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Which car would you keep?
Right, decisions afoot re cars. We've gone through our finaces as we have a bump on the way and it's not pretty. We need to make savings, and I can't reduce staffing levels at home.....
We currently have: Brand new Mazda 2 provided by my wife's work. We pay only fuel. ~40Mpg
We also have my 1997 BMW 328i estate, 175k miles. I pay to run it. ~30Mpg, tax £200, Insurance £295, about £100 a month maintenance (though I'm now at the point where if if breaks catastrophically it's scrap and I've replaced all mission critical components).
When my wife goes on maternity leave, we can either keep the Mazda or else hand it back and get £220 a month car allowance, for 9 months, totalling £1,900 ish. There is no scope to negotiate a bigger car from the company. I am reluctant to get a lease car with the money - something reasonable is more than £220 a month, and I am not keen on 'renting' a car or being tied into a 3 year contract, but know nothing about leasing.
I'm not confident the Mazda is big enough for me, wife, dog and baby together. She's not confident the BMw is reliable enough or will cost less than the £1,900 opportunity cost of the Mazda. She's justifyably worried about it dying and leaving us stranded. We do not have savings to put to a substantially better car at this time....
I've run the numbers, and these come from real figures (particularly the fuel and maintenance obtained over running the BMW for 18 months or so)
The BMW costs about £300 more over the year.... It's really close run, but I'm wavering towards the mazda for the ease of it and the fact it carries less risk and fewer variables. I'll hate myself for not having 'my own fun car', but not many people get the luxury of a "free" car.
Hmmmm.
We currently have: Brand new Mazda 2 provided by my wife's work. We pay only fuel. ~40Mpg
We also have my 1997 BMW 328i estate, 175k miles. I pay to run it. ~30Mpg, tax £200, Insurance £295, about £100 a month maintenance (though I'm now at the point where if if breaks catastrophically it's scrap and I've replaced all mission critical components).
When my wife goes on maternity leave, we can either keep the Mazda or else hand it back and get £220 a month car allowance, for 9 months, totalling £1,900 ish. There is no scope to negotiate a bigger car from the company. I am reluctant to get a lease car with the money - something reasonable is more than £220 a month, and I am not keen on 'renting' a car or being tied into a 3 year contract, but know nothing about leasing.
I'm not confident the Mazda is big enough for me, wife, dog and baby together. She's not confident the BMw is reliable enough or will cost less than the £1,900 opportunity cost of the Mazda. She's justifyably worried about it dying and leaving us stranded. We do not have savings to put to a substantially better car at this time....
I've run the numbers, and these come from real figures (particularly the fuel and maintenance obtained over running the BMW for 18 months or so)
The BMW costs about £300 more over the year.... It's really close run, but I'm wavering towards the mazda for the ease of it and the fact it carries less risk and fewer variables. I'll hate myself for not having 'my own fun car', but not many people get the luxury of a "free" car.
Hmmmm.
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Comments
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Friends of ours have 6 month old twins, a dog and a VW Polo! They manage, god knows how, but it proves it can be done.
Old beemers can cost a fortune to run as I know to my cost (had an old 5 series which was a money pit, for a bit).
My gut feeling would be to try it with the Mazda and see how you get on. Just dont buy a bulky pram or you will be in trouble!0 -
I would say the car would be big enough for you, your wife and baby, therefore why not get a small dog trailer for when the dog travels too?
That would solve the problem?0 -
Oops! Too late! We have a 'travel system' already.. it's big but it fits in the Mazda.My gut feeling would be to try it with the Mazda and see how you get on. Just dont buy a bulky pram or you will be in trouble!
2 Problems: The dog is a bit 'fragile' and would hate it, and we can't modify the Mazda at all, so no towball on it. I've never seen a dog trailer! Sounds cruel!I would say the car would be big enough for you, your wife and baby, therefore why not get a small dog trailer for when the dog travels too?
My wife gets back next week having collected the pram. I can't remember off hand if the Mazda has split fold rear seats or not. If so, then the dog can go in the boot ,the pram longways over a folded seat, and that keeps the dog and baby separate. The boot is really a bit too small for him though.
I think it's a bit of a no-brainer to be honest, but I'm gutted that I'll no longer have my own car after years of building no claims bonuses. I'm a bit of a pertolhead, so driving a 1.3 Mazda is physically painful to me! Part of the hard decision making that comes with being a parent I suppose....0 -
What kind of dog is it? Could you fit a cage in the back seat to keep the dog and baby seperate and still have the boot for the pram?If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got!0
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Oops! Too late! We have a 'travel system' already.. it's big but it fits in the Mazda.
2 Problems: The dog is a bit 'fragile' and would hate it, and we can't modify the Mazda at all, so no towball on it. I've never seen a dog trailer! Sounds cruel!
My wife gets back next week having collected the pram. I can't remember off hand if the Mazda has split fold rear seats or not. If so, then the dog can go in the boot ,the pram longways over a folded seat, and that keeps the dog and baby separate. The boot is really a bit too small for him though.
I think it's a bit of a no-brainer to be honest, but I'm gutted that I'll no longer have my own car after years of building no claims bonuses. I'm a bit of a pertolhead, so driving a 1.3 Mazda is physically painful to me! Part of the hard decision making that comes with being a parent I suppose....
Pram, cot, steriliser, changing bag, nappies, blankets, food, toys, car seat, clothes, that's just for a day out, when you do an overnight stop even the BMW will be small.
No chance in the Mazda.0 -
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Mazda plus roof box. Someone you know with the same car may just be about to buy one after finding for a weekend camping his wife ended up in the rear middle seat and the dog in the passenger footwell
No split rear seat on the Ts but you could always swap the rear bench0 -
If its a case of taking baby wife and their gear in reasonable comfort then the dog would not get a look in.Get the priorities right and leave the dog in the house.counting down the time I got left.:beer::beer:0
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We enjoy walking, camping and visiting relatives, along with Holidays around the UK and europe. I do not intend to give up my leisure time just because I've got a child and a dog. And kennels are £12 a day and he hates them. The dog's coming with, ta.fadetogrey wrote: »If its a case of taking baby wife and their gear in reasonable comfort then the dog would not get a look in.Get the priorities right and leave the dog in the house.
Keith>The more I think about it, the less certain I am the Mazda's got the room we need. BMW is up for MOT in Sept, after that if it passes with minimal cost then I may negotiate keeping it until catastrophic failure/we can afford substantially better.0 -
We enjoy walking, camping and visiting relatives, along with Holidays around the UK and europe. I do not intend to give up my leisure time just because I've got a child and a dog. And kennels are £12 a day and he hates them. The dog's coming with, ta.
Keith>The more I think about it, the less certain I am the Mazda's got the room we need. BMW is up for MOT in Sept, after that if it passes with minimal cost then I may negotiate keeping it until catastrophic failure/we can afford substantially better.
Is this your first child?counting down the time I got left.:beer::beer:0
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