Have chance of buying 07 plate BMW 320d M Sport which will cost about £375/month for 3 years, am mates with the (only) owner and know the cars history. Or spend more money per month, plus deposit and final ballon payment on something like a new Citroen C5 estate which will avoid MOT worries etc. I only do about 15k miles /year.

What would you do?

How many miles has the Beemer done? £13500 seems reasonable for an 07 320d if the mileage isn’t silly.

Just thought – that £13500 would include interest too I guess.

Spend £6-7k on a diesel vectra/mondeo at 3 years with 80k on it and run it til it dies or change it in 2 further years at 5 years and 110k for around £4k. Certainly cost you a lot less overall.

Don’t mortgage your life for a depreciating non-productive asset.

If it’s coming out of your after tax income, how many hours a week do you have to work just to have it?

Why is a C5 the only option, other than the Beemer?

Car has done 50k
I get car allowance
Vectra estate good idea
I like the new Citroën C5 estate

on car allowance – long as it covers the cost – id have the new one any day over a used beemer

Don’t spend all your car allowance – its CASH.

Do you have an age rule to meet? If not, I bought an old 535i with mine. Sure its a bit iffy on fuel but other stuff is fine and there is bugger all depreciation to worry about.

I have some experience of the 320d M sport Touring. Book figure is 61mpg but I get nowhere near that – just over 40 when driving carefully.
Different service intervals for different bits so always seems to be at the garage, and hence paying a lot of servicing.
Rubbish in the snow, (as most rwd cars are) but insurance wouldn’t allow winter tyres.
Hard suspension, but comfy seats.
More of a toy estate so would get something else if you want a proper load lugger.

20 year old beemer would probably be more reliable than a new citroen.

If it is just transport get a big old german saloon or for something newer, an ex-lease, high mileage rep-mobile that has had belts, clutch, turbo replaced, around about 120k they will have probably had that lot done.

Used 3yr old car, any car, will beat the economics of getting a leased car.

On paper leased cars look a good deal until you read the small print. When you return the car if its not pristine you will have a tough arguement on your hands about what its worth.

Getting the 3yr old car with a loan at least you know exactly where you are and the car is yours at the end of the term.

The only caveat is if you do high mileage 25K+ and you have the option of a serviced company car, then its wise to go for the leased company car.

ps beemer M sport will be far more smiles per mile than a Citroen. That is if you prefer a drivers car?