One for the accountants here ( or at least the 'good at sums' people ! ) ;-)
I'm only musing, but sitting here filling in my tax return I'm choking on the £342 a month my company car is costing me in bik charges.
It's a nice car, a very nice one in fact but it isn't mine and the tax just feels steamy.
So, supposing I wanted to do something about that. I could opt for a car with cheaper bik next time of course. There are plenty about but I am somewhat restricted in that I genuinely do use it for work and there are some given criteria, mainly those of a necessity for a huge loadspace. ( it's an E class estate and even it is often full ) it needs to be comfortable and reliable, ( 35k business miles a year so those are both important factors )
Or, I could opt out of having a company car and just take a mileage allowance. My lot currently pay 40p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles a year and 25p a mile for anything over that which I know is under the threshold to incur any tax.
So, if I was not paying the bik at £4104 a year and continuing to do 35k business miles pa that would gain me £14354 pa gross right?
From that though, I'd need to fund the purchase, running costs and depreciation of my own vehicle.
So, supposing I bought an 'it'll do' car for say, £10,000 and it cost me again let's say 16p a mile in fuel ( £5600 ), £1000 a year on tyres ( 6 tyres ), £1000 a year on servicing ( 2.5 services ), £500 a year to insure ( would need 'business' insurance ) and a contingency repair fund of £1000, I get to a first year cost of £18,600 right?
Less the £14354 gives me a first year loss of £4246 to which I guess I'd need to add a minimum of £3000 in depreciation given that the car ( including private miles ) would have done another 40k miles.
So, I'm down + or - £7000 at the end of the first year?
Second year, I don't ( hopefully anyway ) need to buy another car so only need to plug in the depreciation ( say another £3000 ) so that year I'm up £2254 on the deal ( or put another way I've recouped that amount against the £7000 loss in the previous year right? )
Third year, ( this it'll do car is getting a bit tired now but maybe the depreciation is slowing at last ) I'm going to drop £2000 on depreciation so I'm up £3254 that year but still £1500 short over the period.
Fourth year, the car is pretty knackered now but I'm in slight profit !
Yippee !!!!
Oh, hang on, I need a new car now don't I ?
Damn !
Might be able to rustle up £10,000 again but it ain't going to get me a decent E class estate is it?
Best have another 'it'll do' car...
Or, stick with having a company car in the first place.
Right?
|
Some while ago I worked out that, for me, taking every bit of cost or benefit into account, 23,000 miles business p.a. was the point at which it became unwise to consider owning a car.
Or 17,000 commuter miles.
Neither took into account the pleasure and lack of stress involved in a company car, which only makes the argument surer.
Below those figures its more of an emotional decision, and new car vs older car becomes relevant.
But that was some while ago, although I'm not sure it'll have changed much.
|
Yeah, I think Runfer needs a company car, but needs to select something with a more palatable BIK, that's all.
Which means a Skoda. Doesn't it.
|
Company and exec stuff isn't my area really but I'll chuck this in. When we leased our C5 Tourer up until 18mths ago the total lease cost over 3yrs was less than the depreciation would have been buying new.
So have a look on Lings site (it doesn't have to be Lings but hers is about the easiest to judge actual prices day by day) and see if there is a car that would suit you for less over 3yrs than the bik you're paying now. Then the mileage rate ought to pay fuel/service/ins/ved ??
It could be your high miles would be a problem, mine was far lower when we had the lease.
The issue with your calcs seems to be... as you allude to at the end... there is very little in it if your owned used car depreciates faster than expected (it will at 35k/yr) or a few big bills get you.
|
A Skoda?
Right, well, erm...I'll um, get back to you on that one if that's ok?
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Tue 27 May 14 at 15:38
|
|
Indeed yeeeeees, perfectly er, um, well....
|
Quite. You wants da bling, you pays da bucks.
;-)
|
>>>the pleasure and lack of stress involved in a company car, which only makes the argument surer.
Very much agree and even at my lower level when grinding away at my career I always took the best company car I could have in latter years.
>>> lack of stress
i.e. head gasket fails 8pm Friday and by 9.30am Sat a hired replacement of same class arrives delivered to home and the chuffing car is taken away for repair.
|
I'm as stingy as they come, but if I were doing 35k business miles per annum, I'd want it to be in an employer-funded car. 4am on a wet February morning and my car doesn't start, then it's trouble. If it's their car, then it's their problem. And if your chosen car fails to start *every* morning, then you've taken on a huge liability.
Would your employer give you a cash allowance in lieu of not taking the car. That might change the rate at which they pay mileage, of course.
My first car was entirely paid for by profit on the mileage - a couple of trips a year did the trick!
|
Actually, y'know, £342 a month is only a bit more than it would cost these days to be a reasonably enthusiastic smoker.
Cheap really...
;-)
|
Humph likes his Mercedes because it's comfortable and capacious, but what he doesn't say is that he's secretly devoted to that faux-walnut, silent, wafting comportment, Rolls-Royce but without the ostentation.
He seems resistant to the idea of a big Skoda which would do all those things just as well, apart from the walnut. It's true they are ugly and garish in their present advertised trim but a bit of black on the chrome front end can work wonders. Would look fine in matt grey primer perhaps with a yellow stripe or tail panel.
He's a gentleman though, wrinkling his nose and making pawky Scotch noises. I can drive round pretending to be a breaker's yard hooligan, he's thinking, but there are some things a properly raised chap doesn't consider.
|
|
I do like a bit of a waft it has to be said. Not to the absolute exclusion of other options you understand, but wafting is good. Hard to waft convincingly in some of the above suggestions however fiscally attractive.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Tue 27 May 14 at 16:26
|
I certainly wouldn't want to be doing 35K/yr in my own car. I badly miss the "peace-of-mind" benefit of having a company car. Although I don't miss being forced to go to Kwik-Fit for tyres.
Would the Merc E300 Hybrid save you money in BIK? Maybe the dearer list list price wipes out the saving.
|
|
Good suggestion Bill. I've just checked and that would be over a £100 a month cheaper !
|
For very high mileage, a company car can be a good choice because any car you provide yourself will soon need replacing.
If you did opt out, is there an option to take an allowance for a car and then get paid a lower pence per mile cost? You can then claim the tax back on the amount paid for mileage.
Also when you look to replace the E Class, another E Class would have lower CO2 emissions than your current car thus lowering the BIK you'd pay. The Hybrid version has emissions of 109g/km for example.
Comparing your car (E Class E250 CDI AMG Sport Tiptronic estate) which has a list price of say £41k and a BIK rate of 25% meaning tax will be what you pay now. But the more expensive Hybrid (£44k) emits only 119g/km meaning it's taxed at 16% (diesel hybrids do not have the 3% diesel surcharge added) meaning tax would be £234pm. So over £100pm saving.
Time to get a new company car :-)
EDIT: Took too long typing this in between working! Yes you'd save over £100pm.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 27 May 14 at 16:47
|
But is it worth £100 a month to look like a hippy?
;-)
|
|
Tick the 'delete badge' option then!
|
(Lack of) Hassle factor wins for me every time.
I've been saving niggling faults on the BMW and I have enough now that I need to get it booked in to be sorted. There's a little list to do including squealing rear brakes, a blower motor that sounds like it's trying to escape the dash at anything over 50% power, intermittent bulb failure warnings from the front sidelights that come and go, and an engine speed related scraping noise from behind the bulkhead that sounds like YouTube recordings of the notorious N47 timing chain problem.
If that was my car, I'd have to book it in months in advance for a courtesy car, or arrange transport from the dealer to work and from work to the dealer. Assuming they get it done inside a working day.
As it's a company car I ring an 0800 number, quote the reg number, and someone picks it up from the office and brings it back fixed and washed. If it's not done by home time, the keys to a pool car or hire car are delivered to my desk by way of a replacement. A nice Mini Cooper SD last time, a fully loaded 120d M Sport the time before.
I've looked at opting out, but driving the thing without worrying about it, filling it up with fuel on the company and the aforementioned fact that it's not my problem to get to or from work if it breaks or needs a service is worth the £250 odd mine costs me a month all in. Oh, and in 6 months time I get to order a shiny new one.
Last edited by: DP on Tue 27 May 14 at 17:11
|
Through work I know someone in your kind of boots (pardon the pun) with regards to cars.
He goes down the money option, every time and buys a used BMW with between 50 & 60k on the clock and runs it for one year and then trades for another. Has built up a solid relationship with dealer and he is adamant that it is the best way for him and his 40-50k miles a year.
However I wouldn't go asking him to justify it with figures!
|
>> I've been saving niggling faults on the BMW and I have enough now that I
>> need to get it booked in to be sorted.
>>
Don't get me wrong, I treated my company cars sympathetically, but I never used to give a toss about squeaks, rattles, intermittant faults etc. No way would I have booked it in separately from a service.
|
If you've thrown the full purchase price in year 1, aren't you double counting by chucking depreciation into years 2 to 4?
|
|
And a BMW 520d touring makes more sense as a company car than a Merc I think, unless you go down the hybrid route. Which in reality is an E250CDi with half a tonne of batteries and electric motor chucked in. In reality I bet for your usage it'd be less economical!!
|
Good point Peter re the depreciation. Told you it needed someone who was good at sums! Or at least making them sound sensible!
So, we've now got some slightly more workable numbers, just got to find an 'it'll do car' with sufficient waftiness.
;-)
|
It isn't just about money, is it! Car choice never is, although it's a vital factor of course.
I have an idea for you. Hang on to the German taxi until the new Mondeo estate is out. Then test drive a few other LECs (Superb, BMW 5-series, A6 for example) and you'll almost certainly plump for the Mondeo - Betsy II - which will have a lower BIK anyway.
|
|
Yeah, maybe....although I have got a bit seduced by having RWD again. I had quite forgotten how much I prefer that. Pedantic I know in a market dominated by FWD. Not saying I couldn't live with it, just y'know, it feels so much more 'right' having the power to the back. Feels like a 'proper' car. Can't really explain it better than that.
|
|
I'd have to agree - I'll take a lot of convincing to move from a RWD car. Most of the time it shouldn't make any difference, but there's something about the 'feel' that's right, if that makes any sense?
|
|
You wouldn't pull a wheelbarrow.
|
>>>You wouldn't pull a wheelbarrow.
Well when the going is really tough for a few inches it's often the only way.
I've obviously never had a decent RWD car to date as, even including the 525, I still don't get RWD for road use.
|
It is difficult to explain but really it's all about dynamics in corners. Straight lines are straight lines but with the right technique your safe exit speed from a bend and the speed you can carry through it with RWD is higher. ( when safe to do so of course ! )
Try this on an empty fast roundabout for example, brake late in a straight line and make the first turn in on a balanced throttle, carry the steady speed through the curve until you reach just, but only just past the apex of your exit turn and then apply full power. The RWD car will turn into the bend and accelerate smoothly and safely to your chosen exit speed so that by the time you reach the main carriageway again you are already at the speed you want.
Do that in a FWD and it will tend to try to wash off your efforts to accelerate early due to its natural tendency to understeer.
Childish I know, but once perfected this really really ticks off following drivers of FWD hot hatches who clearly can't work out why the old fart in the big lumbering diesel estate has just disappeared down the road leaving them in his dust!
;-)))
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 28 May 14 at 09:44
|
>>> brake late in a straight line and make the first turn in on a balanced throttle, carry the steady speed through the curve until you reach just, but only just past the apex of your exit turn and then apply full power. The RWD car will turn into the bend and accelerate smoothly and safely to your chosen exit speed so that by the time you reach the main carriageway again you are already at the speed you want.
>>>Do that in a FWD and it will tend to try to wash off your efforts to accelerate early due to its natural tendency to understeer.
Well I pretty much use the same method/line with the Alfa and all you get on 2nd/3rd gear full power exit is a chirp from the lightly loaded wheel, a flicker of the stability light without too much interference and off it shoots.
It seems I need to own a chuckable RWD car for a bit to fully experiment.... I don't think my current mobile drawing room will ever get there... cupholders will be straining to hold the G & T for a start.
Funnily enough some argument and man maths currently at Fenlander towers as eldest daughter needs regular access to a car for 3mths of the summer. Mrs F says buy daughter a Clio but I say move the cars down a place so on the days she needs a car daughter uses Mrs F's C3, Mrs F uses 525 and I buy a budget 3-series with large engine.... or similar That might do the trick but it's meeting with a lukewarm response.
|
>> it's meeting with a lukewarm response.
>>
Of course it is. It would mean you having a bit more fun than everyone else. They're programmed against such outrages in my experience.
|
@ Fenlander: and I buy a budget 3-series Alfa 156/159 with large 2.5 V6 engine....
Go on, go on, go on, go on!
|
Chirps and flickers y'see chirps and flickers. Telling you something that...
;-)
|
3 month summer solution, need to try a lairy RWD?
Erm, might sound a bit like a Westfield type scenario to me...
Never actually seen one with a towbar but y'know, might work.
|
|
Just buy a new Renault Master van and keep it keep it keep it. 12 years now.
|
|
It's certainly 'run in' !
|
So if you buy 'yours' for a fair price then perhaps you'll make it stack up. After all, you know the history of it and how it's been driven...
:-)
|
>> So if you buy 'yours' for a fair price ...
That thought hadn't escaped me Peter, and what's more I could do that deal in a heartbeat...
'Attitude to risk' thing innit?
However, inertia will almost certainly win out as per.
;-)
|
>> It's certainly 'run in' !
>>
The engine and gearbox were replaced at 200k, but I would imagine the rest is pretty worn.
|
Though I have to say, £13k seems expensive.
At a guess that car cost around £32k after discount. 4 years and 270,000 miles later they still want almost 40% of that.
Or put another way, depreciation is just under 8p per mile
Fuel is 16p per mile
4 services are, let's say, £1,400. 2 p per mile
2 sets of tyres a year. Say £2,000 or 3p per mile
Add another 1p (£700 a year) for tax and insurance and you're at 30p per mile.
Cheap motoring really!! Paying your self makes sense RDH... The power of man maths ;-)
Last edited by: PeterS on Tue 27 May 14 at 20:33
|
The boot of that thing would need to contain a cardboard box full of about 7 grand in used untraceable notes before I'd pay thirteen for it ! Even then...
;-)
|
Are there any restrictions on what you can do with company car such as taking it abroad, filling it with dirty bikes, doing dump runs or even, heaven forfend, adding a tow bar and tugging a shed?
If answer is mostly no I'd regard a fully expensed E Class for £350pcm an incredible deal just for commuting and other private stuff.
If you want to reduce BIK then i guess there's a trade off in terms of badge/waftiness and back to Ford/Vauxhall/Peugeot etc territory.
|
No, it's not restricted in any way Bromp. But just to be clear it's not absolutely fully expensed either. I pay for any private fuel. But, that would apply to a car I owned too so...
No, what's behind my musings is that we ( as in my employers with my blessing ) have decided to keep this one going long term, so I'm just playing with the numbers in my head to see if I'd be better taking it on myself or just continuing to pay the tax.
To be honest it seems to be marginal with a slight security upside to leaving it in company ownership and only a potentially small financial gain by taking it on myself.
|
>> Are there any restrictions on what you can do with company car such as taking
>> it abroad, filling it with dirty bikes, doing dump runs or even, heaven forfend, adding
>> a tow bar and tugging a shed?
>>
Not in my experience from a few years ago. I seem to recall there being a requirement to have AA 5 star cover when going abroad, but I think these days pan-european warranties might well provide enough cover.
There used to be rows every year with people who tried to claim for fuel and tolls abroad - in some ways fair enough as we paid a small monthly amount, which redced the BIK slightly, for private use.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Tue 27 May 14 at 22:43
|
To be honest, I've never seen the figures stack up so well in favour of a company car (although I've never realy looked that hard).
In the recent thread (focusless) looking at a co car, I thought he would be mad to take the car option, but here, I think the opposite would be true, especially if you can knock off up to a hundred quid a month from the BIK bill.
|
I think it only really stacks up if you are able to ignore the set up cost of buying the first private car for business use. Otherwise the cash required to do that would always be better employed offsetting something else.
So for example if you already own a suitable car long since paid for, and you are offered a company car deal or the option to take say a mileage allowance, the sums are similar. If however, you have a company car already and choose to opt out, the early stages of doing so are almost always going to put you in a worse situation financially for a while as you will need to finance the acquisition of the car.
|
I'm afraid there's no way to get a definitive answer other than a session with Excel and a large pot of coffee :-(
But if space is what you're after at lower BIK, surely a Skoda Superb Greenline is the benchmark to compare against? Or else a small/medium van (maybe even a trendy one if your employer is into that sort of thing - ISTR they were keen to see you in a Merc in the first place) - after all, there's more loadspace in the back of a Berlingo than any LEC.
Just saying...
|
A Skoda, a van or a Berlingo?
Right.
OoooooKaaaaay...
I'll, um, give that some, er, thought...thank you...
;-)
|
I think you're moving in the direction I would have done (well, not literally as I personally prefer FWD).
- You enjoy driving more with RWD, so realistically the choice is Mercedes or BMW.
- Both Merc and BMW are ideal for your high mileage, but repairs and replacements will be
expensive as the miles mount.
- One big engine job, especially on a diesel, will cost several months' worth of BIK: I
wouldn't want that coming out of taxed income.
- Don't forget to set against the BIK the extra tax you'd pay on your higher sans-car salary.
- And finally your own car doing your mileage will lose value like a stone: used car buyers,
often wrongly, shy away from high mileages.
|
|
I think the moral of the story Avant is that £350 a month for unlimited use of a 40 grand car is actually not three bad after all !
|
It was the prospect of a French shed-on-wheels wot did it, wasn't it? ;-)
The other way of looking at it, of course, is that you might not want to pay £4200 out of your own pocket for a work tool if you can get one cheaper, or for free...
|
|
Wish you hadn't mentioned that £4200 Gromit. The £350 sounds so much more reasonable.
|
Sorry!
There's no getting away from it - cars are expensive to run. Excel is your friend to work out what will cost least for your situation. It's then down to deciding whether you want to spend the difference between the cheapest solution and your curent one on having an E class or not.
I seem to recall you mentioning a colleague who used to buy high mileage Mondeos at auction, run them a year or so, then back to auction.
So I guess you also have to factor in what the cost is if you run your own (older?) car and it lets you down - how does the lost time/replacement car/commission/whatever affect the totals?
Excel doesn't have a Man-Maths module to help with the final decision though :-0
|
The theory of changing a car every year sounds great, but the reality of sourcing a new car and fitting it in with the disposal of the old one could soon become time consuming I think. I suspect RDH is willing to accept that not doing so might cost a bit more money...
And at the end of the day, £4k per year to have the use of a car 24/7 than someone else will fix and/or replace as necessary is not that bad when compared to the alternatives, and a bit of thought into choosing its replacement could reduce the tax burden materially.
|
|
I think I have indeed decided it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of our outrageous taxation.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 28 May 14 at 14:56
|
Ah. In the eternal battle of image versus financial sense, image wins.
Each to their own.
I keep motoring costs down buy buying cheap old crap, like my Mazda for £4k, but I only do 10k a year and at 70k miles on the clock, well, it'd last me another 10 years if I weren't such a pillock that I got bored and changed cars all the time. I don't quite have the worst car in the street, but to the untrained eye it'd be a close call between mine and the Avensis over the road.
|
>> Ah. In the eternal battle of image versus financial sense, image wins.
>>
>> Each to their own.
>>
I'm not sure it's an image issue. After all, he used to have a Mondeo ;-). Rather the value you attribute to your time (in sourcing, maintaining, replacing your own car) and peace of mind that, whatever happens, a car is available which someone else organise . When you do 35k business miles a year both would seem to be a pretty sensible reasons for letting someone else sort it out...
|
Pretty much on the button Peter. I know this next comment may engender scorn and derision from certain quarters but I really don't give a hoot about badges in truth, but I do attach great value to quality and effectiveness for purpose. There are some lines which are harder to cross than others though!
;-)
|
>> When you do 35k business miles a year both would seem to be
>> a pretty sensible reasons for letting someone else sort it out...
>>
Oh yeah, I don't disagree. But it can be achieved in something with a percievedly "lesser" badge, for far less monthly BIK. Which is what was apparently boggling the OP in the first place.
As someone suggested, a Skoda Superb Greenline estate would surely be the answer come change time. Something tells me it won't, though. Which is, fine, each to their own. But I'm not convinced image isn't a part of the OP's thought process. Which, again, is fine, each to their own, we all do it to differing extents.
|
|
It has a cambelt AV. Wash out your keyboard this instant.
|
But on the company that's immaterial. Even for me I couldn't care less if a company car had a cambelt.
My answer to the "bik or not to bik" question is, bik away by all means (I probably would at those miles too) - but if you don't like the bik bill still then minimize it.
From what you're saying, you're going to swallow the bill, maintaining the level of bling you currently enjoy by doing so. Go for it.
|
Might be more about the zing than the bling, more about the sizzle than the sausage. If that's not too obtuse.
It is too obtuse isn't it?
;-)
|
So, excluding the capital cost, you make a profit each year of 5k - basically you are saving the tax you paid.
So if you run a 10k car for four years, and get 1k back at the end, you'll save yourself 11k, which is about £55 per week.
Is it worth £55 per week to sit in a brand new MB that is looked after by somebody else? That's £10 per day.
If you go a bit further down the food chain, 4k will buy you a 07 Honda Accord D with about 120 on the clock. That would save you an extra £30 per week, if you could get four years out of it.
|
>> Might be more about the zing than the bling, more about the sizzle than the
>> sausage. If that's not too obtuse.
>>
>> It is too obtuse isn't it?
Obtuse? Isn't that what happens to you if you have too many of the sausages?
;-)
|
>>>a Skoda Superb Greenline estate would surely be the answer come change time
On paper perhaps but you would be wearing this cheesy grin for the next three years...
carblade.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/skoda-superb-combi-wallpaper-2014.jpg
Can't they ever get the front to look nice?
|
|
I no idea if it actually is, but the Superb Estate always look a bit too narrow for its length to me, if that makes sense
|
>> I no idea if it actually is, but the Superb Estate always look a bit too narrow for its length to me, if that makes sense
I do think there must be an edict within VAG which insists that Audis should be prettier sisters than Volkswagens and that they should be fairer than Skodas. Not sure where Seats fit in mind. Sort of slightly embarrassing cousins perhaps?
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 28 May 14 at 17:13
|
Anything big and comfortable would do to be honest but I do like the one I have. I'd not object to a Superb per se or indeed a Mondeo but I prefer the car I have while it's possible to have it.
Re the cambelt thing though, having been left inconveniently stranded hundreds of miles from home on three separate occasions by snapped cambelts I'd not be in a rush to have a vehicle equipped with such an Achilles Heel again no matter who was responsible for fixing it. Similarly, I'd not want a car without at least a spacesaver spare. All very well to say you can always call the breakdown services but chucking a spare on and being on your way is almost always going to cost you less time.
Not many faults actually totally immobilise vehicles without warning but those things do and I prefer to mitigate against that.
And I want RWD.
;-)
|
>>ou can always call the breakdown services but chucking a spare on and being on your way
>>is almost always going to cost you less tim
Just wondering how often you get a puncture, Runfer? Given you do 45k per annum it must happen to you more than most.
|
|
Not quite 45k thank goodness! But I suppose on this current car as an example it's had two in the 2.5 years or so I've had it which seems about normal.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 28 May 14 at 17:28
|
|
More often than I expected. Surprised you're happy with a spacesaver!
|
|
Now you see, if you had a set winter wheels/tyres you could chuck one in the boot and use it as a spare. That's what I do on a long journey. :-P
|
No, I'm not exactly 'happy' with a spacesaver but if that's what comes with the car then so be it. I'd prefer a proper spare.
Punctures though are odd things aren't they? You can often go for years without one and then have several in quick succession.
People who use buses say something similar don't they?
;-)
Edit - it's a bit like Mornington Crescent here isn't it? Someone always manages to get the winter tyre thing into play !
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 28 May 14 at 17:51
|
>> No, I'm not exactly 'happy' with a spacesaver but if that's what comes with the
>> car then so be it. I'd prefer a proper spare.
>>
But then you'd need two for your two different front/rear wheel/tyre combinations.
Are the wheel nuts the same length on your car (front and rear) ? Reason I ask is because my standard wheels use 19mm bolt heads, the winter wheels, being smaller, use 17mm bolt heads. I always have to remember to throw five wheel nuts in with the "other" wheel/tyre.
Last edited by: gmac on Wed 28 May 14 at 18:02
|
|
There is indeed a wee box in the car with spare wheel bolts which are mysteriously exactly the same size as the ones on the car. Must be some secret German reason for that I suppose.
|
>> There is indeed a wee box in the car with spare wheel bolts which are
>> mysteriously exactly the same size as the ones on the car. Must be some secret
>> German reason for that I suppose.
>>
I *think* that's because in the UK MB fit locking wheel nuts. A set of 4 comes in that handy little box, and as they're fitted at the dealer / import centre the original standard bolts are put neatly in the box and stored in the boot never to be used... ;-)
|
|
Ach so !
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 28 May 14 at 20:03
|
>> There is indeed a wee box in the car with spare wheel bolts which are
>> mysteriously exactly the same size as the ones on the car. Must be some secret
>> German reason for that I suppose.
>>
Certainly on some MB models if you use the normal bolts with the space saver then they're too long and they hit the rear brake calipers. It's a costly mistake for people who do it and then attempt to drive the car.
Mine has the bolts in a bubble pack stuck to underneath of the space-saver.
|
>> Mine has the bolts in a bubble pack stuck to underneath of the space-saver.
>>
There's a wee box in the Yarises with 4 nuts and the locking nut 'key '. Only the ones with alloy wheels need them as the 'alloy' nuts won't do for the steel spare.
I really need to get 2 more nuts for the Vitara.....the alloy wheels have nuts that go through the wheel whereas the thinner metal of the steel spare just uses normal nuts, three of which attach it to the back door.
|
|
Yes it was when my mileage rose above 24k/yr I moved from running some great cars on the company mileage scheme and profiting from it.... to grabbing the chance of a company car for a stress free time.
|
I 100% get the point of a fleet car where somebody else worries about keeping the car up and running. Better again for a small company if that "somebody else" is an outside supplier who specialises in these things.
As Alanovic says, whether it has a cambelt, is a hybrid, or whatever, ceases to be your concern. The only question is does it do the right job at the right money and, if it breaks down, can they supply a replacement to keep you on the road.
RWD apart, I'm mildly intrigued as to why a Skoda, for example, is a step too far but a Ford is not (presumably that's still the case, RDH?) Where would a BMW, Volvo, Pug or Hyundai fit in?
Or, if quality and effectiveness for purpose are the prime considerations, why no Toyota Avensis or whatever Lexus comes closest to the E-class for load space?
|
|
When I bought my E class estate I looked at pretty much all of the market because size mattered (!!). The only car that was comparable from a load space perspective (assuming you just want a car, not a van or faux by 4) was the Superb; the others were at least 10% smaller (Mondeo, BMW, Audi, Volvo) with the insignia, Toyota Citroen etc being smaller still. And the highest power output Superb, in diesel auto form, is 170bhp. But I didn't need to consider company car tax, though from memory the transaction price difference (compared to list price) was less than you'd think
|
Sorry Gromit, wasn't being rude and ignoring your post, just that there was a wee flurry of activity on the forum at that time and I missed it!
Indeed you make fair points re the Toyota / Lexus examples. Funny thing though for me anyway, I still don't quite get on with non-European cars. Excellent though they may be of course, but somehow soulless in a way. Automotive white goods.
For example, I quite like my wife's Qashqai ( yes I do know it is designed and made in Britain but the Far eastern DNA shows ) but I could never bond with it really or indeed the one I had previously. Did what it said on the tin but that's all really.
If that's all someone wants from their car then they will get it but I like a car that makes me want to drive it even when it's stupid o'clock in the morning on a wet November weekday.
The Merc does that, a few others have too including some Mondeos ( so no it's not a badge thing ) a 5 series back along felt like that and yes even ( he whispers ) my 850 T5...( which might have been a Volvo ) my Golf GTis did it ( but not as much as you might imagine ) and some Sierras did it. Never felt any warmth to the Vauxhalls I've had, not bad cars just not great.
I can't imagine getting up early to take the long way round in an Avensis or a Superb somehow, no matter how sensible a choice they might really be.
Anyway, my dog likes to watch Springwatch with me and he's trying to attract my attention...
;-)
|
Sssssangyong Rhodius ? Go on...you know you want one ! You can cram a lot of cheap Primark shoes into a Chrysler 300 shooting brake as well.
|
Thanks for the suggestions Ted. Might pass on those for now though. I'll bear them in mind of course should the need arise.
:-)
|
The key is do the sums
When I changed the combination (individual items on their own can be high but it is the combination that matters) of lease, BIK and fuel for 25k a year was £340 per month for a Passat 2.0D SE, £400 for a Superb 2.0, and £481 for an E220D (surprisingly the E200D was £2 less a month - perhaps explains why you don't see many). All saloons and the Passat had £3k of extras.
You want RWD, you can get the Superb and Passat with 4wd at a price but this would probably move the Superb cost above the E class. I thought long and hard but decided that £1700 a year extra for the Merc was too much - pays for a holiday.
CO2 and residuals (affect lease price) are key and the little things matter, sod RWD having got used to one the next car must have a heated windscreen.
|
>> Indeed you make fair points re the Toyota / Lexus examples. Funny thing though for
>> me anyway, I still don't quite get on with non-European cars. Excellent though they may
>> be of course, but somehow soulless in a way. Automotive white goods.
>>
I have exactly the same 'problem'. Probably irrational, but there we go! Plus Lexus don't sell any car with anything like the boot space of an E-class estate.
|
>>>I still don't quite get on with non-European cars. Excellent though they may be...
I can't put my finger on why but same here. Of the 70 or so cars we've owned just 3 Japanese (Daihatsu Fourtrak, Subaru Estate & Toyota Celica) and no Korean.
|
|
I had the same problem until I got my first Mazda 6 a few years ago. I'm cured now. Next car might be a Lexus GS450h, nothing provides such performance at such economy for such a low sticker price (will be looking at about 8 years old).
|
When I had the new Mazda6 to try last month, I must say the inside feels cheap. Typical of Japanese cars. I'm sure it would last and last and I could live with it and all. But controls felt as if they could have been in a much lower priced car (budget type). And the stereo/nav unit had a poor interface. And probably related to keeping weight down by using stronger steels, it didn't feel as well built as my VW.
In fact despite the possibility of saving around £90pm over my current car, I'm not sure I'll get one.
Because I do relatively low mileage at the moment, if I was getting a private car, I couldn't justify the extra cost of a diesel. But BIK was usually lower. But with small petrol turbo engines that's not the case. And they're fairly efficient. So I'm thinking of a smaller car with the VAG 1.4TFSI cylinder on demand engine. So having an Audi A3 Saloon (S-tronic) for the weekend. Won't save as much money but it's a nice car. But the Mazda6 comes with all the options you'd want as standard.
And then with all the options you can make it quite expensive :-) Now do I really need adaptive dampers? I have them now and they are nice but would cost me about £14pm in take home pay. I'll see what tomorrows car has specified.
Even looking at the same Audi A3 S-Line saloon as the 1.4TFSI and 2.0TDI diesel (both 150PS but a lot more torque in the revised diesel), there's £37pm difference in tax because of the 3% BIK charge for a diesel and higher list price of the diesel. But the monthly rental is lower on the diesel... better residuals.
|
|
That looks nice... wonder if it seems a bit small in reality.
|
|
I think it's the same size, give or take, as the A4 was at launch in 1994/5!!
|
|
I suppose it's just a Jetta in a dress really. Or an Octavia saloon.
|
Cars have had to get bigger. My wife told me this morning as she brought me my tea and morning paper in bed that she had heard on the news this morning that the British ( and British women in particular ) were now officially the fattest people in Europe.
Must have taken some doing to beat the Germans but as always we get there in the end.
;-)
|
>> I think it's the same size, give or take, as the A4 was at launch in 1994/5!!
Spot on. I think it even has a longer wheelbase. I think they have got the styling to look right. Okay it looks like every other Audi saloon, but to add a boot to a small car can be tricky. So every body panel is different to the hatchback or Sportback.
>> I suppose it's just a Jetta in a dress really. Or an Octavia saloon.
There isn't a Jetta based on the MQB platform (yet). It's based on the platform of the previous generation Golf/A3/Octavia/Leon - whatever it's called.
>> Wassa point of that, isn't it identical to an A4? I'm losing it, obviously.
It's smaller. And the A4 is dated inside now otherwise I'd consider it. But it is in need of a refresh. I think the new A4 is out next year. And they will probably make it bigger and give it an inside that moves on with the minimalist design of the A1 and A3.
I think part of the problem of the A4 interior to me is it was designed with a central MMI style controller being optional. Lower spec cars had the controls on the front of the CD unit. Which means the CD player and SD cards had to be in the dash. Only for higher spec models it wouldn't need to be there but it leads to a dated style of centre console. They moved it to the glovebox for the A3.
I have a demo lined up of a Leon but I prefer saloons/fastbacks. Octavia might be another option. Could save quit a bit on an Octavia hatchback in Elegance trim.... but if you get an Octavia you'd be tempted by the vRS surely and the ride is firm and there's over 6 months waiting list too.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 29 May 14 at 16:49
|
"....but if you get an Octavia you'd be tempted by the vRS surely and the ride is firm and there's over 6 months waiting list too."
Rob - I'm on my third vRS and the ride is quite acceptable: on the firm side but I'd guess similar to your Passat CC.
What I would say is that whereas the petrol vRS with the 220 bhp engine is well worth it, the advantage of the 184 bhp diesel over the 150 bhp 2.0 TDI Elegance is more questionable. The Elegance comes with more sensible tyres, a bit more equipment and a shorter waiting list. And having test-driven one before going for the petrol vRS, it didn't strike me as much slower than my previous diesel vRS.
|
>> Rob - I'm on my third vRS and the ride is quite acceptable: on the firm side but I'd guess
>> similar to your Passat CC.
Not likely the same - I've got the adaptive dampers.
I've not even been in one - it was the SEAT chap (who works for Lookers Skoda as well) who said it was a LOT firmer. At least on the SEAT Leon they now offer the dynamic chassis control. Probably turn up on the Skoda at some point.
The VAG 2.0TDI engine has just been tweaked for some cars (so's the 1.4TFSI). It now offers 340Nm of torque instead of 320Nm. I've driven both a Golf GTD and the GT with a 150PS diesel. And an A3 with the 150PS engine. The lower powered version of the engine is fine IMO too. And now it will have more torque (in an Audi anyway).
But if I compare an Audi A3 S-Line Saloon as a 1.4TFSI S-Tronic and a 2.0TDI 150PS manual, the cost to me is about £14pm less for the petrol with DSG gearbox. Depends if I can go back to a petrol diesel.
As for not getting much for £25k... no you don't. If I spec the Golf GTD with the options I'd want, it's a £30k car. I once had the use of an Audi A4 1.8T Sport in 2000. It came with practically no options but that was a £25k car then. It was a nice car to drive. The A3 is likely to also be a > £30k car.
P.S. Not my car though. Not spending £30k of my money on one of these! Waste of money.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 29 May 14 at 22:19
|
Rob if you like fastbacks what about that Skoda rapid fastback thingy?
Actually looks quite nice from some angles but not sure about the boot...
www.skoda.co.uk/models/rapid-spaceback
|
>> Rob if you like fastbacks what about that Skoda rapid fastback thingy?
Too cheap. Not a quality car apparently. Designed to a price. And based on the Polo platform I think.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 29 May 14 at 23:02
|
>> Depends if I can go back to a petrol diesel.
>>
What's that then ? :-)
We would all love the choice for when BoJo gets his "I hate diesel" tax in place then a few years later decides a "I hate petrol" tax is required to redress the balance.
Politicians eh! Who needs em ?
|
>> >> Depends if I can go back to a petrol diesel.
>> What's that then ? :-)
:-) Clearly a typo... I meant to a petrol from a diesel. But before the Mondeo diesel I had a few petrol turbo cars. Admittedly low pressure 1.8T VAG engines. Interestingly, the 1.4TFSI cylinder on demand car now has the same bhp as the 1.8T of old. And more torque. And I thought the 1.8T was fine in the Passat, Golf and A4 I had it in.
I went for a 1.8T back in 1999 in the Golf for emissions purposes (BIK). Same with the Passat. The Golf was emitting about 192g/km of CO2... the Audi I borrow tomorrow emits 109g/km.
>> If you opt for the latter would your employer stipulate a maximum age?
Not sure they do as such. But it'd have to be a decent car for personal mileage. Longest trip is only about 220 miles each way. But want comfortable and reliable.
|
>> :-) Clearly a typo...
>>
Pulling yer leg, considering a Prius for SWMBO. Hybrid looks like our next "new" car after which I'm looking at getting out of leasing for the family wagon and into a long-termer.
Leasing was great for the first few years while I sussed out the market but some of the German garages are as shonky as anywhere else. Some of the crap you see on the roads you realise the TÜV is as relaxed as the MOT just less frequent.
|
As a company car in the UK, the Prius plugin is a cheap option... Because it's a plugin the BIK is rock bottom and the high list price is not a problem. But the CVT whines a bit, or so I hear/read.
I've driven only one hybrid, the Lexus IS300h. A nice car but I couldn't try it for performance etc. because it was with the member of staff sat in it. But stepping up to the nicer/better spec'd car meant higher BIK rate and list price. So not a cheap option. And so I can forget about the parking brake. Not a good design for that. You would have thought an electronic parking brake was cheaper (and better).
|
I have never had a company car, although when i was ' in trade' I had a succession of Transporters over a 15 year period. If I ever had the choice of a company car or a mileage allowance I think my head would explode considering all the permutations! If you opt for the latter would your employer stipulate a maximum age?
Maybe I would take the easy option and opt for company wheels, or purchase an ex lease Mondy and spend any savings on a second ski trip. Or get a more 'interesting' car and just suck up the extra costs.
After due consideration I think I would get an E class 350 BlueTec estate and just pay the BIK. I'm just glad I don't have that decision to make as I'm more than happy with my 10yo Beemer. Although last week I did laminate some 'For Sale' signs, put them in the windows, then realised how foolish I was and took them out again at lunchtime after receiving two interested calls!
|
Blimey! Is there a nitch left without an Audi in it?
Wassa point of that, isn't it identical to an A4?
I'm losing it, obviously.
|
rtj>>I must say the inside feels cheap. Typical of Japanese cars.
Seriously? Jap cars* seem to have leather as standard. Now, maybe you're saying their standard leather isn't as good as the leather you pay £5k for in a Golf?
*Subaru, Honda anyway.
|
I wasn't referring to the leather. I was referring to the plastic including the switches and the cheap MMI style controller. And the piece of reddish brown plastic that sweeps across the centre console.
Having said that, the Mazda6 I tested had leather as standard. Not as good quality as the Nappa leather in my car.
For a car that would cost about £27k I think they could do better. But they start much cheaper which will be (only) part of the problem. The inside of the A3 is much better quality and the cheapest A3 3-door is about £18k. The cheapest Mazda6 saloon is around £19.5k. So no excuses really.
|
£27k does not seem to go that far these days for the kind of quality you're looking for.
A reasonably tuned Golf costs that, mid-sized family cars are well into the 30's.
When a cooking A class is mid-40's then I know I've taken a wrong turn in my career. Glad I've got my bike because performance cars are getting too steamy for me to contemplate.
|
|
You are all so incredibly rich. I can't stand it.
|
;-) I wish I was a penny behind you !
I have to ride a bike to work...
|
>> I have to ride a bike to work...
Thought you worked in Germany? Freaking long way on a bike every day isn't it?
:-)
|
Fit as a lop me ;-)
Can I say that or have I broken some -ism ?
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fit_as_a_lop
Last edited by: gmac on Thu 29 May 14 at 20:03
|
>> You are all so incredibly rich. I can't stand it.
People spend £30k on a family car? What sort of people, exactly?
|
People who send their children to the private school which mine attend. Sadly for me my budget is blown on the school fees, nothing left for flash motors. But at least half of the parents seem to be able to do both.
The car park is full of new/ish Ranger Rovers, Audi Q7, Aston Martin, there's even a couple of Ferraris, Bentleys, Maseratis and, yes, a Maybach. With curtains.
My Mazda's definitely near the bottom end of the spectrum, but there are a few right old sheds in the car park too. Kudos to those folks.
|
Wealthiest bloke I know, ( wealthiest bloke most people would ever know actually as in net worth in hundreds of millions ) drives a fairly tatty ten year old diesel Golf.
His wife's car is bit nicer but even it is 'just' a newish V70. His 20 year old daughter has a Mini One diesel.
Books and covers.
|
Hence my use of the word "seem". I often wonder how many of these 50k+ cars were cash purchases.........
My missus drives a fairly tatty twelve year old diesel Golf. Oh to be able to afford a ten year old one.........
;-)
|
You'd have to be nuts to sink that amount of capital into metal these days.
The politicians don't know what to tax next. I changed cars because I was concerned how much longer I'd "get away" with driving a Euro III diesel. There was nothing wrong with the car.
I bought a Euro V and it looks like it will be a mistake and I'm going to take a hit anyway if the BoJo tax comes through.
Looks like leasing is the way to go to stay in front of the politicians and put the cash to work elsewhere.
|
|
After 35 years as an accountant, I can confirm that the seriously wealthy often drive very modest cars. My richest client (100s of millions) drives a twin cab pick up. In fact my daughter's boss, who's worth 2.4 billion drives a Peugeot 308 most of the time - he does have a Range Rover, but he doesn't use it much...
|
>>The politicians don't know what to tax next<<
They're already working on that one....E Cigarettes!
Pat
|
To keep BIK payments lower for my next car, I have decided to opt for an Audi with cylinder on demand. So back to a turbo petrol. Won't get as many MPG and torque is down, but I'm going to opt for a DSG. I think I might get better MPG at times for more local journeys.
Compared to the VW 170PS engined Passat CC, even with a higher list price, BIK payment will be about £60pm less. Could have been lower again if I didn't opt for leather, adaptive Xenons, and a few other options.
So my BIK rate when I get this (could be 6 months!) will be £200pm less than Runfer's. Obviously less space in it than a LEC :-)
|
|
Audi A3 Saloon 1.4TFSI 150PS S-Line S-Tronic (with a few options).
|
|
Yeah, I've heard they're quite good. Might get one myself.
|
|
Sounds nice. Bit kind of well, 'wee' though for a family car. I'd have thought anyway. Might be wrong.
|
|
For a family then a Golf/A3 sized car probably is a bit small. Not a problem when children are grown up.
|
Ok, as as continuation of the original daydream in the opening post, you have, or a possibly slightly deranged individual has decided to opt out and run their own car.
He has got it down to two options.
1/ Mondeo Zetec 140 diesel estate manual. 5 years old, 30,000 miles, fsh, new mot and tax
2/ E Class E320 sport estate auto, 7 years old, 80,000 miles, fsh, new mot and tax.
Going to put another 100,000 on either over the next 3 years or so.
Both £10,000
Which one should he go for? ( he's thinking the Merc BTW )
|
I think Merc as well. Although at 5 years old it's the outgoing Mondeo isn't it.
I can see how doing high this 'deranged' person can make it pay to opt out.
If you opt to use your own car (or they do, playing your game) then is there a chance of an allowance? If I opted out I'd get about £6300 before tax/NI and then a mileage allowance (not as good as not having an allowance). But then you claim money back on the mileage payments which if you do many miles and pay 40+% tax rate soon adds up.
... Only for me I didn't do 100 business miles last year.
And with your senior position, might the new Merc E-Clas hybrid not be worth pursing as an option?
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 3 Jun 14 at 19:52
|
Actually, in this second instance, it's not me. Purely coincidental but a guy I know is going through the exact same thought process. Also needs a large estate, also does high miles. Was picking my brain knowing I've been ruminating on the same subject.
No deals available, just mileage allowance.
I'm happy to stick with my co car for now. Today I did just 90 odd miles. In my terms that's local running but it kept coming to me that I was sitting in a very nice place. What comes next I will worry about when the time comes I guess.
|
|
If I needed to do higher mileage and needed a decent size estate, I'd personally go for something like an Octavia Elegance 150PS diesel. I'd save quite a bit. I prefer to have the A3 Saloon in S-Line S-Tronic trim. And for my circumstances the 1.4TFSI makes it cheaper than even a manual 150PS diesel version.... I think. Depends on real world MPG. And I don't get what my car should do... maybe if I leave the car do the gears etc the 1.4TFSI will be at least similar overall.
|
Runfer, your friend needs to go through the same thought process as you've been doing - and for his own sake hopefully come to the same conclusion, as finance isn't the only consideration.
The risk for him is not knowing how well the chosen used car has been driven, coupled with the well-known expensive failures that modern diesels are prone to. Huge expense coupled with potential lost business if the car breaks down on the way to an appointment.
If there are other reasons why he's determined to opt out, again if he does what you did when you had to buy your own car - go for a newish Mondeo - he will lower the risk.
If BIK is a big issue for him, surely a company Mondeo (or Octavia or something similar) would be his best bet.
|
Pretty much with you Avant. In fact he already has a car which isn't too steamy on bik ( Insignia diesel estate) but doesn't especially like it and was looking at other options.
I've been gently saying to him that he should just put up with it ( doesn't seem a bad car to me ) and ask for something different when car change time comes.
But you know what it's like when a bloke gets a car notion in his head...
;-)
|
rtj70- I had a rental in Switzerland last month. Booked a golf, and after being quized if I had many bags was asked if a convertible would be OK.......er....OK, I could make do
Anyway, it was an A3 Cab with the 1.4TFSI engine that does the clever shutting down to two cylinders thing. Quite liked it, and over the 400km I drove it I calculated it to about 49mpg.
You can tell when it drops to two cylinders, it becomes a little more gruff, but not enough to bother me. I liked that engine and it was brisk enough for me.
|
>> Insignia diesel estate
Depending on how long they have had this, the updated models are much cheaper. Always possible to get them cheaper privately but not list price down. End result is lower BIK. Some really cheap deals to be had. An Insignia 163PS Elite with a fair few options was a lot cheaper than the A3....
>> A3 Cab with the 1.4TFSI engine that does the clever shutting down to two cylinders thing.
>> You can tell when it drops to two cylinders, it becomes a little more gruff,
I had a VAG 1.8T in a few cars and that was only 150PS and 205Nm torque. So the 1.4TSI is better on paper. In reality, better still with plenty of torque from low revs. I liked it. A lot. But then I just ordered one. Albeit a higher spec S-Line instead of Sport.
I had it running in Economy mode via drive select to see how good it might be. So when 'coasting' the revs dropped to idle instead of stopping two cylinders. An impressive engine.
|
...here's a wild card...! Buy a Kia C'eed 1.6 diesel estate at about 18 months old. Somebody else has had the worst of the depreciation and you can pick one up for c. £13k with less than 15k on the clock. Still has balance of 7 years / 100k miles warranty. Run to 7 years or c. 100k miles, safe in the knowledge that a blown turbo, busted high pressure fuel pump or other issues are covered by the warranty. Quite a decent spec for the money and IMHO not bad looking.
Won't be worth a lot at point of sale, but with the warranty it should enable reasonably accurate budgeting for tyres, brakes, servicing etc. Don't think the warranty would stretch to the likes of a DMF or DPF, but I'd be surprised if these played up with a sympathetically driven motorway machine.
Depends whether one feels it has enough kudos?!
|
|
Or have a look on JCT600 Contracts used car page to see what end of lease vehicle are available prior to being despatched to the auction.
|
Kia not a bad suggestion but it would still be too small. Mondeo estate, 5 series estate, E Class estate is the sort of loadspace required.
This guy constantly has large ( long ) exhibition stand kit in the car along with other stuff. So even the Berlingo type arrangement doesn't work. Doesn't want a van as the car is needed for family use too. Pick up truck types too thirsty for high miles so choice is pretty limited.
|
Skoda Superb estate would be bigger than a Mondeo and 5 series estate. For volume, an Octavia estate would be bigger than a Mondeo I'd think.
I wonder if the Octavia came with a folding front passenger seat too?
|
If load bay dimensions are what matter, he has little option but to shortlist some cars that make the grade on running cost, then visit the sales lots and measure up whether his stand fits or not.
A folding front passenger seat on one trim level of a car might make all the difference. Or a protruding wheelarch might scupper it.
The AA used to include detailed sketches of all the interior dimensions for load and passenger space in their road tests, but have long since stopped. Does anyone else provide that information nowadays?
|
|
If he can get his gear in an Insignia estate with its bizarre shaped rear opening and silly slopey roof line, I'd bet good money it'd go in a proper estate like an Octavia or a Cee apostrophe D. Blasted "sport tourer" fashion. Bah.
Last edited by: Alanović on Wed 4 Jun 14 at 10:23
|
I think you may have inadvertently turned over the key stone AV !
His employer recently swopped his beloved Mondeo estate ( which was 'perfect in every way' -apparently ) for the Insignia (which is 'too small, too noisy, too uncomfortable, the kids complain there isn't enough room in back and the wife doesn't like it' - apparently !
;-)
Edit- oh and it doesn't handle as well, the headlights are crap and the fuel consumption is worse - apparently.
Apart. From those minor niggles he's really happy with it....
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 4 Jun 14 at 10:40
|
|
Bizarrely the current Astra estate has more load space than the Insignia tourer. Thousands of copier engineers can't be wrong!
|
Well I've ordered my next car. If I am lucky, I'll get it for Christmas. But at least 6 months lead time it seems for an A3 saloon. So much for hoping to get a new car and save money.
The lease company website has factory builds down as March/April 2015 but they seem to think mine will be December.
So if it turns out to be later.... I'll not be happy. But I like the car.
|
|
Goodness me! Would it be that long if you bought it privately?
|
>> Goodness me! Would it be that long if you bought it privately?
Not the worst problem to have in the world. Yes I'll save this 2014-15 tax year about £70pm having the A3 but I can think of worse problems :-) At least I have a nice car in the meantime.
But the lead time is so long, who knows what might happen before I get it.
But I think it would be that long if I bought it privately. The A3 saloon is aimed more at China (where they will probably build them), Russia and USA. Small saloons tend not to be popular in Europe. But there seems to be a need for more saloon build slots!
I am a little surprised that even Audi with a niche vehicle in every niche has an A3 saloon... Saloon models had all been even numbers (A4, A6, A8) with fastback/hatchback/convertible for the odd numbers.
I'll just have to wait. I just hope it doesn't end up a lot longer. Or I might hang on and get the new Passat or A4.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 10 Jun 14 at 20:25
|
They don't make the Jetta anymore. A new one is on the way. Only current stock is available.
I've not seen info when the new one is out. The new Golf CC might be nice - but my wife didn't find the seats in the GTD comfortable so doesn't bode well. Seats in the Audi were good including adjustable seat base angle.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 10 Jun 14 at 23:06
|
The A3 'sedan' (saloon) seems to be very popular here in Aus, you see far more of them than the hatchbacks. Similarly the Jetta is reasonably popular along with saloon variants of other cars such as the Focus sedan (quite handsome imho), Fiesta sedan (not handsome imho) and Yaris Sedan (ditto).
The more time I spend away from the UK the more I realise that the UK car market is actually different in many ways to other parts of the world e.g. the love of hatchbacks - not to mention what the high fuel prices and BIK regime do to engine choices.
|
Of course and indeed thank goodness, we all have our preferences. For me though I "get" small cars , usually cheap to buy and run, often nippy and fun, easy to park etc etc. Equally I "get" big cars, tons of room for people and their stuff, usually comfortable, serene places to spend a long journey etc etc.
But I really don't "get" small / medium cars and especially not small / medium saloon cars. Some might reasonably argue that they represent a good compromise between the first two categories. I'm just not sure I'd want to drive around in a compromise.
Fortunately, the choice does though exist, clearly there are those who do want them.
Fair enough.
|
>> The more time I spend away from the UK the more I realise that the
>> UK car market is actually different in many ways to other parts of the world
>> e.g. the love of hatchbacks -.....
Driving around, it seems to me that the UK market has gone SUV / Crossover bonkers, with models at every level now.
On the Audi 3 theme, I was out yesterday in The North and saw loads of Q3's.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Wed 11 Jun 14 at 09:17
|
Speaking of the SUV trend, I was talking to one of the young guys in our office yesterday. His wife is expecting their first child imminently and he has recognised that either his Hyundai I10 or her Corsa would usefully be replaced by something bigger / more practical.
As with most normal young couples with a mortgage and facing the prospect of living on one income with an extra mouth to feed and provide for, money is going to be tight for them.
He though is set on sourcing a new or new-ish Qashqai or similar as the replacement car and is looking at fairly hefty finance charges whichever way he does it.
I was gently trying to point out that he might be better to look for an inexpensive estate to take them through the early stages of single income / need for more room period in their lives but I could see his eyes glazing over at the prospect.
When we were at that stage in life we bought an 85,000 mile Mondeo estate for next to nothing and it served us very well for the purpose until we got back on our financial feet. Seems the next generation are more concerned with style statements than bank statements !
|
My wife commented on the SUV trend last time we were in the UK. She normally sees cars as white goods though she surprised herself at being able to identify a debadged Audi A6 3.0TDi by the exhausts. She blamed me naturally, as though some kind of osmosis had taken place.
At a rough guess 80% of the "cars" we saw were SUV/4x4 type vehicles.
|
>> Seems the next generation are more concerned with style
>> statements than bank statements !
>>
Not all of them. My daughters only drive reasonable cars as I bought them. Both my son-in-laws are scarily indifferent. One drives an old Micra his Mum gave him and thinks I'm being daft commenting on it not being the best idea to have 7yr old tyres.
The other drives the most battered pick-up with a rear window that drops down on its own - 2yr old granddaughter arrived the other morning looking somewhat disheveled and holding on to her favourite cuddly toy for dear life as she'd been driven here with the window wide open!
|
|
I think your family sound fab Bill ! The kind of attitude I had to transport at their age and fully intend to have again when it's less commercially visible !
|
Runfer - I've found the answer for you
tinyurl.com/mhu5ozu
|
To bik or not to bik, that is the question. - No FM2R
