Buying a New car

Left Back on the Bench

i currently have a 99 lexus is200,2 litre petrol.i do about 120miles a week n spend €40-50 a week on petrol.between this and the tax i need to find a cheaper car.Im looking at a Mazda 6,03-05 but Im presuming that the petrol intake will be the same.Mazda 3,Honda civic n a passat im also looking at. any help is greatly appreciated because i really don't know anything about cars!!

Anan1

Your mileage is so low that the only real room for saving is in motor tax, and that's already priced into the value of your current car. I take it you couldn't reasonably live without a car?

Left Back on the Bench

Anan1 wrote: »

Your mileage is so low that the only real room for saving is in motor tax, and that's already priced into the value of your current car. I take it you couldn't reasonably live without a car?

no,need a car to get to and from work.just looking for a change too really and wondering is my lexus just heavier on petrol due to the make or year of the car?

Anan1

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

no,need a car to get to and from work.just looking for a change too really and wondering is my lexus just heavier on petrol due to the make or year of the car?

From memory the IS200 does have a bit of a reputation for being hard on fuel. Fuel is a very visible expense, though - don't let that blind you to its relatively limited importance in your case.

Anjobe

That sounds like very poor fuel economy - €40 is 25 l at €1.60/l, if your only getting 120 miles for that it works out at 22 MPG approx.

Left Back on the Bench

Anan1 wrote: »

From memory the IS200 does have a bit of a reputation for being hard on fuel. Fuel is a very visible expense, though - don't let that blind you to its relatively limited importance in your case.

fair enough,still don't know what kinda used car to go for.i would probably drive my own car abit more if it was less expensive on juice.drive the missus' astra if were actually going pretty much anywhere

Left Back on the Bench

Anjobe wrote: »

That sounds like very poor fuel economy - €40 is 25 l at €1.60/l, if your only getting 120 miles for that it works out at 22 MPG approx.

but would a 1.8 Mazda 6 petrol be any lighter on petrol or would it be pretty much the same?

Anan1

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

fair enough,still don't know what kinda used car to go for.i would probably drive my own car abit more if it was less expensive on juice.drive the missus' astra if were actually going pretty much anywhere

Fiesta 1.25.:)

ironclaw

Sounds stupid but when was the last time you serviced the car? 22 MPG is pretty poor but may get a boost if you give it a decent service and check up.

Left Back on the Bench

Anan1 wrote: »

Fiesta 1.25.:)

i still want a half decent car with some comfort!!ill pass on the fiesta:-)serviced last September,just before its nct

Anan1

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

i still want a half decent car with some comfort!!ill pass on the fiesta:-)serviced last September,just before its nct

A Fiesta is good to drive, economical, safe, and cheap to tax and maintain. If you're prepared to pay for more comfort then keep what you have!

Anjobe

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

but would a 1.8 Mazda 6 petrol be any lighter on petrol or would it be pretty much the same?

I'd think around 30 MPG for mainly city driving. Bear in mind that at the sort of mileage you do its never going to be a huge saving. How long would it take for a €10 - 15 saving per week on fuel to offset the expense of changing your car?

Left Back on the Bench

Anjobe wrote: »

I'd think around 30 MPG for mainly city driving. Bear in mind that at the sort of mileage you do its never going to be a huge saving. How long would it take for a €10 - 15 saving per week on fuel to offset the expense of changing your

you'd pick up a Mazda 6 cheap enough like,a 04 1 or so,id b comin up 5yrs too.like there has to be a newer car that's cheaper to run but is still as relatively comfortable as my own lexus?or am i clutching at straws?

Anan1

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

like there has to be a newer car that's cheaper to run but is still as relatively comfortable as my own lexus?or am i clutching at straws?

There is, but you'll pay much more for it. Fuel efficient cars command a price premium that you simply won't recoup at your mileage.

heroics

I had a 00 IS200 and I found it heavy on fuel. From what I remember reading about it at the time 20-25 mpg was the average people were getting particularly for short trips around town etc. If I remember I used to get about 320 miles from full to the light coming on. (70 litre tank)

But at the same time if you are only doing 100-120 miles per week I don't know how much you would save if you were going to get another 1.8 or 2.0 car.

Left Back on the Bench

to tell the truth,even a tenner a week saving would do me!!again though,if i had a more fuel efficient car id drive it more.my car is 14 yrs old too.i like those Mazda 6s,look very similar to d interior of my own car.i also play and manage local football teams so my mileage would be higher some weeks

Anan1

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

to tell the truth,even a tenner a week saving would do me!!again though,if i had a more fuel efficient car id drive it more.my car is 14 yrs old too.i like those Mazda 6s,look very similar to d interior of my own car.i also play and manage local football teams so my mileage would be higher some weeks

You're missing the point. Unless you go for a much smaller car, you'll have to spend much more than the tenner to save the tenner.

Max Power1

So, spending a few grand to save a tenner a week?

Sounds like the majority of Irish motorists to me.

The mind boggles. You know that to save a tenner a week it is 520 per year saved. So if you spend 5k to change that would be roughly 10 years to recoup your investment. (in other words, for the first ten years after changing, you would have saved more money by not changing)

Max Power1

Max Power1 wrote: »

So, spending a few grand to save a tenner a week?

Sounds like the majority of Irish motorists to me.

The mind boggles. You know that to save a tenner a week it is 520 per year saved. So if you spend 5k to change that would be roughly 10 years to recoup your investment. (in other words, for the first ten years after changing, you would have saved more money by not changing)

He will be also getting a newer car, less mileage etc.

There is also the fact some people would rather put the money into the car upfront and spend less on running it.

ironclaw

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

to tell the truth,even a tenner a week saving would do me!

As Anan said, your kinda missing the point. I had a huge debate with a friend about diesel cars. He wanted a diesel car for no other reason that it was cheaper at the pump. That was it. Completely disregarding the mileage, service or tax implications.

If you save €10 per week, that's €520 a year. A new car by the time you factor depreciation, the cost of trading up and the initial servicing will cost you probably half that if not more. Unless you drastically downsize, your not going to be making that much of a saving.

Tea 1000

A Mazda 6 1.8 litre should see you get another 10mpg at least, so you'd be getting half as far again for every given fill of the same value.
Sure if you want something that costs less week to week, go for that. I'd expect a Mazda 3 1.6 petrol to get another 5mpg over the 1.8 Mazda 6, but the 3 might be a bit too far to come down to after the IS. Testdrive a few anyway.

Left Back on the Bench

i hear what ye are saying. its probably just the fact that i want to actually move up the years and not have a car that's 14yrs old anymore!!!

Left Back on the Bench

thanks for that.Im not looking for a New New Mazda 6,a 04 or 05 would do me!!

bazz26

I'd look at the Honda Accord of similar vintage too. They are still 2.0 litre but a lot lighter on fuel than the IS200.

Max Power1

Braylen Melted Jeep wrote: »

He will be also getting a newer car, less mileage etc.

There is also the fact some people would rather put the money into the car upfront and spend less on running it.

Yes but both of these things will cost money.

Using the math I posted earlier it will take at least 10 years for the OP to recoup his investment. OP came asking for a car to save money on fuel, not to move up in years.

I know car ownership is a bottomless pit, but buying a newer car to save a tenner a week is madness.

Left Back on the Bench

but if im buying a car tat is 5yrs older then mine at the moment for let's say,2500-3k,im gettin a newer car and spending less on fuel and still not breaking the bank.maybe it is madness to be goin from a 2 litre to a 1.8

Anan1

I think the best way forward here is for the OP to figure out what exactly they want to gain by changing cars, we can then look at the most cost-effective ways of getting them what they want. If the aim is to get a newer car, something hard on fuel will probably be a cheaper ownership proposition.

ironclaw

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

but if im buying a car tat is 5yrs older then mine at the moment for let's say,2500-3k,im gettin a newer car and spending less on fuel and still not breaking the bank.maybe it is madness to be goin from a 2 litre to a 1.8

Age is meaningless if your stay in the same manufacturer or engine bracket. One of my cars was 14 years old. It has a similar engine to the other car that is 7 years old. And both do the same MPG. The only difference is the resale value and that gap is closing pretty quickly.

Unless your buying something less than 3 years old, age doesn't really come into it as the depreciation after 5 years is enough to settle the playing field.

Unless your downsizing, your not going to make a saving. It really is that simple. If I was in your shoes, and wanted to make a saving, I'd want to be close to doubling my MPG at minimal cost which is nigh on unachievable.

Left Back on the Bench

i want a newer car,same comfort,nice looking,easier on fuel!!im not looking for much;-)

ironclaw

Left Back on the Bench wrote: »

i want a newer car,same comfort,nice looking,easier on fuel!!im not looking for much;-)

Easily achieved. But it will cost you and you won't save money in the long run. No car will 'save you money' Its a see saw. Save money on fuel but the trade up will probably wipe that saving out for at least a few years. And over those years you'll have maintenance bills. The only way to save money is to move down the car ladder be that year or engine size.

I might actually sit down and try work that out. Would be interesting to see what you could buy now and when it would be cost neutral. I'm thinking 8+ years at best. And even then it will still be costing you money.