Economical car for doing food deliveries

ben36

Any recommendations for a low cost(under 4k)economical car for doing delivering takeaway food.Currently using a focus saloon 1.4 and is costing me between €20-€25 a night on petrol,i average around 100km a night doing about 30-40 stops a night 5 nights a week

ba_barabus

All the delivery guys around here drive Micra's, Starlets and Corolla.

Cheap and disposable.

Otherwise a small van maybe?

MuppetCheck

To be fair nothing is going to be great on juice with that sort of usage. Short of getting a Moped you'll be as well served by the Focus as you would by most other cars.

Rabbo

Surely you'd be better off with a van for tax purposes?

DylanII

Youd prob be better off with a 1.6 focus

ben36

Rabbo wrote: »

Surely you'd be better off with a van for tax purposes?

I have 2 young kids so a van is no good.The kids are school going age now so i was thinking a smaller car as there is no need for a huge boot anymore and all i use the car for is this job and bringing the kids to school

JohnBoy26

ben36 wrote: »

Any recommendations for a low cost(under 4k)economical car for doing delivering takeaway food.Currently using a focus saloon 1.4 and is costing me between €20-€25 a night on petrol,i average around 100km a night doing about 30-40 stops a night 5 nights a week

You won't get much better mileage for that money out of another petrol car doing 100km of stop start journeys and many modern diesel dont fair well reliabilty wise doing the same.

In your boat id be going for a 1.4 D4D Yaris. These are cheap to run and should be fairly tolerant for the journeys you are doing compared to other diesels.

shooter88

That's about 20mpg,buying a diesel will save you a fortune the lowest I can get mine down to is 32mpg

ben36

shooter88 wrote: »

That's about 20mpg,buying a diesel will save you a fortune the lowest I can get mine down to is 32mpg

I thought buying something smaller or a diesel would like you say save me a fortune but judging by other posters here it won't make a difference.Really am in two minds now whether to go for it or just get my focus fixed up because my nct is due in a couple of months and it needs a bit of work done.

JohnBoy26

shooter88 wrote: »

That's about 20mpg,buying a diesel will save you a fortune the lowest I can get mine down to is 32mpg

A modern diesel will probably save you a bit on fuel initially but those saving could be wiped out by the cost of maintanance in the long term.

Bpmull

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

A modern diesel will probably save you a bit on fuel initially but those saving could be wiped out by the cost of maintanance in the long term.

With a budget of 4k its unlikely the op will be buying a diesel which has a dpf or dmf i know diesel can give turbo trouble but not a likely as the other 2. But tbh you'd still be better of to just keep the focus. A smaller car may do it for a fiver less but 4k is alot of fiver. I'd keep the focus unless of course you don't like it or want to change it anyway.

BdaraB

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Civic/1.3-EXEC/201303211982224/advert?channel=CARS

bazz26

Remember that the cost of buying a newer car will have to be factored into the equation also.

JohnBoy26

Bpmull wrote: »

With a budget of 4k its unlikely the op will be buying a diesel which has a dpf or dmf i know diesel can give turbo trouble but not a likely as the other 2. But tbh you'd still be better of to just keep the focus. A smaller car may do it for a fiver less but 4k is alot of fiver. I'd keep the focus unless of course you don't like it or want to change it anyway.

Ya not many cars for that money have a dpf and dmf but certain cars like a 407 has both and can be got for 4k these days.

I agree with you on the op keeping the focus. It's the most cost effective option at the end of the day.

ben36

Cheers for all the help lads.leaning towards keeping the car now after the advice here.

Yakuza

If you're making deliveries in your car, a private insurance policy won't cover you. Just something to factor in.

padma

I was doing this for a while before up to a 100miles a night, stop start etc. A 97 civic was costing me about 10-15 euro a night. Bulletproof car, low maintenance and well easy to stop and start, economical too. still though theres feck all money in delivering take away.

Jimmy Garlic

Fiat Cinquecento.. They will get about 35mpg urban driving.

Nippy, easy to park, generally reliable, and they can be bought for peanuts.

munchkin_utd

rather than looking for savings on efficiency by buying a car, why not think laterally and get a training course in driving economically.
I saw them in germany with the equivalent of the AA and they also are available in Ireland from driving schools
i.e. here : http://www.ism.ie/driving-lessons/car/advanced-eco-driving-lessons

ISM are delighted to offer our customers a unique training package that will not only make them a safer, more confident driver, but will also save them between 10 and 15% on their annual fuel bills

to be honest, their tips will probably seem very obvious but doing a controled run with them to highlight what a difference it makes would just help in altering your behaviour (and cave you cash)

a 15% saving is the equivalent of petrol at 1.60 a litre suddenly becoming 1.36 a litre, (or €1.44/L if you "only" get 10% saving)

bazz26

munchkin_utd wrote: »

rather than looking for savings on efficiency by buying a car, why not think laterally and get a training course in driving economically.
I saw them in germany with the equivalent of the AA and they also are available in Ireland from driving schools
i.e. here : http://www.ism.ie/driving-lessons/car/advanced-eco-driving-lessons


to be honest, their tips will probably seem very obvious but doing a controled run with them to highlight what a difference it makes would just help in altering your behaviour (and cave you cash)

a 15% saving is the equivalent of petrol at 1.60 a litre suddenly becoming 1.36 a litre, (or €1.44/L if you "only" get 10% saving)

Not always practical when doing delivery runs especially with food which needs to arrive at the customers still hot. Might be usefull if getting a job as a hearse driver though.

RidleyRider

LPG?

randy hickey

Have it sorted for ya OP!

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3639723

Economical AND you'll never be held up waiting for people to answer their door.So eager will they be to get you out of their driveway,they won't want to wait for change,and you'll make a fortune in tips!
Win,win.

Frankie Lee

A well minded fiesta 1.4 tdci wouldn't be a bad choice.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Yakuza wrote: »

If you're making deliveries in your car, a private insurance policy won't cover you. Just something to factor in.

Yeah. Buy a high horse instead OP, you don't need to insure those.

Bigus

A Prius Would be ideal, but hard to find one for 4 k.

corktina

Johnny Electricity wrote: »

Yeah. Buy a high horse instead OP, you don't need to insure those.

thats not being on a HH, it's could well save the OP a lot of hastle if he didn't know it.

Yakuza

Johnny Electricity wrote: »

Yeah. Buy a high horse instead OP, you don't need to insure those.

Calm down there, bud. I just stated a fact, no opinion. Defensive much?

Some people might be unaware that their normal domestic policy, while it covers driving to and from work in your car, if your car is used as part of your work then you need a commercial policy.

My post contained some potenially very helpful information, yours just lowered the signal to noise ratio on this thread. What the OP does with that information is their own business.

Cookie_Monster

By the time you've taken cost to change car into account (and possible changes in tax and insurance) you'd need to do fairly big mileage to start making a profit on the change I'd imagine... doesn't really seem worth it to me.

Arciphel

You should try and lease a Nissan Leaf. It'd be perfect for that.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Yakuza wrote: »

Calm down there, bud. I just stated a fact, no opinion. Defensive much?

Some people might be unaware that their normal domestic policy, while it covers driving to and from work in your car, if your car is used as part of your work then you need a commercial policy.

My post contained some potenially very helpful information, yours just lowered the signal to noise ratio on this thread. What the OP does with that information is their own business.

I can't agree, the Op just asked for advice on an economical car for delivering takeaway, not insurance implications of doing same.

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree

ben36

Yakuza wrote: »

If you're making deliveries in your car, a private insurance policy won't cover you. Just something to factor in.

I'm doing this job the past 8 years.That's already sorted.Thanks for the heads up anyway

padma wrote: »

theres feck all money in delivering take away.

Try and find a good Chinese in a big catchement area and you'll have yourself a good wage

bazz26 wrote: »

Not always practical when doing delivery runs especially with food which needs to arrive at the customers still hot. Might be usefull if getting a job as a hearse driver though.

,sorry boss your chicken balls are a bit cold there but i was trying to be a bit economical with me driving wouldn't go down too well in Finglas...

Arciphel wrote: »

You should try and lease a Nissan Leaf. It'd be perfect for that.

Yeah that would be the pick alright,pity about the price

Really appreciate all the replies

Arciphel

As you said if you are spending €125 a week in petrol and doing 500 miles a week with your deliveries, if you go for a leaf you'd be breaking even very quickly. It would literally be perfect for what you are doing. The money you save on petrol would pay for it very quickly. You should be able to lease one for about €250 a month. That's what you are spending in a fortnight in petrol if your numbers are right.

natnifnolnacs

Frankie Lee wrote: »

A well minded fiesta 1.4 tdci wouldn't be a bad choice.

My first thought as well.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4579985

Idbatterim

Im assuming the original leaf suggestion was a tongue in cheek piss take?!

ted1

A 206 hdi are fairly cheap to run. Also as with any car ensure the tyre pressure is correct and the oil is changed on a regular basis.

Del2005

natnifnolnacs wrote: »

My first thought as well.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4579985

While they might get better MPG, loads of short journeys will mean it'll be eating batteries. Diesels are much harder to start than petrols and need a decent run for the battery to recover.