Add high miles or buy backup car?

[thehorse]

About to spend what seems like a ridiculouly large amount of cash on a new Cali.

I do quite a lot of long distance motorway miles for work and I have the option of using the Cali or buying another cheapish car (say around £5k) to do the work miles in.

Question is which will work out the cheapest option?

How much less would a 5 year old 90k mile Cali be worth vs. a 30k mile 5 year old

Would guess an additional car would cost me at least £7-8K in tax, insurance, depreciation, tyres, repairs etc., over 5 years.

So would I lose that much with an extra 60K miles in resale value?

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry no idea. Mine has done 40,000 miles in 2 years and I'm not even working.

 

[Lewis]

About to spend what seems like a ridiculouly large amount of cash on a new Cali.

I do quite a lot of long distance motorway miles for work and I have the option of using the Cali or buying another cheapish car (say around £5k) to do the work miles in.

Question is which will work out the cheapest option?

How much less would a 5 year old 90k mile Cali be worth vs. a 30k mile 5 year old

Would guess an additional car would cost me at least £7-8K in tax, insurance, depreciation, tyres, repairs etc., over 5 years.

So would I lose that much with an extra 60K miles in resale value?

We've only had the Cali since Wednesday but it's now our daily driver and it's a dream. If you're spending a lot of time on the road then make the most of the vehicle you've spent so much on. Better than gathering dust on the drive. I've only really done mundane drives so far (mostly in the dark) but every journey inspires me to think about and plan for adventures.

We took the option for the 5yr or 150k extended warranty just in case - I'd recommend that if you're going to be doing big miles.

Surely a separate workhorse will only ever be a disappointing second best...?

 

[thehorse]

We've only had the Cali since Wednesday but it's now our daily driver and it's a dream. If you're spending a lot of time on the road then make the most of the vehicle you've spent so much on. Better than gathering dust on the drive. I've only really done mundane drives so far (mostly in the dark) but every journey inspires me to think about and plan for adventures.

We took the option for the 5yr or 150k extended warranty just in case - I'd recommend that if you're going to be doing big miles.

Surely a separate workhorse will only ever be a disappointing second best...?

I'm hoping the numbers point to using the Cali instead of buying another car!

How much was the extended warranty?

 

[Lewis]

I'm hoping the numbers point to using the Cali instead of buying another car!

How much was the extended warranty?

£649. It's almost double the 80,000 mile option (which is £329 i think) but one problem between 80k and 150k in that time period and the difference more than pays for itself.

I hope the numbers put a figure on satisfaction!

 

[Stuart]

It seems daft to not drive your Cali just to save money! I only drive ours at the weekend and really miss it during the week

 

[B J G]

A BIG question as the 60 thousand extra miles would mean an extra 3 services (20,000 mls between) plus a minimum of 3 sets of tyres plus brake pads/discs etc. Reality kicks in on actual costs when fuel is considered.

As you have the Cali as a prime vehicle the second doesn't need to be a status symbol & you could go the route of buying a good under £100 car & if it passes its MOT cheaply keep running it or sell it for spares/repairs or scrap & get another cheap one. Pick the right car and you cold have as little as £20 VED.
I know a few people who do this and as depreciation isn't a factor the second car is genuinely cheap to run.

I'm sure that most second hand buyers expect to pay a premium for a low mileage Cali over a high mileage one.

I'll personally use my wife's car or in the summer or my historic VED free car in the summer for short trips.

Not trying to answer your question just throw up options. Good luck.

 

[andyinluton]

I wouldn't buy a cheap car to do a lot of motorway work miles in as thats where I find the Cali is best. I would however buy one if I was leaving it parked up at the station every day or doing frequent short trips.

 

[Amarillo]

Would guess an additional car would cost me at least £7-8K in tax, insurance, depreciation, tyres, repairs etc., over 5 years.

I haven't tried to work out the figures, but we intend to keep our current car once our Beach finally arrives and until we go away for our year long tour of western Europe. When we return we intend to buy a small car. It seems selfish to use our Beach for short local trips.

 

[2into1]

I think your figures are about right, and in the end, I don't think there is much in it either way. Running an extra car does give you some flexibility, but you've also two lots of hassle (mot's, insurance quotes, washing, remembering when services are due etc). Also, the 'thing' (cd / torch / umbrella) that you want is always in the other vehicle.

When I tried switching to a single vehicle, the numbers were very close for me. I chose to stick with a specialised camper and a cheap car, but the decision is always being questioned as personal circumstances always evolve. I think your £7 to 8k costs will be similar to the used value of the Cali.

You can make the figures look more attractive my running a really cheap car, but that's not optimal pleasure / comfort wise for such big mileages.

 

[T6 CFO]

I think you can probably do the maths and come up with the answer you would like. If it was me the maths would come down on the side of using the Cali. Good luck.


Mike

 

[kave]

We sold our 1000£ car when we got the cali, I now drive it everyday. I think the calis construction is really made for many miles in its life.
If you cant place the car in a proper dry garage I would say the car will be better off being driven regularly. Our old car sometimes where stationary for a week or two which rendered the brake discs very bad all the time.

 

[Ciki62]

I wouldn't buy a cheap car to do a lot of motorway work miles in as thats where I find the Cali is best. I would however buy one if I was leaving it parked up at the station every day or doing frequent short trips.

That's exactly my way. Small Ibiza FR 10years old for short trips around the town. Everything else my brand new California ocean


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[briwy]

Get a classic car. Forty years old and over no tax, seventy quid insurance, MOT once a year, mend it yourself, spares next day, and it will probably go up in value not down. Winner all round.

 

[andyinluton]

Get a classic car. Forty years old and over no tax, seventy quid insurance, MOT once a year, mend it yourself, spares next day, and it will probably go up in value not down. Winner all round.

Thats the last thing I would get for 12K a year on the motorway just to save putting miles on a Cali.

Been there done that (almost) commuting 5 hours a day in a triumph stag - worked for a few months & then gave up & bought a new MX5 after getting totally fed up with spending every free minute of my weekends keeping the stag running.

Its not until you drive an old car in motorway rush hour traffic that you realise how much better obvious things like brakes are these days. Then there is the less obvious stuff, awful door mirror, no aircon, using a choke, mono AM radio (if you've remembered to pull up the arial). Thats before you get onto lack of airbags, crumple zones side intrusion bars etc

That was something like 15 years ago in a 25 year old car & I was mad to try it then.

If it is really just motorway stuff something like a 10 year old jag or 7 series bmw can't be beaten, fuel consumption ok on a run & too expensive for youngsters to insure hence rock bottom purchase price - if goes wrong weigh it in & buy another.

 

[2haw]

Get A VW up! as a runabout..

Cheap to insure and the £30 to fill up.. love ours as a small car to nip to the school / shops..

 

[Freeley]

Get A VW up! as a runabout..

Cheap to insure and the £30 to fill up.. love ours as a small car to nip to the school / shops..

Actually that's not a bad shout as long as you don't mind people you know seeing you driving it!
My mother in law has one and I quite like it to drive - loads more room in the front than our 3 series BMW and fine on the motorway too.

 

[thehorse]

Would probably go with an old A6/5 series/e-class. Can't really beat them for long distance motorway travel. The idea of doing 500miles in 1 day in a VW UP which I sometimes have to do doesn't sound very appealing.

 

[owen_h]

Actually that's not a bad shout as long as you don't mind people you know seeing you driving it!
My mother in law has one and I quite like it to drive - loads more room in the front than our 3 series BMW and fine on the motorway too.

For 3 years I used my Beach as an only car but earlier this year I bought a nearly new Seat version (Mii) of the Up! when I started doing more short trips with limited parking at the end of the journey. Its really fun to drive and a very comfortable ride. Not done many long motorway trips in it, the ones I have done its been fine but much prefer the Beach for those trips. MPG on the Mii is much better than the Cali, get around 60 to 65 mpg on steady A road driving. £20 a year tax is a lot more palatable than the Cali as well (the stop start versions are £0 pa). Much as I like the MIi/UP!/Citygo I dont think it would be ideal for the Original poster as a 2nd vehicle.

 

[2into1]

I wonder if many owners of new Cali's and cars have forgotten the cost / hassle of out of warranty repairs? How would you feel needing a £1k repair on a £4k car? (Turbo, ABS pump type of thing). Often such diagnosis is accompanied by "I THINK that should sort it".

Cars like to be used. I'm thinking you should stick with your Beach unless parking / security is a problem. My runabout passed it's MOT today but has an advisory on the brake balance. It's certainly not through overuse (5k miles a year) so is probably a seized up caliper from standing around waiting for me to return from Cali trips

I'm off to spec myself a hybrid ......T5, grey plastic bumpers, removable units etc......

 

[CALI FATE]

I only have a Beach - i do around 25k miles per year but as i plan to keep it i am not too bothered. Tomo i am in London for two meetings, in between picking up a 2 x cast iron radiators, 15m of old pine flooring and a old style sink unit for my ongoing home renovation. i love driving it wouldnt be bothered with a second car just to keep the miles down

 

[2haw]

Would probably go with an old A6/5 series/e-class. Can't really beat them for long distance motorway travel. The idea of doing 500miles in 1 day in a VW UP which I sometimes have to do doesn't sound very appealing.

No your right, if I was doing 500 miles in one day I wouldn't fancy doing it in an Up! either but if I was doing 2/300 miles every single day, I wouldn't want to do it in my Cali either. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it but it's a big bus to lug about If your the only one in it everyday. I'd get something like a Golf GTi to do the miles in! Do like a VW!

 

[Rob H]

Cars and their components especially cheaper vehicles, are designed to work about 2 - 3 hrs a day and then be parked up .. at 120k miles / say 10 years cars are generally worn out and repair labour costs make them too expensive to overhaul. Calis are vans, designed for 7 hours a day heavy load lugging work, multiple drivers. Hard nosed transport managers insist on commercial vehicles having heavier duty longer life components easy and quick to replace. A diesel transporter van driven gently / privately, will last 200k - 300k miles +.

Rob H

 

[teeboy]

Can't answer your question, but I can throw some more numbers into the mix for your spreadsheet.

My Cali cost 16.6 pence per mile to run (between 2013-2016 so variable £/gal)

My golf costs 8.6 pence per mile

So if you are doing 90,000 miles over 3 years you will spend more £7,200 more on diesel.

I love driving the Cali - you are as high as a range rover and it feels planted on the road, but if there are narrow country roads it can be a bit of a lump.

 

[Alan]

Interesting topic
For me it's not just about adding the miles on so much as cloging up the filters on short journeys where the engine is not going to reach normal operating temperature (especially in the winter months)
The miles go on when touring!
This time of the year I mostly use an old escort van worth £600 doing local trips also I can leave my smelly fishing gear in the back on returning home from a venue and the Cali is ready to oblige her highness should the need arise!

Oh yes and I'm a s.c.

Alan