Need help downsizing on our car

[anarki]

I won't go into too much detail, however the crux of this post is the fact I need to save money.

I have a house with my wife, we have 3 children and two cars between us. As everybody knows money can be tight. We have a Picasso to do all the family stuff and lugging crap around, along with her getting to work and back, 9k miles a year in a 1.6 petrol mum wagon with little costs is great.

Contrasted to me having an Audi S3 - I work 3 miles away from my work, I do a 9-5:30 job Monday to Friday and drive there and back every day. Occasionally I drive further afield when needed, looking at my mileage over a year I do 3,500 miles at most, the car is sat stationary more than it is actually driving.

Utter waste of a second car, I could cycle or learn to ride a motor bike but having a second car has proved itself useful in unforeseen circumstances.

So please help me find a new car based on my criteria:

£1.5k - £2k budget dependant on overall costs of running
5 seats (don't care about doors I have limbs to get kids in the back)
Cheaper tax the better (see overall cost of initial purchase)
Good power to weight and handling important

1.7 puma does all this apart from only having 4 seats... Damn

[snoopy25]

Renault Clio 182.....although it will be towards the higher end of between 80-100,000 miles

failing that not being cheap on road tax I would say you could easily get a Clio 1.2/1.4 for that sort of price

[aka_kerrly]

anarki said:

1.7 puma does all this apart from only having 4 seats... Damn

Does the Fiesta Zetec S not appeal?

A 106 GTI or Saxo vts , MG ZR that hasn't been abused?

Something that qualifies for classic insurance, mk2 Golf GTI

[davepoth]

aka_kerrly said:

anarki said:

1.7 puma does all this apart from only having 4 seats... Damn

Does the Fiesta Zetec S not appeal?

A 106 GTI or Saxo vts , MG ZR that hasn't been abused?

Something that qualifies for classic insurance, mk2 Golf GTI

A Fiesta would do the job admirably - the floorpan is pretty much the same as the Puma and they're a very good steer, without quite so much of the rust problem.

[Hoofy]

Do you enjoy the time you do use the S3? If so, keep it.

[anarki]

Hoofy said:

Do you enjoy the time you do use the S3? If so, keep it.

Yes I do enjoy it.

Keeping it though is what worries me finacally, it needs a new clutch soon and the bodywork is a bit tatty.

Overlooking those couple of issues (Which can be fixed) coupled with £285 a year tax its a great car, and performs well.

I can't think of a car to replace it.

[anarki]

davepoth said:

A Fiesta would do the job admirably - the floorpan is pretty much the same as the Puma and they're a very good steer, without quite so much of the rust problem.

Thanks, I have been interested in that mark of fiesta but was concered they also suffered from tin worm (especially the arches)

[LukeDM]

Could you get a Honda Accord Type R for that money? I guess the tax may still be expensive? They are supposed to be reliable and fairly cheap to maintain which could offset the annual tax.

[Ed.]

How much is the s3 worth because the fuel consumption has to be negligible at that mileage. At that budget the new car might need a new clutch soon?

[Riley Blue]

"a second car has proved itself useful in unforeseen circumstances."

In such circumstances I used to hire a car. Ask yourself, do you really need to own two cars? Be pragmatic, it's for the good of your family.

[MajorProblem]

Taking the cars out of the equation, I bet there are at least 5 other things you can do to save money - and that they will save you more than swapping your car.

[Hub]

If you're doing it to save money then you need a cheap car that is also cheap to run - a basic Fiesta or something. You'll get a better one for the budget as they were cheap to start with rather than a knackered hot hatch with similar running costs to your S3!

[Yadizzle1]

LukeDM said:

Could you get a Honda Accord Type R for that money? I guess the tax may still be expensive? They are supposed to be reliable and fairly cheap to maintain which could offset the annual tax.

+1
The saloon will make loading kids in so much easier. Bigger boot too and safer for your kids than a small hatchback would be.
212 HP as standard, not sure about weight but I think its something like 50kgs less than the standard car

[Mr SFJ]

Yadizzle1 said:

+1
The saloon will make loading kids in so much easier. Bigger boot too and safer for your kids than a small hatchback would be.
212 HP as standard, not sure about weight but I think its something like 50kgs less than the standard car

I also believe pre 2001 cars aren't judged by their CO2, so tax is cheap too?

[joebongo]

With such short distances I'd go for a petrol v8 or 12.

[skyrover]

downsizing from an S3?





seriously though... your mileage is so small, no "downsizing" is going to save you money

[Hoofy]

anarki said:

Hoofy said:

Do you enjoy the time you do use the S3? If so, keep it.

Yes I do enjoy it.

Keeping it though is what worries me finacally, it needs a new clutch soon and the bodywork is a bit tatty.

Overlooking those couple of issues (Which can be fixed) coupled with £285 a year tax its a great car, and performs well.

I can't think of a car to replace it.

How much to fit a new clutch? If it's over £2k I would be tempted to sell it but otherwise you're not really convincing me that selling it is a good idea. You'll probably make more of a loss selling it and from the hit you take in depreciation of the new shopping car you end up with as sooner or later you'll be back in a car similar to the S3.

[calibrax]

There's no guarantee that a different car will be reliable, particularly at the age/price you are looking at. So, in terms of saving money you would almost certainly be better off sticking with what you have and looking at making savings elsewhere.

[Jasandjules]

I am guessing the S3 is on a loan/finance therefore removing it will save money for the OP.

As boring as it sounds, I'd get a Passat 1.8 for your £1,500. It will take the kids when needed and will easily munch the miles.

My only concern really with getting a snotter is what if it has poor reliability and ends up costing plenty to repair....

On that basis I'd stick with one car and simply "make do" when having two is useful. I mean, even if that means getting a taxi the odd time..

[aka_kerrly]

Hoofy said:

How much to fit a new clutch? If it's over £2k

£2K for a clutch, it's no where near that especially if the dual mass flywheel is in ok condition. If it's junk it is easier to swap to a single flywheel set up from a

Audi dealers quote £799 inc parts/labour/VAT and they swap the slave cylinder and shift arm as part of their procedure. A standard back street garage ought to be able to do it for £500 - assuming £150 for a Sachs clutch kit inc flywheel conversion and £350 labour - although i'd spend a bit extra and get the slave cylinder at the same time as it would be awful to have to remove the box again soon after if it fails or leaks fluid all over your fresh clutch.