Consolidate to one car or keep two?

[eltax91]

Hi all

I'm at a crossroads with my current fleet. The time has come to sell my trusty old spare landy as with a newborn son I no longer have time to off road it.

At the same time, due to car allowance reasons its also time to change the daily hack octavia too.

So, I have 4k in the bank and the other two are worth about 6k between them.

I do lots of miles for work, covering around 25k a year for work. So I'm left with a choice of a nice 10k daily (>2000cc petrol as I get more per mile), so something like a modern 3/5 30i or stick with the 2 car set up and run a 3-4k daily, perhaps e46 330i and then something special in the garage for fun.

Question is, what would you do? If I go the two car route, will the toy still be as exciting when running a well regarded daily.

On the flip side am I crazy to consider sticking high miles on such and expensive daily.

I've been running the Octavia/ landy combo for a while and the landy provided the smiles the skoda didn't, but the Octaviais so faultless its the perfect motorway tool.

In terms if rules, there is only one with work and that's to have a reliable runner. It's accepted that running 2 means a cheaper daily, no problem. Financially the car allowance works comfortably in both cases (600pcm) and I'm not interested in leasing I don't think.

People of pistonheads, HELP!

[Jasandjules]

Bear in mind that one car less also means less insurance, less road tax, less servicing costs..... So perhaps for a year or three stick to the Skoda and save some cash up?

[eltax91]

Jasandjules said:

Bear in mind that one car less also means less insurance, less road tax, less servicing costs..... So perhaps for a year or three stick to the Skoda and save some cash up?

Sticking with the skoda is not beneficial anymore. My new company pays mileage at hmrc recommended rate for company cars, despite giving us an allowance. So, the mileage rate makes it more financially beneficial for me to run a 330i than the octavia TDi. Crazy eh?

[eltax91]

Bump

[SuperVM]

I always have a family car (my wife's) and a second car as a toy. However, I find that if the family can fit in the toy car, I use it much more frequently than otherwise. My RX-7 will be collected by its new owner in just under two weeks, primarily because I use it once a month. Given you're doing 25k a year, I'd find something that is exciting(ish) as a daily car and also won't be hit too heavily by the depreciation associated with doing the mileage you'll be doing. I'd then spend £6k-£7k on something that will hold its value as a fun car. One of my main concerns is depreciation though, which might not be one of yours. Is an E46 330 estate too similar to an E46 M3 to warrant having both?

[Captain Muppet]

eltax91 said:

It's accepted that running 2 means a cheaper daily, no problem.

I run an Elise as my daily, and a stripped-out turbo MX5 as my other car. The values are very heavily biased towards the daily car. £1500 is enough to buy something different for the weekends. Also with less money invested in the weekend car you can risk buying something silly, like an RX7, and worry less about it having an "issue".

I get bored with just one car, what I like is the contrast between two (or more) so you continue to appreciate the special things about each. Obviously I don't need [i]much[i] contrast as they are both 160bhp 2-seat convertibles, but it's enough.

[darren9]

My advice is to go with 2 cars. The reliable boring daily which will be good for family duties and something else for you. With a newborn you won't have time to look after a car properly. I'm a year and a half down the line from you. When our little one arrived we went to one car - an octavia vrs - and now all 4 wheels are curbed, it's filthy, scratched from supermarket trips and covered in biscuits, milk and whatever else darren9 junior drops in the footwell/on the seats.

You need something you're not attached to for family/daily and keep something just for you.

[eltax91]

SuperVM said:

I always have a family car (my wife's) and a second car as a toy. However, I find that if the family can fit in the toy car, I use it much more frequently than otherwise. My RX-7 will be collected by its new owner in just under two weeks, primarily because I use it once a month. Given you're doing 25k a year, I'd find something that is exciting(ish) as a daily car and also won't be hit too heavily by the depreciation associated with doing the mileage you'll be doing. I'd then spend £6k-£7k on something that will hold its value as a fun car. One of my main concerns is depreciation though, which might not be one of yours. Is an E46 330 estate too similar to an E46 M3 to warrant having both?

So interesting points, maybe I should limit the depreciation by having a cheaper daily, this is my main concern on the daily to be honest. In answer to 330 and M3, yes I think they are too close. My current thought is a 330 Tourer daily and something useable as the toy for the family weekend stuff. Like, for example, an XK or maybe classic mustang of some type.

It's a tough call to make, the wife keeps saying "why don't you just have a nice car for all those miles", which I get, but the depreciation horrifies me!!

A great position to be in I know.