able to get a 2 year old example with 10,000 ish miles on the clock in your budget.
Doh! My other half has one of these for some obscene mileage and she loves it, We did Cornwall to Hemel (290 miles), 4 people plus luggage (vast quantities of cider ;D) on half a tank. She does a 80 mile a day commute and also drives all over the country in it to meet customers and it's never missed a beat.IIRC it was £8000 and it had way under 10k, approved used with warranty etc.
Only thing to note is the paint is crap and is very prone to chips and scratches.
another vote for a Mondeo
even if you are finding the prices creeping up, servicing and parts should be less.
I was doing silly miles for months in a Mondeo and it was comfy, reliable and suited to its life on the motorway - it lasted well despite utter mechanical neglect in my ownership
even if you are finding the prices creeping up, servicing and parts should be less.
I was doing silly miles for months in a Mondeo and it was comfy, reliable and suited to its life on the motorway - it lasted well despite utter mechanical neglect in my ownership
Not sure about the MPG but it surely somewhere near.....
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3939693.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3939693.htm
Mr Roper said:
Not sure about the MPG but it surely somewhere near.....
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3939693.htm
Great shout!http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3939693.htm
For long motorway miles, you want as long a wheelbase as possible.
For economy you want a smaller diesel, but not so small it's working too hard at motorway speeds.
For me, a Megane or a Volvo C30 would be a bit too small. The previous generation Mondeo might work quite well. Then see what else is similar in size. The Laguna Coupe is an interesting shout, but it won't be even remotely depreciation-proof.
Estate cars tend to hold their value a little better than other variants too, but use a little more fuel.
For economy you want a smaller diesel, but not so small it's working too hard at motorway speeds.
For me, a Megane or a Volvo C30 would be a bit too small. The previous generation Mondeo might work quite well. Then see what else is similar in size. The Laguna Coupe is an interesting shout, but it won't be even remotely depreciation-proof.
Estate cars tend to hold their value a little better than other variants too, but use a little more fuel.
jackh707 said:
newer civic 2.2 diesel.
Crashy ride though (might be OK on the motorway...)I'd definitely want a Volvo of some sort if I was doing that sort of mileage, just for the seats! A C30 with the 1.6 diesel engine and a decent spec (work colleague has one with 17" wheels, leather, cruise control, good stereo) will tick all the boxes, and the engine doesn't struggle as much as it does in the bigger models.
If you think you're in this for the long haul, a new(ish) Hyundai i40 - around £15k.
Not driven one but been in one and it certainly seems comfy, 64mpg claimed (probably more like 50 - 55 real world, even on the motorway), and a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. Admittedly it'd be worth buttons with 175k+ on it at five years (£3k would be brilliant) but even that is only £200/month for 3,000 miles of depreciation.
Not driven one but been in one and it certainly seems comfy, 64mpg claimed (probably more like 50 - 55 real world, even on the motorway), and a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. Admittedly it'd be worth buttons with 175k+ on it at five years (£3k would be brilliant) but even that is only £200/month for 3,000 miles of depreciation.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff