Change Car For Something More Economical?

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Fed_up

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Looking for an opinion.

I have a 2008 car that's worth (according to Carzone) between €20,000 and €22,000. I bought it in 2009, and have taken a hefty pay cut since. The repayments are taking 25% of my wages every month - it's a 2.0 litre petrol, bought when I wasn't doing much mileage. Now I'm up and down from Dublin to Cork every weekend so the rising cost of keeping it filled is a factor as well. It's great fun to drive, but I'm considering something more economical.

I took a 3 year loan out to buy it in September 2010, so I have about 7 more monthly repayments left until the loan is cleared.

Another factor is work - I'll definitely be emigrating for a few years in 2016, and won't be taking a car with me.

I'm wondering what're people's thoughts on keeping it or selling it. Now that I've absorbed the depreciation, should I keep it and sell it on in 2016? Or should I buy something more economical once the payments are cleared on it in September?

Just trying to gauge opinions!
 
If I had 20k going spare, and wanted something economical, I'd be buying one of these....
 
I bought a three series BMW (320d), which are cheaper than 5 series, from the very link above, very happy with garage and car.
 
Your petrol car is only going to fall further in value and desirability, it also costs a lot to run in terms of fuel and motor tax, petrol cars are unloved, 75% of all new car sales in January were diesel, whilst your car is fun to drive pretty much all 2.0 ltr diesels will give you all the torque and fun you need.

I recently downsized from a 520 D auto, the new model, I hated doing it but could not justify the cost of holding it with only 8000 miles a year, I changed into a Passat 2.0 Ltr tdi with 140 bhp and banked the cash difference, this 2.0 bluemotion diesel is just terrific, VW claim nearly 70 mpg, my tax is €200 annually and insurance less than €300, my motoring costs have fallen and I have a car than is fun to drive, modern and economical, what is more is that they will be a good residual seller.

I would change your car and go diesel, Dublin to Cork crusing will hardly move the fuel indicator, whilst I am not doing the mileage to justify diesel I like the torque, you will save money and will sell it in 2016 easier than a 2.0 ltr petrol any make any model, change it ahead of your final loan repayment if possible.
 
Last edited:
Palerider said:
755 of all new car sales in January were diesel
Click to expand...
Did you miss the shift key???

Am thinking of a new car, currently drive a 12 year old car so anything will be an improvement.

I'm struggling in deciding whether to go Diesel or Petrol. Have read up on it, we do mostly city driving, short commutes. So it seems I'd need to get a pretty new diesel to get better DPF technology. We really wouldnt have the car running for longer than 15 mins a day. Occasionally do a half hour drive, and less often the odd hour drive here and there.
 
We were in the process of changing the car recently and thinking diesel when a salesman in a garage told us we would need to be doing some longer runs to warrant a diesel car. It appears that with local and town driving only we could expect to have the filters clogging up. I took this as sales talk at first. Read up on it and checked it with a mechanic and yes he is correct.

Our mileage is low at the moment due to second car so we bought petrol
 
It's the DPF filter that gets clogged, and running the car for 20+ mins while heated up burns all that off. Apparently newer technology allows for this to be burnt off more easily, so the requirement for minimum of 1+ runs of half hour a week are no longer required. Personally, I wouldn't take the chance. As I understand it, a cold engine is not economical to run, whether petrol or diesel. So if you're only doing short commutes you might be as well off filling up with (cheaper) petrol.
 
It was bought on a hire-purchase agreement, last payment due in September. Would I be right in thinking that locks me into not changing it until it's fully paid for?
 
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