New job with high miles: what car for £8k?
Discussion
After having company cars for a few years I now need to source my own car for work. 25k+ miles a year, with no restrictions on what I can drive with the £7200pa car allowance
Ideally I’d like to buy something outright with my £8k redundancy payout from my previous job and shove the car allowance into my pension for the 40% tax relief. I’d like something reasonably smart, reliable, comfortable, automatic, and able to do 45+mpg on a long run.
My wife also needs a car for her twice weekly commute (15 miles each way). Her requirements are very similar to mine; reliable, comfortable, automatic (mpg not so crucial).
We currently have a 2010 Audi A5 sportback quattro 3.0TDI automatic which has done 175k miles. It’s a great family car; it's been virtually faultless in the 4 years we've owned it and meets both our requirements.
I originally thought I would use the Audi for work and we’d get a 5 year old Japanese hatch for my wife, but prices at that end of the market are insane at the moment and £8k barely gets you a 10yo Honda Jazz. I’m also a little concerned how quickly I might finish the A5 off by doing 25k miles a year in it. So now I’m thinking of perhaps getting another diesel executive car for me (£8k gets a 10yo sub-100k mile Merc C220 CDI for example) and I can then put the majority of my miles on that, and just occasionally use the A5 for work to properly stretch its legs.
Thoughts?
TL/DR: What reliable, comfortable, economical, automatic would you buy for £8k in the current market? Should I use my Audi A5 or not?
Ideally I’d like to buy something outright with my £8k redundancy payout from my previous job and shove the car allowance into my pension for the 40% tax relief. I’d like something reasonably smart, reliable, comfortable, automatic, and able to do 45+mpg on a long run.
My wife also needs a car for her twice weekly commute (15 miles each way). Her requirements are very similar to mine; reliable, comfortable, automatic (mpg not so crucial).
We currently have a 2010 Audi A5 sportback quattro 3.0TDI automatic which has done 175k miles. It’s a great family car; it's been virtually faultless in the 4 years we've owned it and meets both our requirements.
I originally thought I would use the Audi for work and we’d get a 5 year old Japanese hatch for my wife, but prices at that end of the market are insane at the moment and £8k barely gets you a 10yo Honda Jazz. I’m also a little concerned how quickly I might finish the A5 off by doing 25k miles a year in it. So now I’m thinking of perhaps getting another diesel executive car for me (£8k gets a 10yo sub-100k mile Merc C220 CDI for example) and I can then put the majority of my miles on that, and just occasionally use the A5 for work to properly stretch its legs.
Thoughts?
TL/DR: What reliable, comfortable, economical, automatic would you buy for £8k in the current market? Should I use my Audi A5 or not?
Edited by Jimi.K. on Tuesday 10th May 09:53
charltjr said:
I wouldn’t. The market is stupid at the moment and you seem to already own a car you know well and which fits your needs.
I’d just keep using the A5 and worry about it if/when there’s a problem. Buying something else is just as much of a crapshoot.
We need to buy a second car either way. If I mainly use the Audi, I'm still unsure what to get for my wife in this crazy market!I’d just keep using the A5 and worry about it if/when there’s a problem. Buying something else is just as much of a crapshoot.
Bannock said:
Use the Audi and get a Nissan Leaf for the missus, if you have access to charging at home. Decent used ones are under £10K now. A Leaf is pretty much the best and most cost efficient way of doing short journeys like your wife's commute. They're all automatic (or, rather, gearless).
+1 to this. Beat me to it.I'd actually do it the other way round keep the Audi for the wife & buy something that's less likely to give issues as the mileage builds.
I'd look for an Infinit Q50 they use the same drivetrain as the C220cdi but you'll get a newer low mileage car:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204214...
Or the M30d which is loaded with kit & also ULEZ & CAZ compliant:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202222...
I'd look for an Infinit Q50 they use the same drivetrain as the C220cdi but you'll get a newer low mileage car:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204214...
Or the M30d which is loaded with kit & also ULEZ & CAZ compliant:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202222...
If you get mileage funded it'd be worth checking the rates your employer pays.
Many companies pay less than the 45ppm, many use the advisory fuel rates (which can be found with a quick google).
If the above applies the c220 cdi could be a good shout as it is a 2.1.
Also, if regularly travelling for work, be aware of various clean air zones popping up around the country. An older c220 is likely to be caught by them - Bristol for example will cost you £9 to enter in a <Euro 6 diesel soon.
Many companies pay less than the 45ppm, many use the advisory fuel rates (which can be found with a quick google).
If the above applies the c220 cdi could be a good shout as it is a 2.1.
Also, if regularly travelling for work, be aware of various clean air zones popping up around the country. An older c220 is likely to be caught by them - Bristol for example will cost you £9 to enter in a <Euro 6 diesel soon.
Previous said:
Also, if regularly travelling for work, be aware of various clean air zones popping up around the country. An older c220 is likely to be caught by them - Bristol for example will cost you £9 to enter in a <Euro 6 diesel soon.
We drive into Bristol once or twice a month so this is actually really useful information thanks!ZX10R NIN said:
If that's the case then the Infiniti M30d makes even more sense.
Thanks, yes I really like your Infiniti suggestions. It's just a shame they're few and far between. There are no M30d's available within 2 hours of me, and the only Q50s are all £15k+.I think I'm going to do what others have suggested and get a cheap-ish runabout for my wife (possibly electric) and see how many miles I can put onto the Audi.
When the Audi kicks the bucket, those Infiniti's will definitely be top of my shortlist to replace it though.
I'm not sure I'm fit to comment.
Last August I took a job, where the commute is likely to be about 20K a year.
My 235k 3.2 petrol Omega wasn't going to survive much longer.
I was offered a £400 A month car allowance, but are sure that any business miles will be at 45p for 1st 10k and them 25p after that.
I decided to.salary sacrifice that into pension, and I had a spare £8k from.closing my LTD company.
So logic would suggest something diesel and comfy.
Instead I bought a Astra J GTC 1.4T auto. Rock Hard suspension, dubious fuel economy. (38 mpg on a run, but I've managed to average 33.5 mpg over the last few months.
Why? Solely because my wife hadn't driven.any car I've owned since I had a mk2 cavalier SRi, and she hated that.
And she's got an Astra J 1.6 auto, and it's identical to drive, although her's has comfy suspension and less power.
Last August I took a job, where the commute is likely to be about 20K a year.
My 235k 3.2 petrol Omega wasn't going to survive much longer.
I was offered a £400 A month car allowance, but are sure that any business miles will be at 45p for 1st 10k and them 25p after that.
I decided to.salary sacrifice that into pension, and I had a spare £8k from.closing my LTD company.
So logic would suggest something diesel and comfy.
Instead I bought a Astra J GTC 1.4T auto. Rock Hard suspension, dubious fuel economy. (38 mpg on a run, but I've managed to average 33.5 mpg over the last few months.
Why? Solely because my wife hadn't driven.any car I've owned since I had a mk2 cavalier SRi, and she hated that.
And she's got an Astra J 1.6 auto, and it's identical to drive, although her's has comfy suspension and less power.
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