My Daily Driver is a lease also, the mrs' Mitsi FTO had a terminal MOT so we ended up left with only My L200 to commute the 50 mile round trip daily (Bus was in for long term work), it was costing £50+ a week in Diesel. We went for a Citroen Cactus purely down to the Fuel Economy, 97 MPG according to the specs, not sure what it is in reality but we did 1200 miles on the first £60 of diesel, so with what I'm saving in fuel makes the monthly payments easily manageable. We didn't have to find a stupid deposit either, first month payment was the deposit. I've only ever owned VW's or Mitsubishis in the past, so going to Citroen was a bit weird, but its a two year lease, you can put up with anything for two years I reckon.
Each to their own I guess, had it for 2 months so far and have no complaints but I can't remember a single hire car I've ever liked.
I like French cars, I think they are better than the bad rep they get. Most people haven't owned one but still slag them off. 1200 miles £60 - I don't so 1200 in 3 months, cheap car to run.
To be fair to me I've owned 1 and probably hired 50+. In most cases the bad rep is pretty bang on! (Although my Saxo VTS back in the day was "great")
I had a 307 sw before my current car, was a great car however it felt a bit agricultural compared to my vbolvo!
I've owned a couple of French cars, I still have a box somewhere containing all the bits that fell off
I like the sound of this finance stuff, it grabs me as really cheap car hire which is good. Do you have balloon payments and deposits though?
No, just a monthly payment on mine, its more than most quoted here at £200 but its the highest spec model available and my mileage has to be stupid, as long as you can get accept that you'll never own it, and it has to go back after the term, personal lease is OK. Basically the lease company get 3-5k off you for 2 years, then get the car back, its depreciated about 1.5-3k, so they're quids in, they buy on a huge bulk direct from the manufacturer so get a decent discount, they also get a kickback of the finance companies. Most of the best deals are on cars that in 2-3 years have a good resale value.
Its worth looking in to, it was good for me personally, I had no deposit and couldn't see the value in a £300 a month payment on a car for 3 years that I then have to find £7k to keep, Im not going to have £7k in 3 years so I would end up with another credit agreement on another car I won't actually own. I've always had old cars, bought cheap, ran till they died, spending loads of money keeping them ticking over, this way I get a newer car, for a flat monthly payment and just admit in advance that I can't afford to keep it, so in two years it goes back, and if it works, I start again.
We run an BMW E61 520D Estate, love the car, fast, smooth, roomy, well equipped, safe & handles well. It does well over 50mpg on a run, a full tank is good for the best part of 700 miles ! These cars are superb value for money at 4 to 5 years old roughly the same price as a poorly built bad to drive new French city car! You can always but a warranty to protect you from major repair costs if this a big concern. All comes down to what you would rather drive I guess, but a forty grand BMW for under £10k with another 10 years in it makes me smile
This costs me £200 per month + I took the service plan which is an additional £30pm. I wouldn't get that again. I've got about 10 months left. Unless I get a bloody good deal I doubt I'll get another, electrics are pants. It's been back far more times than I can remember. I've not had to pay but it's hassle taking it, collecting it etc.
Stupid things. Head rest stop going up/down x2 Door handle lights x 5 Radio cuts out as doesn't switch from DAB to FM Key stopped working so needed new key. Boot liner broke and crapped it's parts everywhere. I'm sure there's lots more but can't remember it all now. Waiting to go back for acoustic glass to be fitted. Apart from silly things it's a lovely car and drives well goes like a rocket. Road tax £30 so there's not much not to like. Even the lack of decent MPG's don't really bother us, currently getting about 40 around town 60 on a motorway.
How do you get that for 200 quid a month. I need a work van and basic transits are £170 / plus vat. Am I looking in the wrong place?
I got a great deal as a friend cousin worked for Mercedes Oxford. Now left and sells Bentleys/Maserati's so who knows what happens next... + its first year re shaped model so I think Benz was allowing better discounts than normal. Only problem is that I get to iron out all the issues. I rekon its been back for a total of 6+ weeks in total so far.