Buying my wife a car...

Trajal

Hi guys,

Well contrary to what my Sig says, I became fully debt free a few months ago. Since then have been building up my savings and my lovely wife has managed to pass her driving test.

Given that she lives in London and I live in Birmingham it will be a huge help and incredibly more convenient (although I appreciate not cheaper!) for her to drive back and forth rather than catch a train.

In the months since I paid off all my credit cards and catalogues etc, I have managed to save up £2,350. I have been quoted £1000 for a lovely looking 2001 Ford Focux 1.6 Zetec - and just over £700 on insurance (using a family member's multicar saving).

Obviously this only leaves me with £600ish in case of emergencies, but I think that should be enough. However, I am very keen to ensure that what I am buying is going to last a good 12 months or so. My father has already said that when he gets his new car (in 2.5 years - he had his 2012 delivered in february and keeps them only for 3 years) he will give us that one, but in the meantime I want to try to do a combination of preventative spending as well as contingent saving for any problems.

Could you guys please share any thoughts you may have on:

1) Tips relating to buying a car, I've scanned lots of FAQs and websites but always interested to hear anything from anyone about this!
2) Tips related to ford foci (heh) in particular - any good/bad experiences welcome.
3) Suggestions/expectations on budgeting for vehicle maintenance (I've put aside £150 a month for annual costs including repairs but I'm not sure that will be sufficient).

All suggestions and ideas gratefully received

Many thanks!

wallbash

We like the Ford Focus , been the wifes car for four years and is now driven by daughter . Looking at bills , last year had a couple of tyres on the front , they were expensive but the previous ones had lasted many years. Annual servicing has averaged £250 . apart from an extra one last year, Cam belt was done.

We will be looking for a newish car very soon , wife thinking of a new Fiesta this time , fuel economy comes into the equation. Not that the Focus was bad .

Trajal

Thank you very much for this.

By the way, love your sig - ironically I have a christmas card signed by the lady herself from c. 1984 when as a child I wrote to her thanking her for saving Britain! lol. Oh the innocence of youth!

marlot

Trajal wrote: »

...and just over £700 on insurance (using a family member's multicar saving)...

Before you plunge in, I'd double check the insurance.

Multicar is normally for vehicles held at one address and registered to the policy holder or their partner.

You need to be sure it will cover a car registered in her name, with her as the main driver, at her address

Trajal

marlot wrote: »

Before you plunge in, I'd double check the insurance.

Multicar is normally for vehicles held at one address and registered to the policy holder or their partner.

You need to be sure it will cover a car registered in her name, with her as the main driver, at her address

Thanks for this, I was concerned at first with the same thoughts as you, but because she lives in London at her family's house it is perfectly valid. The policy is her father's but covers several family member's cars, all of which live together (bloody asian families eh!?) .

In full context, my wife lives there 5 days a week, coming to my home only at weekends. Sadly my job really is that much better than hers that it's not worth me moving to London. Her job is not fantastic but a great step on the ladder and we can't find anything even comparable for her in Birmingham!

gilbert_and_sullivan

Have you investigated coach travel for her, buying a car seems a lot of money for a two way trip of a weekend.

Trajal

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Have you investigated coach travel for her, buying a car seems a lot of money for a two way trip of a weekend.

Yes it is, but that's not the sole purpose. This will be our only car, and yes it is something of a luxury but we have moved beyond the need to save absolutely everywhere.

All debts are paid, we have been able to develop savings, we also want a little bit of freedom (mainly to go fishing when we have time off!)

She's been taking the train which works out at quite a lot, but with the location of both her office, her family's home and my home it is incredibly inconvenient.

For the sake of our marriage, door to door is going to be worth it, in spite of the extra cost. It will give us an extra day a week together and mean that she can get home at 7:30 on a friday night rather than 10:30, leave on monday morning instead of sunday afternoon. A luxury, but an important one of the few.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Fair enough Trajal, didn't realise this was going to be the only car.

The only comment i might make is that her travels Friday afternoon and retru Monday morn from/to London will be with the most horrible traffic of the week both ways, your journey time estimates might need tweaking a bit.

Good for you though, your relationship is the most important thing, best of luck with finding a decent car, and well done for being debt free, a good feeling indeed.

skivenov

The problem with the Focus, well, any ford, is the rust starts to creep in at about 10 years old, so just bear this in mind when looking round them.

sharpy2010

Trajal wrote: »

Her job is not fantastic but a great step on the ladder and we can't find anything even comparable for her in Birmingham!

I honestly thought Birmingham was full of curry houses?!

Trajal

sharpy2010 wrote: »

I honestly thought Birmingham was full of curry houses?!

What does that have to do with anything?