Advice please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lynsey

My hubby is changing jobs soon and needs a decent car as he will be doing probably around 500/600 miles per week.
He only wants a small/ish car with decent mpg.
He has been looking at a Fiesta for around £7k on the road (new).
He will get 28p per mile from his employer which should cover the cost/devaluation.
So, what car and buy or lease???
Very confusing, any advice from experience giving pro's and cons???


Lynsey

harveybobbles

Well, speaking as someone who does 500 miles per week - I certainly wouldn't want to do it in a small car! Get a family sized car. Accord, S60, Passat etc...

Ephemera

I used to do 40,000 miles a year in my Smart!
It really depends on the type of car your OH likes, whether he's likely to be driving in town a lot (may be worth considering an auto) and if he's going to need a lot of room for luggage/spares/sales stuff/shopping.
It's a personal thing really....!

Lynsey

He has an Almera at the moment and wants a smallish car, was loking at a Corsa etc.
When abroad he always gets a smaller car, 207 etc. which he prefers.
Luggage etc. isn't an issue, mostly it will be driving say 200 miles one way and of course back and a little more over 4/5 days away.

Lynsey

anewman

At 26k miles per year what about a secondhand newish diesel? Should be slightly more cost effective on fuel costs.

Bearing in mind the £7k price above, what about something along the lines of these? Both smallish but that little more room and comfortable than a cramped Corsa or Fiesta etc.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2006-Ford-Focus-lx-5-door-hatchback1-8-tdci-115bhp-eur_W0QQitemZ250209451382QQihZ015QQcategoryZ9844QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2006-Skoda-Fabia-Red_W0QQitemZ160201816549QQihZ006QQcategoryZ18275QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

ohreally

Lynsey wrote: »

He will get 28p per mile from his employer which should cover the cost/devaluation.

I think someone is taking the yellow stuff. Public transport rate is .35p per mile.We get .54ppm if using our car for business.

Lynsey

He also gets £25 per day travelling.

Lynsey

vansboy

I was going to say the allowance wasn't that great - not sure how £25 is worked into the payment. Think I'd check & double check these 2 payments, as you might well have some tax implications & end up loosing some of it!!

Depending how you expect the job to go, assuming it was just as you expected, Personal Contract Plans (personal leases) do seem to be a pretty fair option - as long as you get one that doesn't stuff you for escess mileage charges. Even better if it includes maintainence, tyres, etc.

What you don't want is a contract/loan for an extended period, with severe penalties, if the job was to be cut short, or not be any good.

Otherwise cash purchase is easiest, but don't miss out on cheap/free interest offers the dealers keep coming up with!

As for choice of vehicle, if he likes Corsa, check a Grande Punto diesel - it's the same car underneath the badges! www.fiatsupasaver.co.uk & you'll not be to far off your budget. Or even Panda, wouldn't be unacceptable.

There are plenty of Astra/Focus sized 1yr old examples, if you wanted to save some depreciation.

Check http://honestjohn.co.uk post the Q in The Backroom - Discussion. Also check out GENUINE offers in his Best Deals pages.

VB

Lynsey

Thanks, the £25 is taxed and yes the allowance isn't the best, but as long as it covers the costs, that's ok. Making a profit doesn't really matter that much.
The main issue is lease or purchase.

Lynsey

noonesperfect

If you're going for second hand, purchase if you can afford to.

Toyota diesels are good mpg

goldspanners

i think this myth that small cars are uncomfortable over long journeys is pure crap.
you husband will be doing 500 - 600 miles per week,this works out at 120 miles a day,half this which is at most 60 miles in the morning and 60 miles at night. thats hardly a mammoth journey to work.
sitting in a new corsa or fiesta for an hour or say at a time isnt going to be that unpleasant is it?
watch for great deals on current shape fiestas coming soon as the new model is due very soon,best to go to see a ford dealer and see what they have to offer,sometimes they will be able to do very good deals at this point in the models life and then haggle them down even further than that,and add new carpets and mudflaps etc...