Minimal COVID mileage putting off car buyers?
Discussion
Probably like many, I've been perusing the classifieds, lease threads etc bored to death by the lack of outdoor activity. As I 'choose' my next new cars (2-3 a day 
) I can't help but think, that's a lot of money when I don't drive anywhere any more.
More seriously I considered the Yaris GR and the Model 3. Both are not cheap and when, some weeks, I do about 10 miles in total, I just can't bring myself to spend so much money on something that will be used so little. I know things will improve and we'll less locked down and mileage will go up plus there will be the opportunity for some more PH type driving but right now I can see any new car will be an expensive driveway ornament.
Are you finding the same?
) I can't help but think, that's a lot of money when I don't drive anywhere any more. More seriously I considered the Yaris GR and the Model 3. Both are not cheap and when, some weeks, I do about 10 miles in total, I just can't bring myself to spend so much money on something that will be used so little. I know things will improve and we'll less locked down and mileage will go up plus there will be the opportunity for some more PH type driving but right now I can see any new car will be an expensive driveway ornament.
Are you finding the same?
Is it partly an aspect of PCP?
I mean, at one extreme if you lease a car, you're literally paying out every month for a car to sit on your driveway, and then be taken away again at the end.
At the other extreme if you own a car you intend to keep forever/indefinitely, it doesn't much matter if it goes nowhere for now, since you'll get the use out of the car later and if it's not being used presently, it's not really deteriorating much either so will be lower mileage when you come to embark upon those long trips this autumn / next year.
There are other factors:
Lockdown restricting travel to see cars - with less choice or being fussier with spec you have to look nationally
Restrictions on viewing cars or not allowing you to test drive
Click & collect - fine for vanilla customers buying a Eurobox, but would a fussy PHer be as confident? In general I think we have much higher standards
Buy first, reject if you'er not happy - these are car dealers, not Tesco!
Lockdown restricting travel to see cars - with less choice or being fussier with spec you have to look nationally
Restrictions on viewing cars or not allowing you to test drive
Click & collect - fine for vanilla customers buying a Eurobox, but would a fussy PHer be as confident? In general I think we have much higher standards
Buy first, reject if you'er not happy - these are car dealers, not Tesco!
Frimley111R said:
Probably like many, I've been perusing the classifieds, lease threads etc bored to death by the lack of outdoor activity. As I 'choose' my next new cars (2-3 a day ) I can't help but think, that's a lot of money when I don't drive anywhere any more.
More seriously I considered the Yaris GR and the Model 3. Both are not cheap and when, some weeks, I do about 10 miles in total, I just can't bring myself to spend so much money on something that will be used so little. I know things will improve and we'll less locked down and mileage will go up plus there will be the opportunity for some more PH type driving but right now I can see any new car will be an expensive driveway ornament.
Are you finding the same?
This was me everyday for months until I made the decision to massively overpay my mortgage. ) I can't help but think, that's a lot of money when I don't drive anywhere any more. More seriously I considered the Yaris GR and the Model 3. Both are not cheap and when, some weeks, I do about 10 miles in total, I just can't bring myself to spend so much money on something that will be used so little. I know things will improve and we'll less locked down and mileage will go up plus there will be the opportunity for some more PH type driving but right now I can see any new car will be an expensive driveway ornament.
Are you finding the same?
Creating a standing order helped my brain stop wanting to search for cars. I now prob search a little once per month then say the same as you... “those cars are bloody expensive considering my mileage!”
I've been meaning to change my car for a few years now..it's a banger/shed whatever you want to call it albeit a v reliable one that just keeps going.
Last yr before we knew just how bad things would get with Covid and the resulting prolonged restrictions, I had planned to start looking in September for a new car. I usually do 4-6k miles a year so not exactly astronomical miles but in the current situation it's a couple of miles per week and even that's pushing it so agree there is less incentive or justification to change. Then couple that with the restrictions applied to buying and not being able to view the cars in person...I just can't be bothered to even look now so IL probably hold off till things ease up.
I do want to sell my partners car though and will likely take a hit on the sale value with the likes of WBAC or similar to avoid the usual pitfalls of private sales e.g: timewasters and in the current environment probably best to avoid private sales and err on the side of caution.
Last yr before we knew just how bad things would get with Covid and the resulting prolonged restrictions, I had planned to start looking in September for a new car. I usually do 4-6k miles a year so not exactly astronomical miles but in the current situation it's a couple of miles per week and even that's pushing it so agree there is less incentive or justification to change. Then couple that with the restrictions applied to buying and not being able to view the cars in person...I just can't be bothered to even look now so IL probably hold off till things ease up.
I do want to sell my partners car though and will likely take a hit on the sale value with the likes of WBAC or similar to avoid the usual pitfalls of private sales e.g: timewasters and in the current environment probably best to avoid private sales and err on the side of caution.
Edited by VR99 on Tuesday 2nd February 19:33
AudiMan9000 said:
I famously bought a brand new Q3 in July 2020 on PCP with mileage of 15k miles pa. Now in new career WFH, locked down and car sits on the drive every day for £477 per month.
Can you not call up and adjust the mileage?Unsure if it works the other way but Mini were willing to up my mileage from 10k to 12k for an extra fiver a month.
Wagonwheel555 said:
AudiMan9000 said:
I famously bought a brand new Q3 in July 2020 on PCP with mileage of 15k miles pa. Now in new career WFH, locked down and car sits on the drive every day for £477 per month.
Can you not call up and adjust the mileage?Unsure if it works the other way but Mini were willing to up my mileage from 10k to 12k for an extra fiver a month.
Yes absolutely in the same boat OP! Covid has seen my daily commute go from 50 miles to zero. Doubt I will ever go back to doing the commute more than once or twice a week max in future.
Car is owned outright and not worth a huge amount now (about £8k). Can't bring myself to spend £250+ p/m on something that rarely moves. Still browse autotrader etc. every few days but always come back to the money and what else I could do instead; overpay mortgage, invest it etc.
Car is owned outright and not worth a huge amount now (about £8k). Can't bring myself to spend £250+ p/m on something that rarely moves. Still browse autotrader etc. every few days but always come back to the money and what else I could do instead; overpay mortgage, invest it etc.
Yes absolutely would love to spend and upgrade the car but I could actually survive without a car at all with working from home.
Wasn't the statistic that the average car is parked up going nowhere for 94% of its time, before Covid. What it is now would be even more - no use.
It's the 5,000 miles a year leases that get me confused, at what can be £400 a month. For one thing that's almost £1 a mile lease costs. And 5k miles is 100miles a week. Depending on average speed, 3hrs use a week. Given that they're usually something with a bit of BHP under the bonnet can't be using it for long as going faster means even fewer hours to drive your 100mile a week / 14mile a day quota.
Wasn't the statistic that the average car is parked up going nowhere for 94% of its time, before Covid. What it is now would be even more - no use.
It's the 5,000 miles a year leases that get me confused, at what can be £400 a month. For one thing that's almost £1 a mile lease costs. And 5k miles is 100miles a week. Depending on average speed, 3hrs use a week. Given that they're usually something with a bit of BHP under the bonnet can't be using it for long as going faster means even fewer hours to drive your 100mile a week / 14mile a day quota.
Jasandjules said:
I am looking in the hope that prices drop.......
Good luck, new car prices rarely do and used prices may well strengthen as people decide to buy them over a pricey new car/deal.I've got an MX5 ND that's a good £16k that now has moss growing on the hood and a mint Megane R26 which is fortunately appreciating in value. Plus a 120d which is the run around/do it all.
Ditching the MX5 for an MR2 Roadster (had one before and loved it) seems a good way to take £12k out of the driveway money pit. Apart from that I'll wait for things to change post-COVID..
Rankss said:
Yes absolutely would love to spend and upgrade the car but I could actually survive without a car at all with working from home.
Wasn't the statistic that the average car is parked up going nowhere for 94% of its time, before Covid. What it is now would be even more - no use.
It's the 5,000 miles a year leases that get me confused, at what can be £400 a month. For one thing that's almost £1 a mile lease costs. And 5k miles is 100miles a week. Depending on average speed, 3hrs use a week. Given that they're usually something with a bit of BHP under the bonnet can't be using it for long as going faster means even fewer hours to drive your 100mile a week / 14mile a day quota.
Its a good point, leasing for 5k miles a year seems a very expensive way of doing things just to have a new car. I am not against leases per se but even at £300pm over 36 months plus say a £1k deposit is still nearly £12k total. You would have to be very unlucky for a used car to cost anywhere near £12k in repair work, maintenance and depreciation in 3 years doing 5k a year.Wasn't the statistic that the average car is parked up going nowhere for 94% of its time, before Covid. What it is now would be even more - no use.
It's the 5,000 miles a year leases that get me confused, at what can be £400 a month. For one thing that's almost £1 a mile lease costs. And 5k miles is 100miles a week. Depending on average speed, 3hrs use a week. Given that they're usually something with a bit of BHP under the bonnet can't be using it for long as going faster means even fewer hours to drive your 100mile a week / 14mile a day quota.
We have a Mini on PCP that has cost me almost £13k so far in just under 3 years. Sure, its been reliable and nice to have the latest technology but in 15 years of driving, I have never lost anywhere close to £13k over 3 years of owning a car.
One thing I have learned is to buy a 2-3 year old car that has lost half its value already and then just extend the warranty for years 3 and 4. Same benefits as a new one in terms of repair costs but depreciation is going to be far less than a new one.
We need two cars as I will be going back to the office at some point for 2-3 days a week and living in a village 6 miles from a train station plus needing to be in London by 07:00 makes one car impractical for us but I am thinking of spending maybe £5-6k on the next one.
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