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Car buying
Am thinking quite seriously about buying a car again. I am becoming less enthuastic about cycling in this weather and it's only autumn - we've not yet reached winter/properly dark mornings. I don't (whatever the 'ought to's are) see this changing. And what's happening at the minute is that I'm taking cabs to and from work a lot, which means I'm tied to ordering a cab for a specific time and leaving at that time (assuming the company can supply me with one when I want one).
Stuff I want to know about cars:
Am I right in thinking that finance deals offered by car selling places are generally very bad value and that it's better to borrow money elsewhere and pay cash?
Is it possible to pay for a car on a credit card?
How long should I expect to be able to keep a car in good working order for? If I buy a car now should I be expecting to replace it in 5/10 years time?
What's the best trade off between cars made in the UK and cars made elsewhere with expensive replacement parts? ie. how do I weigh up the expense of replacement parts vs. potentially greater reliability?
I see road fund duty is for cars after 2001 based on CO2 emissions with a different table for 2001-2009 cars and a new one for post 2010 cars. How much emphasis should I put on low CO2 emissions vs. other stuff? We can't predict govt policy, but would it be reasonable to assume that the trend towards taxing the more polluting cars more heavily will continue and thus buying something with low emissions is a good plan? [trying to give that appropriate weight vs. the attempt at making myself feel less bad for joining the car owning masses 'cos 'my car doesn't cause much pollution']
What is good performance in terms of miles per gallon?
What is best practice in terms of winter/summer tyres? Can you buy snow chains in the UK? What other sorts of safety equipment belong in a car [on my list already: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, hammer for breaking windows/seatbelt slicing, jack, spare tyre, flourescent jacket, kitchen roll]
What's your magic piece of equipment in a car? [context: I'm trying to think about what sort of things I should think about asking a garage to fit before I buy a car from them - I don't know what sorts of things these might be - maybe strategically placed drinks holders? hands free kit? etc]
Stuff I want to know about cars:
Am I right in thinking that finance deals offered by car selling places are generally very bad value and that it's better to borrow money elsewhere and pay cash?
Is it possible to pay for a car on a credit card?
How long should I expect to be able to keep a car in good working order for? If I buy a car now should I be expecting to replace it in 5/10 years time?
What's the best trade off between cars made in the UK and cars made elsewhere with expensive replacement parts? ie. how do I weigh up the expense of replacement parts vs. potentially greater reliability?
I see road fund duty is for cars after 2001 based on CO2 emissions with a different table for 2001-2009 cars and a new one for post 2010 cars. How much emphasis should I put on low CO2 emissions vs. other stuff? We can't predict govt policy, but would it be reasonable to assume that the trend towards taxing the more polluting cars more heavily will continue and thus buying something with low emissions is a good plan? [trying to give that appropriate weight vs. the attempt at making myself feel less bad for joining the car owning masses 'cos 'my car doesn't cause much pollution']
What is good performance in terms of miles per gallon?
What is best practice in terms of winter/summer tyres? Can you buy snow chains in the UK? What other sorts of safety equipment belong in a car [on my list already: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, hammer for breaking windows/seatbelt slicing, jack, spare tyre, flourescent jacket, kitchen roll]
What's your magic piece of equipment in a car? [context: I'm trying to think about what sort of things I should think about asking a garage to fit before I buy a car from them - I don't know what sorts of things these might be - maybe strategically placed drinks holders? hands free kit? etc]
no subject
Am I right in thinking that finance deals offered by car selling places are generally very bad value and that it's better to borrow money elsewhere and pay cash? Yes, very much so. Search around for your best rate before going it (and remember that if you are waving cash in their face they should be giving you something extra too)
Is it possible to pay for a car on a credit card? Probably not, although theoretically yes. I put some of the cost of my first car on a card but they wouldn't take the full payment that way, mainly because they pay a fair bit to the cc company. (see first q&a!)
How long should I expect to be able to keep a car in good working order for? If I buy a car now should I be expecting to replace it in 5/10 years time? My first car lasted nine years from brand new before the problems got bad enough to scrap it; my current car is 13yo (might be 14 actually) and is still in great running order. Like all things this is mostly dependent on how much you use the vehicle (think in miles rather than months) and how you drive it (heavy on clutch/brakes wears things out faster).
What's the best trade off between cars made in the UK and cars made elsewhere with expensive replacement parts? ie. how do I weigh up the expense of replacement parts vs. potentially greater reliability? Reviews, mostly. My first car was a Renault and mid-price for parts, current one is japanese (Mazda) and more expensive parts but I haven't needed any that often (indeed it went for six years without any servicing with no ill effects). Cheaper cars (eg massmarket Ford, GM) have cheaper parts and servicing *and tyres* but may have more problems.
How much emphasis should I put on low CO2 emissions vs. other stuff? We can't predict govt policy, but would it be reasonable to assume that the trend towards taxing the more polluting cars more heavily will continue and thus buying something with low emissions is a good plan? at some point the level of CO2 emissions will not be sufficient to differentiate the tax with - it only works while there is a large difference due to cars staying on the road. I'd look at mpg as the more important figure ...
What is good performance in terms of miles per gallon? Whatever figures you see listed, ignore them as they are unrealistic. We each drive differently and use cars in individual ways. My mpg on long-distance journeys (motorways) can be half as much again as in town, for instance. Point is, as above, the cost per litre of fuel is way more expensive than car tax or servicing or the other costs which having a car gives rise to. Also, where diesel used to be seen to be cheaper than petrol (and LPG is now) those respective levels are likely to change. The Government makes the most money from fuel sales and that won't stop. Expect to see 'car tax' reduce as a direct figure and be replaced by yet higher increases in fuel tax. (The reason car tax has lasted so long is that it is alleged to be a simple way to ensure that cars are insured at the time they are re-taxed. That need / test has now almost disappeared as all tax and insurance records are now computerised and connected, with easy access for the police)
What is best practice in terms of winter/summer tyres? Can you buy snow chains in the UK? What other sorts of safety equipment belong in a car [on my list already: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, hammer for breaking windows/seatbelt slicing, jack, spare tyre, flourescent jacket, kitchen roll] We don't have weather that ranges wide enough to worry too much about tyre types like that. You probably can get snow chains but, again, unless you are driving in the Cairngorm you won't need them (I've *never* seen them on any car in this country, and only very rarely abroad, even in Scandinavia). To your list I'd add (i) pair of shoes (if you are wearing heels and need to get under the car - as I have in the past! - slipping into something flat is helpful), (ii) cheap boiler suit (ditto - about £15 in halfords), (iii) stand-alone air pump/jump-start battery (lifesaver!). You left off torch, btw.
What's your magic piece of equipment in a car? Apart from the battery/air thing, the CD player. I'm not a believer in in-car navigation things as I think you should use maps and know where you are going before you set out!