If you had 40k for a brand new car.

[grogee]

Can I have a Ford Focus RS or is that disqualified? I reckon I could eke 250k out of it by driving sensibly and servicing it myself instead of using the Ford dealer monkeys. 

1995... I might go with @GMcD's suggestion, an 850 T5. Might choose an auto though. Petrol was cheap then.

Mind you I was single so maybe something 2 seater and impractical. RX-7?

[sierraman]

New Focus ST or RS. It’ll probably not last 15 years or 250,000 but you only live once. Spending that sort of money on one of these electric blobs like an MG is like when people spend their last £2000 on a funeral plan. 

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, grogee said:

Can I have a Ford Focus RS or is that disqualified? I reckon I could eke 250k out of it by driving sensibly and servicing it myself instead of using the Ford dealer monkeys. 

1995... I might go with @GMcD's suggestion, an 850 T5. Might choose an auto though. Petrol was cheap then.

Mind you I was single so maybe something 2 seater and impractical. RX-7?

I’m seriously considering a late RS Focus. They seem to have kept their value but haven’t started going silly yet ( except Edition models), but probably will at some stage. The head gasket problems seem to have been sorted.

I’m slightly put off by many with very low mileage but several owners, like 12000 miles and 5 owners. That suggests it had a fault (s) that was never sorted or they are awful to drive, or wannabes can’t afford to run them. I’ve run an Impreza for 20 years , so I wouldn’t anticipate running costs to be much different.

[sierraman]

7 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

I’m seriously considering a late RS Focus. They seem to have kept their value but haven’t started going silly yet ( except Edition models), but probably will at some stage. The head gasket problems seem to have been sorted.

I’m slightly put off by many with very low mileage but several owners, like 12000 miles and 5 owners. That suggests it had a fault (s) that was never sorted or they are awful to drive, or wannabes can’t afford to run them. I’ve run an Impreza for 20 years , so I wouldn’t anticipate running costs to be much different.

They’re definitely a car you gauge the owner as much as the car. If it’s one of these with a baseball hat on in a dodge pot area it’s going to be a dog. 

[Metal Guru]

1 minute ago, sierraman said:

They’re definitely a car you gauge the owner as much as the car. If it’s one of these with a baseball hat on in a dodge pot area it’s going to be a dog. 

Yeh that’s a bit of a stereo type and largely  wrong because most scumbags can’t afford them. Most are just Ford bores, ( rally jacket as well as baseball cap).

You might get some owned by indoor farmers although they seem to favour RS Audis at the moment.

The Impreza has the same reputation although most I see, seem to be owned by boring middle aged men (like me).

[sierraman]

4 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

Yeh that’s a bit of a stereo type and largely  wrong because most scumbags can’t afford them. Most are just Ford bores, ( rally jacket as well as baseball cap).

You might get some owned by indoor farmers although they seem to favour RS Audis at the moment.

The Impreza has the same reputation although most I see, seem to be owned by boring middle aged men (like me).

I can only say what I can see and it seems round us the car of choice when you make a bit selling drugs. Of course you do get the usual ‘RS owners club’ type - often it’s outside their house barricaded in by something akin to the demilitarised zone in Cyprus. I’ve noticed they seem to love those tinplate signs that go ‘Ford RS Parking Only’ 🤣

In fact as I’m typing this I’m talking myself out of ever having one. 

[SiC]

11 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

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

They were 45k at launch in 2009, so not far off the original target of 40k. Obviously inflation is into it now and so start at 52k. 

[Tenmil Socket]

29 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

I’m seriously considering a late RS Focus. They seem to have kept their value but haven’t started going silly yet ( except Edition models), but probably will at some stage. The head gasket problems seem to have been sorted.

I’m slightly put off by many with very low mileage but several owners, like 12000 miles and 5 owners. That suggests it had a fault (s) that was never sorted or they are awful to drive, or wannabes can’t afford to run them. I’ve run an Impreza for 20 years , so I wouldn’t anticipate running costs to be much different.

I did contemplate one to be a bit different to the usual Audi, Merc and BMW you typically see where I live but (this may sound petty) the dashboard irritates me 😆

The vents look like they're on their side.

[83C]

There isn’t a new car available today within a £40k budget that I’d buy and do that sort of distance and time in. The nearest I’d choose would be a BMW 540i XDrive Touring, and I got to just over £70k on the BMW car configurator before I was happy to consider it a very long term ownership prospect. The last thing I’d want over 250,000 miles is to be sitting there wishing I’d ticked a certain option box, or been able to spec a nicer colour, or the better engine etc. 

1995 is much easier, Discovery 300Tdi.

[w00dy]

I've got to build it myself and I put the R pack on it so I can really ruin my spine for those 250k miles.

In 1995 I'm having an Impreza Series McRae at £23k

[Barry Cade]

You aren't sticking to the rules... I wouldn't spend 40k on a new car ever..

I'm trying to make you ask yourself a hypothetical question to see where you think the future lies and how you see 2024 technology..  and how it has "progressed" since the 90s..

40k. Brand new car, 250k in 15 years.. 

Same criteria, but its 1995 and 25k..

Forget about seats, tax, running costs, etc .

Car will be dealer serviced, and maintained properly by them.

 

Just been pondering as I listened to a US podcast talking about a similar scenario..

[Macscrooge]

Probably breaking the rules, but a used Lexus RX. And if it has to be a new car, probably a Corolla 2.0 wagon. 
In 1995, probably a Volvo 940/960/850 wagon. And I’m pretty sure that’s what I’d have said in 1995 too!

[Shite Ron]

I have had a look on the web and found a new Volvo 960 estate fully loaded came within budget in 1995(under 25k). Today the budget of £40,000 doesn’t buy much, not even a C class Mercedes!Surprisingly though someone posted here recently Jaguar XF prices are surprisingly low so I would have to have one of those, either a fully loaded saloon or if you allow me a weeks pay over budget then a base model estate which is still well equipped and seems a bargain compared to the list price of a new Astra or Peugeot! However I could not imagine ever wasting money on a new car  even if I won the lottery.

[egg]

So, I can't get an Ioniq 6 or Alpine A110 with 'just' £40k. Umm. 

I think an updated MG5 SE £30k, well within budget.

Although I can't imagine doing that kind of mileage on UK roads in any car, but I know some of you do.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307189808638

[eddyramrod]

I think the mileage would take me the rest of my life to clock up!  New cars do nothing for me, so I'd step sideways and go for a Transit: ideally L2H1 with twin sliders, windowed; and the extended cabin.  And a towbar.  Even with an auto box it should come in budget.

1995?  As others have discussed, a lovely RWD Volvo estate, job done.

[kevins]

I think I'd probably buy a Transit custom,  great to drive, tows well, easily used as a camper,  and you can move just about anything  I'll ever need to, get the cam belt changed every 60k and thay are pretty reliable. (on the 16" wheels they are pretty pot hole proof too).

[Asimo]

Sprinter van, f.w.d. / low roof / s.w.b. / minimum power / manual is £34k*ish  so leaves a bit for options. If they still did delete options I’d be happier without some of the 21st century toys, but for what I use a motor for it would be a better fit than anything else.

*It’s a van so price talk is before tax. Why we do this I have no idea.

[Spottedlaurel]

The '95 option is easy, a Camry estate. A 2.2 manual was just over £20k, so with the change I could buy a shed full of old Datsuns at the stupidly cheap prices they were back then. The 3.0 V6 version would just about have been in budget, but there's a timeless honesty about the 2.2 that I never tired of in the 10-15 years I ran them.

I'm really struggling with the new option, there just isn't the choice of big, quietly capable Japanese estates that I'd want to own for that long.

[brownnova]

If I have to have a car to include the kids… then: 

A well spaced Jogger. I reckon it would keep going… 

 

However, the actual answer if I could buy any car for £40k and use it for 15 years would be: 

MX5

 

In 1995: 

Saab 900 convertible. Or a 9000 if I’m being more sensible. 

[MiniMinorMk3]

I'd not buy a new car.

[cms206]

I would surprise everyone who knows me now in 1995 by buying a Toyota Carina E estate, 2.0 petrol in as high a possible spec as could be done. They're still genuinely a favourite of mine... pity they didn't do the Carina E GTi as a wagon.

Today? Genuinely wouldn't even know where to start.

[skoda_fan]

23 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

You aren't sticking to the rules... I wouldn't spend 40k on a new car ever..

I'm trying to make you ask yourself a hypothetical question to see where you think the future lies and how you see 2024 technology..  and how it has "progressed" since the 90s..

40k. Brand new car, 250k in 15 years.. 

Same criteria, but its 1995 and 25k..

Forget about seats, tax, running costs, etc .

Car will be dealer serviced, and maintained properly by them.

 

Just been pondering as I listened to a US podcast talking about a similar scenario..

This is Autoshite. Therefore question does not compute😄. If pushed I was going to say Morgan Super 3 just for laughs...but I've just discovered the OTR price for those starts from £43k. I guess I'm +1 for a new MX5 then. If forced to buy something sensible, I'd have to approach it like buying a new white good, ie comparing costs etc, but with no enthusiasm.

[Dobloseven]

On 18/01/2024 at 22:26, Dobloseven said:

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.

Edit,cheapest Rexton is now listed at £40500.Still a bargain though,certainly in terms of £ per lb. and what it's capable of.

[Spiny Norman]

On 19/01/2024 at 17:53, Barry Cade said:

You aren't sticking to the rules... I wouldn't spend 40k on a new car ever..

I'm trying to make you ask yourself a hypothetical question to see where you think the future lies and how you see 2024 technology..  and how it has "progressed" since the 90s..

40k. Brand new car, 250k in 15 years.. 

Same criteria, but its 1995 and 25k..

Forget about seats, tax, running costs, etc .

Car will be dealer serviced, and maintained properly by them.

 

Just been pondering as I listened to a US podcast talking about a similar scenario..

I doubt you're going to get the answers you want from most of the people on here for whom the idea of spunking £40k on a new car is about as likely as discovering your cat can play the piano. I know a few people lease moderns but that's hardly the same thing, on a PCP deal you don't care how long the thing lasts, only how much it costs per month which can be quite unrelated to the purchase price.

I have no idea what £40k buys you nowadays but if it's still possible to buy something like a simple battery-less (bar the 12v one for the starter motor) petrol engined Honda CRV or RAV4 I'd probably have something like that, but I can't imagine how fucked up my life would have to become that I'd suddenly have to do 3 times my annual mileage in one. I don't think most people do those sorts of  mileages any more in the UK.
I can't have an EV because I live n a flat and have no charging facilities and would have to use the fast chargers in car parks which cost the same as running a car at 25-30mpg and still take 10 times as long to refuel as a petrol car.

1995 option: Saab 9000 2.3T 5 door auto.

[egg]

Oh, I didn't do my 1995 option, Mondeo Ghia 4x4 2 Litre with optional air conditioning and CD player (not a Ghia X, cos don't want the leather).

[Tartan58]

The now is easy, Skoda Superb estate no contest.

In 1995, no idea what they cost but a Rover R8 tourer would be lovely, or the civic version was nice too - or if the budget would stretch to an Accord Aerodeck (if they still existed in 95) that would be just fine.

Edit: can't believe I forgot the Legacy Outback, would that be in budget? I'll have that one.

[Jim Bergerac]

Now: Either a Skoda Octavia VRS or the best Dacia Duster money could buy. 

In 1995 the biggest difficulty would be being spoiled for choice. Like others, if I was focused on longevity I would be after a Volvo, either an 850 or a 960. 

[grogee]

How much is a Hyundai i30 N? 

One of those please 

[LightBulbFun]

On 19/01/2024 at 17:53, Barry Cade said:

You aren't sticking to the rules... I wouldn't spend 40k on a new car ever..

I'm trying to make you ask yourself a hypothetical question to see where you think the future lies and how you see 2024 technology..  and how it has "progressed" since the 90s..

40k. Brand new car, 250k in 15 years.. 

Same criteria, but its 1995 and 25k..

so the car literally has to be like on a brand new platform or just released? IE cant be something they have been making for yonks, like a new Lada Niva or UAZ 452?

 

I mean i'd still argue I could squeak the VRS TX4 in since thats based on a modern ford driveline and a sort of  modern car underneath (2017 shells)

 

but if im not allowed that, then i'd probably go with @brownnova a Dacia Jogger, about as KISS as you can get a modern car these days, and a nice large estate car for lightbulb lugging  

I realise thats way *under* budget, but im otherwise not very clued up on modern cars, most just dont appeal to me at all!

 

as from 1995, i'd go for some Volvo brick of some kind, which funnily enough is exactly what my mum did, well not new, but in the mid 1990's she bought a 1982 Volvo 244.

it was eventually scrapped in 2001 (I only just about have some very early memories of being held in presumably my mothers arm next to it)

by the time it died it had 300K on the clock and was 19 years old, so certainly would fit your requirement of 250K in 15 years, and I have no doubt whatever the 244's 1995 equivalent could do the same  

[AnnoyingPentium]

Currently - Skoda Superb estate, probably a 2.0 TDI.

1995 - Omega with the 2.5TD.