So... 2500 miles a week to drive... what would you choose?

[Paul Y]

Sept 8, 2014 13:13:26 GMT joem83 said:

www.fuel-economy.co.uk/calc.html

2500 * 52 = 130k

@ 20mpg = £38975.92

@ 30mpg = £25983.95

@ 40mpg = £19487.96

@ 50mpg = £15590.37

@ 60mpg = £12991.97

Could you not rent a flat for a year lol.

Or season pass for train & buy a cheap daily & leave it at the train station in Aberdeen lol

Be cheaper to rent a plane!

Looks like that particular job is going to be a non starter then! Actual mileage will probably be 60-70K a year but even so it is still going to be around 10-11K per year without servicing and consumables.

Rental is a bit of a no go as rents seem to go from anything between expensive to eye watering.

Anyway, fun to see what the ultimate mile muncher might be.

Thanks for everyone's input.

P.

[mgbizzle]

Sept 8, 2014 13:40:26 GMT joem83 said:

Sept 8, 2014 13:30:14 GMT ger said:

BMW 320d, E46, 55mpg without trying and nice and comfy

I ran one for 2 yrs up and down M6,M40, 900 mile round trip every couple of weeks. Did toast an expensive Turbo but otherwise, no issues. Got rid when 150k miles came up, was needing some suspension by then but engine was as strong as ever and still doing 55/60mpg

Sorry but I have to disagree, possibly the worst BMW engine ever made.
Look how many 320d's are for sale as spares repairs with broken engines.

Any other E46, yes as they are a great car to drive & very refined but the 2.0d is horrible unreliable torque-less mistake of an engine.
(I had one & was constantly waiting for it to explode and it was only 4 years old lol, sold it after 10 months)

E46 330d?

[ger]

Sept 8, 2014 13:40:26 GMT joem83 said:

Sept 8, 2014 13:30:14 GMT ger said:

Look how many 320d's are for sale as spares repairs with broken engines.

First thing I did when I bought it was spend 50quid deleting the swirl flaps........

[compass]

If I was doing that sort of mileage each week, I`d be looking at an old snotter. It`ll ruin almost any car within a year, and devalue it by a big chunk. Add the depreciation into the costings, and it`ll look ten times worse.

If it was me, I`d either go the big V8 route and LPG it, or even better, buy one already converted. You can pick a Lexus LS up for peanuts, it`ll run forever and will return about 40 MPG (LPG equiv.) on a run. You`ll not have a broke back when you get there, and you`ll not lose a dfeal of cash ove rthe year in depreciation.

Either that, or an old 405 TD estate.

Either way, you get the idea. I`d be spending less on the car, but be choosing carefully to get something that could potentially do 100k + in a year.

There`s a MOndeo TDCi ST estate on ebay at the mo. It`s an 06 plate, up for £850. It`s only done 406,000 miles.....it`d be interesting to see if you could get it to half a million!

[Paul Y]

Just had a suggestion of a Toyota Previa. Ability to do Starship mileage, comfortable and reasonably frugal.

Think that falls squarely into the old snotter category.

P.

[joem83]

Can sleep in it to!
I think you have to choose the engine wisely though as I'm sure one of them is prone to blowing head gaskets (duno which though)

[tdk]

Sept 8, 2014 8:27:12 GMT joem83 said:

Volvo D5 - Doesn't matter which car it's in.

This. I used to drive to Scaberdeen occasionally and had a V70 D5, it was perfect for the job, quick and comfortable. I now fly, by the way.

[PandaSelecta]

I would be going for an Audi 80 TDi, for the comfort, 50mpg, and ease of repairs/servicing.

[Paul Y]

Just been offered a friends fathers 850 D. Been off the road for 5 years but only done 70K miles so a little light recommissioning and a quick tune and we should be in business!

Huzzah!!!!

P.

[dave3066]

I used to drive from Elgin to Bungay every other weekend (1100 miles round trip) in a 2.5 V6 Vectra B. Cruise control, leather interior, climate control and 40mpg. Great mileage muncher :-)

Dave

[composimmonite]

Are you going to be reimbursed for travelling costs ? I used to get 56p a mile for an over 2000cc vehicle even in late 1980's. Didn't make much profit out of that, despite fuel being far cheaper then, even running an older car which was paid for outright and DIY maintained. Some of my collegues ran new cars but then suffered horrendous depreciation due to the high mileages we were doing (50,000 one year !).

[compass]

Sept 8, 2014 15:47:03 GMT Paul Y said:

Just been offered a friends fathers 850 D. Been off the road for 5 years but only done 70K miles so a little light recommissioning and a quick tune and we should be in business!

Huzzah!!!!

P.

If you decide you don`t want that, let me know. I`ve been after an 850/V70 D for a while, just to use as a dog car an visiting the inlaws in Cornwall.

PS - Soeey for the thread hijack.

[qwerty]

For me would be a B5 A4 Avant, preferably a 110afn engined one.

I really really really wish I had never sold mine, especially as I only sold it to buy something standard that the wife would drive and now she's refusing to drive that as well.

[dodgerover]

I'de either go for something like a 405d Peugeot or something petrol converted to LPG so I could do the trip non stop (for fuel anyway). You've either got to be getting paid a lot or getting decent expenses per mile to make that commute worthwhile though. Also if you're using the car for work does the company have any restrictions on the age of vehicle you can use?

[Paul Y]

Sept 8, 2014 15:59:39 GMT composimmonite said:

Are you going to be reimbursed for travelling costs ? I used to get 56p a mile for an over 2000cc vehicle even in late 1980's. Didn't make much profit out of that, despite fuel being far cheaper then, even running an older car which was paid for outright and DIY maintained. Some of my collegues ran new cars but then suffered horrendous depreciation due to the high mileages we were doing (50,000 one year !).

Unfortunately not but I do get a car allowance that nearly covers the cost of the fuel. That and a few other things sort of make it worth considering. I am on a daily contracting rate for these guys at the moment and they want me to go on a fixed yearly contract hence the questions.

Slightly surprised at how good my wifes Diesel Galaxy has been, steady 8-9mph and it is pulling down a solid 45mpg average over the trip. Pity it is on a 2 year 24K contract as it is a year old and done 28K....

My last company car was a V70R 3year 36K contract. Only had it 6 months before I reached the mileage limit and they gave it too the MD's PA to commute to work in for the next 2 years and 6 months. Happy days of fully subsidised company motoring...

P.

[dodgerover]

Sept 8, 2014 17:44:17 GMT Paul Y said:

Sept 8, 2014 15:59:39 GMT composimmonite said:

Are you going to be reimbursed for travelling costs ? I used to get 56p a mile for an over 2000cc vehicle even in late 1980's. Didn't make much profit out of that, despite fuel being far cheaper then, even running an older car which was paid for outright and DIY maintained. Some of my collegues ran new cars but then suffered horrendous depreciation due to the high mileages we were doing (50,000 one year !).

Unfortunately not but I do get a car allowance that nearly covers the cost of the fuel. That and a few other things sort of make it worth considering. I am on a daily contracting rate for these guys at the moment and they want me to go on a fixed yearly contract hence the questions.

Slightly surprised at how good my wifes Diesel Galaxy has been, steady 8-9mph and it is pulling down a solid 45mpg average over the trip. Pity it is on a 2 year 24K contract as it is a year old and done 28K....

My last company car was a V70R 3year 36K contract. Only had it 6 months before I reached the mileage limit and they gave it too the MD's PA to commute to work in for the next 2 years and 6 months. Happy days of fully subsidised company motoring...

P.

Just ask a minicab driver where to get mileage corrections done locally and pay for the extra services just don't have the book stamped.

[compass]

^^^^^This.

Or, disconnect the speedo cable. Not sure how this will work in a more modern car, but it's certainly a good way to stop the miles counting on an older one!

[ettorebugatti]

Saab 9-3 TID 2.2 are quite cheap.

Should be comfortable enough, but I don't know how reliable the 16V GM diesel is?

[TurboDieselWeasel]

Sept 8, 2014 10:47:25 GMT Paul Y said:

Or I could just move to Aberdeen for a year....

If this isn't totaly out of question - this. The sheer amount of time and the stress behind the steering wheel (morons & aggresion on the roads etc). It's not comfortable for a prolonged time...

I know it sounds like a good excuse to buy a top-of-the-range car. But me, I'd rather excuse that excuse I know it sounds fun etc. - at first it is, but soon it becomes: tiring.

Top-range upper class cars are expensive. Be it due to expensive spare parts or complex repairs. The more is stuffed into a car, the more expensive in both money and time they get. If you repair it yourself and need to spend the weekends with that car too... I would seriously consider temporarily moving house.

If I MYSELF was to choose a car for that purpose; I'd grab me a W126 S-Class. They'r still pretty "low tech". 3l sixbanger with LPG - affordable and drives with ease. Though the V8s have a lower gearing, maybe for long drives a better choice. KE-jetronic can be fueled with simple & cheaper venturi LPG kits.

I don't know. A house sounds like the better plan to me

[dodgerover]

Sept 8, 2014 20:35:02 GMT TurboDieselWeasel said:

I don't know. A house sounds like the better plan to me

You can sleep in a car - you can't drive a house