Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I would be looking at something petrol and probably Japanese. Too many cars now have highly strung sewing machine engines that appear to last the life of the warranty(just) before killing themselves.
Car help
- Thread starter chrisd
- Start date
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
I wouldn't go too small, Chris.
A lot of the small hatchbacks have naff all legroom in the back, although if Mrs D is driving I suspect the seat will be forward a bit.
Love my Cactus - Focus size, 16 months, 60mpg and 30k with no problems even with the kids bearing the hell out of it.
Big boot, loadsa room, easy to drive.
They do a smallish petrol (1.2?) which goes quite well, as well as the diesels...
I'm getting another one when the lease runs out in October.
What makes are you talking about?
I've had mostly German diesels that have all done over 150K miles without a hiccup.
chrisd
Major Champion
Cheers again guys, plenty to research there
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Up till now I have also had German based diesel engines. The sewing machine engines I am talking about are these 1.2 ish petrol units in cars far to big for them.
SocketRocket
Ryder Cup Winner
It has been through the normal Nissan uglification process and passed as level 3 minging. Normal electric car advanced features: Dont go far if you want to get back the same day, lots of gory instrumentation to tell you to drive slower and down hill where possible. Probably need a battery change after a few years at around £5000. Cost about the same as a nice real car. I'm thinking of getting one
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Leftie
Tour Winner
Worried about her spending too much on the car and not enough on your dinners then Chris????
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Lovely car to drive Chris, and about as cheap to run as you can get.
Initial 1st and 2nd year depreciation is horrendous (with a capital H) so you can pick up a bargain if you shop around.
Don't worry about battery life. No reports so far of duff batteries despite plenty of them being used as taxi's with over 150k on the clock and being charged up/run down constantly.
The only complaints I ever got when selling them were regarding charging stations being out of action. Plenty of reports of people being stranded miles from home due to it.
As long as your wife is driving locally, and you get a home charger installed (not absolutely necessary because if you have a spare 3 pin socket in the garage you can charge one from that) she'll be fine.
I sold one to a local GP who's driving is literally around Bexhill/Hastings. She is still over the moon with it, and says its the best car she has ever owned.
She'll charge up overnight on a Sunday and her full charge will cover all her short trips for the week. For that type of scenario it's as perfect a car as you can get.
Don't listen to all the naysayers. They haven't a clue. The ONLY things to watch out for are as I say, initial depreciation and dodgy charging points.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Have you driven a "modern" smaller engined car? Allied to a 6 speed gearbox (which most of them are now coming with) they are turning over at something like 2,000 rpm at motorway speeds. Hardly "highly strung sewing machines".... I'd rather be sitting in one of those than an old 1600 spinning at over 3,000 at 70 sounding like it needs another gear.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Nope, and don't intend to. I'm just going on what a few mechanic friends have said about the new breed of highly stressed small engines stuck in cars too big for the, just to meet emissions targets in a lab.
chrisd
Major Champion
Cheers Rob, as always great facts and unbiased
I can get a 14 plate with charger for 10k, I need to check which spec but it's not the base model?
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Base model is Visia mate. Next one up is Acenta (I think) and top of the range is Tekna.
If you decide to go down the Leaf route let me know. I still have a very good mate who works at SLM Nissan and he might (might) be able to help before you make a decision.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
One thing to think about and check is the batteries and whether you're owning them or leasing them and whether your insurance covers them in the event of theft or loss.
My wife works in the car insurance field, and has seen issues arise whereby an electric car is written off but the batteries aren't covered and the owner was left having to suffer the loss on the batteries.
My wife works in the car insurance field, and has seen issues arise whereby an electric car is written off but the batteries aren't covered and the owner was left having to suffer the loss on the batteries.
chrisd
Major Champion
You're a star Rob. She "Who must be obeyed" is considering the idea!!
She does about 5k a year and currently driving a high spec Toyora IQ but with the grand children growing it's hard to get us all in the car, especially with their booster seats. I reckon the largest part of the depreciation has gone on a 2/3 year old model and it's a very economic way to run a 2nd car
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
If the batteries are "leased" I can see that being a problem. But in all my years of selling Leaf I never sold one on a battery lease. Everybody just bought them with the batteries. So that shouldn't be a problem as they are an integral part of the car
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Idea scenario for an electric vehicle Chris. Is she okay in an automatic????
chrisd
Major Champion
Hers is auto
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I hear you, I'm am just repeating what the wife says(and she deals with complaints....so very much at the consequence end), it is a growing problem.
chrisd
Major Champion
Almost all the Leaf's are with sold batteries, and with an 8 year battery warranty it would be daft imo to lease the batteries
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I don't disagree, and the Leaf isn't the only electric car out there.
Just trying to help.......
