New Car...or not?

aimee5

Hi my husband has just got a great new job (woop woop) but its 70miles from our home


We currently have a small Toyota Yaris about (7years old) which we would keep if it weren't for the 140mile commute. But I think it will become unreliable quite quickly.


We have looked at getting a New or 2/3 year old Skoda but I am not sure if this is the right thing to do considering the high mileage the car will be doing.


Any thoughts?

mel48rose

Personally I wouldn't buy a new car. Apparently as soon as you drive off the forecourt you lose the vat. Too much depreciation for me. I would go for something a couple of years old which you can pick up for a good price.

Ebe_Scrooge

What sort of Skoda ? The Octavia always gets pretty good reviews ( and ten thousand taxi drivers can't be wrong ). I wouldn't be buying a new car - you'll get a lot more for your money by buying a well-maintained 2 or 3 year old car, that's already taken the hit on depreciation.

70 miles each way is a fair old trek. Quite apart from the mileage on the car, it'll take it's toll on your husband as well ! Is it practical to take the train ? Don't get me wrong, I'm one of these that would prefer to drive my car rather than use the train any day ( even if there was a train service near me ). But it's worth doing the sums to see what a season ticket would cost compared to the costs of running a car. Neither option will be cheap, but worth looking into.

forgotmyname

It will only be unreliable if you fail to service it properly same with ANY car.

Plenty around with over 150,000 miles on them and still reliable.

Whatever you buy its going to need 2 or 3 services a year. Dont forget to budget on that.

bluesnake

I would keep the old car, but would take out breakdown cover.

I would get a replacement second had car, if my car had done, (a)too many miles and become unreliable, or (b)found something that use much less fuel, cheap to service and reliable, also taking into account purchase cost to savings overall costs - there has got to be a win here. (c) cost too much to fix

Both new and old cars will need maintenance. I have a Honda and in the USA people are putting on 300k miles and they still count the car as reliable. Yaris are generally known to be good cars.

The second company I worked for has a Carolla van. That van was clocked over 3 times. They did get rid of it a few years after I left because the body work did not promote the success of the company, but the van was mechanically very good.

JustinR1979

New car? Think you'll be needing a new male 'friend'.


Putting 700 miles a week on a car, I'd get one a couple years old that's lost half it's value already but still newish and reliable.

andrewf75

70 mile commute? I'd get the train if at all possible.
Otherwise, if he really has to drive, a Skoda would be absolutely fine and I'd always buy second hand. Even if you get one a few months old, it will be a huge saving.