How to afford a 2nd car

magpies79

So we currently have 2 cars I work nights wife works days she 100% needs a car I kinda do but sometimes she’s not back by the time I leave for work I can get a bus in but getting back would be difficult as it’s early morning finish and no buses run at that time.

So our 2nd car the one she mainly used was the Astra mot runs out in 2 days and we are going to scrap it as the price to put things right well outweighs the value of the car along with a cracked windscreen was the final nail in the coffin.

So how do we go about getting a 2nd car I don’t want to do finance don’t want a loan I’ve said we need to start putting money aside to save can pick up some nice cheap cars for around 3k mark with £20 road tax and good mpg most of them with around 60-70k miles on the clock.

she is pushing for finance or loan which I’m I don’t want to do but I do feel she feels pressure to sort it fast as one of us takes our daughter to netball practice 3 times a week that’s normally when she’s at work with the car and I’d need a car to take her.

she pays £70 a month insurance so said that can go into a saving for a car plus £260 scrap for the car and just keep adding overtime will take time but do feel it’s the sensible way of doing it.

Emmia

Do you not have any buffer savings? The death of your Astra was probably on the cards, so ideally you'd have some money to replace it available...

Otherwise if you want a £3k car quickly, then a loan would seem to be the only option 

Bonniepurple

Let me get this straight. Your wife - who uses the Astra - wants to replace it quickly and to take out a loan to do so.  You don’t use the Astra, have your own car and would like your wife to save up until she can afford to buy a car outright.  Can I suggest that the simplest solution would be for YOU to do without YOUR car while your wife drives it around and YOU save up for a replacement.  She gets a car, you don’t need to worry about a loan.

paul_c123

It is optimistic expecting to pick up a "nice cheap car" for the £3k mark with 60-70k miles. You'll be looking at 1.0 Peugeots/Citroens, Hyundai i10, etc. I think "nice", £3k, and 60-70k miles are mutually exclusive.

Ectophile

paul_c123 said:

It is optimistic expecting to pick up a "nice cheap car" for the £3k mark with 60-70k miles. You'll be looking at 1.0 Peugeots/Citroens, Hyundai i10, etc. I think "nice", £3k, and 60-70k miles are mutually exclusive.

Yes, there are small cars out there at the price you're expecting and with moderate mileage.  Though modern cars that are well maintained should survive higher mileages than that.  Have a look on autotrader.co.uk, and be prepared to sort the dross from the nice little runabout.

magpies79

Seen a few Ford focus and  Peugeot 208 1.2 0 road tax on a 63 plate with around 60-70k on them few Astra as well but don’t another one 

magpies79

Emmia said:

Do you not have any buffer savings? The death of your Astra was probably on the cards, so ideally you'd have some money to replace it available...

Otherwise if you want a £3k car quickly, then a loan would seem to be the only option 

Unfortunately not it’s something I have been working on but at the moment I’m throwing any spare cash I have and getting these 0% cards done as mentioned in another thread I will be £350 better off in august it’s not a bit away isn’t it otherwise could of started to save that.
I'm literally 3 years away from mortgage being paid off ideally would of been nice to start over paying on that to get it done faster but it’s not gone that way
 the Astra did serve me well 2k with 75k or there about lasted me 5 years without much trouble 

magpies79

Bonniepurple said:

Let me get this straight. Your wife - who uses the Astra - wants to replace it quickly and to take out a loan to do so.  You don’t use the Astra, have your own car and would like your wife to save up until she can afford to buy a car outright.  Can I suggest that the simplest solution would be for YOU to do without YOUR car while your wife drives it around and YOU save up for a replacement.  She gets a car, you don’t need to worry about a loan.

We both use each others car she used the Astra as it was better on fuel as her drive into work is further.

That is what I’m hoping it’s the part of me struggling to get Back from work at 3am with nothing running buses wise and taking my daughter to netball practice I could get a bus but I’d be cutting it close getting to work on time after dropping her off.

Brie

If a 0% card is possible that might be best and hope to pay it off in the term offered.  At least £100 down payment on a card and then either the rest on the card if the dealer accepts that (many will) or get a money transfer deal so you can pay from your bank account and MT the 0% max into the account to keep the costs down.  

Emmia

magpies79 said:

Emmia said:

Do you not have any buffer savings? The death of your Astra was probably on the cards, so ideally you'd have some money to replace it available...

Otherwise if you want a £3k car quickly, then a loan would seem to be the only option 

Unfortunately not it’s something I have been working on but at the moment I’m throwing any spare cash I have and getting these 0% cards done as mentioned in another thread I will be £350 better off in august it’s not a bit away isn’t it otherwise could of started to save that.
I'm literally 3 years away from mortgage being paid off ideally would of been nice to start over paying on that to get it done faster but it’s not gone that way
 the Astra did serve me well 2k with 75k or there about lasted me 5 years without much trouble 

It's a bit of a pity that you've very much focused on the mortgage - as you now need to borrow to buy something you need.

I know the aim is always to be mortgage free, but that IMO should not be at the expense of having an emergency fund / contingency pot of money to replace the car / boiler etc.

Goudy

Brie said:

If a 0% card is possible that might be best and hope to pay it off in the term offered.  At least £100 down payment on a card and then either the rest on the card if the dealer accepts that (many will) or get a money transfer deal so you can pay from your bank account and MT the 0% max into the account to keep the costs down.  

It looks like they have at least four 0% cards already and it looks like they are working overtime to pay them off.

Is there any life left in your Astra? By the sounds of things, that's your best bet without taking on more finance, at least for the time being.
What is wrong with it and can you not just do enough to squeeze it through the MOT?

You mention the windscreen, do you have windscreen cover as part of your insurance?
If not a local, mobile window fitting firm will be much cheaper than the usual national companies.

It might be worth spending a little on it to keep it going a while longer.