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[Closed] Nice car on personal lease...why does it feel 'uncomfortable'??

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 DrP
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So we've a fairly decent diesel octavia coming up for 10 years old; we've had it for about 4..

A friend showed me a pretty good deal on a personal lease on a new 1.4TSI Yeti (top spec model) - basically it works out as just under £5k for 2 years 'rental' essentially. WITH road tax paid. And no servicing needed given the age/mileage. And no MOT.

At the end of the 2 years I'd give it back, and be £5k lighter.

On one hand, this seems genius - our Octavia has already cost me about £2.5k in servicing, MOT, Aircon breaking etc. I'll not see that money again. But..I do own the car. An old diesel octavia. Go me...

I think it would be nice to have a nice new car, not worry about anything going wrong, and then after 2 years, probably get another nice new car and repeat..
I challenged the finance guy asking how do they make money? If i were to buy the Yeti it's about £28k. There's no way I'd sell it after 2 years for more than £23k, so I'm 'quids in' that way.

In simple terms, I'm paying £5k to rent a new car for 2 years.
To me this seems equal parts 'silly' and 'genius'. Which is it?
Apart from a dealer, no one really 'makes money' on cars (t4s etc aside)...

Thoughts!!

DrP


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:00 pm
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they don't pay as much as you would for the yeti.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:03 pm
 kcal
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I always assumed there was some catch, too -- maybe how much they deduct if you're scuffed or scraped it - which would be OK if it was yours but a definite penalty if you were leasing and handing back.

can you check somewhere like drive the deal to check that a Yeti is £28k?


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:09 pm
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Don't forget the mileage and condition restrictions. They will examine it with some kind of nuclear microscope afterwards and foot you with a bill for repairs only second to touching up a scratch on the international space station.

This probably isn't a problem for you but it would cost us about £100,000 in wear and tear lol- we've just been weighing it up as an option ourselves and decided to stick with what we've got for now.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:09 pm
 DrP
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^^ Yeah, I get that (don't worry, I don't feel sorry for them!).
But looking at it from what I WOULD pay (at best) and what I'd be able to sell it for after 2 years, surely it would depreciate by more than £5k?

DrP


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:10 pm
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and then after 2 years, probably get another nice new car and repeat..

As long as you're happy paying £2500 a year to rent a car then it's up to you what you do with your money.

Is the fiance 0% and how many miles a year are you 'allowed'.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:13 pm
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[quote=crosshair ]Don't forget the mileage and condition restrictions. They will examine it with some kind of nuclear microscope afterwards and foot you with a bill for repairs only second to touching up a scratch on the international space station.

When they collected my last lease car chap walked round it looked inside briefly and asked me to sign his PDA device that everything was ok and mileage was correct. All done in under 5 mins


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:14 pm
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Leasing isn't for me either, but I can see it makes a lot of sense if you HAVE to have a new car for whatever reason.

Both our vehicles are coming up for 10 years old too, but I hope and expect to get another few years out of them yet.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:14 pm
 DrP
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Is the fiance 0%.

You mean finance??

It's not finance. Basically it's just rental money.
I never own the car, and don't get the chance to at the end either.

DrP


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:15 pm
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They're certainly not paying £28k for a 1.4 Yeti.

Also, although your Octavia has cost you £2.5k, that's over 4 years. So £625/year.

The Yeti will cost you £2.5k/year + handback repairs/wear charges.

Only you can decide if the 'new' car feel is worth it.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:16 pm
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this goes round every so often!

Did the maths earlier this year & ended up buying a 7yr old car for around 5K.

I have to keep it for 2-3 years to be in the black over leasing, but at that point it's 'free': I have a car to keep whereas with leasing I wouldn't.

But it'll be 10 years old then. Some people don't like having a 10 y/o car, personally I'm happy to run a car for as long as it still goes.

I was surprised how marginal the cost differential is though. If you place a value on owning a new car over a 7 yr old car, leasing probably comes up trumps.

(Personally, the knowledge that I'd have the most nickable car on my street, and look like a flash git, and the stress that someone could ding it in Tesco car park probably make that a negative value. But whatevs)


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:16 pm
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same situation here, though with a decent car allowance from work. Having worked through various figs for high end Skoda, BMW and Audi I found that the 'quality' German marques end up often cheaper than the 'lesser' ones, due largely to the residuals at the end of the PCP (ok, not same as lease, but same idea)


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:19 pm
 DrP
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(Personally, the knowledge that I'd have the most nickable car on my street, and look like a flash git, and the stress that someone could ding it in Tesco car park probably make that a negative value. But whatevs)

This is the thing - I agree with you there; I'm not fussed about having a new car at all. I like the octavia for what it is. I like the fact I can pull a handie in a trail centre car park, and do a bit of light off-roading in it. I don't mind if it gets a bit scraped up.

However, the wife quite fancies a white yeti. And to be honest, we all sit here harking on about our crappy old cars and how sensible we are, when I know I've spunked £600 on suspension forks, £150 ona new (unnecessary) brakeset etc etc...
I suppose I'm accepting my priority in life is different to hers and vice versa.
We shouldn't' judge people for liking nice cars, and I know once I'm in it, it IS a nicer place to be..

We test drove a 1.2 TSi (one point two!!). That's a cracking engine - the 1.4 tsi is meant to be great!

DrP


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:22 pm
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The only 1.4 I can see the L&K edition which RRP's for just under £25.5k

[url= http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/new/skoda/yeti/hatchback-2009/ ]http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/new/skoda/yeti/hatchback-2009/[/url]

According to Parkers you can get a deal on that car for £19.5k, which seems a bit too good to be true, so say £23k.

Assuming you keep it for 5 years thats about £5k per annum (assuming a bit for servicing, repairs etc). and at the end of 5 years you'll have a car thats worth (about) £5k

So leasing at your rates compared to buying seems like a good deal.

Have you factored everything in? Is there a massive upfront payment ontop of the monthly lease. I see a lot Skoda deals that are £140 per month + £2,500 up front


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:24 pm
 DrP
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it's 2.4k up front, then £119 a month.
minus the road tax, servicing, MOT, it's as good as £5k

DrP


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:26 pm
 timc
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£28k for a Yeti? crazy talk... do some more research.

My mum got a brand new yeti for £15k with 2.0tdi, sat nav, half leather, full electrics etc just 3 years ago.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:26 pm
 Alex
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We've one Skoda on personal lease and one on company hire purchase. Both make sense for us for different reasons. The personal lease one replaced a 10 year old car- which we sold to pay the deposit for the new Fabia. We signed up to a 3.5 year contract after which we'll chop it or buy it (if one of my kids IS VERY GOOD, she might get it).

It does < 10km a year, it's a nice car to drive, we got a good deal in the Skoda Jan sale thing esp when weighing up buying a three year old one. Really wanted a DSG so 2nd hand wasn't going to be that cheap.

The company HP one is on 19k a year with full servicing and a hire car within 4 hours if it goes wrong. Since without a car, I don't get paid and I can legitimately pay for it using company money, it's also a no brainer.

It does feel a bit like paying rent not mortgage except it's hardly an appreciating asset. I've come round to the view that I don't really want to own cars, music, applications, etc. I just want to rent them as cheaply and easily as I can. Different for different people.

Can't ever imagine not 'owning' my bikes tho!


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:27 pm
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There are no gotchas really with leasing.

Regarding handing the car back, they have to follow industry standards(BVRLA guidelines) on what is considered fair wear and tear over the time period/mileage you have agreed, and it all looks quite reasonable to me .

One other potential issue is the mileage, if you think you can accurately predict your mileage you're fine, but if you suddenly find yourself doing 20000 miles per annum when you initially agreed 10000 mile per annum you will end up paying more for it.

A final issue , is what happens if mid way through you circumstances change and you decide you cant pay for the car any more, It will depend on the wording in the contract, but I think for some you cant get out part way through

Leasing makes a lot of sense for a lot of people.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:27 pm
 Alex
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Oh and they make money on people being talked into buying 'bridging insurance' and all the other offers at POS you really don't need!


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:28 pm
 br
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Each time we've looked at leasing, we end up either buying on dealer/manufacturer finance or paying cash, doesn't usually work out much more and no mileage restrictions nor worry over wear&tear plus no large lump sum hanging over.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:28 pm
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Leasing makes a lot of sense for a lot of people.

Not me unfortunately. I'd love a flash new car but doing 20,000 miles a year the lease rates become much less attractive...


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:29 pm
 core
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I have a car on a business contract hire agreement.

No deposit, tax paid, 20,000 miles per annum. One service in contract period I have to get done (doesn't have to be main dealer).

£198 per month. 1.6 diesel, does 60mpg on average.

I use £150 - £200 of diesel a month.

Just had to top up adblue at 13,000 miles, £15

I get an average of £370 a month in mileage payments from work.

Free car.

Yes, I could effectively make money with a cheap car I bought outright, but I'd rather have no hassle.

Last car cost me £2.5k in depreciation over 2 years, probably £1k in servicing/repairs/MOT's/rfl. Also only did 35mpg.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:29 pm
 Alex
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Julians point is the right one. Be realistic about mileage. So easy to under-estimate it and get hit with some nasty charges. On personal lease it's way better to be a bit cautious (in case you move further away from school run for example or just don't want to worry about it) because you'll get some of the extra up front cost back on the final balloon payment.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:30 pm
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PS. If I was more cash-rich at the mo I'd be looking at flogging my nine-year-old van while it still retains a lot of its value, replacing with another five or six-year-old model.

No judgement intended on people who drive new cars. Someone needs to own them before me!


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:31 pm
 Alex
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Not me unfortunately. I'd love a flash new car but doing 20,000 miles a year the lease rates become much less attractive...

Interesting. Maybe HP's different. Mine is for 20,000 per year and we worked out what it'd cost to buy one/run it/sell it with 60,000 on versus just basically renting it. There wasn't much in it and buying a car on the company looked like a shed load of hassle (for a company of 2 people!) so we went HP.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:33 pm
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The condition bit when you're handing it back is proper stressful if you're short of cash at the time like we were.

In the end I thought we'd get stung for a couple of hundred quid at least but they were very reasonable, and didn't charge us a penny.

Probably would do it again, but not until the kids are older/we've got some spare cash.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:34 pm
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An interesting thread for me this, living in Holland where new cars are expensive compared to the UK and currently running a 16 year old Defender.

I am starting to look at my options for a car where it doesn't rain on the inside. I have a mileage that I can be certain of and have started saving up for a "new" car, but am currently no where near having enough in the bank to buy one outright.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:35 pm
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I would spend two years worrying about putting a dent in it/ripping the seats with a chainring/someone scratching it with a pushchair etc. and what effect it might have on the hand back value


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:36 pm
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I am on my second lease car, it has been almost completely hassle free. Main reason for this is my wife has more than enough to do when I am away at work without worrying about car trouble ( which used to happen quite a bit in the past with previous decent second hand cars ). It is an expensive way to drive a car, but I regard this expense as a small price to pay for convenience and peice of mind.

One of the reasons it has worked well for us is that I also have an old 4x4 I use for bikes, trips to the woodyard and dump etc, that reduces the wear and tear on the Lease car.

I still have the same uncomfortable feeling that you mention, that something is not quite right about leasing, however the current lease is up in February, and looking around at second hand cars atm.....and I am almost certainly going to lease again.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:37 pm
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Yeti is a step down in space though. I'd go for an Octavia, the new model gets released in Jan, should be able to drive a good deal on the existing one which is a world apart from your current one. (And better looking than the next one tbh.)

You're buying peace of mind, factor that into the cost too.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:40 pm
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I had an excellent deal via my Dad years ago. I paid £200 per month, I got a top spec Peugeot 307 XSi HDi all in - insurance, tax, servicing etc. I only had to pay for fuel. On top of that I had to give it back every 9k miles and they would give me a new one.

At the time I was doing 2k miles per month so every 4 months or so I had a new car. I went through 4 of them before I had to stop. My employer changed their expenses policy and I had to have business travel covered on my insurance which didn't work with the Peugeot deal

So I had to buy my own car after that.

It was cheap @£200/mth, really cheap, but at the end I still didn't have a car despite spending £2.4k pa on a car. So really it depends. I benefitted as I permanently had a new car, they got absolutely caned, and I just handed it back each time. But at the end I didn't have anything

Haven't used lease/finance since


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:40 pm
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no mileage restrictions nor worry over wear and tear

This is always given as a reason not to lease but purchase a car put 20k miles a year and let it get into a scruffy condition and you'll always receive less when you come to sell it than if it was immaculate with half the mileage. You end up paying for it either way.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:42 pm
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The 'cheap' bit of car ownership is from around 3 (as the depreciation starts to slow) to around about 8 (when statistically things start to go wrong more/wear out). So I can see that you can compare the cost of a new lease yeti to a decade old octavia, especially if you've been a bit unlucky.

The lease companies make money as they get a huge huge discount as they buy such volumes. I suspect they may also factor in that they get it back in 2 years and get to sell it is a newish used car then. For main dealers there is much much more profit in newish used sales than in new.

Note that with most lease deals there is no option to buy, it must be handed back.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:43 pm
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[quote=neilnevill ]w.
Note that with most lease deals there is no option to buy, it must be handed back.

I was offered this but costs were almost the same as a new car, new car it was.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:45 pm
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I did it. Picked a yeti up this week. Had a passat that was starting to cost money so got shut. This will cost me what the passat cost me over the last couple of years give or take. Worry free motoring in a top of the range model and the 1.4 goes quite well.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:49 pm
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If i were to buy the Yeti it's about £28k. There's no way I'd sell it after 2 years for more than £23k, so I'm 'quids in' that way.

This the the key bit for me. It's like Black Friday - it's only a bargain if you were going to buy it anyway!


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:51 pm
 timc
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grim168 - Member
Worry free motoring

straight out of the sales mans handbook, who really worries unless they have a banger!??


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:57 pm
 DrP
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True.. I'm at the point of thinking about possibly toying with the idea of a new(er) car anyway...

Hmm...

Might look at 3 yr old yetis and crunch some numbers...
Once you've paid the deposit, £119 IS dirty cheap isn't it!

DrP


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:58 pm
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And to be honest, we all sit here harking on about our crappy old cars and how sensible we are, when I know I've spunked £600 on suspension forks, £150 ona new (unnecessary) brakeset etc etc..
Thing is if you keep the old car then you could pretty much do that [i]every[/i] month. Or have a holiday or whatever. Depends on your priorities
However, the wife quite fancies a white yeti.
You are getting a white yetl 😛


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 4:59 pm
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I think the cheapest option is to buy at 3 years and run for as long as you can. It's not comparable to a lease, though as you've got quite an old car at the end of your ownership that is pretty low in value and potentially unreliable.

I like the idea of owning a car (I do own one anyhow!) but it's a depreciating asset, so ownership isn't necessarily the be-all and end-all.

I think it really comes down to how much value you place on reliability. I absolutely demand it, so I think I'll get a PCP deal next (provided my current motor lasts 3 years).

What I won't ever do again is take a loan out for a second hand car. Bad move!


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:15 pm
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I think it really comes down to how much value you place on reliability.

Pretty much this really. I always run older cars, and feel like I'm saving money because I'm not spending something every month .. the actual economics may be a bit closer than I like to think, especially with modern diesels.
May well go to a lease next year for the 'family' car, if I can chop in the current one as deposit. One problem too many with it.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:23 pm
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Timely thread this.

My company lease car goes back tomorrow and I'm being forced off the car policy and onto an allowance scheme. I've been agonising over the same thing as the OP, and whether it's a sensible thing to do or completely reckless and foolhardy.

I was looking at a PCP deal, but it's like double the price of a lease per month - North of £400/month. The problem I've got with leasing though is finding the deposit (and the fact I'm stuck with the repayments if I lose my job I suppose).

As it is I've got a stay of execution, I'm in a pool car for a few months as of tomorrow.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:33 pm
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I went through this at the start of the year. My wife had a Mini Cooper S that we bought at 5 years old and had owned for three. It had a few reliability issues, so decided it was time for a change. My wife doesn't so massive miles, but needs a reliable car for work. I worked out what the Mini had cost us per month (including depreciation) over the three years and set that figure as a maximum for a lease price (including the deposit). Ended up getting a really good lease deal on a well specced Peugeot 208GTI for less than the Mini had cost us per month, plus it is under warranty for the contract so no unexpected bills. The fact it is 8 years newer means it is a much nicer car to spend time in compared to the Mini. Not for everyone, but it works for us.

I have had PCP cars for the past 10 years or so. I have taken them as an option rather than company cars, so was fairly relaxed about the 'it's a hire car' part of having a lease car.

Edited to add: There are a lot of expensive lease deals out there, you need to shop around and be flexible on the car you want to get the best deal.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:46 pm
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I'm still debating over this following my recent car rental thread. The thing I don't like about the hire would be having to find a £2500 deposit every 2/3 years. That alone makes the monthly amount £100 more each month if you want to set aside money for that deposit. That puts it more on a par with PCP finance deals where I'd at least have an option to buy it.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:50 pm
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Cougar, that is pretty much the set up I have with my work car. I took out a PCP deal on a 6 months old Audi, which worked out a lot cheaper than having the same car as a company car. Only one month deposit up front. It works if your mileage is low, once it get over 25k a year it makes less sense.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:50 pm
 DrP
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So pcp gives the option to buy?
Could pcp and NOT buying ever be cheaper?? Hmm...

DrP


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:54 pm
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I was in this quandary lately.

I was fed up with years of "bangernomics" vehicles and wanted something more reliable.

I disliked the idea of leasing a new car and never really owning it, having mileage restrictions etc.

So I took out a personal loan of £9k and bought a new Dacia outright.

All the advantages of a new car, none of the disadvantages of contract hire. But it is a Dacia!


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 5:56 pm
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Dr P, interesting....
I've been toying with these PCH deals for a few weeks and I really can't see a downside - some of the 'specials' that come up are amazing.
But as a Victorian Dad I still struggle with the concept; it seems 'dirty' somehow to not own the car outright!
Slowly, surely I'm coming round to the opinion that I'll probably go for something like this when I next change cars and I reckon it'll save me money.
I think one factor to consider regarding 'how can they do it', is that the car stays within the Skoda group at the end of the deal, so second hand prices can be controlled more easily. Keep us posted.....


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:02 pm
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I think these threads are a great way for me to understand the car market, So here's some lease questions

If I lease a car for 2 years then what happens if

1. It's stolen? Do they insure it or do I. Do I have to worry about the dreaded gap

2. Does the warranty cover all repairs or just the notorious "defects in manafacture"

3. What happens with damage, broken springs, dented wings etc?

Thanks

John


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:04 pm
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Could pcp and NOT buying ever be cheaper?? Hmm...

It depends on the final value offered by the finance company. They have to guess what the car will be worth in 3 years time. In my experience that figure can vary by a fair bit. The difference is reflected in the monthly payments. Most dealer schemes will have a low final figure so that you have £1,000+ in equity in the car, which you can then use as a deposit towards a new one. Going away from dealer finance you tend to get higher final figures, with lower monthly payments - although you often don't get the same incentives.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:09 pm
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This is something I've thought about on and off for years.

We've always bought a 3yr old car for 10k and run it for around 10 years, then traded in and got another.

I did some work at a vehicle leasing company and it opened my eyes to the possibility of leasing one. The most desirable models are the best value as depreciation is lowest.
If you do go that route factor in £150 for a chips away and proper valet before you hand it back (advice from the leasing guys who go look at them) You'll get no additional charges for sure where those that look tatty usually do.

They may offer for you to buy the car at the end - leasing companies love to sell to the person who leased (top money for them), dealers second (for desirable models), auction for the least desirable.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:14 pm
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straight out of the sales mans handbook, who really worries unless they have a banger!??

By the sound of it, anyone who has a Vag group car that's just out of warranty...

Given they've only had one oil change in 20k miles, I don't blame them!


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:16 pm
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ampthill
1. You insure the car. I have had a PCP car stolen, the insurance claim was the same as normal. It is worth getting GAP insurance to cover the difference between insurance payout and the outstanding finance. GAP insurance is about 150 for the term of a PCP or lease policy. Depending on the lease or PCP you need to confirm with your insurance company that you don't own the car - although I don't think everyone does this.

2. It is the normal manufacturers warranty on a new car, which should cover most things. You are treated as if you bought the car for cash. The deals normally include breakdown cover too.

3. You are liable for that sort of damage. The way I view it is if I own the car I would pay to put damage right, so it makes no difference if I have to give the car back at some stage.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:17 pm
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crosshair » Don't forget the mileage and condition restrictions. They will examine it with some kind of nuclear microscope afterwards and foot you with a bill for repairs only second to touching up a scratch on the international space station.
When they collected my last lease car chap walked round it looked inside briefly and asked me to sign his PDA device that everything was ok and mileage was correct. All done in under 5 mins

This, pretty much. Some inspectors use iPads to take photos of the cars, but it depends on who's doing the leasing.
VAG, BMW, Mercedes and, amazingly, Toyota, all have their cars inspected by a separate inspector, but not every car gets that treatment. Some, along with pretty much every other leased car, will get a check-over by the driver tasked with picking the car up and delivering it to wherever it's required to be.
This is what I do. I pitch up at wherever the car happens to be, spend about fifteen-twenty minutes giving it a check over, marking any issues on a form, mostly ticking boxes and indicating on a diagram, it gets signed off by the person leasing the car then I drive it away.
It can be very interesting going to the auctions and seeing the sort of prices that cars can fetch.
[edit] Just checked tomorrow's job sheets, and I've got a Mazda 6 and a Mini Countryman to pick up, both are being inspected before I take them away. Which is nice and easy for me, I just make a note of the mileage and go.
Piece of piss, really! 😀


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:34 pm
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Have discussed this with wife/friends/family recently.

I reckoned up our Volvo has cost us upto this point £1500 per year in depreciation,servicing and parts. Its now worth <£1000 so is bottomed out depreciation wise, the longer I can keep it going the lower its average annual cost.

Paying someone else to spanner it however would increase the costs level with leasing.

The other option my mate takes is to buy the cheapest most undesirable barge available, very occasional oil change if they are lucky and run till they explode. His long suffering Vectra died and he replaced it with the Kia below, 67k miles, mint condition, full KIA SH, all mots present, recent new Bosch battery and exhaust, brown leather steering wheel cover in the boot! £400.
I checked it out for him and it was good, has been fine in the month since. Scrap value is £70 so it effectively cost him £330.

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Posted : 08/12/2016 6:38 pm
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the Kia below, 67k miles, full KIA SH, all mots present, recent new Bosch battery and exhaust, brown leather steering wheel cover in the boot! £400.

Superb value, but was he parking it round the back of his work out of shame when he took that pic?


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:42 pm
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There's a lot to be said for RNP's mate's route. A car like that Kia is going to be pretty reliable for some years to come, and for an outlay of £400, well, difficult to find an argument against it.
Other than there's a decided lack of excitement about it...


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:46 pm
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If you have an interest in cars other than it is just a means of A to B then the KIA/undesirable banger route isn't for you.
However if you want a vehicle that you absolutely do not care a single iota about then it is a very liberating way of owning cars.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:54 pm
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Thanks Jason

Other than there's a decided lack of excitement about it...

Au Contraire

Every day in Kia Picanto feels like I'm filming an episodoe of a Top Gear Challenge.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:55 pm
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member of the family does RNPs mates approach .

I wont travel any distance in any of his previous cars as i always believe ill be pushing it home.

Was gifted an old motor when we needed a second car many moons ago and he had just bought a new one - he had had it 7 years and 100k miles. never had an oil change and ran like a bag of spanners+ front suspension was colapsed.

Pretty much went straight to the scrappers after i had it on the ramp for a gander.

I do as RNP does. Was in the garage looking at an 8 grand berlingo the other day while enquiring about some shims for valve clearance adjustment .... its nice but id rather 8 grand in the bank.... and i look after my motor so would have no qualms about driving to the south of france (after ive done the timing belt , waterpump and valve clearances on monday )

although i accept that if it was a normal person paying for this work it would have been scrapped long ago.....


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 6:59 pm
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if you want a vehicle that you absolutely do not care a single iota about then it is a very liberating way of owning cars.

As a previous owner of a Fiat Regatta and an 18-year-old gold Cavalier, I fully support this approach. Just couldn't resist the gag.

🙂


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:00 pm
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I`d love to lease , but to have someone walk round it with a clipboard and pen after Mrs S has used it for two years could leave the family bankrupt! Shame as its never her fault 🙂


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:02 pm
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ah yes the complete beater. i had this in my frontera. It was a monster and cost nothing in trade for a cooked golf....

still wouldnt have driven it anywhere. on paper the worst car i ever owned in the real world it was brilliant.... sometimes you just get em... If i set out to buy a frontera tomorrow i probably couldnt buy one as reliable as that one was.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:03 pm
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I challenged the finance guy asking how do they make money? If i were to buy the Yeti it's about £28k. There's no way I'd sell it after 2 years for more than £23k, so I'm 'quids in' that way.

Its because the £28k RRP is artificially inflated to make finance seem an attractive option.

Its been going on for years - the car manufacturers have colluded to make it so.

If you want VFM motoring, buy something unfashionable at 3 years old for peanuts and run into the ground. Take their PCP incentives and pay the finance off straight away.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:10 pm
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People on STW do get their pants in a twist about paying for cars.

It's not hard: on almost* all cars you pay for depreciation during your period of possession. So decide how much you are happy to pay over your chosen period of possession and crack on: cash buy, HP, PCP, PCH.

Then determine your risk appetite for known and unknown costs during that period and aim for used/new as appropriate.

As for mileage/handback checks - PCH and PCP are just the same on this. But just think of excess mileage charges as additional depreciation on your cash-bought car. And wear and tear costs are just the same.

The rest is just simple maths.

*Yes, we're still in the midst of a massive classic car bubble right now.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:20 pm
 rone
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We have that yeti on that deal. No need to buy at these prices.

Lease companies buy in bulk and do smart things with VAT.

It's a myth about hand backs. There is a very reasonable code of conduct. We've never had any problems. Everyone just covers their arses.

Unless you are complete slob in which case your own car would suffer relevant depreciation.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:23 pm
 rone
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We test drove a 1.2 TSi (one point two!!). That's a cracking engine - the 1.4 tsi is meant to be great

We have both engines in two Yetis. I don't like the 1.4tsi. It sounds rougher and doesn't seem as urgent as the 1.2tsi. It's a lot less frugal too.

The 1.4tsi l&k has lot of good toys though. Panoramic window is nice as is self parking etc.

However I have the 1.2tsi DSG SEL and it is the least fatigue inducing drive I ever had. That will always be it's best attribute. That was £109 a month. The L&K was 135. Also 4x4 on that model.

My extra milage is 3ppm.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:53 pm
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Every day in Kia Picanto feels like I'm filming an episodoe of a Top Gear Challenge.

😆 😆 😆

We too looked at leases and PCP twice in two years.
With higher miles, too costly.
With family, bikes and canoes, too risky.
I'm yet to regret an older car.

I've never run newer than 3 years old, or less than 35k. Usually North of 10 years and 100k.

As Trail Rat says - keep an eye out and on top of servicing, and a car is unlikely to suddenly fail these days. My old car may cost £1k/yr in servicing - but a lease or loan repayments are waaaay more than that. And I would rather spend the difference on bikes and holidays, even if I could afford newer or lease.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 7:53 pm
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I bought a 3yr old yeti for 10k intend to keep it for a long time so works out better for me. Servicing and repairs arent a big worry or expense as its my day job. Leasing id off leased for 3yrs and would either need to start a new lease or pay the balance to own the car. This way im left with a yeti in what ever condition its in after 3 yrs hauling bikes about while not having to care about dings and dirt. Spending how ever many years paying out and having to care for a car thats not mine because i might be penalised for it would also do my tits in.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 8:06 pm
 hora
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The downsides of a lease:

Have a crash, even if its not your fault. The lease company will seek the shortfall between payout and their perceived value based on their calculations at that (earlier than expected) point.

You lose your job 3months into a 24month lease? Guess who will want the 21months montly payments still.

Lots of lease/manufacturers are great with handback clauses, some go through your car very carefully. I had a great chat with a Manheim auctions appraiser who came to pick up my main dealer Citroen lease car. He said I was very much a rarity at handback. The stone chips that require a full bonnet respray clause surprised me the most on their clauses.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 8:16 pm
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It does < 10km a year, it's a nice car to drive

I think I would probably just walk if I was doing less than 30 metres a day.

Even if the car was really nice to drive 😆


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 8:43 pm
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We've had two Yetis on lease one after the other paying just under £5k for each two year lease. Sent them back without a penny to pay in damages, even with the last one having a car park door 'ding' in one door. The only costs we paid were one service and two new front tyres which were cheap Chinese ones at about £100 for the pair. Much cheap motoring!

The lease co pays much less than we would for the car, obtains cheap finance and aims to sell them on at a decent price to the trade.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 9:53 pm
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Much [s]cheap[/s] fixed cost motoring!

its not cheap.

Ive been looking and swithering on wether to replace the mighty blingo with something newer and more "reliable" as people put it .

im struggling with what makes a new car more trust worthy "reliable" than my old jalopy.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 10:01 pm
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I find once all wear items are replace and so long as corrosion isn't a problem your good for a few years relarively trouble free motoring.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 10:21 pm
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Well that's it isn't it.

My berlingo = triggers broom 🙂

It's hard a hard life but equally it never wants it's had the bits it needs when it needs. I don't tolerate storage noises long.i m still only into it for 2500 and it's pretty much a new car as far as brakes suspension tires bearings in my ownership.

8k pays for the base van for our camper so I think we will be running the bingo a bit longer.


 
Posted : 08/12/2016 11:00 pm
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Me and a mate at work have this conversation.

He's had a long line of top spec Audis and BMW's on lease and I've generally had boggo cars bought as ex demos.
He makes the point that cars are not worth owning and your better of renting them but we both know thats just an excuse to own a fancy cars because it makes him happy.

I honestly don't think theres a right and wrong. He gets a nicer car to drive around in and has done for many years whilst I get the confidence of owning something regardless of monthly payments and also this year get to give my son quite a nice car.


 
Posted : 09/12/2016 12:19 am
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[quote=DrP ]Once you've paid the deposit, £119 IS dirty cheap isn't it!

Well if you're going to fiddle the figures. In reality it's actually £219 a month if you include that.

[quote=ourmaninthenorth ]People on STW do get their pants in a twist about paying for cars.
It's not hard: on almost* all cars you pay for depreciation during your period of possession. So decide how much you are happy to pay over your chosen period of possession and crack on: cash buy, HP, PCP, PCH.
...
The rest is just simple maths.

Of course - it just seems that people leasing are reluctant to do the maths properly. Bought my current car 4 years ago, the total amount I've spent including an expected DMF replacement, tyres, MOTs etc. is about £130 a month on the basis of having paid for the total depreciation if it was worth nothing now (and of course it's actually still a fully functional 8yo car which has been totally reliable - I'm still way off bangernomics). I appreciate people place a value on having a brand new car, but I could buy a blingy bike with what I've saved over leasing.


 
Posted : 09/12/2016 1:12 am
 rone
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Of course - it just seems that people leasing are reluctant to do the maths properly.

Unfair. I find its the inability of the used car brigade to compare like for like that's the issue.

It's a new car. That's your benchmark. I've had lots of used cars - some have been cheap some have been disasters. But none of them started life box fresh.

Enjoy driving your 8yr old car I won't convince you otherwise .


 
Posted : 09/12/2016 6:50 am
 rone
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Have a crash, even if its not your fault. The lease company will seek the shortfall between payout and their perceived value based on their calculations at that (earlier than expected) point

Gap 40 quid a year. And you really don't need it the first year of a lease as most insurers will pay for new.


 
Posted : 09/12/2016 6:56 am
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Surprised from reading this thread how common car leasing is vs PCP. I have recently signed up to my first ever PCP after many years of a Company Car. Now going onto a car allowance and didn't really investigate leasing in much detail...

Quite happy with the deal on a 4 yr, 20k miles per annum PCP with low deposit, but must compare what a lease would be...


 
Posted : 09/12/2016 6:56 am
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