Running a second car

[John H]

There has been talk in other threads about the wisdom of having a cheap and reliable daily driver, so as to keep the miles off your 968. This makes a lot of sense, as it reduces depreciation and maintenance costs, and also it kinda makes it a bit more of a special treat to take the Porsche out on a nice day.

Stuart suggests an old BMW, others have suggested an old 190 Merc, and personally I would probably go for a good old Golf or Honda Civic, but I have just seen something today which makes me seriously think otherwise.

I just called into the local Fiat garage and looked at the new Fiat Panda (it's officially launched tomorrow). It's a quite a cute little device, but reading the spec versus the staggering low price (it starts at not much over £6k) makes me think that something like this would be the ideal second car. Airbags, ABS, CD player, a 3 year warranty, huge economy ... need I go on? Car of the Year too! I would add that the Hyundai Getz is much the same, and comes with a staggering 5 year warranty.

I could be seriously tempted to buy one or other of these ultra cheap little runabouts, with the Porsche kept for when I really wanted to enjoy myself.

Whatcha' think?

John H

 

[Mark_Bennett]

John,

In the days when you and I ran FIAT's (Bertone's...[]), FIAT made some pretty good drivers cars.
Claire and I currently run a Seicento Sporting Abarth, and although it is fun enough to drive - bit of a go-cart - it lacks that certain something (as do most cars these days).

Something else it lacks is a service network that gives a damn. "Service with a snarl" seems to be the order of the day, and if they have to do anything beyond the standard service they are baffled. This results in trips back to complain, or get them to re-do the work.

I have a feeling a second hand Merc or BMW would be a better bet. The dealers HAVE to be better (surely), and there are independants if the main-dealer route fails.

There's nothing like buying a new car though[]

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: John H

I just called into the local Fiat garage and looked at the new Fiat Panda

I could be seriously tempted to buy one or other of these ultra cheap little runabouts, with the Porsche kept for when I really wanted to enjoy myself.

Whatcha' think?

John H

*********************************************************************

I think it sounds like a great deal with one reservation what would a pre-owned example cost you say in 6-12 months time from now!

On the other hand if saving maybe a couple of g's isn't that big a deal three words spring to keyboard "GO FOR IT"[8D] Lifes short and boys must have there toys

Let us know how the road test goes even if you decide to hold off buying ...Robert

 

[Jamie Summers]

I'm looking into this at the moment too - the girlfriend is moving in and we're looking for a runabout (so I don't have to let her drive the 911 too much !!!!). It seems that £2,000 buys an 80-90K miles 1995/6 1.8 Golf or a fully specced 60K miles 1997 1.6 Polo. Both of these have got to be good value for scrap money !!! Only small problem is that the g.f. has never had insurance and the quote in central London for 5k miles pa third party fire and theft was nearly £800 !!!!!!!!!!!! I only pay that much on the Porker ! I will have to have a look to see what Carole Nash will do on a second car.........

Jamie

 

[John H]

Over the years I have tried every permuataion of car. Brand new ones, nearly new ones, older s/h ones, all the way down to outright bangers. If I have learned one golden rule it is this ...

They all cost you money, one way or another!

John H (just thinking aloud)

 

[Rob Sharp]

My daily runner is a 6 yr old 3-litre Omega Auto. Absolutely bullet-proof (touch wood!), v. comfy for long journeys, cheap to buy 2nd hand, and has every toy you could ever want. Mine's just coming up to 130K miles and still going strong.

OK, so its strong point isn't economy, but you can't have everything!

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

Personally, I've never seen the point.

If your going to have a car use it, Porsches were built to be driven not just looked at and brought out when the sunshines []Lifes too short not to.

Don't forget you guys have all been telling me they go forever if maintained and past a certain point depreciation is not an issue versus mileage. Besides which they ain't that much money really.

If you must have a puddle jumper for a runabout, don't go Fiat.. nasty hateful little buzz boxes [], then surely it makes sense to get a nice Pre 72 classic which will not only provide tax free motoring but also rock bottom running costs.
E.G. You can buy a totally immaculate Moggy Minor for under £3K and they're built like tanks...... I know, its totally the other extreme from a 968 just an example. You could get an MGB if you fancy something a little less Nursey []

Me I'll stick to driving the 968 when I get one I'd rather spend the money on keeping that tip top top []

Mike[8D]

 

[Guest]

I agree with MikeH up to a point. Porsches are meant to be driven and seen - you shouldn't wrap them up in cotton wool. Having said that, I draw the line at going to the rubbish tip and shopping at supermarkets. It's worth running a second car just for that. There must be more chance of damaging your car in a supermarket car park than anywhere else. You only have to look at how, (dare I say it), women steer the trolleys to have the fear of God put into you.
I keep a VW Vento which has done about 125,000. Not much to look at but it will go for ever. I have also got an MG Midget which I want to sell because I don't use it any more.
Dave

 

[Guest]

Ahh but theres always the wifes car for the shopping trips your right you have to draw the line somewhere []

Mike

 

[paulf968]

My daily driver is a Mk4 Golf TDI, cannot beat it for economy and all round versatility, did 58mpg to Bristol and back the other day on business and it feels very solid for what is a smallish car. Good resale value but have put almost 120k miles on it so will not get many pennies when it goes in a few months time. (Am really tempted by a Mk5 with the new 2.0 diesel engine and 140 ps)

Child one has a Mk3 diesel and child two has a Mk2 1.3 petrol so we are fans of VW, with a 1991 Previa 150k as the bus for moving the whole tribe around.

But IMO the best deal at the moment for sensible economic motoring are non-turbo diesel 306's, bought some R and S reg ones for work recently. Under 50k on the clock can be bought for less than 2.5k, they are solid and reliable, well appointed -- if a bit boring.

paul

 

[Mr968]

I have the 968 and a 325i, so everything hunky dory you might think, a darn good sports car for lots of fun as and when needed and a reliable and not too slow prestige runaround.
Then some t****r breaks into the BM when I leave it in a Manchester car park.
BMW break in.

So now I have also got a Volvo 460 that cost £450 to buy and about £400 a year to run apart from fuel and servicing which will be done on an absolute shoestring. That gives me or the wife the option of taking it and leaving it anywhere without worrying too much that it is a target.
I only do about 10,000 miles a year so that mileage is now shared between the 968 the BM and the Volvo, depreciation on the 968 and BM due to mileage will be almost negligible the price of the Volvo is about as low as it can get without taking it to the scrap yard and I have the appropriate car for any occasion without too much extra outlay.

I'd love to drive the 968 everywhere but I suppose that I wouldn't want to leave it alone too much in the centre of a town etc. after what happened to the Beemer, a sparkling Guards Red Porsche does attract attention and I would be cursing women with trolleys and women drivers for the rest of my life if it got a supermarket ding in the side. And I wouldn't want to spark a debate about women drivers now would I.

Oops too late.

I've also bought an XJ6 just recently to give it a try.

 

[John H]

Paul and Stuart highlight a modern phenomenon ... really cheap useable cars. Cars are now churned out in such numbers, and with prices falling all the time, that there are lots of great older cars out there at ludicrously cheap prices, and it really is possible to have a car for every occasion.

The snag comes with trying to run an extended fleet. I have tried this, but just insuring them all becomes a logistical nightmare, let alone keeping them all serviced, shod, MOT'd, taxed, etc. I have actually cut down the number of vehicles I keep for this very reason. Pity really, I have a lovely old VW Transporter Camper which I sold, just to get the numbers down, and it was a hugely useful tool. I miss it a lot.

As more and more families move towards multiple vehicle ownership, I wish some enlightened insurance company would come up with a family policy, something akin to a traders policy. It would make life a lot easier.

John H

 

[Melv]

[FONT=Courier New"]My company car -a Ford Ka!!

Will take me, large dog and four Porsche wheels AND surveyor's collapsible ladder and toolbox. Hoot round town, like driving a Mini again []

Melv

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: John H

As more and more families move towards multiple vehicle ownership, I wish some enlightened insurance company would come up with a family policy, something akin to a traders policy. It would make life a lot easier.

John, now that is the best idea I've heard of in a long time, and its not too different from a company having a fleet policy.

Melv, Ford Ka , Hoot, I know where your coming from the wife had one just after christmas its like being strapped into a rollerskate got to be the best laugh per mile car we've had for years [] Only thing is I have to remember my brown paper bag with holes in it if I go into town []

Mike

 

[wedgepilot]

Speaking of cheap cars, try searching Autotrader sometime for any make/model under £1000, you'll be amazed what you can find. I've come across S-type Merc's, fully-loaded Saab 9000's, Audi 80's, etc... All good usable cars with full MOT and service history and plenty of life left in them.

My own daily driver XR2 has been great - £500 to buy, totally reliable, and a hoot to drive. Plus the extra insurance and tax is covered by the reduction in insurance on the Porsche due to the classic insurance I can get since it's now a 2nd car. And if it gets dented, scratched, or just falls apart, it's no great loss.

 

[2alexcoo]

ORIGINAL: wedgepilot

Speaking of cheap cars, try searching Autotrader sometime for any make/model under £1000, you'll be amazed what you can find. I've come across S-type Merc's, fully-loaded Saab 9000's, Audi 80's, etc... All good usable cars with full MOT and service history and plenty of life left in them.

My personal favourite in this category - Alfa 164 3.0V6. A mechanical disaster on wheels, but worth a grand for the engine note alone!

I second the Audi 80 as a cracking banger. A friend has one with about 165k on it, and if he ever cleaned it I swear it would look like new.

 

[Fen]

I agree with those who say a Porsche is to be used etc. etc. but this winter I have succumbed (sp?) and now run a Mk2 GTI 8V every day. This cost me £800 and is quite fun to drive. It returns 37mpg and has been totally reliable over 11,000 miles so far.

The benefits are that it saves me £5 a day on my (admittedly not typical) 170 mile round trip to work, keeps my Porsches off the salty roads, is useful for runs to the tip etc. isn't a worry in car parks, wont likely get stolen (and if it does it's insured on a policy that doesn't effect the Porsche NCB, all I'd lose is a cheap brolly and an old waterproof jacket) and is a ready-made courtesy car (using the Porsche all the time meant it was being maintained enough to be a problem and my chosen fettler only has a diesel Escort van to offer in exchange).

The downside is that I only have one garage so the cab lives outside. It now has a fan heater in it to keep it from getting damp but I still feel slightly uneasy with it sitting so much.

To be honest I intend to sell the Golf when the weather improves and start using the cab every day again. I can then finally put some money into rebuilding the Turbo.

Next winter I plan to run a Mundano with a 2 litre zetec, then transplant that engine into a Ford Anglia as my daily (tax exempt) runabout in summer '05.

The winter before last I ran a 164 3.0V6. Nice engine sound, mother of all torque-steer, dodgy electrics. I gave it away to get it off my drive last year.

 

[Guest]

My 'other' car, as some of the R25 members found out last week, is a 1977 Landrover.

It's main purpose is for towing horses, but it's great for going to the supermarket in and perfect for runs to the tip. It's on classic insurance, and is dead cheap to service (a new solenoid just cost me a fiver [])

I use my Sport every day for my commute to work / blasts at the weekend but if I know I'm going somewhere where I'm likely to encounter wayward trolleys, I'll take the Landy.

Also, very much like Porsche, it's got a strong following, a good network of specialist and parts suppliers, and drivers who wave at each other [].

Chris

 

[NorthernBloke]

I must admit that I've just gone totally the other way.

I've just started a new job and had the choice of a company car. I've always had a company car but this time decided against it (getting far too expensive) so I took the cash alternative instead.

I then needed to find myself a new daily driver so I started looking around at 4x4's, cheap stuff etc but then I sat down and thought about it. This is the car I'm going to spend most driving time in so, should it not be a car I can enjoy?

Anyway, I started looking for something a bit different and came across a 944 S2 for very reasonable money. The allowance will pay for servicing etc. and I get to spend time in an excellent car. OK, I'll put some miles on it but as long as it's looked after that shouldn't be a problem.

There are a couple of other guys here who had the same thought, one has a Carrera 4 and the other a Merc 500 coupe. They certainly looks different in the office car park with all those company Euro boxes []

Andy

 

[Fen]

I used to do the same when I had a company car option. I've probably done 100K business miles in 944's. Now I pay for it myself I find the Golf fine for the winter []

There are 3 Cayennes in my work car park...