Potentially Saving for a Car - advice on cost?

ChopinonaBudget

amr547 wrote: »

My first car was a 02 Renault Clio for £950. It'd done 48,000 miles when I got it, so I thought it was a good little car. WRONG. In the 9 months I had it, I spent over £700 on repairs and it still needed £900-odd doing to it when I part-exchanged it for a newer car (2010 Toyota Aygo). The Aygo is actually £1000 cheaper on insurance than the Clio, so I've saved a fortune by getting rid of it, even if the new car is financed.

I'd say for £1200 you will get what you pay for. If you can't stretch to any more, I'd suggest buying from a dealer because you'll get some warranty on it, and obviously get it serviced regularly to make sure nothing will be wrong with it.

I'd also check out tax and insurance beforehand as well as its MPG and the types of tyres it'll need. You don't want to find out your road tax is really expensive when it comes up for renewal, or its got a really low MPG, or your tyes will cost £100 each!

Thanks I knew to check out tac and insurance, I've been looking up insurance groups online, but I hadn't thought about tyres! I sort of had an idea about a Ford Fiesta, as from what I remember, the parts are some of the cheapest on the market, but I don't know if that has changed much.

It's interesting what you said about buying from a dealer as I was specifically avoiding dealers as I know I can get a better price from a private seller, so I will look into warantees. Nothing is definite though (well it sort of is, I WILL buy a car at some point, the million dollar question is WHEN , and it appears I could spend nearly that much on repairs!!)

amr547

ChopinonaBudget wrote: »

Thanks I knew to check out tac and insurance, I've been looking up insurance groups online, but I hadn't thought about tyres! I sort of had an idea about a Ford Fiesta, as from what I remember, the parts are some of the cheapest on the market, but I don't know if that has changed much.

It's interesting what you said about buying from a dealer as I was specifically avoiding dealers as I know I can get a better price from a private seller, so I will look into warantees. Nothing is definite though (well it sort of is, I WILL buy a car at some point, the million dollar question is WHEN , and it appears I could spend nearly that much on repairs!!)

I think with dealers you do pay extra but you pay knowing that you've got that warranty, that it's been checked and is safe etc which you won't have with a private seller. After my bad experience I wouldn't buy privately again - you just don't know what could be wrong with it! I think you can pay AA people to come out and check the car before you buy it though, so if you are discounting dealers completely do go for that instead as they'll be able to advise you accordingly.

My boyfriend has just bought a car for £300 from his friend, insurance is £350 a year (jealous!!) and we're expecting to put some money into repairs because let's face it, that's what happens with a £300 car.

ChopinonaBudget

amr547 wrote: »

I think with dealers you do pay extra but you pay knowing that you've got that warranty, that it's been checked and is safe etc which you won't have with a private seller. After my bad experience I wouldn't buy privately again - you just don't know what could be wrong with it! I think you can pay AA people to come out and check the car before you buy it though, so if you are discounting dealers completely do go for that instead as they'll be able to advise you accordingly.

My boyfriend has just bought a car for £300 from his friend, insurance is £350 a year (jealous!!) and we're expecting to put some money into repairs because let's face it, that's what happens with a £300 car.

WOW! I hope that car is as good as it sounds, I know there is the odd bargain to be found!

I used the AA check for my first car, I didn't know they still did this, and had completely forgotten about it, so that's useful information, thanks

beadgirl87

Hey I had a fiat punto 8 years old, had it for a year and a half, bought for £1200 private and probably spent about £600 on repairs for it, exhaust, catalytic convertor and got new lights fitted as they were ok but not great.
Now I have a £500 car which is literally just a set of wheels to get me to work as it is in the middle of nowhere. I spend alot on fuel but I probably spend 1/4 of my monthly income on the car
My boyfriend has an aygo which is cheap road tax, he did get it on finance for £5000, but in 3 years nothing has needed replacing except 2 tyres last week, it seems pretty fuel efficent too.
If you buy the car just ensure you set aside money to pay for any repairs so if it is important for your job, ensure that looking after the car is a priority. As mine is pretty old I am saving up repair money as quick as possible so if anything does break on it I can afford it and still get to work.
Can you buy any of the special food online, in bulk from supplier? There are so many people with allergies and intolerances there must be someone selling specialist food.....could be an idea for someone to start!

Heffi1

Hi Chopin, re the online food shopping, you can tick a box saying no alternatives, which means if they don't have it in stock you don't then get something filled with gluten, which I know will cause problems, the only down side is you would then have to go to the shop to purchase the item later, not sure it would work out, but it is an option for staples to save you lugging them back via public transport.

ChopinonaBudget

beadgirl87 wrote: »

Hey I had a fiat punto 8 years old, had it for a year and a half, bought for £1200 private and probably spent about £600 on repairs for it, exhaust, catalytic convertor and got new lights fitted as they were ok but not great.
Now I have a £500 car which is literally just a set of wheels to get me to work as it is in the middle of nowhere. I spend alot on fuel but I probably spend 1/4 of my monthly income on the car
My boyfriend has an aygo which is cheap road tax, he did get it on finance for £5000, but in 3 years nothing has needed replacing except 2 tyres last week, it seems pretty fuel efficent too.
If you buy the car just ensure you set aside money to pay for any repairs so if it is important for your job, ensure that looking after the car is a priority. As mine is pretty old I am saving up repair money as quick as possible so if anything does break on it I can afford it and still get to work.
Can you buy any of the special food online, in bulk from supplier? There are so many people with allergies and intolerances there must be someone selling specialist food.....could be an idea for someone to start!

Ouch, that is exactly the sort of money I was wondering about! Looks like I'd need an emergency fund of about £1000, judging by all the replies by people who get b******d by repair costs Still, better to know than to guess and get it wrong.

I have been looking at buying some of the foods online, it's something I'm going to be researching in the next few weeks. The specialist stuff I think I'm definitely going to get online, but branded specialist food (the kind of foods online stockists sell) is prohibitively expensive, which is why I'm trying to see how I can get as much as possible from Asda as they're GF section ROCKS!

ChopinonaBudget

Heffi1 wrote: »

Hi Chopin, re the online food shopping, you can tick a box saying no alternatives, which means if they don't have it in stock you don't then get something filled with gluten, which I know will cause problems, the only down side is you would then have to go to the shop to purchase the item later, not sure it would work out, but it is an option for staples to save you lugging them back via public transport.

Hi Heffi,

Yes I have considered about doing this, but to be honest, it would mean so much shopping to cover the stuff that gets missed off the online shop, that I doubt it would be worth it. Plus, unless I walk round the aisles, I'm unlikely to spot any alternatives that I may easily miss on an online shop. I think that, for now, my best option is a MASSIVE monthly Asda shop, big enough to justify the taxi fee, and buy an enormous amount of staples when I do it.

Mockingjay

I have a Ford Ka worth around £1500. It's been very reliable so far...touch wood! MOT is due this week - eek!

It's £75 for 6months road tax & £260 insurance but I have 10 years no claims, parked on drive overnight and I live in a very safe area. Full tank of petrol is £45.

ChopinonaBudget

Mockingjay wrote: »

I have a Ford Ka worth around £1500. It's been very reliable so far...touch wood! MOT is due this week - eek!

It's £75 for 6months road tax & £260 insurance but I have 10 years no claims, parked on drive overnight and I live in a very safe area. Full tank of petrol is £45.

10 years no claims? I thought insurance only went up to 5 years?

That sounds excellent value! I was looking at Kas as a possibility until I discovered my daughter is pathologically terrified of travelling in them on anything bigger than little roads So I've upped my future plans to Fiesta/Micra size.

Good luck with the MOT!!!!

Mockingjay

ChopinonaBudget wrote: »

10 years no claims? I thought insurance only went up to 5 years?

That sounds excellent value! I was looking at Kas as a possibility until I discovered my daughter is pathologically terrified of travelling in them on anything bigger than little roads So I've upped my future plans to Fiesta/Micra size.

Good luck with the MOT!!!!

Thanks!

I always tick the '9 years and over' box so I'm not sure!

If it helps I have been in a biggish accident in my Ka and the bumpers are brilliant!! Swallowed up the impact whilst the car that drove into us was a write-off. I was amazed!