Downgrading- suggestions for smaller engine/family car?

selfbuildache

I need a cheaper car to tax and to run!
Currently driving a Verso, 2ltr diesel. I love it but think I can do cheaper?
So, am looking to spend €6000 ish (presuming I sell the '05 Verso for more than this.)
Would love to keep the big boot (kids) - h/b or estate wanted but also want to keep the engine size down for tax purposes. Is this possible and/or practical as I travel between Dublin and Galway a bit with the kids?
What suggestions do people have?

166man

Realistically with that budget the smallest diesel engine in a larger car you will get would be a 1.6 and even that has road tax of €445 so you would save €150 by changing in road tax. Spending €6000 to save €150 a year and get a few more MPG from another car is hardly worth it in my opinion.

Also add to the fact that you know your own car well enough, i.e the service history and how it's been maintained. You could end up selling a perfectly good car and end up with a lemon. If the Toyota serves you well I wouldn't change.

Selling an 05 diesel that suits your needs to save on running costs isn't a runner really, mpg will be hard to beat in a family car spending €6000. Best to keep the Verso and suffer the tax me thinks.

mathepac

I'm inclined to agree with other posters that at first glance changing your safe, solid, reliable, if somewhat boring Verso for something with lower road tax and better mpg seems like false economy. The Verso is one of the better family load-luggers in its class IMHO.

What does the car cost you anually / weekly (exclude depreciation as this can be anything you decide)? What MPG do you get overall? What are the maintenance & tyre costs like?

selfbuildache

Thanks so much for replies! Especially as it eases my guilt a bit. Wasn't sure I could justify the tax (in my ignorance when I bought the car I thought that 'cos it was diesel the tax wouldn't be as high.:o)
The car was a big upgrade when I bought it and is very reliable. I get it serviced regularly so it's never really let me down.

the smallest diesel engine in a larger car you will get would be a 1.6

Yeah, but if I get petrol, I can get a smaller cc/same power/lower tax??

mathepac wrote: »

What does the car cost you anually / weekly (exclude depreciation as this can be anything you decide)? What MPG do you get overall? What are the maintenance & tyre costs like?

I put around €300 diesel into it per mth. (Live rurally. Drive everywhere.) Tyre costs = €100 ish a pop and I do seem to go through them a bit.
And - more embarassment here - how do you work out MPG??:o
(I had a look at the digital readings today on a typical run into town and the computer told me I was doing an average of 38MPG. Have no idea if this is good/true or really what the hell I was reading, so advice (even if with rolling eyes) would be appreciated.
If the car is not drinking money/diesel on me, then I'll suck in the tax and look at something else to save some money... thanks again

mathepac

Read the odometer or set the trip meter to zero.

Fill diesel tank to the brim (or as close as you can with all that foam)

Drive around until you need more diesel.

Read odometer / trip-meter.

Fill car with diesel as above.

You now have the distance travelled and the amount of fuel needed to travel that distance. Do a few simple sums and you have mpg or kms / litre.

"Simplez, ne c'est pas?" as the say in Bodyke.

If your instant read-out fuel consumption computer is accurate (they can be hit and miss) 38 /40 mpg on a country run is pretty damn good. No rolly eyes; I'm much too old and mature for that kind of nonsense.

selfbuildache

Thanks! Confidence rising - just did all that today (thought there must be a fancier way of doing things!) so as long as I remember to check in a few days, I'll be good to go. Interesting, after all these years driving, that a feckin' recession has me finally trying to understand the economics of my car...

Nissan doctor

selfbuildache wrote: »

Thanks! Confidence rising - just did all that today (thought there must be a fancier way of doing things!) so as long as I remember to check in a few days, I'll be good to go. Interesting, after all these years driving, that a feckin' recession has me finally trying to understand the economics of my car...

A 1.6 petrol will not be any more economical in an MPV then a 2.0 Diesel and may, in fact be the opposite. Even a 1.6 Diesel would be marginally more economical at best. So in reality, all your going to be saving(assuming the new car only costs you what you sell the verso for) is €169 a year in tax. You could save more then that a year by driving more economically, removing any junk from the boot, switching off the A/C, making sure your tyre pressures are always perfect etc etc.

selfbuildache

Nice one! Thanks for that. I already drive 'economically' as you mentioned so I feel a bit better about that. I really didn't want to go about the hassle of changing the car as it really is very reliable and as you can see, because I know so little I'm always nervous of buying a dud, as a previous poster mentioned...

selfbuildache

Thanks to all who replied. I've just gone and taxed my car for 6 months, so we're committed. Now, I just gotta hope it's not drinking fuel -
mathepac - I'm still doing the maths!
Cheers.

mathepac

selfbuildache wrote: »

... Now, I just gotta hope it's not drinking fuel - mathepac - I'm still doing the maths! ...

That'll keep you away from the telly for the Christmas. If all else fails, ask the kids.

Now I can reveal the evil plot.

Inda Kinny paid me to con as many people as possible into driving huge, wasteful, high-tax cars "for the good of the country", I just had to do it. And yes, I am that advisor that got a €35k pay-rise.

barura

selfbuildache wrote: »

Thanks to all who replied. I've just gone and taxed my car for 6 months, so we're committed. Now, I just gotta hope it's not drinking fuel -
mathepac - I'm still doing the maths!
Cheers.

Thank goodness people like you are around to listen to sound advice!

BlackWizard

There is something really refreshing and nice about this thread