I recently sold my car (BMW X5) to the guy that was fitting new windows at our home. The car wasn’t up for sale at the time, but he made me a good offer, so I sold the car in a short space of time.
I hadn’t had time to think about what I should replace the car with, so I hired a Toyota Auris from Anchor Self Drive and have been driving this around ever since.
So, what sort of car should I buy? I’m going to India on Thursday for 12 days then when I get back I need to start making decisions on this, and I could do with your help.
The way I see it, I’ve got 3 options:
Small car
At the moment, I’m driving the Toyota Auris.
It’s understated and I’m getting around 51 mpg which is great. I drove from Wakefield to the South Coast and back, and only spent around £50 on diesel. In the X5 I would have spent £100! The problem is that on long journeys, my back starts hurting because it’s not very comfy. Also, it’s a manual gearbox which makes it difficult to drive when I have a sandwich in one hand, phone in the other (just kidding) and I’m trying to navigate a roundabout.
Also, a few of the lads in the factory have started asking me if their jobs are safe – it appears that driving a small, cheap car has spooked them!
Medium Sized Car
I’m talking here about a rep’s car, like a Mondeo. Maybe stretching to a BMW or Audi. I’d be able to get my sample window easily in the boot, and some boxes of brochures. I might get 40 mpg out of a car like this also which is better than I have been used to.
A medium sized car would suggest to both staff and customers that I’m neither on the verge of bankruptcy, or a flash Harry. This is probably my favourite option at the moment.
Big car
Or, should I just say ‘What the hell!’ and spend a bit of money on a bit of luxury? I’d have to finance this option in some way, and I’d need to convince Alison that this would be a good ‘investment’.
I’m keen to do my bit for the environment, and buying a big, flashy car would be a step in the wrong direction. Luxury cars tend to only do around 25mpg which means lots of stops at the filling station. I’m also confident that my staff will all think I’m making too much money and ask for wage rises.
But, on the other hand, it’s good to show the world that Conservatory Outlet is doing well (which it is) and on longer journeys it’s nice to not get a sore back.
So, what should I do? Save money, play safe or splash out?
I’ve added a poll to the website to see if I can judge the feeling of my RCG readers. So please vote on the type of car you think I should buy. Alternatively, please leave a message below. Thank you.
