Getting home - most money efficient way possible

life_nit

In a few months I will be graduating and moving location. Currently the majority of my possessions are tied up at my university house and will need transporting about 400 miles approximately.

Here lies the problem my family have moved country for their retirement recently and im going to be unable to hitch a ride with them to my new destination.

I’ve discovered the costs of removal vans to be largely significant and I think we can do better than that to find a cheaper option.
Likewise having just turned 22 It’s going to be difficult for me to get insured on a car/van and even if this is possible ridiculous in costs.
Here’s where I’d like some opinions please, I have a driving license and I’m thinking about purchasing a really crappy car with at least 1,350 litres of space, that is already taxed and has an M.O.T and insuring it for a couple of weeks, possibly less, travelling to my place and then flogging it on eBay.

I’ve tried to do some research into the best estates, 4x4 etc in terms of bands of insurance but I’m struggling to come up with a vehicle that is going to be the cheapest of the cheap here.

Cliffnotes: I think purchasing a car, insuring it for the very short-term and then selling it is likely to be cheaper than hiring a removal place or hiring a car for myself.

I realise there will be risks involved in me buying a car etc and that it will be more time consuming.

Any advice appreciated.
::T

wealdroam

1350 litres is a small van or estate car load.

Why not look for 'a man with van' advert in your local paper?

Will probably be cheaper than you alternative.
Insuring your own vehicle will cost a lot... even for a very short period.

life_nit

wealdroam wrote: »

1350 litres is a small van or estate car load.

Why not look for 'a man with van' advert in your local paper?

Will probably be cheaper than you alternative.
Insuring your own vehicle will cost a lot... even for a very short period.

Thank you, I will give this a look into and try and get some rough quotes !

thefishdude

i would possible go for something like an old renault megane scenic. the back seats are designed to be removed and when they are the back is like a van. you can get em cheap teh ealy ones 1999 start at around 500 quid. are they are pretty easy to sell on as cheap family run arounds due to space even with rare seats in.

thefishdude

just been looking at van rentals . and found out this info about age groups.
Van hire minimum ages (remember, think about clubbing together with an older friend if you are too young to hire yourself):

• Hertz: 19+
• Van Hire 3000: 21-25
• Europcar: 23
• National Van Rental: 21 (most locations)
• Sixt: 21-25

get some quote you may be surprised and overall may not work as much as ou think insuring you own car willcost a a bit if ou dont have much no claims discount as you young driver. and remember you dont have to return the vechile to were you pick it u from you can drop it up from one place and take it back some were closer to your finall destitnation

brightonman123

think outside the (moving) box- sell them off, use the cash to buy stuff at new place

- or do a blag, big time on freecycle, etc!

saves hassle, petrol, ecowotsits too!

vaio

lots of courier companies out there who will shift 20kg parcel any where in the uk for between a fiver & tenner.

Might be worth thought

krlyr

You might find temporary insurance more expensive than a yearly policy, and a cheaper yearly policy may have T&Cs that lead to an expensive cancellation when you want to end the policy early, so do your homework before going for this option. My brother had to go for a small-name insurance company because none of the bigger name ones would cover a younger driver on a classic car. When the car died a death halfway through the policy, it ended up cheaper for him to just continue paying his monthly premiums than what they wanted to cancel the policy!

agrinnall

I would agree with wealdroam that 'man with a van' is the way to go unless you can definitely hire a van yourself for less (remembering that you'll either have to pay a one way hire charge or have the extra cost of returning the van and getting yourself home again).

Sambucus_Nigra

Where are you moving from, to and when?

I recently offered someone on here the opportunity to move a bed from Nottingham to Gloucester as I was doing that route in my camper van that weekend; and to make me an offer - unfortunately they didn't take me up on the offer so missed out but there are plenty of people driving around the country that could possibly assist you for the cost of the fuel.

pinkteapot

Would normally agree with the man and a van option, but it's going to be an 800 mile round trip for the man and his van. Diesel alone will cost a van driver 15-20p a mile, so £160 for starters. Plus he'd probably do it over two days and pass on the cost of a Travelodge for the night...

Bear in mind that if you hire a van you'll have the fuel cost on top so make sure you factor that in.