Thinking of changing car - need advice

Giraffeseeker

Hi, am hoping for some advice as I am clueless with cars.

I have a 2005 Vauxhall Zafira Life 1.6 and no longer have a need for a car this size, and am fed up with what it costs me to run. I have just paid £137 for 6 months tax when colleagues have taxed their cars for £20 for the year - somewhat galling - and I feel like I put petrol in constantly even though I do very few miles.

So, I would like something smaller and cheaper to run. Not a tiny-weeny car, as I do have two teenage boys and sometimes we are all in the car together, but something fiesta sized would be ideal. I camp a fair bit in the summer but do own a roof box if I need more space (currently rarely used) and my bf does have a larger car so I cannot justify the cost of keeping my zafira just for those trips.

My main problem is I am on a DMP and will be for at least the next 4 years. So I can't really put anything towards a new car, I need an even swap financially. If I don't change my car now I know my current one will depreciate to the point of being worth nothing and I will be stuck with it until at least a year after my DMP ends - which works out to £1300 just in road tax for a car which 90% of the time just has me in it :mad:

My questions are:
- Is this a good idea? Or is it "better the devil you know", even if the devil is expensive?
- What is the best way to sell? I assume privately (but how) and the thought scares me, I have always done p/ex with dealers before
- Any ideas on a good car for me to look at getting if I do successfully sell mine? Should I go for diesel? Should I buy privately? What checks should I do?

ANY advice gratefully received!

Tintingirl

worried_jim

Stick with what you have, it will be cheaper as nobody spends money to save money, eg- you will have to spend £ks just to save on £200 tax a year and a few mpg.
The only way to do it is to sell your and then buy a golf diesel or similar for the same amount, but the tax will likely still be the same. Proceed with caution.

oliverr

You've said what sort of car you are after, but what is your budget, mileage per year etc. I know it may not seem but you might be better off sticking with your current car, as most of the cars with low road tax, in Groups A and B (the £0 and £20 a year) are pretty new - there are lots of older cars that are better for fuel economy, but these will still be a lot of money to tax.

That's if your looking at it from just a money perspective, if you are sick of your car and just want to change it that is completely different. I can understand that, it being a Zafira

steve-L

Worried Jim sums it up.....
The cheapest car is usually the one you own.....

Unless you basically swap with a friend any dealer needs to make a profit. You might sell privately ......
Any reputable dealer will want to £500 or more from the transaction to pay to run the business and your car is worth what £2000-£2500? (You don't give a milage)

So you need to find something worth say £1500-£2000 ??? What would you get in that range and what would its history be?
You stand a very good chance of getting something that someone has got rid of because it started to cost them money....Especially with a smaller car...

You say you do low miles so why go for a diesel? You won't get much in that price range and stray into possible reasons it was got rid of were clutch/DMF (that might cost £1000 to replace)....

You might save a bit on MPG (either diesel or small compact) but really not much and you just paid the £137!

*Private sale - Do you have enough savings to or the flexibility to leave a 1-2 week or even month gap between buying/selling.

If you sell then need to buy the same weekend its a pretty good chance you will compromise on something that might not meet your spec... (age, reliability etc.) you also need to think about extra insurance... who would buy it without a test drive hence it needs to be insured and parked. Hiring will quickly set you back more.....

If you do it the other way and buy your car 1st then what will you do for a week .. or two or even whilst you sell? Still need insurance.... etc.

???
Honestly, better the devil you know is my thought

Giraffeseeker

Would a Golf be the only option for the same price? I was under the impression they were all quite big engine sizes so I had discounted a Golf - for a diesel the smallest I could find was a 1.9. I was thinking of a smaller engine, like a 1.2 or something. I only do about 40-60 miles per week around town but put in at least £40 in petrol.

steve-L

Unless you tell us the milage on the Zafira noone can know what price it will bring.... or do it yourself and do a search on autotrader to get a good idea.

Giraffeseeker

It's just over 100K. 1 previous owner (was previously a mobility car). MOT until July.

oliverr

How much have you got to spend on a new car, is it whatever your old one will sell for?

Giraffeseeker

Yep, just that

steve-L

tintingirl wrote: »

It's just over 100K. 1 previous owner (was previously a mobility car). MOT until July.

Then its as I guessed worth 2000 or so....
check out 100k Zafirta 1.6's.....
They are at the moment all trade but between £2300 and £3300 ....


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201212124595676/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-mileage/over_100000_miles/fuel-type/petrol/engine-size-cars/1-4l_to_1-6l/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/model/zafira/make/vauxhall/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/page/1/postcode/bb79da?logcode=p

You could pay for a 'proper' valuation but I'd expect this to be the ballpark!

Say you got A bit over £2000 you could buy
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201211234360654/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/500/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/price-to/3000/engine-size-cars/1l_to_1-3l/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/fuel-type/petrol/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/postcode/bb79da/page/1?logcode=p

Perhaps too small


or
Ford Fiesta 1.25 Style 3dr
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201301024768636/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/500/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/price-to/3000/engine-size-cars/1l_to_1-3l/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/fuel-type/petrol/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/bb79da/page/2/radius/1500?logcode=p


Its really a question of how will you buy/sell (if private) and costs for extra insurance etc.???? Not to mention risk of WHY the car you are buying was sold?

oliverr

The Kalos really is a dreadful car and as you thought a 3 door Fiesta is probably too small. A 5 door Fiesta might be a good buy, that or a Honda Jazz. Good reliability from what I've heard, and its pretty roomy inside.