New motor needed :-(

[psychocandy]

Good old Kia Sedona is getting more and more unreliable. And its the probably the world worst fuel economy for a diesel (28mpg).

Hired a car the last week. A nice 1.6 Fiesta Diesel. Always used to think Fiestas were girls cars but this one was nice with lots of cool toys. AND it drove well and did about 60mpg!!!

Having an unreliable car is not cool if your a contractor. Failure to get to client could be a very expensive breakdown.... And I reckon with a motor doing much better fuel economy I can save £200 a month on fuel.

BUT, I dont have any dosh for a new car. Warchest is building up nicely so I like to ring fence this and leave it alone.

Loan - cant get one it seems.

Options thing/Lease - At the moment, 9 miles to client but if I work away then the mileage estimate may be way out which scares me a bit. Anyone else done this in the past? Dont want to be stuck paying a lease etc on car with estimated 15K a year to find out Im going to be doing 25K.

Finance - Easier to get than a personal loan maybe? anyone got any experience of.

Of course, other worry is commiting to a finance comittment like this. Easily affordable whilst in contract but not so cool when on the bench - its £250 more going out each month...

[Support Monkey]

no point having money in the bank if you owe money (that's what Alvin Hall always says) take the dividend from the warchest and pay cash buy a decent second hand one a couple of years old thats allready depreciated if you end up back on the bench sell it again and buy a banger then do same again when your back in contract

[oscarose]

Get a Golf.
HTH

[DimPrawn]

no point having money in the bank if you owe money (that's what Alvin Hall always says) take the dividend from the warchest and pay cash buy a decent second hand one a couple of years old thats allready depreciated if you end up back on the bench sell it again and buy a banger then do same again when your back in contract

WHS

[Durbs]

Of course, other worry is commiting to a finance comittment like this. Easily affordable whilst in contract but not so cool when on the bench - its £250 more going out each month...

Aye, I'm there at the moment, I lease an Audi A1 which costs me near £300 a month which is a bit ouch while i'm benched. I'd lease again though as I only take local contracts so mileage isn't an issue and its lovely getting my pick of a shiny new motor every 2 years. Am liking the A1 but paying a bit over the odds as went for a fully specced one with all the toys and gadgets and the fancy paintwork, originally thought it may be a little small but is actually pretty roomy and feels like a big motor while on the motorway. Another benefit of the smaller motor is I dont get hammered for tax and get some kind of tax breaks for tree-hugging.

[Paddy]

Good old Kia Sedona is getting more and more unreliable. And its the probably the world worst fuel economy for a diesel (28mpg).

Hired a car the last week. A nice 1.6 Fiesta Diesel. Always used to think Fiestas were girls cars but this one was nice with lots of cool toys. AND it drove well and did about 60mpg!!!

Having an unreliable car is not cool if your a contractor. Failure to get to client could be a very expensive breakdown.... And I reckon with a motor doing much better fuel economy I can save £200 a month on fuel.

BUT, I dont have any dosh for a new car. Warchest is building up nicely so I like to ring fence this and leave it alone.

Loan - cant get one it seems.

Options thing/Lease - At the moment, 9 miles to client but if I work away then the mileage estimate may be way out which scares me a bit. Anyone else done this in the past? Dont want to be stuck paying a lease etc on car with estimated 15K a year to find out Im going to be doing 25K.

Finance - Easier to get than a personal loan maybe? anyone got any experience of.

Of course, other worry is commiting to a finance comittment like this. Easily affordable whilst in contract but not so cool when on the bench - its £250 more going out each month...

Got a Fiesta TD as a second car for London because I can park in small gaps. Got 60 mpg but it should be getting 70 mpg. My 2.2 litre Citroen is more economical and getting 62mpg. I save around £1500 per year using Diesels.

The Ford is noisy. The build quality is poor, Parts ware out quickly.

[northernladuk]

Got a Fiesta TD as a second car for London because I can park in small gaps. Got 60 mpg but it should be getting 70 mpg. My 2.2 litre Citroen is more economical and getting 62mpg. I save around £1500 per year using Diesels.

The Ford is noisy. The build quality is poor, Parts ware out quickly.

I have Ford Focus TDI and would agree wiht the 2 of the poinst above but nothing worn out yet. Done 40K in less than 15 months and it is still soldiering on. Big enough for family, cheap enough to run. Parts are in abundant supply yadda yadda.

Asking about a suitable car seems an ok question even though its done a lot on here. Not being able to make a decision how to fund it yourself is ******* stupid though but to be expected from the OP.

You did miss an option by the way. Get the LTD to get one. Not the most ideal situation but if you get a car less than 100mg it can work out in your favour. Still an option even if not the most efficient in some cases.

[Scoobos]

My, you are in a good mood today NLUK

I can add what NOT to do

Don't get a loan,

Don't buy a ten year old MR2 Roadster from a hooky garage in Reading

Don't then get it serviced for two years at Toyota Maidenhead, and discover that half the work done was just made up.

Don't get it fixed then accept 2 dodgy attempts to fix the repair that wen't wrong - and let the warranty expire.

I would recommend a Golf or Polo though, as they seem to last forever.

[BoredBloke]

I tend to stick with Ford's as they are pretty mid range and do the job. They are cheap and you are not going to have some scrote break into your house to nick your keys or mug you at the petrol station for it.

[northernladuk]

My, you are in a good mood today NLUK

PC always brings out the best in me....

I can add what NOT to do

Don't get a loan,

Don't buy a ten year old MR2 Roadster from a hooky garage in Reading

Don't then get it serviced for two years at Toyota Maidenhead, and discover that half the work done was just made up.

Don't get it fixed then accept 2 dodgy attempts to fix the repair that wen't wrong - and let the warranty expire.

I would recommend a Golf or Polo though, as they seem to last forever.

Surely that is all the excuse you need to convince SWMBO you need to buy that Murcielago body kit and get your hands dirty then!