Cheapest option for a car for 3 months

tommyt41

Evening all,

I'm after some advice on what the best option is to get me around for a couple of months. I'm living in north west wales where used car options are limited. I'll be moving to chester area in a few months where once I'm settled I plan on finding a new car. My current car MOT expires in a month and it's not worth repairing to put through. I've seen there is much more choice around Chester way car-wise so I just want something to tie me over for a few months before I am there.

I'm unsure whether to buy something cheap and old where I currently am, or do 3 month leases exist? Are they good value? I'm not too sure what the best option money wise is.

Stubod

North West Wales is hardly remote so I don't understand why you would want to waste money for 2 or three months.....just buy the car you want now?

Grumpy_chap

I agree with @studbod.
OR, what is really so bad with your current car that you can't patch it up to last a few months?
Failing that there are companies that do the shorts leases if you look for them using a popular internet search engine.  One such is Apex Car Rentals.  Some of the big hire companies also do long term rates.  These options will be expensive, but it is what you asked for.  You need to assess the companies and their service as I have never used them.

AdrianC

You're in NW Wales... So you're, what, an hour and a bit, two tops, from Liverpool/Manchester?

fred246

If there was a thread "I bought a car from a dealer 2 hours away and now it's broken down. What do I do?" AdrianC would be straight in with "what sort of a nutter buys a car from a dealer 2 hours away?"

tommyt41

Stubod said:

North West Wales is hardly remote so I don't understand why you would want to waste money for 2 or three months.....just buy the car you want now?

 I will get a much better deal around the border, and if theres any issue it's easier to sort out as I wouldn't have to get the car back to north west wales. Say for example I got a motor on anglesey, and in 3 months time i'm living by the border and there's an issue with the car I would then have to get it to angelsey. However if it's from a garage within half hour from wherever I live it will be easier.

Grumpy_chap said:

I agree with @studbod.
OR, what is really so bad with your current car that you can't patch it up to last a few months?
Failing that there are companies that do the shorts leases if you look for them using a popular internet search engine.  One such is Apex Car Rentals.  Some of the big hire companies also do long term rates.  These options will be expensive, but it is what you asked for.  You need to assess the companies and their service as I have never used them.

it was a 300 quid car, brakes will need doing and wheel bearings at some point. I didn't see much point putting more money into it. I feel i've got my value for 2 years worth of car and would like to move on. I will check them out, thankyou.

AdrianC said:

You're in NW Wales... So you're, what, an hour and a bit, two tops, from Liverpool/Manchester?

I am but I don't have much spare time at the moment. If there was a car I knew I'd 100% take I would go but don't want to be faffing on day trips to look at cars. That's why i'd rather wait until i'm there.

AdrianC

fred246 said:

If there was a thread "I bought a car from a dealer 2 hours away and now it's broken down. What do I do?" AdrianC would be straight in with "what sort of a nutter buys a car from a dealer 2 hours away?"

Simple. One that lives in a relatively remote part of the country.

Given how limited you constantly show your horizons to be in so many ways, it'd probably blow your mind to point out that I live a 40 mile round trip from the nearest supermarket of any brand (except for a handful of small Co-ops, of the kind of size that any half-decent suburban high street would regard as a convenience). And I'm not exactly remote by the standards of much of the country - I'm still two hours from the nearest major cities, the top 40 in the country by population, anything much over 100k.

Yes, there's going to be a selection of perfectly decent used cars for sale in Holyhead or Bangor or Caernarfon or even Llandudno, gawd help 'em. Autotrader has 13 <£2k cars total within 35 miles of Abersoch, but not one nearer than 30 miles.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=relevance&postcode=ll537dl&radius=35&price-to=2000
But the A5 and A55 mean that NW Wales isn't exactly the dark side of the moon. Google maps has Abersoch almost exactly two hours to Chester.

Obviously, that kind of distance if you're in easy striking distance of a major conurbation would be a different kettle of fish - and it's something you need to take into account with your consumer rights... But people who live there are used to it.

DoaM

How much travelling will you actually need to do whilst there for 3 months? Would setting up a regular fare account with a local taxi firm be more cost-effective than taking the hit on lease/hire car costs or depreciation? (I assuming that other public transport in that area will be sparse).

AdrianC

DoaM said:

Would setting up a regular fare account with a local taxi firm be more cost-effective...

Again, rural life often means taxis are very few and far between...

DoaM

Just exploring options

tommyt41

AdrianC said:

Yes, there's going to be a selection of perfectly decent used cars for sale in Holyhead or Bangor or Caernarfon or even Llandudno, gawd help 'em. Autotrader has 13 <£2k cars total within 35 miles of Abersoch, but not one nearer than 30 miles.

 I did check autotrader and facebook marketplace/groups. The majority of cars on facebook seemed to be sold with the covid extension, and I don't know much about cars so wouldn't know what to check other than tyres/brakes. I may have found a cheap van though off a friend.