Your thoughts on downgrading...
Discussion
The short version:
Thinking about downgrading to an eco-box as I do fewer miles now and don't get to enjoy the car I have finance on. Can buy something cheaper for cash easily. Who's done it before?
Long:
I've had my mk2 Fabia vRS for about a year now, but my circumstances have changed considerably since. Mainly that I'm now an internal and thus not the car allowance scheme, no fuel card anymore and my drive to work is just 12 minutes instead of the 30 it used to be.
I used to have loads of fun in the car, but I don't do many miles anymore so don't really enjoy it. Which annoys me as it's costing me at least £265 per month on finance and maybe around £100 in fuel @ 30 mpg (Car runs rich on and never gets fully warmed up on the 6 miles trip to work.)
So I've been thinking about getting an eco-box, like a Toyota Aygo.
I can raise £4k cash from selling my car and from my income easy.
Real world Fuel economy should be at least 50% better, less tax, less insurance, tyres and servicing all less.
Maybe I'd have a bit of fun in these, with them being lightweight and having to work them harder to reach current the same speeds.
Afford-ability with the current car is not an issue, dead easy for me. I just resent paying a premium for something I no longer enjoy and will probably sell in another year...
Hopefully in a years time, I'll be an external in my role (not a pipe-dream, realistic as confirmed by my boss.) When I do that I won't want to be doing 25k miles PA in a Fabia...
Your thoughts and questions most welcome.
Thinking about downgrading to an eco-box as I do fewer miles now and don't get to enjoy the car I have finance on. Can buy something cheaper for cash easily. Who's done it before?
Long:
I've had my mk2 Fabia vRS for about a year now, but my circumstances have changed considerably since. Mainly that I'm now an internal and thus not the car allowance scheme, no fuel card anymore and my drive to work is just 12 minutes instead of the 30 it used to be.
I used to have loads of fun in the car, but I don't do many miles anymore so don't really enjoy it. Which annoys me as it's costing me at least £265 per month on finance and maybe around £100 in fuel @ 30 mpg (Car runs rich on and never gets fully warmed up on the 6 miles trip to work.)
So I've been thinking about getting an eco-box, like a Toyota Aygo.
I can raise £4k cash from selling my car and from my income easy.
Real world Fuel economy should be at least 50% better, less tax, less insurance, tyres and servicing all less.
Maybe I'd have a bit of fun in these, with them being lightweight and having to work them harder to reach current the same speeds.
Afford-ability with the current car is not an issue, dead easy for me. I just resent paying a premium for something I no longer enjoy and will probably sell in another year...
Hopefully in a years time, I'll be an external in my role (not a pipe-dream, realistic as confirmed by my boss.) When I do that I won't want to be doing 25k miles PA in a Fabia...
Your thoughts and questions most welcome.
Edited by HBFS on Sunday 22 July 09:21
xRIEx said:
12 minute drive? Get a pushbike and cycle to work, keep the car* and go back to driving for fun.
*Or get a different fun car - MX5?
Lots have said bike it, but it's not for me. Always disliked cycles sharing the roads with cars.*Or get a different fun car - MX5?
Would definitely consider an mx-5 though (Or similar)! It'd probably have the same running costs, but I could ditch the finance and buy cash.
ED209 said:
Hang on, is a fabia vrs not an eco box already ? (if its the diesel one)
Nope, petrol. It can be economical but you have to be extremely light-footed. Not much fun.HBFS said:
Sell it to me?!
What sort of mpg do you get?
Mid 40's. Other advantage I find is you can go for a drive, it feels good, you're pushing on pretty hard, but it's not over the limits. Goes fine on the motorway too. I'm 6'2 and find it comfortable to drive. What sort of mpg do you get?
The plan was for my other half to drive it, but think she has given up on the plan to drive after failing the test,
EDIT: It's also a whole lot of fun to take to roof down and put the heated seats on for a drive on a frosty winter morning!
Edited by Heartworm on Sunday 22 July 10:05
I have been having the same thoughts for about 12 months, and my advice would be to sit down with a spreadsheet and actually accurately calculate what your savings are likely to be.
I have an XKR as a daily drive and use it very little (4k a year max). I was looking at dropping into something like a Mini, Focus etc, so did the sums.
The fuel saving was huge in percentage terms, but in real £ notes in your pocket term it was buttons.
The tax was lower, as was the insurance.
However when I factored in the expected depreciation/future value of the vehicles (bearing in mind that I have already taken the pain on the Jag), it turned out cheaper over 3 years keep and run the Jag compared with a Mini by £50 per month.
Did the same sums after my friend traded a 996 for an Audi diesel, and he does 15k per year. Again, the fuel saving over 3 years just equalled his deposit on the Audi.
Easy to be tempted by the perceived savings, I know I was. However I kind of guess you are on this site as you like your motors ...... is it worth driving a eco-car it for a few quid in your pocket a month?
John
I have an XKR as a daily drive and use it very little (4k a year max). I was looking at dropping into something like a Mini, Focus etc, so did the sums.
The fuel saving was huge in percentage terms, but in real £ notes in your pocket term it was buttons.
The tax was lower, as was the insurance.
However when I factored in the expected depreciation/future value of the vehicles (bearing in mind that I have already taken the pain on the Jag), it turned out cheaper over 3 years keep and run the Jag compared with a Mini by £50 per month.
Did the same sums after my friend traded a 996 for an Audi diesel, and he does 15k per year. Again, the fuel saving over 3 years just equalled his deposit on the Audi.
Easy to be tempted by the perceived savings, I know I was. However I kind of guess you are on this site as you like your motors ...... is it worth driving a eco-car it for a few quid in your pocket a month?
John
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