Advice needed on low cost (mostly) motorway driving

shiphen

Hi

I need some advice on what car (probably second hand) to buy.
My priorities are:

MOST IMPORTANT:
1. Low *overall* cost motoring
2. QUIET & comfortable with good ride on motorways (long journeys & making phone calls from car)
3. Good-ish acceleration (for safe overtaking). (0-60 in c.8 or 9 secs max)

DESIRABLE:
4. Ideally need a hatchback (for transporting larger items)
5. Good cornering (fun & saves fuel).
6. Cruise control (useful for long journeys)
7. Easy to park

WHAT DOES NOT MATTER:
- I do not care about make of car/image.
- I do not care what the car looks like.

BACKGROUND CONSTRAINTS:
- I am open to leasing, purchasing new or buying second hand.
- I have about GBP 10,000+ to throw at the problem.
- I do about 20,000 miles per year.
- I am in my early 50s.
- I have 3 years no claims bonus.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS:
I have been advised to buy an old second hand Honda Accord, c. 1996 which apparently "never break down".

AVERAGE HISTORY COSTS:
I have just run the numbers for over the last 4 years, which are:
Depreciation: GBP 1,400 per year
Deisel: GBP 1,800 per year
Repairs/parts: GPP 2,100 per year

Current car: Golf TDI 1.9 (150 BHP I think).
Mileage: 16,000 miles per year (about to be 20,000)

DISCUSSION:
To me the huge surprise is just how small a proportion of overall costs is fuel - even now it's only about 33% !

Any advice?


John
John Smith

vaio

You must have been serially unlucky to spend over £2k a year on repairs, is that right?

Keith

£10k to spend and someone suggests a 1996 Accord. :rotfl:

davidjwest

£10k is a lot if low cost motoring is the priority.

I paid £3k for my Mondeo 2.0 TDCi and it's cost me under 20p a mile all costs including depreciation factored in, I do around 30k a year mainly motorways. In my case fuel is about 50% of the costs as I've never had a problem with the car so far and it's low depreciation as it was second-hand when I got it.

Very quiet and comfortable, you could get a very low mileage one for your budget and the DMF issues have been resolved in the more recent models.

Not sure the exact specs but my diesel '04 plate Mondeo will do 0-60 in around 9 seconds and it's pretty quick in the ~40-70mph range for overtaking.

Also consider Passat Blue Motion, even better MPG.

The Accord isn't a bad shout but why a '96 one?

rodenal

As above, 2k a year on repairs for your Golf? that doesnt seem right.

If I were you and knew the golf wasn't going to need anything major (i.e engine) in the next year or two then the sensible option would be just to keep it.

If the real reason is you just want a newer car that is also decent on fuel then you'll find it hard to beat the likes of an octavia tdi, maybe even the VRS.

chigley

shiphen wrote: »

Hi

MOST IMPORTANT:

2. QUIET & comfortable with good ride on motorways (long journeys & making phone calls from car)

John
John Smith

Are you sure about that bit??:mad:

davidjwest

Hands free?

wba31

wow, honda accord would be amazing for you, I would save yourself a few thousand for insurance/repairs for a year and spend £6k on one, will get you a 2006/2007 model. incredible car, on the motorway with the cruise control on is super economic (i did 900 miles on a tank of fuel going to Scotland (from Birmingham) averaging 75mph on the motorways and 70ish on the scottish mountain roads.) when in 5th gear on mine (54 plate, newer ones have 6 speed box) putting your foot down from 70 and it had no problem in hittin 90 to overtake. my only regret with that car was selling it... (downsized to a 2004 civic to insure my wife on it - except now she doesnt want to drive, so there's only me driving the thing, so i could have stuck with my accord!!)

Outpost

chigley wrote: »

Are you sure about that bit??:mad:

If only there was some sort of 'kit' available to enable one to make and receive calls without using their hands. A kit that would leave your hands free to drive. What would one call such a device...

shiphen

chigley wrote: »

Are you sure about that bit??:mad:

With a headset, (either bluetooth or with wires) this is legal and not a problem.

shiphen

Before we getting into specific makes & models, I want to check my logic.
I am thinking that I should get a car that is:
a) a slightly OLD car (that has already done its depreciating), but which is
b) LOW mileage (hence low maintenance costs)
c) a very reliable make (hence low maintenance costs)
d) I should not worry TOO much about fuel consumption because it will be small compared to depreciation + repairs.
Is my thinking valid so far?
I am torn between getting an (aging) executive type of car (for motorway cruising comfort)
OR getting small hatch back (for ease of parking).