Getting a new car - Need advice
Discussion
Hey PistonHeads,
I'm hoping you might be able to help me out with a decision, I just got a job working as an external (field) sales consultant meaning I need to be travelling all over the country via car to meet with current and prospective customers.
I, unfortunately, bore the brunt of the A331 recently when my 14 plate Corsa went head first into a lane-wide puddle at 70mph - completely writing it off. I was fine but I'm now 'car-less'.
Essentially, I need to review what car to get next. I'm currently 22, have 3 points on my license for a traffic signal violation, just wrote off my vehicle (as explained) and will be earning £35,000 p/a before tax. I wouldn't usually mention earnings but it might help anyone who wants to suggest cars better understand my financial situation.
I've been thinking of leasing a reliable 2ltr German option as i'll be doing a whole lot of miles per year (20k+) and I want something a bit quicker than my old 1.4 naturally aspirated Corsa. I've also got a company fuel card that covers both private and corporate miles so i'm not considering fuel consumption in my calculations.
My thanks in advance for any ideas, feel free to ask any questions
-Tom
I'm hoping you might be able to help me out with a decision, I just got a job working as an external (field) sales consultant meaning I need to be travelling all over the country via car to meet with current and prospective customers.
I, unfortunately, bore the brunt of the A331 recently when my 14 plate Corsa went head first into a lane-wide puddle at 70mph - completely writing it off. I was fine but I'm now 'car-less'.
Essentially, I need to review what car to get next. I'm currently 22, have 3 points on my license for a traffic signal violation, just wrote off my vehicle (as explained) and will be earning £35,000 p/a before tax. I wouldn't usually mention earnings but it might help anyone who wants to suggest cars better understand my financial situation.
I've been thinking of leasing a reliable 2ltr German option as i'll be doing a whole lot of miles per year (20k+) and I want something a bit quicker than my old 1.4 naturally aspirated Corsa. I've also got a company fuel card that covers both private and corporate miles so i'm not considering fuel consumption in my calculations.
My thanks in advance for any ideas, feel free to ask any questions
-Tom
Firstly german and reliable are not two words that go together. Secondly, you are young and have points, will travel the UK in a new job, the last thing you want to do is get stuck with a lease with a job that you may hate or might not make the probation period.
Take the money you have from the Corsa, spend 75% of it on buying a Volvo S60 D5, spend the other half on servicing it, fitting decent tyres. Make sure everything is working, air con service etc.
Take the money you have from the Corsa, spend 75% of it on buying a Volvo S60 D5, spend the other half on servicing it, fitting decent tyres. Make sure everything is working, air con service etc.
What's your budget for the purchase? Manual or auto? Anything else to do other than motorway munching?
Anything BMW/Audi/VW is generally acceptable and have such a large range of engines and power you should be able to find a suitable car
The VW 1.4tsi motor is quite reasonable and can be found in any of the VAG product group
Anything BMW/Audi/VW is generally acceptable and have such a large range of engines and power you should be able to find a suitable car
The VW 1.4tsi motor is quite reasonable and can be found in any of the VAG product group
What Steve said ^^^^^
So many variables starting a new job that I wouldn't make the commitment to a lease straight away.
Give it 6 months to make sure that you and your new job like each other and get a feel for how many miles you will really be driving. You don't want to find that you are doing more miles than you thought and blowing your budget, or doing far fewer and paying more than you need to.
Spend as much or as little, either in cash or HP, as you feel you should on something that you can live with for 6 months. As it's only a stopgap then make sure it's new enough to be reliable rather than flash but old. You don't want to be losing business because you couldn't get to clients because your car was off the road.
Once you are settled in your job and know first hand what your usage will be then you can plot your permanent car. This also gives you time to wait for a killer deal on the car you really want, rather than having to make a distress purchase right now.
So many variables starting a new job that I wouldn't make the commitment to a lease straight away.
Give it 6 months to make sure that you and your new job like each other and get a feel for how many miles you will really be driving. You don't want to find that you are doing more miles than you thought and blowing your budget, or doing far fewer and paying more than you need to.
Spend as much or as little, either in cash or HP, as you feel you should on something that you can live with for 6 months. As it's only a stopgap then make sure it's new enough to be reliable rather than flash but old. You don't want to be losing business because you couldn't get to clients because your car was off the road.
Once you are settled in your job and know first hand what your usage will be then you can plot your permanent car. This also gives you time to wait for a killer deal on the car you really want, rather than having to make a distress purchase right now.
dimots said:
Oh come on...'Buy a second hand Volvo' cannot be the right advice ;D
It depends how much the OP thinks is reasonable to spend. That could be £2000, £5000, £10000, or possibly flush with rush of success at a young age in his new job and no other major commitments to spend it on ( massive generalisation / assumption I know ) he may be considering spunking his first year's salary on a new car.....Go on, someone tell him what he wants to hear - he should get himself an RS3!
steve-5snwi said:
Firstly german and reliable are not two words that go together. Secondly, you are young and have points, will travel the UK in a new job, the last thing you want to do is get stuck with a lease with a job that you may hate or might not make the probation period.
Take the money you have from the Corsa, spend 75% of it on buying a Volvo S60 D5, spend the other half on servicing it, fitting decent tyres. Make sure everything is working, air con service etc.
That's 125% Einstein Take the money you have from the Corsa, spend 75% of it on buying a Volvo S60 D5, spend the other half on servicing it, fitting decent tyres. Make sure everything is working, air con service etc.
Wooda - I think you and Steve are right, I need to make sure the job suits and not tie myself down to any contract issues before i'm certain I can think long term.
Long term car hire definitely seems to be the best option as I'm not cash-rich with having to pay off the Corsa finance with the insurance payment.
Plus, i'm not sure if i'm being the typical consumer and overreaching with thoughts of German lease deals so I'll need to be careful of that.
Mattman - 1.4 tsi sounds slightly on the slower side? Do you know how much horsepower and torque the engine puts out?
Any other thoughts always welcome.
Long term car hire definitely seems to be the best option as I'm not cash-rich with having to pay off the Corsa finance with the insurance payment.
Plus, i'm not sure if i'm being the typical consumer and overreaching with thoughts of German lease deals so I'll need to be careful of that.
Mattman - 1.4 tsi sounds slightly on the slower side? Do you know how much horsepower and torque the engine puts out?
Any other thoughts always welcome.
If you're doing 20+k per year you will find that leases you look at will become very expenses, I'd get a lowish mileage car (a Bank loan which enables you to clear the Corsa finance & get a new car will help with most interest rates being around 3%) keep it a couple of years, that way you can see where you're at financially.
Something like one of these will easily tide you over:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Something like one of these will easily tide you over:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
My other half does around 30k per year travelling to work and back each day. We got hold of a 2003 Volvo S60 D5 manual for £1k in immaculate condition about 2 years ago. We service it ourselves and it has been faultless. It does over 50mpg on the motorway, is really comfortable and is surprisingly nippy, even the noise from the engine is more petrol and diesel. If you're on a budget not much comes close.
All far too sensible. OP needs a reliable long distance cruiser, sure, but one that helps him turn up at every sales call feeling like a winner. Turn up in a banger and you look like a loser. Turn up in some flash German metal and you’ve already won the deal. I’m thinking a black Merc SL, red Porsche 996, or perhaps a 6-series in midnight blue.
Go get ‘em, tiger.
Go get ‘em, tiger.
67Dino said:
All far too sensible. OP needs a reliable long distance cruiser, sure, but one that helps him turn up at every sales call feeling like a winner. Turn up in a banger and you look like a loser. Turn up in some flash German metal and you’ve already won the deal. I’m thinking a black Merc SL, red Porsche 996, or perhaps a 6-series in midnight blue.
Go get ‘em, tiger.
Definitely the most ambitious reply but I don't discount your point .. drive good, feel good, sell good! Go get ‘em, tiger.
Paradrift said:
67Dino said:
All far too sensible. OP needs a reliable long distance cruiser, sure, but one that helps him turn up at every sales call feeling like a winner. Turn up in a banger and you look like a loser. Turn up in some flash German metal and you’ve already won the deal. I’m thinking a black Merc SL, red Porsche 996, or perhaps a 6-series in midnight blue.
Go get ‘em, tiger.
Definitely the most ambitious reply but I don't discount your point .. drive good, feel good, sell good! Go get ‘em, tiger.
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