Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

Savvy_Sue

Another vote for putting sensible head on, and thinking about what you really need regularly in a car. If you cannot drop everything and move lots of people around, all the better IMO.

We love our Toyota (Yaris). We used to have a Saab with a cavernous boot, but most of our driving was across the city with just one or two of us in. We decided we could manage with a much smaller car, and when we NEEDED to take the boys around with luggage we could hire a larger one. That's definitely been a cost effective decision for us.

Someone I know has a small Mercedes, very similar to a Honda Jazz, and they seem like 'small cars which are bigger than they look'.

We've hired a few times: to get all of us to a wedding, sometimes at Christmas to get all of us to the grandparents, and a couple of times to move the boys at the beginning and end of the university year. I do NOT recommend moving three students over the course of a single weekend ... even without furniture it is exhausting, and that's before you factor in a couple of hours driving ...

Savvy_sewing

My mileage is really fairly minimal as its just short journeys most of the time. I can walk most of it and do when the weather is nice and I have the time. I drive to my daughters once a week, 12 miles away, and the same to my Mum, once a week. ( when she's not in France). I go to Oxford about twice a month 24 miles away.
DGD treatment will be an additional trip about 24 miles away maybe one a week.
90% of the time it is only DGD and myself in the car, but as biggest pointed out I 'need' 4 seats as I collect her daughter from dancing each Tuesday.
In my opinion these days it's hardly any mileage compared to the 500 miles a week I used to do when I was Mum Taxi.
I pay about £30-£40 a month on fuel in my Peugeot 307.
The cost of road tax and insurance for the cabriolet is practically the same as the Peugeot.
The faults/time bomb you mention can happen with any car full of gadgets, but Biggests partner is a software engineer etc working in and out of Germany a lot. He has Audi's, and travels miles and miles in them. Swares by them.
Currently I am sick of having everything because it is cheapest, or practical, functional or such.
Considering I will be 55 next month I feel that it's time I had a little bit of what you fancy, does you good. As with buying anything second hand there are no guarantees. My reliable Peugeot was not so reliable in the end, and it was only serviced a few months ago!
I think I may just be a little bit stubborn, and as long as the engine sounds good, the car drives well, and the bodywork is sound, and no obvious sign of leaking roof I think I will go with my heart for a change.

Today I hope to get in another successful day sewing, I'm teaching again tonight. So it will be another long day. I woke at 5.20 and have been thinking, nodding off a bit etc for about an hour. But the brain was off on its journey more than resting so I am sitting up with a cup of tea in bed, listening to the cars going passed getting more frequent as the world around me wakes up.

Almost-free

I have a sunroof in my 12 year old mini and have never had a problem with either leaking or any other problem to be honest. Having said that,that car looks risky to me in lots of ways . Sorry to be boring!

In the last year I have bought two cars for my oldest two children from auction , both were repossessions . Both very cheap , sailed through their MOT and no problems so far. The Peugeot was just under £400 and the Fiesta £370. I am lucky to have a knowledgeable friend to look them over, but I used to pay my mobile mechanic to do it for me years ago. I believe you can still get the AA and RAC to inspect a vehicle for you for not too much money ?

It's often worth mentioning on Facebook you are looking for a car- this seems to happen regularly within my friend group with great success.

Forgot to say, my mini makes my heart sing !
I was lucky to get it from a friend who needed cash quickly and I got it £1,000 less than it's real value. That's why I mentioned Facebook !

Savvy_Sue

Mooloo wrote: »

90% of the time it is only DGD and myself in the car, but as biggest pointed out I 'need' 4 seats as I collect her daughter from dancing each Tuesday.

See, that's exactly the kind of thing I mean. YOU don't NEED four seats, other people think you NEED four seats so that you can do things for them. And yes, I know that Biggest is not the biggest offender in taking advantage of you!

But while you don't have a car, presumably you CAN'T collect her daughter. And that is NOT your problem! Being told you NEED to run a car twice as big as you need for a weekly errand for which I'm guessing you're not reimbursed makes me a bit cross on your behalf!

With that low mileage maybe you should think about a Smart Car - and they do do the SmartForFour because I do realise that a two seater probably isn't practical for you.

One very practical point, please look at reviews online to make sure there aren't any serious issues with fitting child seats. I believe that can be a problem with 'fun' cars.

ognum

Mooloo wrote: »

My mileage is really fairly minimal as its just short journeys most of the time. I can walk most of it and do when the weather is nice and I have the time. I drive to my daughters once a week, 12 miles away, and the same to my Mum, once a week. ( when she's not in France). I go to Oxford about twice a month 24 miles away.
DGD treatment will be an additional trip about 24 miles away maybe one a week.
90% of the time it is only DGD and myself in the car, but as biggest pointed out I 'need' 4 seats as I collect her daughter from dancing each Tuesday.
In my opinion these days it's hardly any mileage compared to the 500 miles a week I used to do when I was Mum Taxi.
I pay about £30-£40 a month on fuel in my Peugeot 307.
The cost of road tax and insurance for the cabriolet is practically the same as the Peugeot.
The faults/time bomb you mention can happen with any car full of gadgets, but Biggests partner is a software engineer etc working in and out of Germany a lot. He has Audi's, and travels miles and miles in them. Swares by them.
Currently I am sick of having everything because it is cheapest, or practical, functional or such.
Considering I will be 55 next month I feel that it's time I had a little bit of what you fancy, does you good. As with buying anything second hand there are no guarantees. My reliable Peugeot was not so reliable in the end, and it was only serviced a few months ago!
I think I may just be a little bit stubborn, and as long as the engine sounds good, the car drives well, and the bodywork is sound, and no obvious sign of leaking roof I think I will go with my heart for a change.

Today I hope to get in another successful day sewing, I'm teaching again tonight. So it will be another long day. I woke at 5.20 and have been thinking, nodding off a bit etc for about an hour. But the brain was off on its journey more than resting so I am sitting up with a cup of tea in bed, listening to the cars going passed getting more frequent as the world around me wakes up.

Hi Mooloo

I just have one small thought

Many of us are guilty in believing that just buying one thing that we feel we want will make the whole of life better. What we actually find is that life is just the same after the purchase and sometimes more difficult if we limit our abilities.

Just my thoughts X

Savvy_sewing

I have only just started looking.
I will get a friend to take me around a few garages. I will only actually buy from a garage, because I want to put it on the credit card and then do a balance transfer on a 0% if I do.
Yes I could buy a cheap car for cash, I have £1,000 in one of my accounts so I could but I would rather the protection that using the card provides.

No Biggest doesn't reimburse me for babysitting, even though I pay her if she has DGD.
DStext me today asking for a lift on Monday morning, so I have told him I do not have a car anymore so nope!
Perhaps it would suit me to delay my choice of purchase for a while, till the family get the message.
Staff helped me go and get the contents of the car after work, and now I have to make plans to have it removed etc.
I may try and sell off the spare wheel etc as it is brand new.

mrmechanic

Mooloo wrote: »

The faults/time bomb you mention can happen with any car full of gadgets, but Biggests partner is a software engineer etc working in and out of Germany a lot. He has Audi's, and travels miles and miles in them. Swares by them.
Currently I am sick of having everything because it is cheapest, or practical, functional or such.
Considering I will be 55 next month I feel that it's time I had a little bit of what you fancy, does you good. As with buying anything second hand there are no guarantees. My reliable Peugeot was not so reliable in the end, and it was only serviced a few months ago!
I think I may just be a little bit stubborn, and as long as the engine sounds good, the car drives well, and the bodywork is sound, and no obvious sign of leaking roof I think I will go with my heart for a change.

But is he driving a 13 year old Audi and does he pay the bills for repairing it.
And can you afford the bills to repair it when it goes wrong on top of paying of almost £3000 you have bumped onto your credit card to buy it??You are just talking about paying yourself a wage now after letting one of your staff go.
Common faults and costs.
Electric window regulator around £200 plus labour £150
Very common and dealer only as specific to cab. You have one each side so could be around £850 once you add vat or you leave the window lying in the bottom of the doors when the wire ropes burst.
You cannot jamb them up as they drop slightly when opening doors and once doors are closed they jump up last part .
Or someone decides to take a sharp knife to your roof??
Budget around £1500 for a replacement.
Thats before you get into climate control/abs/esp, electric seats/sunroof mechanism.
Abs pump valve problem will set you back £700 upwards.
All VERY common problems.
I don't fancy your chances and think you need to think very carefully with your sensible head.
Not what you want to hear but this will more than likely be a very costly mistake for you .

grey_lady

Personally i don't like the audi but if it makes Mooloo's heart sing and she has never had the chance to have a 'fun' car then why not.

Sorry - actually the audi is fine, it's just the colour I wasn't keen on!

Savvy_sewing

mrmechanic wrote: »

But is he driving a 13 year old Audi and does he pay the bills for repairing it.
And can you afford the bills to repair it when it goes wrong on top of paying of almost £3000 you have bumped onto your credit card to buy it??You are just talking about paying yourself a wage now after letting one of your staff go.
Common faults and costs.
Electric window regulator around £200 plus labour £150
Very common and dealer only as specific to cab. You have one each side so could be around £850 once you add vat or you leave the window lying in the bottom of the doors when the wire ropes burst.
You cannot jamb them up as they drop slightly when opening doors and once doors are closed they jump up last part .
Or someone decides to take a sharp knife to your roof??
Budget around £1500 for a replacement.
Thats before you get into climate control/abs/esp, electric seats/sunroof mechanism.
Abs pump valve problem will set you back £700 upwards.
All VERY common problems.
I don't fancy your chances and think you need to think very carefully with your sensible head.
Not what you want to hear but this will more than likely be a very costly mistake for you .

Thankyou for the advice, be it all very doom and gloom.
Luckily the insurance fully comprehensive would cover me for any vandalism should I buy a car with a fabric roof.
As far as I can tell most cars have a lot of electrics that can possibly go wrong.
I have only just started taking a look at things to see what is out there, and only said ' I fancy' that car.
I buy everything via my Credit Card for the section 75 protection.
Then I also know what deals are currently being offered to me, and one of my cards offers s 0% balance transfer, so I buy on the other, transfer and enjoy 0%, repayments. Leaving my cash in the bank to gain a smattering of interest. I can choose then to either pay from my cashflow or from my various savings pots.
My car fund is at £1,200, so I can pay that off immediately if I choose.
I have an emergency fund, that covers the basic problems, ie unexpected bills.
I have funds in the bank accounts and am not in overdraft, so I feel fairly confident that I can afford the car.
My household runs on very low expenses after years and years of supporting my family etc, and if I can usually stand them an adverage of £4,000 a year between them, I have been paying me, the savings, the silver, etc and that's how I have saved this year and paid out for our annual holiday in Easter, had the front gravelled, and the like.

I would never buy a car that wasn't checked over or come with at least a 3 month warranty from a garage. Nor would I buy without looking under the bonnet, under the car, listening to the engine, and driving the vehicle.

dktreesea

I'm not sure about soft tops, but if that's what you fancy I would go for a newer car than the one you are contemplating. For example:


http://www.motors.co.uk/car-41558754/sp


£8k over 4 years, 0%apr still only comes to less than £40 a week and if it's hire purchase with no balloon payment at the end it's all yours in 4 years time. And still not as old as a 2003 car is now, iyswim.