Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Fri 2 Dec 2016 17:34
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - strowger

Hi,

I'm looking at needing a car to drive a 25-mile each-way commute 4 or 5 times a week, giving a total annual mileage of perhaps 9k. Mixture of motorway and enough stop-start that I want an automatic, all of it hilly. No significant use for the car other than the commute. Currently do the journey by public transport but this is deteriorating rapidly in quality and reliability.

Interested in low overall cost of travel more than refinement, size, image of vehicle etc, but want minimal hassle; happy to buy used rather than new, but am too old and too far away from dealerships for the hassle of faults. Don't need aircon.

Acceleration, style/image, size, etc are not important. I don't care if the autobox is unrefined but I care very much if it wastes fuel.

Insurance costs are low as I'm ancient and live somewhere quiet; it's all about the depreciation and fuel.

There are a lot of small cars with small petrol engines which show very high MPG numbers, but I'm suspicious of how these actually perform in the real world - especially with an automatic gearbox. We have a 1.2TSI Skoda Roomster manual (not available for commuting purposes!) which drives fine and does 50+ MPG at moderate speeds on the flat but is very thirsty driven over 60mph or over any kinds of gradient and our overall MPG figure is considerably below the ones normally quoted.

The "real world mpg" feature of this site seems to bear this out, with (for example) the Citroen C1 quoted at 68.9mpg and actually obtaining 53. It is difficult and frustrating to assess running costs in this new world where the manufacturers' mpg figures are pure fiction.

Advice appreciated!

Thank you.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 2 Dec 2016 18:06
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - Falkirk Bairn

>>I'm looking at needing a car to drive a 25-mile each-way commute 4 or 5 times a week

Auris or Yaris hybrid - bullet proof & 50mpg, automatic Petrol.

www.motorpoint.co.uk/used-cars/toyota/auris/1.8%20...0

www.motorpoint.co.uk/used-cars/toyota/yaris/1.5%20...0

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 2 Dec 2016 18:09
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - SLO76
What's your budget, are we talking about a cheap sub £3,000 runabout you can use without worrying about a scuff or two or do you want new or nearly new with good warranty?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 2 Dec 2016 18:20
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - 72 dudes
What's your budget, are we talking about a cheap sub £3,000 runabout you can use without worrying about a scuff or two or do you want new or nearly new with good warranty?

OP suggests he could buy new or used, so I'd agree with Falkirk Bairn and add the Honda Jazz Hybrid to that list. Favoured by the more 'mature', quite plentiful with low mileage at 2/3 years old.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 2 Dec 2016 19:37
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - SLO76
"OP suggests he could buy new or used, so I'd agree with Falkirk Bairn and add the Honda Jazz Hybrid to that list. Favoured by the more 'mature', quite plentiful with low mileage at 2/3 years old."

If budget suits then the Yaris Hybrid is a good option but I'd also look at the 1.3 CVT Auto, used it's between £1,000 & £1,500 less nearly new and I doubt the heavier hybrid will improve much on its fuel economy on that commute unless 75% of it is in town.

I've yet to hear of a Toyota Hybrid power train going wrong and plenty of taxi drivers have tested the larger Prius to its limits and seem pretty happy. I found the Auris 1.8 I tried was very refined thing certainly at town speeds, never got it past 50mph.

I'm not so keen on the recently replaced last generation Jazz though, it's not a pleasant thing to drive at all but will almost certainly be reliable and economical. We have one in the family and no one other than my elderly mother likes driving it.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 2 Dec 2016 20:30
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - strowger
re budget - I can put down however much cash is necessary now to get hassle-free low-cost motoring over 3 years. If that's means £15k then so be it.

Would rather not lease as work circumstances may change.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 2 Dec 2016 22:09
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - SLO76
re budget - I can put down however much cash is necessary now to get hassle-free low-cost motoring over 3 years. If that's means £15k then so be it. Would rather not lease as work circumstances may change.

Hassle free and painless to drive with automatic transmission would point to a Toyota Auris Hybrid but the CVT box is likely to hurt refinement during spirited driving if you're so inclined but should otherwise be fine... Auto Trader #DrivenByMe www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20161202027...8 If you're doing most of that commute on motorways or B roads and intend on offloading after 3yrs I'd be tempted by a low mileage Golf 1.4 TSi DSG which will be more refined at speed and is a more enjoyable car to drive. Auto Trader #DrivenByMe www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20161014876...7 There's a few new model Honda Jazz autos up at around the £12k mark too and it's a vastly superior car all round to the previous model but small engine and CVT box mean it'll be a bit buzzy building up speed. Certainly pain free though and an automatic Jazz will always sell on with reasonable mileage but higher than average will hurt resale more than the Auris or Golf.

Edited by SLO76 on 02/12/2016 at 22:16

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 3 Dec 2016 05:11
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - Smileyman

Check the range of he car, unless you like visiting petrol stations you might end up with a car that needs filling up more than once a week.

Edited by Smileyman on 03/12/2016 at 05:12

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 3 Dec 2016 17:56
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - strowger

Thank you all for your comments.

No love for the auto versions of C1/Aygo, i10, VW Up, Fiesta, Corsa, whatever the little Suzuki is called?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 3 Dec 2016 18:33
Cheap running costs for 10k/year commute - SLO76
I like the C1/107/Aygo with a manual box but the previous gen automated manual was pretty clumsy, think the new one uses an updated version of the same but no idea how good it is.
The i10 is a great little car but it'll struggle when it comes to resale particularly as an auto. Great warranty and very reliable though, a good used buy.

I like the UP too, it looks great but I've no idea what the auto's like. The Fiesta is another brilliant car but the 1.6 auto is thirsty for a supermini and the 1.0 3cyl turbo that replaced it is developing a nasty reputation for engine problems. Hasty redesign in 2014 is supposed to cure it but still doubts linger and Ford have a terrible reputation for offering goodwill out with the warranty period.

Not a fan of the Corsa. Previous generations have been nowhere near competitive regarding driver enjoyment or quality but again haven't driven the latest model so must be worth looking at.

The Swift is a nice wee car again but due replacement shortly and the 1.2 petrol lacks pace with an autobox. Great fun on a twisty road though.

To be honest, with your budget you're spoiled for choice. Best for reliability will be Japanese/Korean stuff but remember small city cars like the i10 are hard work to sell on with an autobox and next to worthless with high mileage. The size up superminis like the Fiesta aren't much better in this regard. The kind of owner who usually buys them is older, retired and a low mileage user and they're scared off by above average mileages. I'd be inclined to buy a cheap used i10 and run it til it drops. It'll be the most cost effective, it's the best budget option.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link