NHS Fleetsolutions - anyone got one?

moohound

Hi, has anyone got a car through NHS Fleetsolutions, and if so has it been a good experience and has it been good value for money?

I have a 2007 Ford Fusion which is starting to cost money in repairs, it is running fine at the moment though and I was thinking of selling it and getting a lease car through work which includes servicing, tyres, road fund tax, insurance and breakdown cover.

I have priced up a Ford B-Max for £219 per month, I would save the £35 I pay for insurance.

Any experiences of this lease scheme would be helpful.

rev_henry

A friend's sister has a mini through it. Don't know much about it other than its exceptionally cheap for that particular car apparently.

nicter

I work for the nhs and compared using my own car and claiming mileage against a lease car. The lease car came out more expensive mainly because my commute to work is 8000 a year which is counted as personal mileage. Our trust uses knowle cars but think they are all much of a muchness
Also bear in mind you are tied in to lease for 3 years and pay penalties if you cancel contract earlier

moohound

Hi, thanks for the replies, I do very few miles a year, under 5000, so would be in the cheapest bracket. I will have to have a good look at the costs, I can afford the lease, but can't afford a big repair bill, and my credit rate is non existent so a loan or finance is not an option, and I never want another loan again anyway. I am just concerned my car is getting a bit old and it has let me down a few times.

Ultrasonic

How much is your current car costing you in repairs? If your aim is purely to save money (rather than because you would like a new car) then odds are that keeping your current car will be cheapest. It's worth spending a bit of time doing some sums...

Edit: missed the last post. If you really couldn't cope with an unexpected bill then the lease does obviously offer you an advantage. But if you could make yourself start saving the additional money you would be paying on the lease then you could use this to pay for an unexpected repair, if it was needed.

worried_jim

Cheapest car is usually the one you already have, as Ultrasonic has said save £219 a month and this will easily cover any bill you ever have and the car is yours, not rented, to do with as you choose.

moohound

Haven't decided what to do really, might just keep the fusion and if is does pack up then I still have the option of a lease car, the only problem is they can take 5 months to come.

Ultrasonic

What sort of things have gone wrong with your Fusion? A 2007 car isn't that old and I wouldn't be expecting it to completely die. It presumably isn't particularly high mileage given your use?

Your point about having to wait for the new car is a good one. I work for the NHS btw but haven't leased a car via them. I have one colleague who has but I'm not sure if it was via NHS Fleet Solutions or a different scheme. She had some issues with the paperwork, and deliverly dates of the car she was promised, I think ending up going for a differrent spec or colour to get one sooner.

moohound

Alternator packed in and both suspension coils snapped in the last year, leaving me stranded. Will probably just hang on to it for now. It had done 59000 when I bought it and now has done 70000, i have had it 2 and half years.

I am a bit concerned with it being a diesel and not doing enough miles, or long enough drives. If I got the Bmax ( unlikely now to be honest ) I would get the 1.0 petrol EcoBoost.

Ultrasonic

Does your car have a DPF? That would be the biggest concern for short trips.

Might be worth running 3 or 4 tanks of BP Ultimate Diesel to give the injectors a clean. This helped the mpg a bit on my 9 year old diesel. Although more noticeably so on long trips, on short trips increased fuel use due to warming up is more of a factor.

You've had your car for 2.5 years without an issue relating to its use so I wouldn't worry about it being a diesel to be honest.

moohound

Don't know if it has a particulate filter or not, when I get it serviced they do some flush thing which costs £32 extra.

Another concern is it does not have ISOFIX points and I would prefer to use isofix car seats. Also the sliding doors would be good when doing the school run, as the school car park is bedlam (which I only do once a week, I work full time but over 4 days)