Motoring MoneySaving Checklist discussion

flossyb

Hi looking for advice on car purchase...currently on a PCP with local VW garage paying £202 pcm for a Polo taken out July 2012. Would like to increase car size in order to get tent in for cheap family holidays. Am I likely to get a better deal going back to VW garage and getting Golf/Passat estate and using their finance for HP or getting loan from Nationwide (I'm a current account holder there), or going to private garage using bank loan? Any advice very gratefully received, many thanks.

MSE_Sarah

Thanks for all your feedback so far. Please keeping adding to this thread if you have any comments or suggestions for the Motoring MoneySaving guide.

MSE Sarah

vikingaero

Some people advocate cheap breakdown cover from companies such as Autoaid. They are fine if you are willing to pay for breakdown services and reclaim the cost later. I sort of argue that they are better for drivers who only motor locally (say within 100 miles of home).

For those who want full beans cover then join the AA or RAC via a cashback website.

In Year 1 join the AA via Topcashback and get £113.99 on a £241+ policy. That's around a 45% discount. Call them to cancel auto-renewal.

At the end of Year 1, DO NOT RENEW. Ring them to cancel. Do not enter into any discussion and just cancel. They will try and blag you by offering a discount but very rarely will this match the cashback.

In Year 2 sign up via the RAC as a new customer for £113.99 Cashback on a £241+ policy.

Repeat each year.

Remember loyalty means NOTHING to companies. People boasting they have been an AA member since 1939 means nothing to the computer. The AA will try and blag Silver and Gold Membership but for most people the benefits are crap.

huggermugger

Further to today's email, I have not had a chance yet to look much at the JustoffJunction website but I travel about 25k miles per year, a lot of it on motorways and I use offmotorway.com quite a bit, which has been around for a long time. It's quite a quirky website but the recommendations/listings and search categories are excellent. I have checked J38 & J39 of the M6 where I have stopped on the way up to Scotland and they do not list any of the places I would use. Offmotorway also lists A1, A3, A66 & other major A roads, which I find v useful. You can search by facility eg: outdoor space; afternoon tea; coach parties; children welcome; dog friendly etc. Businesses can pay for "enhanced" listings on there whereas Justoffjunction says they do not charge, but I suspect that will be the way they will go.
There is also a guy called Hugh Cantlie who writes great little books with titles like"5 Minutes off the Motorway" & "Near the Motorways" which are pretty good.

huggermugger

By the way, you no longer have to pay & reclaim under an Autoaid breakdown policy, they now operate like all the others, but they use local breakdown companies. It's currently £43 a year for full cover and my family have always found them excellent.

Cornish_Dee

No motorways in Cornwall, so I would like to add Tesco Launceston, just off the A30.

turog

Download the MOTO services app. There are daily deals which can save a fortune for a family of 4.
Today
Burger King Whopper meal for £3.99
EDC 30% off

TheQuirk

Went to the Just Off Junction as reccomended by MSE. Input M40 J7 and was rewarded by being told of a place to eat "Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons" and to stay at "The Oxford Belfrey" neither of which are "where it's all likely to be cheaper" than any thing on the motorway - Michelin starred restaurants and 4star hotels just don't cut the mustart. Complete waste of time

thescouselander

One of the most cost effective measures would be to ensure the cars tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and keep checking regularly. This saves fuel, helps ensure even tyre wear and keeps grip (and therefore safety) at optimum levels.

Should be top of the list IMO.

mikeoshea

Hi, This site works quite well and is handy.

The problem with it, is the search method.

You have to select a road, by is "number", e.g. A1, then by junction. So you need to make a plan about where you want to stop, before searching, otherwise you need to look at each junctions' entries, time consuming and frustrating.