Buy something cheap or lease for 2 years?
Discussion
I'm in need of a family wagon. It's hard to muster up the enthusiasm to buy something when what you have to buy/can afford brings no excitement!
I started off wanting something like a Subaru Outback or Forester and had set myself a budget of around £5k. For various reasons I am trying to lower the budget to around £3k and now having looked at examples in this price bracket seem to be tatty nails. Maybe I'm expecting too much? I don't know.
I've now moved on to including any large-ish estate car, not insisting on 4wd or the ground clearance, on the assumption winter tyres will see me right. This still doesn't appear to offer a great deal of options, but I admit I've not spent enough time trawling the classifieds yet.
Then the thought of leasing occurred. I had intended to spend out the £3-5k cash, but if I can get something to fit the bill on a 24 month lease then this will give me a budget of £200-£220pcm.
Now, I've not leased before so don't know what sort of thing this will get me. I have the ability to run it as my own company car if need be too. It won't get used for any business miles though.
- Any thoughts on the situation? I appreciate that the lease will cost a bit more, but if we can get a car that meets the needs then it may be worth it.
- What sort of car should I expect to get for this monthly budget?
- Anyone know of some good lease deals currently available?
I started off wanting something like a Subaru Outback or Forester and had set myself a budget of around £5k. For various reasons I am trying to lower the budget to around £3k and now having looked at examples in this price bracket seem to be tatty nails. Maybe I'm expecting too much? I don't know.
I've now moved on to including any large-ish estate car, not insisting on 4wd or the ground clearance, on the assumption winter tyres will see me right. This still doesn't appear to offer a great deal of options, but I admit I've not spent enough time trawling the classifieds yet.
Then the thought of leasing occurred. I had intended to spend out the £3-5k cash, but if I can get something to fit the bill on a 24 month lease then this will give me a budget of £200-£220pcm.
Now, I've not leased before so don't know what sort of thing this will get me. I have the ability to run it as my own company car if need be too. It won't get used for any business miles though.
- Any thoughts on the situation? I appreciate that the lease will cost a bit more, but if we can get a car that meets the needs then it may be worth it.
- What sort of car should I expect to get for this monthly budget?
- Anyone know of some good lease deals currently available?
Check out this site as a guide to what you'll get for that money a month.
As said, it'll not be much!
http://www.lingscars.com/
As said, it'll not be much!
http://www.lingscars.com/
Uhura fighter said:
w124.
Just don't let Garlick break it.....
Why not a BMW touring/estate (320d)
Just don't let Garlick break it.....
Why not a BMW touring/estate (320d)
The BMW is a good idea but would he get an e46 320d on the revised £3k budget?
Maybe he could, my buddy bought a e39 2002 530d for £1500 and it is mint!
It needed a new turbo but that was only £500.
Do you just need something to haul dogs / children etc?
If so, £2.5k will get a turbo diesel Mondeo Estate with about 100k miles on the clock, and leave you a few bob in the "just in case" fund. Vectras, Passats etc will also be similar...
(Or you could go on a track day with the spare monkey to feel better about being a petrol head.)
If so, £2.5k will get a turbo diesel Mondeo Estate with about 100k miles on the clock, and leave you a few bob in the "just in case" fund. Vectras, Passats etc will also be similar...
(Or you could go on a track day with the spare monkey to feel better about being a petrol head.)
I would say buy for sure, as said, you wont get much for your money if you lease!
http://pistonheads.com/sales/1740831.htm3.htm
Just try and get one that isn't green and has the nicer alloys on it, makes a huge difference.
I was mortally wounded when I had to sell my 2000 model, and I have to say, given the choice of driving it or my parent's 2008 X type estate, I would take the Audi all day long, felt so solid, so relaxing to drive, nice and big inside, just a fantastic car. And for the money, that's a hell of a lot of car! The only issue I had with mine was that it was on Pirelli P6000's, which in the wet, were frankly ludicrously poor.
http://pistonheads.com/sales/1740831.htm3.htm
Just try and get one that isn't green and has the nicer alloys on it, makes a huge difference.
I was mortally wounded when I had to sell my 2000 model, and I have to say, given the choice of driving it or my parent's 2008 X type estate, I would take the Audi all day long, felt so solid, so relaxing to drive, nice and big inside, just a fantastic car. And for the money, that's a hell of a lot of car! The only issue I had with mine was that it was on Pirelli P6000's, which in the wet, were frankly ludicrously poor.
hornetrider said:
Difference being if you bought at say, 4k, with the right car you'd only lose 500 quid to a grand over the 2 year period. With a lease it'll be money down the hole. You also won't get a decent sized estate for 220/month.
There is this of course. No one likes to throw money away. I need to look at what that gets me on a lease to see if that makes it a tolerable loss. cmackay81 said:
Really? You can't find a decent estate for £5k?? you really aren't trying. Got my family car for under a grand, and it rocks :P
If you didn't have this price limit, what would be your ideal car? Should give us an idea of what you're actually after.
As I said, I've not given it a proper look yet. Initial efforts have been directed towards raised ride height 4wd stuff to help cope with bad weather situations.If you didn't have this price limit, what would be your ideal car? Should give us an idea of what you're actually after.
If there was no budget, I'd probably look hard at the Skoda Yeti. Size is right, gets good reviews, 4wd, raised ride height and car like handling. Can't really justify it though.
I've just come out of a 2 year lease on a family car, and I'll tell you this, never again. The car is not yours, and that means that any dents, scrape, mark, swirl will have to be rectified or you'll end up paying for it. With a car you own, you'd cry, but shrug the shoulders and leave it for the next owner to sort out. With a lease car you cry and then pay for it to have it fixed, and then hope they dont notice anything at the inspection at the end or else you may end up paying for it again! Curb a wheel... pay for it... you get the idea...
5678 said:
hornetrider said:
Difference being if you bought at say, 4k, with the right car you'd only lose 500 quid to a grand over the 2 year period. With a lease it'll be money down the hole. You also won't get a decent sized estate for 220/month.
There is this of course. No one likes to throw money away. I need to look at what that gets me on a lease to see if that makes it a tolerable loss. cmackay81 said:
Really? You can't find a decent estate for £5k?? you really aren't trying. Got my family car for under a grand, and it rocks :P
If you didn't have this price limit, what would be your ideal car? Should give us an idea of what you're actually after.
As I said, I've not given it a proper look yet. Initial efforts have been directed towards raised ride height 4wd stuff to help cope with bad weather situations.If you didn't have this price limit, what would be your ideal car? Should give us an idea of what you're actually after.
If there was no budget, I'd probably look hard at the Skoda Yeti. Size is right, gets good reviews, 4wd, raised ride height and car like handling. Can't really justify it though.
Had thought of a subaru with 4x4 myself before I got my latest, just remember though that even a 4x4 is rubbish on ice. there will only be a very limited number of days in which the 4x4ness will actually help, maybe 1 or 2 days, and even then most other cars would do fine. Last winter most of the problems were caused by icy roads. oven a defender will struggle on these. All depends on where you live though. Of the subarus the outback would be the one to get.
You can get smaller 4x4s such as a CRV or a Jeep Cherokee for this price range if you are really worried about the weather. the Cherokee will do much much better in poor conditions, and both of these are actually much smaller than you think, about the same weight as a bmw estate.
How about the e46 bmw as someone suggested, very nice to drive if you get a decent engine in it, and closer to winter, just put some winter tyres on, and you won't have a problem with snow.
Uhura fighter said:
Are you very rural? (I guess this is why you want ride height)
What about a disco? (The LR one, not a party)
Not a million miles from civilisation, but far enough to have to worry about it as our roads don't get cleared or gritted. Disco 2 had been thought of, I stopped looking at both these and Freelanders (TD4's) to carry on with the large 4wd estate route. What about a disco? (The LR one, not a party)
As extra info, I really want the car to have ISOFIX mounts and be capable of carrying a large-ish dog. (f
k me it really is a family wagon isn't it!)E46 3series would do the job. I guess I'm just not sure on how good the rwd+winter tyre combo will be?
5678 said:
Uhura fighter said:
Are you very rural? (I guess this is why you want ride height)
What about a disco? (The LR one, not a party)
Not a million miles from civilisation, but far enough to have to worry about it as our roads don't get cleared or gritted. Disco 2 had been thought of, I stopped looking at both these and Freelanders (TD4's) to carry on with the large 4wd estate route. What about a disco? (The LR one, not a party)
As extra info, I really want the car to have ISOFIX mounts and be capable of carrying a large-ish dog. (f
k me it really is a family wagon isn't it!)E46 3series would do the job. I guess I'm just not sure on how good the rwd+winter tyre combo will be?
Stay well clear of discos and rangies, if you want to go down that route there are much better alternatives available for the same money.
cmackay81 said:
5678 said:
Uhura fighter said:
Are you very rural? (I guess this is why you want ride height)
What about a disco? (The LR one, not a party)
Not a million miles from civilisation, but far enough to have to worry about it as our roads don't get cleared or gritted. Disco 2 had been thought of, I stopped looking at both these and Freelanders (TD4's) to carry on with the large 4wd estate route. What about a disco? (The LR one, not a party)
As extra info, I really want the car to have ISOFIX mounts and be capable of carrying a large-ish dog. (f
k me it really is a family wagon isn't it!)E46 3series would do the job. I guess I'm just not sure on how good the rwd+winter tyre combo will be?
Stay well clear of discos and rangies, if you want to go down that route there are much better alternatives available for the same money.
Yeah the Disco/Freelander option seemed to be a high maintenance one. I want something as reliable as possible.
Have had a little look at lease options now and it seems I need to be at £300pcm to have any viable options. I think I can forget that now.
So, find me a tidy, well maintained estate car. Must have ISOFIX mounts for kid seats and be under say £4k?
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