Hi there,
Been through a particularly demanding 2 months when i was told my job was at risk/redundancy or to accept my job moving 75 miles away. All now resolved to the extent that i am going to do the long commute. Facts are
76 miles each way
152 miles a day
760 miles a week
3040 miles a month
34,960 miles a year based on a 46 week working year.
Company to pay fuel costs for 1st year and a 50% contribution in 2nd year with hopeful salary adjustment.
We run 2 cars, a Toyota Rav 4 1996 that returns approx 26mpg and a petrol 1.8 Picasso 2002 that returns 34.9mpg on above route. Will use the Picasso.i think.
Company contribution is £550 nett per month for 1st year.
I either run the Picasso or RAV. RAV is elderly now and not efficient as above figures show. Picasso is low mileage just 56K and fighting fit. RAV happens to be fantastically reliable.
1)Not sure if to sell the RAV and pick up an elderly but maybe reliable diesel.
or
2)use the Picasso each day
3)at some point convert the Citroen to run on lpg
4)Buy a used LPG car, maybe a Vauxhall Astra duel fuel.Old shape Astra's available for around 2K.
Unleaded currently 90.9 pence LPG 53.9 pence maybe available cheaper.
Conversion cost £1200-£1500.
We live in Norfolk, route would be A140/A14/A12 back to Essex. Fuel consumption friendly a lot of it steady 50mph a little 70 mph but traffic flow means 50 mph likely.
Appreciate there are some good number crunchers on this forum that can advise me, as well as if it's possible to run a sub £1000/£2000 car to this short of mileage.
I am prepared to drive anything, like driving and regard any car as a challange, be it poor handling, poor performance. Fairly obviously economy the main consideration.
Even looked at a new Fiat Panda 1.1ECO combined 56 mpg £5K new online, colleagues think i am mad to consider Panda for such a journey. I might just be mad? Think it's out of budget new anyhow.
Sorry for long post, have been keen to get this posted for some time, thinks a little calmer at work now.
All views welcome.
MW
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Well, my 2002 Mondeo diesel estate regularly does over 1000 miles a week without protest. It has got over 150k on it now so wouldn't be worth any more than you mention. Still gets 45 or so to the gallon on average and thus far has never ever let me down. Difference might be that I have had it since it was a youngster and have ensured that it has been kept properly maintained. Buying a car at that age/mileage/price without really knowing its history might be a different thing of course.
Don't discount petrol cars either, the fuel cost per mile is the figure to look at. Some petrols are pretty close to their diesel equivalents now when looked at like that and can be considerably cheaper to buy.
I would in addition counsel you to have the biggest most comfortable car you can if you are going to be doing this journey day in day out. There will be days when you are tired. There may be, heaven forbid, an accident. Be kind to yourself, sit in a comfy seat with plenty of car around you.
Good luck !
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Thanks for post, stangely enough thinking petrol may well be the answer other than the fact if i want some car around me with economy it may need to be a diesel.
New Panda 1.1 petrol 5K on line
New Panda multi jet diesel 6K on line
Even on my mileage not sure Diesel is viable with above example.
Either way cannot afford or want long term commitment to car loan.
Obviously petrol car with LPG set up makes sense i believe.
LPG?
3/5% power decrease
20 % increase in fuel consumption
LPG cheaper byapprox £0.36 a litre.
Just had an email to tell me petrol just come down to 89.9 in my local area today?
Anyone explain how LPG prices relate to petrol prices if they do?
Appreciate your concerns regarding safety and accident possibility.
Keep the posts coming.
Thanks in advance
MW
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I'll bite first - with some thoughts on what I might do in the same position....
It's a big commute (not sure what you are used to), so I would be looking to do things that made my life, relatively speaking, as stress free as possible. So, wouldn't go LPG route - could work out, but could lead to problems in an older car, might not be great availability of LPG..
Would also go for a car that I was happy to be in for 3 hours (?) a day - your colleagues are right to think you are mad to consider a Panda. Sure they are great, but not sure how restful they would be for a long commute.
Company appears quite generous in their allowance - almost 20p / mile is enough to cover some basic servicing as well as fuel (and the increase in your insurance premium!)
Not sure if the Picasso is needed by family during the day, but I would be tempted to try that for a bit (putting on miles is unlikely to do much to residual) and see how I got on. If it wasn't comfy enough, I would change the least popular of the two cars for a £1,000 mile muncher. Lots will say MkII Mondeo, and I might agree, but I would look more for a car that I either knew something about (from a friend / relative), or a brand that had a decent indie garage near by that could keep it going...
Well, that's where I'd start - good luck with the job move and the commuting..
Jono
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Spend £600 on a Xantia TD which will do 45 mpg in some comfort.
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Rather stating the obvious, but I'd seriously consider whether it would be cheaper to use a B&B during the week... at least 4 hours each day in the rush hour doesn't bode well for getting a decent days work... and if the weather is bad...
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Rather stating the obvious but I'd seriously consider whether it would be cheaper to use a B&B during the week...
If you can get one for less than 20 quid a night. But have you spent 4 night s a week away from home a year in a town where you know no-one?
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Good point b308 but also agree with you AE. I lived like that about 15 or 16 years ago. Lived in Bath but worked in Cheshire for a couple of years.
The way I coped was to commute on a Monday. You are reasonably fresh after the weekend and can handle the long day. Stayed away Tuesday night because I was now quite tired. Joined a gym and spent the evening there. Helped with fitness and made for a bit of a social life without being "Billy no mates" in a pub. Commuted again on Wednesday. Stayed away Thursday and went to gym. Also in my case I got my employers to agree that I would work extra hours on my "away" evenings and subsequent mornings in return for being allowed to arrive late on Mondays and leave early on Fridays.
It kind of worked but there was no getting away from the fact that it was sometimes miserable.
Just re-read your post. If your employers are prepared to fund all your fuel costs for a year, I reckon I'd just use the Picasso for now. Might also be keeping my eyes open during that time for a job nearer home too......
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I commuted like that for 6 years.
Ideallyyou need a car which is comfortable and has minimal (and I mean MINIMAL) droning/low pitched humming noise at speed and minimal windnoise.
believe me if it has either it eventually drives you mad. It is of course worst late at night, on a cold wet night when you are run down with a cold or flu.
And you want a reasonable quality CD/radio for music and traffic reports.
Anything doing over 3500rpm at 70 is a nono in my view due to noise and wear # and fuel consumption.
# on the driver.
It's all about "Can you do this day after day?"
Apart from that, your car MUST be machanically near perfect to survive and not drive you crazy with imagining each noise is a mechanical malady just about to start.
Edit : and having seen the prio post also spent 2 years in a B&B. It was good one. Would I do it again? Yes.
But I do not mind being on my own.
Edited by madf on 08/12/2008 at 15:59
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Thanks, exellent posts,
B&B - have some family in Essex still and a brother at about half way point of journey, would use them if weather conditions dictate unlikely to get home. Possibly stay over once mid week each week to give myself and car a rest.
Other than that want the quality time with young family, at least in the evenings. Easier to get wife to agree to undertaking, knowing that i will still share in some of child related chores, at least in the evening.
If i work 8.30 to 4.30 i could be home just 15 mins later than i do at present working 9 to 5pm. Very early start mind!!
Should of mentioned journey time on average day 1 and 3/4 hours (105 mins!)
Basically Norwich to Witham in Essex.
Had good experiences with XUD engined 306/Xantia in distant past. Mpg good at the time, looks more average now.
Mondeo sounds good, biased towards Japanese cars in recent times, petrol easy to find diesel less so.
Thanks for posts so far
MW
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Presumably public transport is out of the question? I commute a similar distance, but fortunately, due to the locations of home and work, the train makes it relatively easy and cheap.
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We live in Norfolk, route would be A140/A14/A12 back to Essex.
I take my hat off to you to even consider this as a commute. You are talking about a two hour plus journey if you intend to attempt this at peak hours. A140 is nearly all single carriageway apart from Scole bypass with lots of 30/40 mph sections in Suffolk with speed cameras . Always queues from A14 to A12 at Tesco roundabout. A12 alway heavy traffic and a bad reputation for accidents.
If you are going ahead with the idea you certainly need to look for comfort ahead of even economy. You will be spending a lot of time in the car
Edited by CGNorwich on 08/12/2008 at 16:07
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Just to tackle the diesel v petrol dilemma.
Of course this could change if the price per litre differential does but as I have remarked elsewhere before, the rather strange situation at present is that the fuel cost per mile of my Mondeo 2.0 diesel is identical to that of my 2.2 petrol Signum. They are both working out at 11-12p a mile depending on journey conditions.
It really is marginal now and more a case of what style of engine you prefer.
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Ah - a local, i live in Wymondham. Right on top of A11 but not much use for this journey i fear?
Possible train commute, drive and park at Diss. 20-22 mile drive commute each way approx 45 mins maybe faster with a 1.10 hr train journey with 1 change and approx 10/15 min walk at office end of journey. Costs circa 3.3K a year for train and about £3.50 a day parking. Minimal extra miles on car and me! this is my fall back position if drive proves too much. Chance for a bit of shut eye on train, read a paper etc.
Have done journey by car in rush hr, as i said approx 105 mins, on an average day i was in fact delayed by 15 mins at Kelvedon having left home at 6.45 in the morning. sat nav was sugesting 90 mins prior to that point.
Keep the advise coming.
mw
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I can understand you wanting "quality time", but after doing over 4 hours driving and a full days work are you really sure that you will be in a fit state, especially if you have a bad journey?! Is suspect that the train option will put you in a better frame of mind (assuming a seat is available and its on time!)...
Personally I feel that it will be too much, but thats just me!
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I'm in the stick with what you've got camp and try and build up a cash buffer with your co.'s generous allowance.
You've already said your job was under threat before accepting relocation, I'm guessing it's still not 100% guaranteed (who can these days ?). This being the case I would not be looking to spend anymore than I have to.
As recommended on here try and spend at least one night a week staying over during the dark months anyway. Those 6:45 starts and after 6pm ? finishes are OK during the light days but no fun during the winter.
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When I did my commuting I left home at 6:55am and left work at around 6:30pm.
To say I was exhausted by Friday night is an understatement.
I also used to get up at 5am and run for an hour each morning, though!
I would never ever do it again.
It was not living, just an existence.
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I did a similar commute for a year - teesside to south Leeds - 85 miles each way. It used to take 1 1/2 each way if I timed it right. I was flexible with my start time - if you are the same then getting in for 9.30 and leaving at 5.30 might be better or even 10-6?
I used my current car - Audi A4 TDI 130 and it cost me only two services, a set of tyres and diesel. Like you, I claimed mileage and it actually cost me very little to get to work and maintain my car. Maybe consider a PD engine in something - they take miles well and return 50-55mpg with no effort. They should also hold their value quite well. I wouldnt want to tackle all those miles in something not built for it - a supermini would surely be too much like hardwork? Maybe get a longterm test drive and see though as I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable my wifes GPunto is on a long motorway trip.
One tip I was given when doing this kind of commute is to avoid rushing around, dont let other road users bother you and use it as wind down time on the way home!!
Travel inn's and the like do offer cheap rooms if you book a block in advance - I worked with someone who did a similar trip from Derby way and they paid less than £20 a night and stopped two nights a week. Might not be cheaper if you cant claim that bill back but they pay for fuel.
I would, if pushed, do it again but wouldnt like to think it a long term prospect.
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How young's the family? I've spent the last 10 months doing a round 115 mile commute each day split between a VW Passat TDI & an old Corsa diesel. The Passat is the far nicer car to do the commute in but to be honest, regardless of the car, I'd rather spend the 11-12 hours a week I spend sat in a car with my family (I have a 15 month old).
So we're renting out our house and renting a place near to where I work. Is that an option for you? Could your employer give you a cash equivalent to the petrol cost? Even if not, there's more to life than spending hours sat in traffic. Don't get me wrong, I love driving, but commuting gets to be a completely different ball game when you have young kids.
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I applaud your priorities MW, and i would do similar to you and try my very best to get home to my loved ones every night, hopefully you can find some other way to reduce your travel times in due course but...
Long daily journey this and you want comfort and safety, cross off the little car options, you are on 2 way roads and fast dual carriages, you want a tough car around you as suggested by others.
I think lpg could be a good option for you, could be worth searching out a Volvo S60 dual fuel, possibly Vectra (not sure if the vectra c was dual fuelled new like the previous model) or of course one of the many individually converted cars available.
Thinking about the fuel price situation, you'll probably pay no more for the lpg equipped car anyway, and you have much greater saving potential for when petrol prices increase again, which surely they will.
Plus if you can't find any lpg for a while from regular cheaper suppliers you are bound to find (thinking farms and small countryside suppliers here), the car will still be respectably economical on petrol anyway.
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The Picasso will be fine for that commute - comfortable and nice and airy inside. But for you to survive, you have to be in the right frame of mind for the journey. Just go with the flow and don't fight for every inch of the road - that way lies madness. Relax, put on some good music or talk radio and you will arrive in a far better state.
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