New car on credit vs second hand banger

Ghostrider

Hammyman wrote: »

Wrong on pretty much most counts.

Oh is that so?

Well lets see shall we, a 2002 Fiesta 1.25 vs a 2002 Mondeo 2.0.

Online tyre quote from Black Circles.com (cheapest 4 tyres fitted Price)

Mondeo £220.24

Fiesta £151.76

Fixed Price Servicing costs from Kwik Fit for a full service

Mondeo £165

Fiesta £145

Brakes (front discs and pads parts price only)

Mondeo - £43.07

Fiesta - £36.39

Clutch replacement carried out and quoted by Allen Ford

Mondeo £420 (plus VAT)

Fiesta £310 (plus VAT)

Miles per gallon average quoted by Parkers guide, distance assume average of 12k miles per annum, fuel at todays average price.

Mondeo - 36mpg - £2,060.89 per year

Fiesta - 40mpg - £1,854.81 per year

Tax group as quoted by the DVLA

Mondeo - J - £245 per annum

Fiesta - G - £165 per annum

Total Average Yearly Cost based on both cars requiring the same parts.

Mondeo - £3,154.20

Fiesta - £2,662.96


I rest my case.

Ghostrider

Lum wrote: »

Indeed, the only correct points are the fuel and possibly the tax and the tax is so minor (unless you're buying a band G 4.0 V8 or something) compared to all the other costs of running a car it really isn't worth bothering with a car solely because it's a band or two lower.

Wheels on a Mondeo are 16" or less unless you get a bling bling model and it's only once you go above 16" that tyres start to get pricey. Older Nissan Primeras come with 15" wheels, just two examples.

Brake pads are often shared across the range, as are clutches, if anything the larger car will be cheaper as the biggest expense in doing a clutch is the labour as they are such a pain in the backside to get at in today's tiny cramped engine bays. Plus if you are able to get a newer car, ideally an ex motorway cruiser, by going larger then hopefully you wont have to do the clutch.

It's posts like that one which are why smaller cars and diesels are currently so overpriced.

Very poor advice that. I mean since when was a 4.0 V8 in band G for tax purposes for gods sake?

Please check your information before advising others.

Lum

A simple typo, I meant band K of course (since the OP is looking at cars prior to 2006).

Personally I don't care about car tax bands as I've never owned a car that is subject to them. I don't get along well with modern cars.

Doesn't change the nature of the point anyway.

Ghostrider

Lum wrote: »

A simple typo, I meant band K of course (since the OP is looking at cars prior to 2006).

Personally I don't care about car tax bands as I've never owned a car that is subject to them. I don't get along well with modern cars.

Doesn't change the nature of the point anyway.

Fair play to a typo error.

I still stand to my original point though that larger cars in general are more expensive to run, which is why they are cheaper to buy now.

I'm just trying to help the OP see the facts rather than some people (not you) accusing my facts of being wrong without backing it up. I find it happens a lot on this forum and people don't like it if you don't agree with their point of view when it's clearly wrong.

I just spent about half an hour trying to put the facts in a clearly demonstrable format for the benefit of the OP, otherwise other forum users will just think i'm as bad as the rest for making up rubbish.

Lum

OTOH an older higher mileage small car is more likely to need that clutch replacement than a younger large car. The large car is also more likely to have been someone's motorway barge so again less likely to need a clutch change.

Brakes the difference is 7 quid.

Tax you compared one of the larger engined Mondeos and compared it to one of the smaller engined Fiestas. a 1.6 Mondeo (yes they did make them! no I wouldn't buy one) vs 1.25 Fiesta, or a 2.0 Mondeo vs a 1.6 Fiesta would be a fairer comparison.

Looks like I was wrong on the clutch though, cheapest 2002 fiesta clutch I could find was 43 quid, cheapest 2002 Mondeo one I could find was 52 quid, however that was for a 1.6.

Ghostrider

Lum wrote: »

OTOH an older higher mileage small car is more likely to need that clutch replacement than a younger large car. The large car is also more likely to have been someone's motorway barge so again less likely to need a clutch change.

Brakes the difference is 7 quid.

Tax you compared one of the larger engined Mondeos and compared it to one of the smaller engined Fiestas. a 1.6 Mondeo (yes they did make them! no I wouldn't buy one) vs 1.25 Fiesta, or a 2.0 Mondeo vs a 1.6 Fiesta would be a fairer comparison.

Looks like I was wrong on the clutch though, cheapest 2002 fiesta clutch I could find was 43 quid, cheapest 2002 Mondeo one I could find was 52 quid, however that was for a 1.6.

Yep, and the comparisons are endless and we'd be here all night long.

I was just trying to present a general picture. Bear in mind of course all we've been comparing is cost - wait until it moves on to the more interesting points like practicality, driver appeal, handling, performance and then start comparing a mondeo to a fiesta to a corsa to a micra.....

Right i'm offski now!

fivetide

Without pricing it up - What's wrong with the middle ground and a Focus?

You can get a smallish engine in it which will be ok around town but not be revving its nuts off on a long family trip (which the OP said would be part of the duties with the car).

OP is in a tight spot as they do need a car that covers both worlds. Any price difference for a estate or something? Car that is a bit less desirable and all.

Good point of scuffs scrapes etc. You just need to get used to being a driver, once you have all the experience, then look at something a bit nicer if budgets allow.

5t.

Ghostrider

fivetide wrote: »

Without pricing it up - What's wrong with the middle ground and a Focus?

you sir are a genius, why didn't I think of that!

Lum

Focus has the problems of both though. It's just small enough to still be popular, yet just big enough to start needing a 1.6 or 1.8 engine and the slightly higher running costs that go with it.

Don't get me wrong the Focus is a great car, which is why there's so many of them out there, but unless you actually need the increased size (and the OP isn't doing regular motorway cruising, just the odd trip) there's not much advantage over something Fiesta sized.