VW UP, dare I?

[tjob]

Hi guys,

Currently have a 306 Gti6 as my winter hack, usually get something a little better for summer months (Clio 200's for example) but I run my own detailing company and although mainly at my unit, I also do some mobile stuff, and my 306 just isn't presentable, whereas at least a 200 is a bit better!

The 306 can go back to it's previous owner pretty much straight away for the same I bought it for, so that's not an issue

So. I don't want to stick £7-10k into a car this year as I've expanded the company and it's very dependant on cash in bank, so it lead me to think about leasing..

I can get a new 13 reg VW up for £120 a month. It's relatively presentable, stickered up it's like a tiny tiny van, just painfully slow..But it's new, 'reliable' and I'd assume good on fuel/tax/boring stuff..My main concern is when clients drop cars with me I often run them to the station/town/home, and my 14 year old 306 just doesn't seem the right image, is an UP at least a little better?!

But is throwing nearly £3k away over 2 years and 20,000 miles a silly idea?

I do sort of have use to other vehicles for my fun driving, but I do enjoy the poke the 306 gives me even as my winter car...

Over to you!

[A3tdi]

tjob said:

Hi guys,

Currently have a 306 Gti6 as my winter hack, usually get something a little better for summer months (Clio 200's for example) but I run my own detailing company and although mainly at my unit, I also do some mobile stuff, and my 306 just isn't presentable, whereas at least a 200 is a bit better!

The 306 can go back to it's previous owner pretty much straight away for the same I bought it for, so that's not an issue

So. I don't want to stick £7-10k into a car this year as I've expanded the company and it's very dependant on cash in bank, so it lead me to leasing..

Brand new 13 reg VW up for £120 a month. It's relatively presentable, stickered up it's like a tiny tiny van, just painfully slow..But it's new, 'reliable' and I'd assume good on fuel/tax/boring stuff..My main concern is when clients drop cars with me I often run them to the station/town/home, and my 14 year old 306 just doesn't seem the right image, is an UP at least a little better?!

But is throwing nearly £3k away over 2 years and 20,000 miles a silly idea?

I do sort of have use to other vehicles for my fun driving, but I do enjoy the poke the 306 gives me even as my winter car...

Over to you!

Not sure what spec is £120 per month, but try lingscars and freedomcontracts as i believe they do a £1000 down at £50+ vat p/m

Bargain!

Edited by A3tdi on Thursday 28th February 21:48

[anonymous-user]

tjob said:

But is throwing nearly £3k away over 2 years and 20,000 miles a silly idea?

yes I would invest in your business, or contingency plan fund.

sell 306 gti and buy a nice leather diesel barge..

[tjob]

The 306 is a perfect runner, so selling it to buy something else for a grand is a no go - It belonged to a client who has owned from new, and has been spot on in my time owning it

Seems a lease is cheaper than 120, so it gets better...just worried i'll hate it!

Yes its 2-3k (what ever it actually ends up costing) but its not a big chunk going in one go, and im not wanting to spend 10k on a car at the moment...£60 a month is very manageable though..

[Codswallop]

Buy a £3k classic/ interesting older car, and detail it to perfection to show off your prowess. Clients will appreciate/ understand a classic car, and you get to have fun and keep the car for more than 3 years.

[JayT]

Have a quick look at the thread I created last year, many owners reviews of the Up.

It may help you decide if the car is right for you.

[Grenoble]

Buy a 3k Saab/Volvo barge?
That said, Most clients won't look at what you are running providing it is clean/no bodies hanging out the back/etc...

[bmthnick1981]

A3tdi said:

Not sure what spec is £120 per month, but try lingscars and freedomcontracts as i believe they do a 6+23 at £50+ vat p/m

Bargain!

£50 per month?!

[A3tdi]

bmthnick1981 said:

A3tdi said:

Not sure what spec is £120 per month, but try lingscars and freedomcontracts as i believe they do a 6+23 at £50+ vat p/m

Bargain!

£50 per month?!

Yep its on freedom contracts right now.

[windy1]

Up is an undiscovered gem of a car, even for a petrolhead. Get one, you won't regret it.
I like:
- 3 cylinder engine - sounds like alfa v6 when you red line it
- steering is lovely, precise, feels great
- It's like a tardis once you are in it
- 60mpg possible
- cheap for what it is
- light

[LiamM45]

i got to have a little spin in one and i thought it was absolutely fantastic for a little city car, another league to the Fiat 500 and the Korean boxes!

[Colonial]

For what you are talking about it seems to make perfect sense.

[PDenyer]

Mate of mine bought the Seat version for his Mrs , loves it

[JQ]

bmthnick1981 said:

£50 per month?!

Not really, no.

When you factor in the initial payment of over £1,000 it equates to £91 PCM. Add on vat if not running as a company car and that's £110pcm for 5,000 miles a year.

[Digitalize]

UP! would be a great car to use to taxi clients around, shows you're not a wasteful business, but have money to spend, therefore doing well, and by choosing something economical, you're also environmentally friendly minded.

Keep the GTi6 to tear around in on weekends using all the fuel the UP! saved

[A3tdi]

Miles/Months/Deposit/23 months of

5000 24 months £1,025.99 - £49.99
5000 24 months £564.99 - £69.99
5000 24 months £449.94 - £74.99
5000 24 months £263.97 - £87.99
10000 24 months £497.46 - £82.91
10000 24 months £290.97 - £96.99
15000 24 months £547.86 - £91.31
15000 24 months £317.97 - £105.99
20000 24 months £590.46 - £98.41
20000 24 months £341.97 - £113.99

+Vat to all.

Again - Bargain!

[mat777]

Codswallop said:

Buy a £3k classic/ interesting older car, and detail it to perfection to show off your prowess. Clients will appreciate/ understand a classic car, and you get to have fun and keep the car for more than 3 years.

This. Buy a mildy tired-looking one, renovate it and make a board of before/after photos to wow clients

[r129sl]

I would lease the UP rather than putting capital into a barge. Fact is, not everyone gets the barge thing and they do throw up bills from time to time. I doubt any client would turn his nose up at a new, stickered, clean UP, especially if your stickering was creative. I've no doubt the UP will be a superb little car, no matter what motoring journalists say. And those lease deals are staggeringly, amazingly good. So much that I'm thinking I should get one just to keep lying around. Even at 20,000miles a year they are still hilariously cheap.

If it all goes well then you could get yourself an interesting toy this time next year.

[Dog Star]

r129sl said:

I would lease the UP rather than putting capital into a barge. Fact is, not everyone gets the barge thing and they do throw up bills from time to time. I doubt any client would turn his nose up at a new, stickered, clean UP, especially if your stickering was creative.

This; turning up with a stickered up Up that looks like, as you say OP, a tiny van looks "right"; like you are running a serious professional business.

Rocking up in some old barge, while it might be interesting to some, is just going to make you look like some bloke who is operating out of a lock-up on a council estate.

Other thing - a cheapo lease car, once you've insured it, it a totally fixed cost.

[busta]

I'd be more impressed by a 90s hatch that was in exceptional condition and had been detailed to within an inch of it's life than a crappy little city car that had clearly been bought because it was the cheapest thing to finance.

What's so bad about the 306? If it's tidy I don't see a problem. Those that 'get' it will like it, those that don't are probably pretty indifferent about what the chap who details their car drives.

If you're considering an UP, you may as well save a few more £ and get a C1.