New (used) commuting car advice

Jigglebiz

I need to buy a new car in the next month primarily for work. I’ve got a new job and need to commute 3-4 days a week, 50-70 miles a day in total with about 20 mins of motorway and then several shorter journeys in towns and B roads.

Planning to get a new-ish Toyota Yaris but stuck on whether to get a Petrol or Hybrid model. Lots of incentives on buying the former new. Options are:

- New Petrol Yaris 1.5 £12,500 on 41 month PCP 0% or £6k cash + £2k 0% credit card over 1 year + £4.5k personal loan over 3 years (should get 3-4%)

- 2017 Petrol Yaris 1.5 £9500 with £6k cash + £3500 0% Hire Purchase over 2 years

- 2017 Hybrid Yaris 1.5 £11,000 with £6k cash + £2k 0% credit card over 1 year + £3k personal loan over 2 years (3-4%)

Not sure if the additional costs for the Hybrid will be recouped through fuel savings . Is there a way to work this out?

I don’t like the idea of PCP and prefer to own things where possible.

And before anyone tells me to just buy a car outright with the £6k... yes, but I really need reliability and predictable costs. With the Toyota 5 year warranty and fewer MOTs to worry about it would really help reduce stress levels for my job.
Thanks

Jigglebiz

Should have said the commute will include 20 mins of motorway commuting in each direction, so 40+ mins on motorway per day

knightstyle

So quick mental calculation makes that about £1500 on fuel a year to get to and from work. A hybrid will reduce this by about £300 an electric car will reduce it to under 100 a year.
I am sure others will have wildly differing costs but to me either get the petrol one, resale price will be good, or a fully electric car.

Jigglebiz

I’ve looked into EVs and the Renault Zoe on PCP would be unaffordable for me unfortunately.

daveyjp

Hybrid is auto, I assume the others are manual? I would drive them as the CVT is a love hate thing, the manual is excellent. With over 100bhp it is a quick car when needed.

We have a 1.5 manual, 17 reg and 60mpg from your commute at should be achievable.

Use the Toyota main dealer website to check prices, they do vary. Don't bother with a new one, save the cash, you have a remainder of the 5 year warranty which you will probably never need.

Jigglebiz

Thanks dave it’s really helpful to hear from a Yaris owner.
Actually that price is for a CVT auto, I drive manual usually but rest drove a 2015 Auris hybrid (that I probably can’t afford) and liked the CVT, though I guess this is different to a petrol CVT.
I have found a manual Yaris petrol 1.5 2017 at £8.5k , it’s at a dealer about 2 hours away (seaside town) and hence lower prices.
Tempted by an auto though for stop/start city driving which I do frequently , though I’ve heard it will make me a lazy driver...

daveyjp

Drive the manual anyway. The gearbox is silky smooth and the clutch isn't heavy. 6 speed too, hence the economy.

Jigglebiz

According to Honest John’s real MPG stats the manual averages 50.4 MPG against the auto’s 57.4 (which is incidentally very close to the hybrid’s figure). I guess it depends on driving style too.

foxy-stoat

Still struggling to see how a £6000 car isn't reliable and unable to predict running costs.

Cisco001

I have yaris hybrid, Just to warn you it is quite noisy when you drive over 70mph on motorway...

However, i love driving in town with it.

Jigglebiz

Foxy the £6000 Yaris would be out of warranty and would have MOTs from day 1. It would also be an older model (1.33 engine) which I don’t like as much.
Last time I bought a Honda Jazz for about £6.5k that was 4 years old, it has been good but is not suitable for me now as, like the 1.33 Yaris, is underpowered for motorway driving in my opinion.

I stick to Japanese cars for their reliability and have not been disappointed yet.