Good to see you on board.

Thank you Steveieb.

The list of Company cars, Demonstrator cars and Motor trade cars that I've had the "pleasure" to drive over many years would fill too many column inches.

They include most of everything, including a Sierra Cosworth which I took home for one night and refused to drive again after waking up the next morning and finding too many footprints in the snow on my drive to count. Having a family to consider, I put them first and was very careful thereafter to take "sensible" cars home!

Thanks to all new, former and current moderator(s).

I need my weekly fix of peace and sanity..

You've got all the time in the world :-)

The circumstances you've outlined regarding your own situation seems to reinforce the uncertainty which abounds.

My current wheels are both 12 years old and low mileage.

I'm 72 and it's possible I may not last for ever.

I can afford to buy outright if the need arose and it it was beneficial.

Interest rates have gone up but are coming down.

Both new and used prices have rocketed.

Electric may - or may not - be the future.

.............plus a load more factors I will inevitably have failed to mention.

I can definitely sympathise whenever someone like yourself says it's a minefield and without the benefit of a crystal ball it's difficult to offer advice.

I currently have two schools of thought ... (a) buy a new Dacia outright and hope that choosing a cheap Renault isn't the bad idea that it sounds like.

or (b) pay the extra and get a Toyota and feel all smug and complacent but slightly uncertain whether I should have leased it instead.