If you had 40k for a brand new car.

[Barry Cade]

Something I was thinking about today..

You're in a position to buy a brand new car. today . You have £40,000. It's got to do  at least 250,000 miles and you will own it for 15 years. What do you buy?

Same question but it's 1995 and you have £25,000.

[Tayne]

Today, Tesla Model Y.

And perhaps some finance.

There’s enough Teslas that have been taxied to mean I’m not worried about it doing the mileage, it needs to be EV to get through all current and future LEZ and they have the best charging network.

 

1995?

Can I get a BMW 328 for that money?

[bigfella2]

I think the new Volvo ex30 would be my choice, the powerful four wheel drive version is about 40k. If a geely car can do 250k or 15 years is another matter.

No idea what 25k in 1995 would get you.

[adw1977]

I suppose with £40k today I would buy an electric car, although whether they can do 15 years or 250,000 miles is anyone's guess!

For £40k and avoiding bloated blobby things, a VW ID3 looks alright.  Shame they don't do an estate version.

£25k in 1995 would give you more choice than £40k today, I reckon.

[Dobloseven]

Why 250k miles in 15 years?Very few people use their cars like that.150k would do me.I would want 4 wheel drive,good towing capability,ideally seven seats,probably only use them once a year though.Decent warranty would be confidence inspiring.Ssangyong Rexton.Think you can just about get one new for £40k, certainly plenty of ex demos etc.Back to 1995,perhaps a Discovery,or a VW Caravelle.

[mk2_craig]

I think 40k on a new petrol engined car is still a viable proposition, the world isn’t suddenly going to run out of petrol supply looking at how many countries are nowhere at all down the road to zero emission. I’d probably trade my 3 series touring in for a new one if I was lucky enough to have that sort of money available. 
 

25k back in the mid nineties? That would have bought a pretty decent Volvo. 

[loserone]

4 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

ideally seven seats

Why seven seats? Very few people need seven seats.

[Dobloseven]

Just now, loserone said:

Why seven seats? Very few people need seven seats.

If you've got seven seats, you've also got a decent sized boot with a fairly upright tailgate.The antithesis of todays sportwagon type estate things.Think Volvo XC90 versus V90,Skoda Kodiaq versus Superb estate.Like I say,they do get used very occasionally.Regarding 1995,car prices went a bit silly in the mid nineties, leading to folk buying their cars in Europe where they were cheaper.and driving them home.Forcing the makers to offer better deals to keep prices competitive.

[cobblers]

There is no new car on the market that I could dream of lasting for 15 years, other than old relics designed 20 years ago like the fiat 500 etc.

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Barry Cade said:

Something I was thinking about today..

You're in a position to buy a brand new car. today . You have £40,000. It's got to do  at least 250,000 miles and you will own it for 15 years. What do you buy?

Same question but it's 1995 and you have £25,000.

https://www.vehiclerepoweringsolutions.com/new-cabs-for-sale

and I even get a quids change to blow on 1p sweets

 

@warren t claim what was the list price of an FX4 Fairway Driver in 1995? LOL

(you where a cabby then right? )

[SiC]

Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Nice bit of kit and should do the miles easily and. Just I couldn't spend £35k+ on one when I could buy something silly like an Audi R8. 

[SiC]

Actually I would get a Lotus Evora. The engine should easily do 250k ... it's a Toyota Camry V6 lump. In the low tunes it's identical. Higher tunes have a super charger slapped on it. 

[GMcD]

1995?

A Volvo 850 T5 Estate. Manual box. 

It would last and be all the car I'd need really. 

 

[RoverFolkUs]

20 minutes ago, cobblers said:

There is no new car on the market that I could dream of lasting for 15 years, other than old relics designed 20 years ago like the fiat 500 etc.

You say that, but I've just seen a 2020 Fiat 500 hybrid completely shit it's engine. Crank pulley bolt spontaneously undid itself, and that was that. 

[D.E]

The cheapest possible Dacia Sandero, and I'll spend the remaining budget on other things.

[mintwth]

1 minute ago, D.E said:

The cheapest possible Dacia Sandero, and I'll spent the remaining budget on other things.

Things like petrol to complete the 250,000 miles in splendid luxury*?

Come to think of it... 250,000 miles at an optimistic 10 miles per £ only leaves £15k in the budget.

[Dobloseven]

31 minutes ago, SiC said:

Actually I would get a Lotus Evora. The engine should easily do 250k ... it's a Toyota Camry V6 lump. In the low tunes it's identical. Higher tunes have a super charger slapped on it. 

Can you get a brand new one for 40k,though?

 

37 minutes ago, cobblers said:

There is no new car on the market that I could dream of lasting for 15 years, other than old relics designed 20 years ago like the fiat 500 etc.

How many 2009 cars are still on the road,though?A Shiter'll buy one,say it's the youngest car he's ever owned and talk about it in the"Modern Shite"sub forum!

[eddyramrod]

I wouldn't buy new.  Not now; not in 1995.

In September 95 I bought a nine year old Skoda Estelle.

Now, in 2024, my car is 20 years old (but ok, it's a Jag...).

Back on topic?   I suppose a new Transit would be ok, sort of.

[fatmanblue]

I bought a car almost exactly 15 years ago, and I've driven 290,000 miles in it since.

It wasn't brand new - 2 years and 5,000 miles - but was sold by a main dealer and came with 3 years manufacturer's warranty.

It cost £16,000.

It's a Citroen C6. Possibly not what people would choose if looking for reliability and durability.

No idea what I'd buy now (one reason why I'm still driving it), but new cars terrify me with complexity and expense. 

 

 

[chancer]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

https://www.vehiclerepoweringsolutions.com/new-cabs-for-sale

and I even get a quids change to blow on 1p sweets

 

@warren t claim what was the list price of an FX4 Fairway Driver in 1995? LOL

(you where a cabby then right? )

@LightBulbFuni actually had a chance to see one in the metal today. Enquired about the shells, and it turns out these are unused vehicles built in 2017! So these so called brand new cabs are now nearly 7 years old! They do sport some nice bonnet vents though. It has made me question purchasing one. They started showing signs of surface rust at around 5 years...these 'new' cabs are already beyond that.

I totally agree with your choice though

[Metal Guru]

My wife actually wants a Mini Countryman JCW which might just squeeze in with some haggling. I’m not too disagreeable.( probably go for a 2 yo one bearer £30k).The  Golf R seems to have gone way beyond that now .

1995? Can I wait until 1998 and get an Impreza 22B? I think £25k might have bought one, but you could get about 7-8% on you savings back then , so my £25k would be £31k by then.

[clarky]

Toyota Hilux i reckon. Deffo some Toyota flavoured product.

[Rustybullethole]

40 grand now. I'd take the year off work and fix all my bikes then clear the garage out and fit a 2ltr gti lump into my Berlingo. Then fuck off travelling on the bike.

25 large in 95 would of disappeared very quickly on party pharmaceuticals.

The wisdom of age hey.

[Landy Mann]

We're talking exVat? In that case a brand new land cruiser.

http://www.rowlandsandhordonautomotivesolutions.co.uk/new-land-cruisers/index.html

 

[ProgRocker]

£40k now: maybe a Lexus ES350h if in budget or a Toyota GR86. 

£25k in 1995: not sure - was 17/18 then so if insurance costs weren't an issue maybe a Mercedes C Class or Mazda RX-7 if in budget. 🤔

Rover 600 series!

Edited January 19, 2024 by ProgRocker
Adding a sentence

[Dyslexic Viking]

New i10 as it will easily last 15 years and 250k and then spend the rest of the money on proper cars like another fintail Mercedes, Volvo 240, old American barges etc.

1995 bought new 940 estate if can afford it if not used 240 estate.

[MrBiscuits]

New Toyota Prius looks fantastic in my opinion and apparently is now coming to the UK this year, should hit 250k with no worries. £40k should just get me a plug in version.

 

1995 - I probably could have got one of the last of these (though I'd have to wait 2 years to drive it and ignore the insurance costs). I'd also need to start a trust fund to pay for the 21st century welding

[Wgl2019]

Just had a look on Autotrader for new cars between £35-40k...... It doesn't get you much for all that cash! I had a Merc Cla as a courtesy car a while ago and that was quite nice (1.3 turbo auto), just comes in under budget. I would have guessed it would be nearer 30k though.

[andyberg]

I have to say I would be very reluctant to buy a new car. There is just nothing out there that makes me want to go out and buy it. I don't like the modern styling and the touchscreen crap. 

1995? Easy Mazda Xedos 6 or 9. 

[willswitchengage]

11 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

You're in a position to buy a brand new car. today . You have £40,000.

And if you use the whole budget you're paying an extra few hundred quid car tax for absolutely no understandable reason whatsoever.