Cars, cars, cars...

pinno

shirley_basso said:

pinno said:

shirley_basso said:

We had a '11 plate VW polo 1.1 bluemotion and every service, something would go wrong. Ended up costing a fortune, which was extremely frustrating.

Current car is an '18 plate Skoda Superb with 45k miles

What else could I buy for £18k that would compare? To me it makes more sense just to keep it.

New?

Personally, I wouldn't bother. Wait 2-3 years if you are happy with it and sell through the likes of Motorway (not we buy any car - they are charlatans) and put it towards another similar car or part x.

Well the PCP is up so I have to do something.

Either refinance for the buyback price (10k) or trade in for 18k and get the same again. No real upgrades on current Vs my model.

I think keep it, pocket the £120 per month, suck up the costs and see what happens in 4y time.

Regularly serviced and well driven? Can't envisage an awful lot to go wrong over that time period. They're well built.
Motorway driving only really wears tyres out. Engines and transmissions no. It's far more demanding on vehicles in Urban areas - lots of gear changes, lots of changes in acceleration/braking. On motorways you tend to be stuck in 1 gear when traffic allows.
You're getting good MPG so you must be doing something right and the engine is obviously good.

rick_chasey

DeVlaeminck said:

How feasible would road use charging be ?

rick_chasey said:

That's helpful, thanks.

I regret not getting a fiesta over a polo, but down the road I may need a bigger car, so i'm keeping an eye on estate cars and their cost/running cost to get an idea.

Depreciation is a bit weird though at the moment. I bought my polo almost 5 years ago now and it would go for near the same price I bought it for.

What don't you like about the Polo Rick. I had 250,000 miles out of one and I didn't look after it.

Compare that to the Fiat I've just scrapped after 140k that had been regularly serviced and driven far more responsibly.

Think it’d help if I hadn’t got the smallest engine. With a kids car seat and all that paraphernalia there’s not as much room as I’d hoped for. With a pram i can’t fit all we need for a week without putting some stuff on the currently empty passenger seat -

So I can’t go somewhere *and* take my bike for example. I guess I could get a rack but y’know, short @rse.

The fiesta was just more fun go drive and not much smaller if at all.

Also, I’ve had to replace a few things - right rear bearings, etc etc

morstar

I recently faced exactly the same issue with my 4 year old diesel.
I did a lot of number crunching and reckoned with all costs included, it would be about £1,200-£1,500 per year cheaper to keep the old car going.
As I have done very low mileage since changing jobs and COVID, I decided to stick with it.
Didn’t want a new diesel as they are on the way out. I think fuel costs will rise significantly with lower volumes on the road leading to increasingly poorer economies of scale (that was before the recent hikes).
Not yet ready to go electric, capital costs are too high up front and technology is improving all the time. I have a couple of acquaintances who find getting a charger on long trips can be a big issue I.e. you have to wait to use the charger before waiting whilst charging.

I reckon on getting 6-8 years more driving from mine, at a conservative estimate, and can enjoy the cheaper motoring in the meantime.

Stevo_666

Anyone thinking of going electric might want to wait until they've worked out how to tax them to fill the upcoming hole in petrol revenues before deciding whether to invest.
https://telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/06/29/electric-cars-should-have-government-tracking-devices-tax-mile/

pinno

Stevo_666 said:

Anyone thinking of going electric might want to wait until they've worked out how to tax them to fill the upcoming hole in petrol revenues before deciding whether to invest.
https://telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/06/29/electric-cars-should-have-government-tracking-devices-tax-mile/

What a clever move. That'll really encourage people to go electric.

In your honest opinion, do you think this current bunch of w@nkers are actually prepared to slash fuel duty by a meaningful amount given the revenue they are raking in on the current fuel costs?

pblakeney

pinno said:

Stevo_666 said:

Anyone thinking of going electric might want to wait until they've worked out how to tax them to fill the upcoming hole in petrol revenues before deciding whether to invest.
https://telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/06/29/electric-cars-should-have-government-tracking-devices-tax-mile/

What a clever move. That'll really encourage people to go electric.

In your honest opinion, do you think this current bunch of w@nkers are actually prepared to slash fuel duty by a meaningful amount given the revenue they are raking in on the current fuel costs?

Imo, no they won't. Too many financial holes to plug.
Going forward, everyone switching to electric will add another hole in revenue so you can expect charges being added somewhere in the electric eco system.

rick_chasey

What proportion is the overall tax take from fuel tax?

pblakeney

rick_chasey said:

What proportion is the overall tax take from fuel tax?

Don't forget the VAT on top.

For a 55-litre family car, the total charge you're paying for unleaded petrol at 183.16p a litre is:

Wholesale: 82.63p
Retailer margin: 2.76p
Delivery of the fuel: 1.70p
Biofuel content: 12.59p
VAT: 30.53p
Fuel duty: 52.95
Retail price: 183.16p

Tax cost: 83.48p

Tax as % of average retail price: 46%

For a 55-litre family car, the total charge you're paying for diesel at 188.82 a litre is:

Wholesale: 76.57p
Retailer margin: 6.67p
Delivery of the fuel: 2.10p
Biofuel content: 19.06p
VAT: 31.47p
Fuel duty: 52.95
Retail price: 188.82

Tax cost: 84.42p

Tax as % of average retail price: 45%

shirley_basso

Well diesel is 198.9p!

Also what about % of total tax take?

shirley_basso

morstar said:

I recently faced exactly the same issue with my 4 year old diesel.
I did a lot of number crunching and reckoned with all costs included, it would be about £1,200-£1,500 per year cheaper to keep the old car going.
As I have done very low mileage since changing jobs and COVID, I decided to stick with it.
Didn’t want a new diesel as they are on the way out. I think fuel costs will rise significantly with lower volumes on the road leading to increasingly poorer economies of scale (that was before the recent hikes).
Not yet ready to go electric, capital costs are too high up front and technology is improving all the time. I have a couple of acquaintances who find getting a charger on long trips can be a big issue I.e. you have to wait to use the charger before waiting whilst charging.

I reckon on getting 6-8 years more driving from mine, at a conservative estimate, and can enjoy the cheaper motoring in the meantime.

I think I’m at the same place as you but my net saving from keeping it is about £500 per annum.

I’m gonna take it in for a full service and ask the man what he thinks about long term.

Stevo_666

pinno said:

Stevo_666 said:

Anyone thinking of going electric might want to wait until they've worked out how to tax them to fill the upcoming hole in petrol revenues before deciding whether to invest.
https://telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/06/29/electric-cars-should-have-government-tracking-devices-tax-mile/

What a clever move. That'll really encourage people to go electric.

In your honest opinion, do you think this current bunch of w@nkers are actually prepared to slash fuel duty by a meaningful amount given the revenue they are raking in on the current fuel costs?

I think they will cut the rate but as long as market prices stay high, the overall duty take probably won't go down compared to pre Ukraine war.

Munsford0

Why does diesel cost more to deliver than petrol??

rick_chasey

Munsford0 said:

Why does diesel cost more to deliver than petrol??

Weighs more, presumably.

morstar

shirley_basso said:

morstar said:

I recently faced exactly the same issue with my 4 year old diesel.
I did a lot of number crunching and reckoned with all costs included, it would be about £1,200-£1,500 per year cheaper to keep the old car going.
As I have done very low mileage since changing jobs and COVID, I decided to stick with it.
Didn’t want a new diesel as they are on the way out. I think fuel costs will rise significantly with lower volumes on the road leading to increasingly poorer economies of scale (that was before the recent hikes).
Not yet ready to go electric, capital costs are too high up front and technology is improving all the time. I have a couple of acquaintances who find getting a charger on long trips can be a big issue I.e. you have to wait to use the charger before waiting whilst charging.

I reckon on getting 6-8 years more driving from mine, at a conservative estimate, and can enjoy the cheaper motoring in the meantime.

I think I’m at the same place as you but my net saving from keeping it is about £500 per annum.

I’m gonna take it in for a full service and ask the man what he thinks about long term.

Tbh, I was probably a bit miserly on estimating the residual value of mine which potentially inflated the saving.
As yours definitely has a higher residual value than mine, the numbers do make sense.

I must admit I was slightly surprised how close the numbers were. A £1500 (top end) annual premium for a new car experience was far smaller than I had expected. But ultimately, I did the maths and I’d still rather spend the money elsewhere given the mileage I am doing. Especially now the daughter has her own car. She accounted for several thousand per year.

Munsford0

Density of diesel is about 13% higher than E10 unleaded. That's a 23% difference in cost. Maybe they include the cost of those massive disposable plastic gloves?

I hadn't realised retailer margins were so tiny. No wonder they are all becoming cafes and supermarkets

Pross

There seems to have become a contraction in the price range for diesel near me. At the top end a lot of places seem to be reluctant to break the £2 barrier whilst at the lower end the supermarket rates have increased so other than a few outliers at the top end everyone seems to be between 197.9 and 199.9.

I'm another in the run my current car into the ground camp (13 plate with 175,000 on the clock). I was given it so it isn't costing me anything other than running costs. The biggest issue is that whilst diesel it isn't very economical (around 38mpg) due to being an old Nissan automatic, they changed engines later that year and the newer ones are much more where you would expect at around 55-60mpg. Hopefully, when I do have to change it will be a move to electric through a company car scheme.

amrushton

Back in the day someone I knew had a Guards Red 911 Turbo. the track was his paradise as he got all the fun without the blue lights behind him. Dont think he knew the limits on the car, just drove it faster than he could on the road. job done, go home.

pinno

amrushton said:

Back in the day someone I knew had a Guards Red 911 Turbo. the track was his paradise as he got all the fun without the blue lights behind him. Dont think he knew the limits on the car, just drove it faster than he could on the road. job done, go home.

Bloody expensive going on track now.
Just 4 weeks ago I got a member offer of a track session for £77 incl. Normally £90 odd.
I could easily spend a tank of fuel (plus tyre wear). Going steady; at least £45 each way to get there add sundries, bit of food: £250 gone.
3 hours to get there, 3 hours back, 1 hour on track (max) 40 mins chat, 6pm start, home at 11pm.

Dorset_Boy

Both our local Tesco's are now 199.9 p for diesel. The local Esso (who has always tried to rip everyone off) is 204.0 p. Cheapest I've seen was at the weekend at 197.9 p but be that's now 199.9 p.

Stevo_666

pinno said:

amrushton said:

Back in the day someone I knew had a Guards Red 911 Turbo. the track was his paradise as he got all the fun without the blue lights behind him. Dont think he knew the limits on the car, just drove it faster than he could on the road. job done, go home.

Bloody expensive going on track now.
Just 4 weeks ago I got a member offer of a track session for £77 incl. Normally £90 odd.
I could easily spend a tank of fuel (plus tyre wear). Going steady; at least £45 each way to get there add sundries, bit of food: £250 gone.
3 hours to get there, 3 hours back, 1 hour on track (max) 40 mins chat, 6pm start, home at 11pm.

Never was cheap. Used to track days back in the naughties and worked out that track fees, petrol, staying away for a night, tyres, brakes, wear n tear on the car, track day insurance etc worked out somewhere around £700 a pop...

Stevo_666

Dorset_Boy said:

Both our local Tesco's are now 199.9 p for diesel. The local Esso (who has always tried to rip everyone off) is 204.0 p. Cheapest I've seen was at the weekend at 197.9 p but be that's now 199.9 p.

I couldn't fill up completely the other week as I hit the £99 limit for pay at pump.

rick_chasey

How big is your tank?

pblakeney

rick_chasey said:

How big is your tank?

Anything 55L+ will do it.

Pross

Stevo_666 said:

Dorset_Boy said:

Both our local Tesco's are now 199.9 p for diesel. The local Esso (who has always tried to rip everyone off) is 204.0 p. Cheapest I've seen was at the weekend at 197.9 p but be that's now 199.9 p.

I couldn't fill up completely the other week as I hit the £99 limit for pay at pump.

Same here on my last couple of fill ups, bloody annoying especially when the pump slows right down for the last little bit.

ddraver

Given that the thread has been a bit bisexual over the pages, I have my DAS Course in 2 weeks. Any tips?

I'm trying to do the "perfect rider" practice on the communt already

Stevo_666

rick_chasey said:

How big is your tank?

66 litres. Super unleaded recommended.

Stevo_666

Pross said:

Stevo_666 said:

Dorset_Boy said:

Both our local Tesco's are now 199.9 p for diesel. The local Esso (who has always tried to rip everyone off) is 204.0 p. Cheapest I've seen was at the weekend at 197.9 p but be that's now 199.9 p.

I couldn't fill up completely the other week as I hit the £99 limit for pay at pump.

Same here on my last couple of fill ups, bloody annoying especially when the pump slows right down for the last little bit.

Suppose you could always drive to the next pump and put some more in

Dorset_Boy

I hit the £99 limit today.
For Rick's maths, at basically £2-00 per litre that's 49.5 litres. Any mid to larger car will have a 50 - 65 litre tank.

HilaryAmin

Cars, eh? Not what they used to be when you could open the bonnet, poke around, pretend you knew what you were doing adjusting the underhand sprocket bars.

DeVlaeminck

ddraver said:

Given that the thread has been a bit bisexual over the pages, I have my DAS Course in 2 weeks. Any tips?

I'm trying to do the "perfect rider" practice on the communt already

Motorcycle test ? Just wear what you usually ride in and ride as you usually ride.

They failed me once for not keeping up with traffic - the fact the traffic was breaking the speed limit and I was only going that slow because I thought speeding might be a fail didn't seem to matter.