Downsizing to 1 car

[RED5RACING]

Over the past few months I've had some changes to my life, firstly I 've started a new job just 2 miles from home as opposed to 37 miles around the M25 each day and secondly my father in law passed away at the start of this year. This now means a big change to my fuel costs and my wife has now inherited money from her father's estate.

With this in mind my wife and I are considering our options with downsizing from two cars to one car that suits our needs.

I have a 2016 SEAT Ibiza Cupra and have always enjoyed hot hatches having owned various Renault Sport models, Golf GTI and Fiestas. My wife has a Renault Captur Tce which is great for family days out and moving larger bits about such as the kids bikes. My thought was to find one car that ticks boxes from both sides. Must be fun to drive with performance but capable of taking out a family of 4 in comfort and space.The children are 14 and 9.


I have narrowed it down to a few of my favourites:-

SEAT LEON CUPRA 300 2018 Estate (£19k - £22k)
Subaru Impreza WRX 2016 £18K
Audi RS4 Avant 2013 -£22.5k

An insurance quote with my wife as the main driver and me a named driver for the RS4 came back at less than the cost of the road fund tax. I will either walk or cycle to work and on days when it's cold or wet can get a lift from a work friend who lives round the corner.

Has anyone any thoughts on what cars to consider or experienced downsizing and how it worked for family life having switched to one car.

At this stage it's something we've discussed but with car sales sites still closed not something we can act on straight away.

[JQ]

With 2 kids of a similar age there is absolutely no way we could cope with one car - you're mad!!! Our kids are regularly in completely different locations at exactly the same time.

However, if you're certain you can make it work a leftfield suggestion might be a Skoda Superb 280 - 280bhp petrol engined 4x4.
Or more conventional - BMW 340i estate

[ZX10R NIN]

If you're goung to be doing low miles then I'd say get something special because the depreciation on these cars is a lot slower & the extra cost of maintenance is slightly offset so I'd say get the RS4:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103290...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102269...

C63

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103220...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202001276...

Or you could go for 340i M Sport M Performance

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010155...

Leftfield:

X5M

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104081...

[TheDrownedApe]

Our son is now 19 and we recently gave him our second car.

I WFH and therefore it was a no brainer. BUT it's painful at times and although i have a nice 125 scooter in the winter it can be frustrating to be house bound (we live in a small remote village).

Saved us lots though

[Summit_Detailing]

Macan Turbo or C/E class AMG wagon.

[Clifford Chambers]

Both my brothers have done this, seems to work but forward planing req.

I'd be inclined to keep something cheap and cheerful, 107/C1/Aygo just cause.

[Mr Tidy]

Clifford Chambers said:

Both my brothers have done this, seems to work but forward planing req.

I'd be inclined to keep something cheap and cheerful, 107/C1/Aygo just cause.

I think I'd keep a 2nd car of some description just in case. Plus if you both have full NCB not having a car for 2 years means one of you will lose it.

[fflump]

We have 3 kids 10-14 and have one car it can work sharing lifts etc, but hard if you're not in a big city, or commute by car.

[Wagonwheel555]

I would happily go down to a single car but living in a village where the Wife works different hours to me makes it impossible to be workable considering the train station is about 3 bus journeys away.

If you are stretching to £22.5k money, might be worth a look at something like the 340i as mentioned. It will be better to drive than the lairy Cupra thing.

A 2013 RS4 might seem tempting but I would assume its got fairly old tech compared to more modern cars like the 340i?

[ZX10R NIN]

Wagonwheel555 said:

I would happily go down to a single car but living in a village where the Wife works different hours to me makes it impossible to be workable considering the train station is about 3 bus journeys away.

If you are stretching to £22.5k money, might be worth a look at something like the 340i as mentioned. It will be better to drive than the lairy Cupra thing.

A 2013 RS4 might seem tempting but I would assume its got fairly old tech compared to more modern cars like the 340i?

You can upgrade the infotainment in the RS4 quite easily & it'll cost a fair bit less than the difference in depreciation between the two & that's before we start talking about the driving experience.

Also upgrading the tech will add a little bit of desirability if & when you sell.

[sherman]

We went from 2 cars to 1 car when we both realised we were doing less thsn 2000 miles each a year in private motoring. My other half uses a work vehicle when she needs to get to site.
We traded both cars in
Her - MINI cooper
My - Volvo c30

We got a Ford focus ST3 estate as a good compromise. If it wasnt for lockdown we would have done alot more mileage this year as its just more fun to drive.