4lex

Despite my shyte car, I might be able to save you a few bob.

I run an MR2t and a 205 GTi. The combined running costs are a deal less than just the '2, mostly because of the insurance implications. I have the 205 covered 3pft and use my NCD (8) with that, costs about £300/yr for me @ 28, 6pts, 1 claim last year. As a result I can get the '2 on a 'cherished car' policy for 5k miles fully comp with extensive mods declared - £305/yr. My previous renewal quote had been £1300 for just the '2.

The best part is I really like the 205, it's a top driver's car - I'd been missing one ever since I sold the last one to get the '2. Happy days.

I cover the 205 at Tesco, and the cherished policy I bought from Chris Knott, 0800 917 2274, www.ckinsurance.co.uk


[Edited by 4lex - 12/4/2002 8:05:43 PM]

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

I think. If I've done my sums correct.

This is my situation, I drive 8000 miles a year, of which 5000 are to and from work, shopping, getting fuel etc - i.e. stop start traffic in built up areas where there is no chance of using the cars potential. So I drive 3000 enjoyable miles. Purely in terms of petrol if I take into account I get 20mpg and SUL + OB costs 80p/litre, it costs me 1 / 20 x 4.545 x 80 = 18.18p per mile driven per year.

If I were to buy a car that does 30mpg, running on 75p/litre I spend 11.36p/mile.

I am soon to move house, which will put the annual miles commuting to work up an extra 3000 miles a year.

If I were to run the Scoob only, the fuel bill will be 11000 x 18.18 = £2000.

If i were to run the Scoob for 3000 miles and do the rest in a 30mpg runaround it would cost (3000x18.18) + (8000x11.36) = £1454

So I'd save myself £550 in fuel alone. Add in the bonus of 2 less oil changes for the Scoob and cheaper servicing on the other car (I'd service it myself), less wear and tear on the Scoob and it starts to make sense....

I have been offered an L reg rover 214 with 12 months MOT for £250 from a mate and I know its been looked after. If I can tax and insure it for £350 I'll be no worse off and I can park it in Tescos etc without a care in the world......

Do I make sense or am i missing something??

Justin

Oh, and MR2's are sh1te

mutant_matt

Makes perfect sense Loads of peolpe are doing exactly that for exactly the same reasons.

Some people (especially people who do track days) are even selling their Scoob and with the money/running costs, buying a new Turbo Diesel or similar and a track/fun car....

Matt

p1 tud

i always buy a runaround too it make sense to me mate. only prob is i cant buy just anything, currently got a 2.9 xr4x4 which is twice as bad on petrol as my scoob. never mind i can park anywhere without a care in the world.

scoobynutta555

makes sense, throw diesel into the equation or even LPG if you really do the miles, and the arguement becomes even more convincing.

scooby_xt_turbo

No offence, but which MR2s have you driven?? I owned the MK1 and loved every second with it.

RichiW

Exactly what i`m doing

Evo6 in the garage, 106 Diesel on the drive Getting 60mpg in the 106, thats over 500 miles to £30, park it anywhere, cheap to insure and tax, wash it once every two weeks, so in short i`m saving loads of money over running the Evo daily, i have alot less worries, less cleaning and the Evo feels even more special when i do take her out!

Rich

MooseRacer

Same here drove a mk1 for about 18months, fantastic little car.

pslewis

Makes perfect sense - I had an Escort cabriolet, 1987, Classic car insurance of £130/yr Fully Comp., 36mpg and as much fun as the Scoob on a sunny day - NO, HONESTLY!!! and all for £1200!! Paid for itself, over and over and lost NO value at all Sailed through its MOT and needed an Alternator thats all

This Scooby ownership is MADNESS!!

Pete

Dream Weaver

Cue me and ScoobyNutta Joke mate.

Does make sense, as long as you stick to it and aren't tempted to take the Scoob every now and then.

I dont drive to work any more, so in theory my fuel bill should be zero, but somehow I am still spending £20 a week on fuel. You see, after the car has sat for 3 or 4 days, I think hmm, better take it for a spin. Did that today, and 75 miles later arrived back home.

catflap

And geting no work done

paul w

Just done the runabout thing as well,scoob was mainly used as runaround,school,playgroup etc.

Kids and missus were trashing it so bought her a M reg uno diesel,mint,last owner 6 years,£400 50 mpg and just getting it sorted to run on biodiesel,vegoil so it cost fa to run and i actually enjoy driving it.

Paul_M

If you can get it locally look for a cheap LPG car. There are some older ones going for around £500 now, as long as the conversion has been done right (get the certificates to check) it will save a fortune for running around with and will be much nicer to drive than a clattery old diesel of a similar age.

Plus don't need to worry too much about the engine going **** up, as long as you get a year outta it then it's paid for itself

gareth60

Hmmm, not sure.

We have three cars, one being the wifes, my Scoob and an old Golf.

I found that I ended up using the golf more and more, just because I didn't want to park my Scoob somewhere doggy, etc, etc.

I also found that all three tax disc's expired at once and the insurance wasn't as cheep as I thought. My main problem is that the golf is a gti and because my main insurance is on the scoob, I have no "no claims discount" on the golf, therefore making it expensive to insure. My dad now uses the golf daily to keep the mileage off his car (a scooby acually)

Now, if I could get a cheap (tax, insurance, fuel), reliable car then maybe I would start doing this again. But I need a really good plan to convince the Wife. Her agrument is "what is the point of having a £20k+ car sitting in the garage" and I haven't really got an answer.

Gareth.

ricco

OK. Problem with having Scoob plus cheap run around...

Out in cheap run around, stop at traffic lights, boy racer pulls along side, Hmmmm... Still in cheap run around

I have this problem when i go home on business and have to drive a hire car

I always end up thinking, god i wish i was in the scoob

gareth60

Agree with ricco. Happens all the time when i'm in Wife's car.

But then there's the opposite.

"Out in Scoob at a busy shopping centre. Only space available is very tight and next to a white van" End up driving around looking for another space and falling out with the wife !!!

Lets face it, what you need is an old Scoob that's a bit tatty, but has a "whahoo" engine....

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the replies chaps - re the MR2 thing I actually do not have a preference, it was just a dig at the ever popular trend of 'my cars wonderful - yours isn't' posts....see the first Sod This thread

What makes even more sense with my particular situation is that I'm jumping on the property development bandwagon, which means lots of trips to the dump, builders merchants etc and my WRX doesn't even have a folding rear seat! And I don't want all that type of stuff in it anyway.

The scoob will end up only being used for trackdays and the odd blast /trip here and there....which ultimately means there are better cars for that - Elise or Westy etc?

Also there may be better cars for the runaround, good call on the 106 diesel although maybe a diesel estate is best suited for my needs...@45mpg I'd save a further £300.

Justin

HotRod

Its only a car..... remember why you bought a Scoob in the first place and just drive it!!

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Justin,

Do what I do now, get a job closer to home!!!

I walk to work, so I only need a car in the evenings and weekends!

Shame I had to sell my Scoob, as I could easily afford it now!!! Oh well, just fate I guess!

Although now I'm consdiering something cheap and fun!! And hopefully not spend every penny I have on my car!!!

Maybe even keep the Golf (paid for & not really depreciating in value, a tank of petrol once a month and minimal insurance!) until I clear debts from my last car

See you soon (probably at the Peel )
Andy

PS - Nice mk2 Golf for you sir???

marc_ely

I used to sort of be in the position of runabout and track car (well... 106GTi and bike-engined kitcar).
I now have one car cos I only about 4000miles a year (1500 to work).
I did think about a runabout but it doesn't work for those figures.

Sure you save £550 a year on fuel but you then have to add:
- Tax (£100'ish)
- MOT costs (£35'ish)
- MOT fixes (if its old it may well need these...£who knows)

You also have the added hassle of having to do all these things twice over.

I still think it makes sense for you though.
Small Diesel car with silly low fuel consumption, cheap spares and a loud stereo is the ultimate commuting car :-)

Marc
http://www.impreza-p1.org.uk