New vs Used - 100 mile per day commute

[gsm7]

Anyone able to give some advice, wife has taken a new job with a heavy commute (we are looking to relocate but this won't be in the close future to manage this)

Unsure of the best route to go, something cheap and reliable or go brand new - with some warranty and (ideally) better reliability. Looking for advice from anyone who might do a similar type of commute or has in the past, as it's for the wife looking for something both reliable and safe. I work offshore and have limited time at home and may not be available to assist with any reliability emergencies if running a shed.

Budget is pretty variable, we currently have an 11 year old Q5 2.0 petrol, which has shocking MPG and has been giving us a few issues recently, and not sure how it would cope quadrupling it's annual mileage. It's been fine for our current use case. So would look to trade that in and possibly add some cash if going used, or trade it in as a deposit on a new lease.

Only actual requirement outside of safety and reliability is economical and 5 doors due to having a young child.

Edit - to add this is 4/5 days per week working. So around 20k miles per year.

Not sure if i've missed any details, if so feel free to ask.

[ZX10R NIN]

I would buy used, as your OH's annual mileage will make depreciation on any car but more so on a new car.

So I'd look mainstream models & if you buy an AUC you'll get a years warranty that you can (in some cases) extend.

Kia Stinger:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407111...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405159...

508:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407171...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407151...

Mondeo Vignale, I can recommend these as up until recently I had one & added 80k to it & it was faultless:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407161...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404088...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407021...

Insignia:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407121...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407191...

Q70 these are a good buy as they have a Mercedes drivetrain & are easy to maintain, loaded (adaptive cruise etc) with kit:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405260...

My picks would be the Mondeo (obviously) 508 & Insignia.

[dmsims]

For Mash get Smash

Forget anything fossil fuel powered this has BEV written all over it

Diesel alone is going to cost you ~£3000 p.a. vs electricity cost of £375 (home charging)

e.g.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407222...

Edited by dmsims on Tuesday 23 July 22:48

[gsm7]

ZX10R NIN said:

I would buy used, as your OH's annual mileage will make depreciation on any car but more so on a new car.

So I'd look mainstream models & if you buy an AUC you'll get a years warranty that you can (in some cases) extend.

Kia Stinger:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407111...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405159...

508:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407171...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407151...

Mondeo Vignale, I can recommend these as up until recently I had one & added 80k to it & it was faultless:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407161...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404088...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407021...

Insignia:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407121...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407191...

Q70 these are a good buy as they have a Mercedes drivetrain & are easy to maintain, loaded (adaptive cruise etc) with kit:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405260...

My picks would be the Mondeo (obviously) 508 & Insignia.

Mondeo looks a nice thing, how do these hold up quality wise? Surprisingly never been in one.. only thing remotely close was a relative had a Kuga with the powershift box which caused nothing but issues, unsure if it's the same unit in these

[gsm7]

dmsims said:

For Mash get Smash

Forget anything fossil fuel powered this has BEV written all over it

Diesel alone is going to cost you ~£3000 p.a. vs electricity cost of £375 (home charging)

e.g.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407222...

Edited by dmsims on Tuesday 23 July 22:48

Did consider an EV - although as per the example, doesn't seem alot of car for the money.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

gsm7 said:

Mondeo looks a nice thing, how do these hold up quality wise? Surprisingly never been in one.. only thing remotely close was a relative had a Kuga with the powershift box which caused nothing but issues, unsure if it's the same unit in these

The Powershift box which is Fords version of a DSG is absolute crap and I personally would not buy a car with one.

[Shabaza]

I would also get an EV in this circumstance.

A sub 15k Tesla perhaps
They have an 8 year 150k mileage warranty.

Something like this:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403117...

[Register1]

Got to be a second hand Tesla model Y
Duel motor
Enormous inside.
£28k

[ZX10R NIN]

gsm7 said:

Mondeo looks a nice thing, how do these hold up quality wise? Surprisingly never been in one.. only thing remotely close was a relative had a Kuga with the powershift box which caused nothing but issues, unsure if it's the same unit in these

Mine was spot on & never missed a beat, also the later Mondeo's are conventional autos although they're still called powershift.

It was a 210 although I'd had it mapped over 80k it averaged 47.9mpg although mid to high 50's on a run.

[Jimjimhim]

dmsims said:

For Mash get Smash

Forget anything fossil fuel powered this has BEV written all over it

Diesel alone is going to cost you ~£3000 p.a. vs electricity cost of £375 (home charging)

e.g.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407222...

Edited by dmsims on Tuesday 23 July 22:48

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

[dmsims]

For the Diesel:

Servicing ?

More brakes and tyres

A 5 year older car with how much warranty? and 30,000 more miles to start with

An Ohme is ~£500 + 1/2 a day for a sparky

That can come out of the £10,500 "fuel" savings over 4 years

Don't forget to add in the cheaper overall cost of you electricity bill as well......................

Jimjimhim said:

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

Edited by dmsims on Wednesday 24th July 23:21

[anyoldcardave]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

The Powershift box which is Fords version of a DSG is absolute crap and I personally would not buy a car with one.

Never trust a powershift, its not the gearbox as such, but the dry clutch, I am sure ADDISON LEE have taken ford on over this, they outed the whole fleet of them very quickly.

A manual, diesel Mondeo is not a bad car at all.

I bought one today, 2010, with a private plate worth more than I paid, Titanium X with heated and cooled seats, and just about everything else, 115k, nice car, for 350 quid.


EV depreciation, and purchase cost would rule them out for me, a battery failure blamed on you, not warranted, would cost more than replacing an engine on a diesel. A lot more.

This has got used diesel written all over it lol. Small diesels usually have very cheap RFL too, I really enjoyed a Mini Diesel for some time, but would not touch a petrol one.

Focus 1.6 diesel I have had with starship miles, and a very good handling chassis,not heard of any major issues with them, a looked after one of those will do you proud.

[DT1975]

Jimjimhim said:

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

Its also worth reading the Kia EV forums where folk are getting absolutely rinsed on service costs for warranty purposes.

[RSTurboPaul]

DT1975 said:

Jimjimhim said:

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

Its also worth reading the Kia EV forums where folk are getting absolutely rinsed on service costs for warranty purposes.

But I thought EVs were the cure for all ICE ills, offering minimal moving parts and vastly reduced costs of maintenance...?

[pti]

Without doubt I'd be looking at a used Tesla Model 3 LR.

[ChocolateFrog]

100% used unless money isn't really an issue.

Taking a car from 100k to 200k could cost as little as a few thousand pounds.

Taking a new car from 0 to 100k could wipe 80% off the value.

[Register1]

Jimjimhim said:

dmsims said:

For Mash get Smash

Forget anything fossil fuel powered this has BEV written all over it

Diesel alone is going to cost you ~£3000 p.a. vs electricity cost of £375 (home charging)

e.g.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407222...

Edited by dmsims on Tuesday 23 July 22:48

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

Or £35 quid special 32 amp socket from Screwfix

Edited by Register1 on Saturday 27th July 17:34

[Jimjimhim]

Register1 said:

Jimjimhim said:

dmsims said:

For Mash get Smash

Forget anything fossil fuel powered this has BEV written all over it

Diesel alone is going to cost you ~£3000 p.a. vs electricity cost of £375 (home charging)

e.g.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407222...

Edited by dmsims on Tuesday 23 July 22:48

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

Or £35 quit special 32 amp socket from Screwfix

Do they charger faster than a 3 pin socket?

[RSTurboPaul]

Jimjimhim said:

Register1 said:

Jimjimhim said:

dmsims said:

For Mash get Smash

Forget anything fossil fuel powered this has BEV written all over it

Diesel alone is going to cost you ~£3000 p.a. vs electricity cost of £375 (home charging)

e.g.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407222...

Edited by dmsims on Tuesday 23 July 22:48

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

Or £35 quit special 32 amp socket from Screwfix

Do they charger faster than a 3 pin socket?

Not a sparky.. but 3-pin plugs are 13amp max, aren't they? So 32amp direct connection to the distribution board (as a separate 'ring main'?) would be almost 3x as much current, therefore quicker?

[Jimjimhim]

RSTurboPaul said:

Jimjimhim said:

Register1 said:

Jimjimhim said:

dmsims said:

For Mash get Smash

Forget anything fossil fuel powered this has BEV written all over it

Diesel alone is going to cost you ~£3000 p.a. vs electricity cost of £375 (home charging)

e.g.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407222...

Edited by dmsims on Tuesday 23 July 22:48

+£1000 for a home charger if they haven't already got one.

Or £35 quit special 32 amp socket from Screwfix

Do they charger faster than a 3 pin socket?

Not a sparky.. but 3-pin plugs are 13amp max, aren't they? So 32amp direct connection to the distribution board (as a separate 'ring main'?) would be almost 3x as much current, therefore quicker?

Sounds good but then why do people get wall boxes if you can get these so cheaply?