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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 11:24:23 GMT
But, what I might say, is lose the Civic and the Leaf, get some kind of hybrid estate to satisfy your green side and your long distance needs, and get a learner friendly something too.
But in the end, I'd probably not advise that. I'd probably still just find a couple of grand for a learner car and keep the other two.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2021 11:41:12 GMT
I think you overestimate my "green" reasons for having the Leaf. My main reasons have always been cost of ownership and running costs for a reliable, nearly new daily commuter car. Then, the Civic was meant to be for infrequent but regular long journeys and even less frequent occasions when two cars were needed by the family in any one day.
What's happened though is the world has changed around us. I'm now punting £350 a month in finance payments on cars I barely use. Leaf £150, Civic £200. Given I barely drive any more, and also I'll barely drive when the pandemic is over because commuting is over for me, this seems excessive. However, I can justify one of those payments to myself, and of the two keeping the Leaf makes most sense because it can do most of our remaining needs for very little outlay - and, bonus, it's zero emission for town use (not my main motivation, but a "nice to have") and can also do mid range journeys requiring maybe one rapid recharge en route, without adding too much time. It really is a splendid vehicle for most of what I do. This puts the £200 a month for the Civic in to the realms of an utter waste of money, much as I like the car it's not earning its keep. So, given I would still like to have a second, larger, longer range car perhaps it should be something older that I own outright. But I'd still like it to be a reliable, robust car. It doesn't have to be exciting. Set a budget of about £2.5k, and a low mileage, private sale, good history Avensis seems a good option. And, if we're doing that, I don't care if it's automatic or not - so might as well be manual and both children can be supervised learners in it, thus making more use of it and obtaining even more value for money. So then, once a test is passed, I've got more money from the savings from getting shot of the Civic, to run a third runabout car for the kids, with insurance costs being the biggest burden then.
I am singularly unconcerned about what an old Avensis would "say about me" or "make me look to the neighbours". What else would serve rather than an Avensis? Has to be a big hatch or estate, because dog cage and luggage and all that. Mondeo, Insignia etc. But really, who cares between those and an Avensis - the question is, which is least likely to give me grief? Answer, Avensis. Or Honda Accord, maybe.
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 11:52:12 GMT
I think you'd miss having an estate of some kind. The week after you didn't have one, you'd want one. Well, that's what happened to me anyway. I went for a year estateless and it was a ball ache. Not that Toyota don't make some good estates too.
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 12:52:49 GMT
At the risk of being obtuse, oh ok, I'll give it a shot...😉
If you hardly drive anymore, and see that as an ongoing situation, then any savings you might have been making by having an EV are now minimal?
Maybe the one to part with is the Leaf? Keep the Honda for long runs, as it has proven reliable and useful for that, and buy a learner somethingorother that can double as a spare if required?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2021 13:08:38 GMT
Yes, I see your point. Mrs A doesn't. She loves the Leaf more than the children, I think. When I proposed binning the red one last year and replacing it with the "learner car", it went down like a nun's knickers. The Leaf is staying.
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 13:13:26 GMT
Man or mouse?
😈
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2021 13:20:27 GMT
Don't be silly.
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 13:27:55 GMT
Cheese for lunch was it?
😉
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2021 13:32:23 GMT
Borshch.
Anyway just done a bit of MOT digging on that Avensis. 2 years running (17/18) it had an advisory for a heavily corroded oil filter. The advert states "comes with a documented service history and privately serviced". My hairy arse.
Next.
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 13:40:23 GMT
How about ( cover your eyes WDB ! ) one of those Dacia Logan estates? Cheap as cold second hand chips, should be insurance friendly, apparently not bad at all, very useful things, and you could probably get a not very used one.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2021 13:42:33 GMT
Indeed, that was on my mind when I was thinking about Tipo estates. I rather like them. I even thought "Duster" before giving my head a wobble. On balance I think I'd rather a Tipo if going for a cheap nearly new option, but that would still mean monthlies, and maybe an older bigger car wouldn't be too much of a risk for me, given the low mileage it will do.
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 13:46:46 GMT
Well, a Duster would probably hold its value better. People like them. Still might do that myself one day if the Merc ever starts to give me sleepless nights.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2021 13:52:21 GMT
Renault Megane estates are also reasonble value nearly new (i.e. up to about 5 years old). But I expect those would be discounted here because "Renault", even though Dacias, which are made with Renault parts, are favoured?
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 13:54:21 GMT
Well, apparently, our Qashqai is a Megane on steroids. But, despite that, it has been mechanically faultless over the 11 years we've had it.
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Post by Humph on Feb 8, 2021 13:58:17 GMT
Just remembered, I had a Clio estate as a hire car abroad once. Surprisingly roomy and perfectly pleasant to drive. Did a lot of Km in that. 1.5 diesel in that instance. Not sure if they ever offered those here.
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