car purchasing in retirement

bjorn_toby_wilde

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81897858#Comment_81897858

My SIL is on her second T-Roc, which she loves and it seems like a really good drive.

She has the R version though and the suspension is very firm. I can’t really understand the trend towards sportier suspension in many makes because the roads certainly aren’t getting smoother!

Cobbler_tone

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81897942#Comment_81897942

I always run the comparison sites for him. At 89 a lot of the companies drop out and you will struggle to get insurance on some cars. His cheapest quote was actually to stay with the same insurer which is quite rare. He only does a couple of thousand miles a year and does well to still be getting out with my mum for shopping, garden centres etc. It's a big life changing moment the second you can't.

Policies will generally start creeping up from your early 60's onwards. I'm clinging onto my prime!

I think £190 for fully comp, protected no claims, legal cover and zero excess is the cheapest insurance I've had for many years. That's on a 1.6d Golf doing 15,000 a year.

Silvertabby

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81898507#Comment_81898507

Ours is our second R Line T Cross - very similar to the T Roc, just a bit smaller. Great little car.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81898507#Comment_81898507

The issue is that an SUVs centre of gravity is higher than a normal car, so they will tend to roll about around corners, if the suspension is too soft.

However it does mean you feel the potholes more with stiffer suspension!

ader42

The other half has a VW Golf we’ve had from new - 23 years old next month - over 220,000 miles.

Outrageously had to spend £300 to get it through the MOT last month :) It cost us £12k new and once or twice it cost us about £700 for a new exhaust or something. Next year’s MOT I’m told will be considerably more expensive (mostly labour costs I suspect with one job being the front subframe replacement). So we’re thinking it might be time to get something different.

I’ve been looking at new and used approve and it seems to me that used are often over-priced compared to buying new with dealer discount and more favourable PCP. But with PCP I guess it’s largely a choice of paying 7.9% (certainty) versus investment returns (uncertainty) - I suspect most would prefer to avoid the PCP and so settle the finance after a month as long as it doesn’t mean 40% income tax.

Whatever we buy it aint gonna last as long as the current VW Golf that I am certain of, not replacing cars every 5 years when younger is part of the reason I have the luxury of a decent retirement.

My hobby non-winter motor is my 1930 Ford Model A Pickup - so the missus can choose the newer motor.

Albermarle

 I suspect most would prefer to avoid the PCP and so settle the finance after a month as long as it doesn’t mean 40% income tax.

I suspect the large majority of car buyers on PCP could not afford to pay it off after a month. Most are buying via PCP because it the only way they can have a new car is to spread the payments over a long period.

Also even some who could afford it, are probably unaware of the benefit of paying it off.

Cobbler_tone

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81899182#Comment_81899182

If you get a good Golf (there are always 'problem' cars) you are on a good footing. I bought mine in 2016, 3 years old with 30k on it. By 40k the turbo blew, not from my sedate driving! Lots of hassle as it had to be sent off to be reconditioned (VW won't sell you one) and £1,500. Since then it is up to 195,000 and nothing apart from consumables. Bigger bill coming up for the second timing belt and water pump. The way I look at it, if I can get away with £1k a year on servicing and MOT it is cheap motoring.

chuffinnora

My company PHEV (BMW X1) shortly to go back at retirement, has been great from a running cost perspective. Of the 20000 miles, only 5000 on petrol. So home charging at 7.5p has saved a ton of fuel.

The suspension is quite rigid as its an M-Sport but even though the larger wheels give a hard ride, they are way better security against the poor state of the roads these days. My wifes VW Up has been through 6 wheels/tyres in the same period. At present I wouldn't drive any car with smaller wheels or no spare wheel.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81899231#Comment_81899231

I understand that new German cars have gone a bit overboard on the tech front, and that has degraded their reliability ratings, as the tech often plays up.

Silvertabby

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81899199#Comment_81899199

We took out PCP, which gave us £1,600 off our car price, then paid it off (from savings) within the 14 day cooling off period.

We asked the car seller how VW Finance could possibly afford this - and he said that it was factored into the interest rate paid by those who don't pay it off early.