Is it worthwhile getting a 2nd car?

[Djw John]

Mainly aimed towards people who do/have had a second cheap car for commuting.

My commute is 45 miles a day or about 9000 miles a year. Currently do about 20000 miles all in.

Say I was to do 10k in the 172 and 10k in the shed is it going to be worth my while?

Already getting annoyed with the circa 30mpg, which is a shame cos I absolutly love the car and whilst I can afford it im also meant to be saving up for a house, chucking more than £50 a week petrol at it hurts, roughly £3000 a year!!

Thanks all

John

 

[Justin]

i bought a DCi as a run about, and doesnt really cost anything to run, 400 insurance, 35 a year tax, and about 600 miles to the tank.. cant complain!

 

[Sy]

Just get a cheap diesel, 1.5 corsa or similar. Guy at work picked up a 1.5 diesel Corsa for about £300. Cheap as hell to run.

 

[Djw John]

i bought a DCi as a run about, and doesnt really cost anything to run, 400 insurance, 35 a year tax, and about 600 miles to the tank.. cant complain!

Far too much money for me to spend, certianly wouldnt save me any!

£300 corsa is more like it but when youtake into account the extra tax, mot insurance and servicing would you still save money?

 

[Justin]

also, a £300 corsa might not be the most reliable thing in the world. but guess if you have your other car your ok..

reason for the dci was so the vx can go in the garage over winter..

 

[Djw John]

Yeah makes sense in your case but the dci would cost about the same as my 172 Im sure!

Im talking about 106s, corsas, mk1 Clios etc etc.

Also now thinking with the price of diesel a 1.2 petrol may make more sense :S

 

[Sy]

also, a £300 corsa might not be the most reliable thing in the world.

.

Granted you take your chance, guy at work has been running his for about 5 months without any problems. There isn't much to go wrong on it really, its the most basic of the models you can get.

 

[John185k]

buy a cheap early yaris 1.0.

 

[Djw John]

also, a £300 corsa might not be the most reliable thing in the world.

.

Granted you take your chance, guy at work has been running his for about 5 months without any problems. There isn't much to go wrong on it really, its the most basic of the models you can get.

I can do most things to a car so should be ok!

buy a cheap early yaris 1.0.

Cheapest 1 on PH is 2k!

 

[John185k]

Are you going to get the use out of the 172 then?? Maybe better buying something cheaper for a couple of years and then go for something bigger?

 

[Steve]

Yes if you have an enzo or some exotic.

No if you have a renault.

 

[Djw John]

That would be the most sensible thing John but I love it too much to get rid altogether!

 

[_Kenny_]

some good points, as said above that if you do spend £300 then you might have to spend the same again on getting the car sorted (although you're quite handy so could save £).

I've thought about this with the Civic but decided that if I do go down the cheaper route the Civic will be sold

 

[len_beach]

A diesel will save you nothing over a small petrol with the extra cost of the fuel itself and the inflated price of the car.

If you got 55mpg from a £500 car with £500 tax/insurance over 9k, how much would that actually save you vs doing 30mpg in your 172?

 

[Djw John]

Cost of diesel over 10000 miles at 54mpg would be £875 at todays prices.

Cost of petrol over 10000 miles at 30mpg would be £1430 at todays prices.

Therefore Id be spending £2860 if I was to do the full 20000 in the 172 in the next year on fuel alone!

With the diesel and 172 it would be £2305 in fuel plus the cost of the shed and tax/mot and insurance.

Ok kinda answered my own question then! Thanks all.

btw I used http://www.torquecars.com/tools/uk-mpg-calculator.php to help out!

 

[John185k]

With the new sidestrips not flapping, less wind resistance - better fuel economy.....

 

[len_beach]

Cost of diesel over 10000 miles at 54mpg would be £875 at todays prices.

Cost of petrol over 10000 miles at 30mpg would be £1430 at todays prices.

Therefore Id be spending £2860 if I was to do the full 20000 in the 172 in the next year on fuel alone!

With the diesel and 172 it would be £2305 in fuel plus the cost of the shed and tax/mot and insurance.

Ok kinda answered my own question then! Thanks all.

btw I used http://www.torquecars.com/tools/uk-mpg-calculator.php to help out!

On that basis, what would be the difference between a small petrol and a small diesel at todays prices with say a 5mpg deficit on the petrols part?

 

[Djw John]

Good point, small petrol so still getting 50mpg over 10000 miles it would cost £872, so actually cheaper than a derv!!

 

[Djw John]

BTW this is saying Im using the normal unleaded 95 ron in the 172.

If I used v-power at 102.9 for 20000 then it would be about £3100!!!!!!

Or basically 3/4 of what I paid for the car!

 

[P111LTL]

Thing is i believe in if you cant afford/ moan about the petrol then dont get the car in the first place. I cant see a point in you getting a 2nd car as a hatch back with the figures you have provided plus i know i would pay the extra to have the power/ safety of a 172 than a old petrol/derv shed that could be unreliable. I would see a point if you owned a elise vx or something similar due to the winter not providing the best driving experience for these cars.

 

[len_beach]

Good point, small petrol so still getting 50mpg over 10000 miles it would cost £872, so actually cheaper than a derv!!

You'll pay more for the tractor as well.

 

[len_beach]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=277016

 

[Djw John]

Thing is i believe in if you cant afford/ moan about the petrol then dont get the car in the first place. I cant see a point in you getting a 2nd car as a hatch back with the figures you have provided plus i know i would pay the extra to have the power/ safety of a 172 than a old petrol/derv shed that could be unreliable. I would see a point if you owned a elise vx or something similar due to the winter not providing the best driving experience for these cars.

Fair point. I can afford to run it and when I bought it (not quite 2 months ago) petrol was over 10p a litre cheaper!! If it keeps going the way it is then it'll have to go Really dont want that to be the case.

I do love the car and cant fault anything about it either than it was maybe a bit short sighted to buy it with the intention of doing 20000+ miles a year! Maybe Im just being a cheapskate!

Cheers len, id spotted that!

 

[lasbazrre]

I'm in the same boat mate, not coz of the price of fuel ( i get fuel for free ) but coz of the miles going on the car, my comute is about 190 miles a week before social stuff!

I pick up my brand new Leon Cupra on the 1st of december there's no way i'm gonna put the best part of 200miles a week on the car just to get to work and back ( ive saved up long and hard for this car )

Just gonna get a cheap shed to rack up the miles in ,i'll do oil chages and stuff myself, or take it to any back street job ( it's not as if you love the car is it? ) and when and if it breaks down , i'll scrap it and get another!

Also you can park it where you like and not give a toss! Lol

leon

 

[Djw John]

Aye I know what you mean. I get all parts at trade and can do the work myself so thats not an issue.

Just looks like Id need to be doing a few more miles yet till it becomes financially worthwhile

 

[ChrisR]

No point, just drive the 172 Work out fuel costs over the year plus running costs and try to get a realistic view of how much you'd save, if anything.

10k miles at 30mpg in the 172 is about 1500 litres, so 1500 quid in fuel saving so whatever you buy has to cost you less than that to run a year (plus say 2 Clio services a year).

 

[P111LTL]

Thats another point to think about the resale value due to the effect of excessive milage. But this depends on how long you are going to keep the car for if you are going to get a 2nd car get a 1.0 litre cheap insurance loads of mpg, easy to service /work on loads of spares in scrappy for them something like a 106/saxo/corsa. DJW John what is the spec on your car atm reg mileage etc estimated value then look at what it would be worth when you plan to sell it and see if that makes it more worthwile gettin a 2nd car.

Cheers
Phil

 

[GinandGasoline]

in all honesty, we did it and i don't think we saw much benefit from it...

i found that the times i drove the Trophy for example, i drove it harder than if i was driving it everyday... fuel costs were still as bad.

 

[wickedbitch]

most of the people i know who own a car with a large engine or just a really nice car own a second car as a cheap run around, my fella bought a vectra elite with full irmsher kit n all that and when i spoke to guys wife who we bought it from she said he had a run around car because he wouldnt let his sons in the vectra incase they dirtied it!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AlexS]

Petrol prices are getting silly, they keep going up but we're not earning anymore. When it gets to £1.20-1.25/ litre im going to have to get a derv.

 

[Djw John]

in all honesty, we did it and i don't think we saw much benefit from it...

i found that the times i drove the Trophy for example, i drove it harder than if i was driving it everyday... fuel costs were still as bad.

Yeah found that!! Cos I'm only driving it for fun its taking a beasting which probably isnt helping!

mmm will wait and see what happens with my megane and petrol prices!