Hi guys,
Brilliant forum you've got here, it's kept me entertained for a good couple of hours reading up on all the standard info. But I'd like your expert collective advice!
I currently drive an 05 231bhp Mazda RX-8. It's a brilliant car to drive in every single way, but it's costing me a fortune in fuel (nearly £200 a month!). I'm considering trading in for a Lotus.
I bought the Rex for £8,500 at the start of February, but I'll be lucky to see £7,900 on a private sale now, I think. £7k for trade-in, probably. If we take it as £7k then I've got a budget of £13-16k for my new car, and the Elise S2 is very attractive because of the better fuel economy (33mpg versus about 23/24).
I've carefully read the daily driver thread, but my problem is I'm not in the least bit mechanically-minded. However, I do have a cousin who is a mechanic who lives about 15 miles away who is pretty good with most things. Question is: exactly what should I be looking for with my sort of budget, and how often can I expect to speak to my cousin considering that budget?!
Some extra info:
Daily commute of 35 miles. Weekly average of ~230.
The vast majority of my commute (90%) is A roads and motorway, but weekend use is much more varied (traveling to football matches, etc.)
I'm 5'11 and 12st, so hopefully shouldn't be too awkward size-wise, from what I've read.
I'm a teacher, so I usually have a collection of books with me on a day-to-day basis, but I'm usually the only one in the car.
I'm now used to group 17 insurance from the RX-8, so my only issue is the economy
I already have a pair of earplugs as a result of going to a lot of gigs! Haha.
[edit] I live near Doncaster, South Yorks, England.
Thanks in advance,
Spud
Brilliant forum you've got here, it's kept me entertained for a good couple of hours reading up on all the standard info. But I'd like your expert collective advice!
I currently drive an 05 231bhp Mazda RX-8. It's a brilliant car to drive in every single way, but it's costing me a fortune in fuel (nearly £200 a month!). I'm considering trading in for a Lotus.
I bought the Rex for £8,500 at the start of February, but I'll be lucky to see £7,900 on a private sale now, I think. £7k for trade-in, probably. If we take it as £7k then I've got a budget of £13-16k for my new car, and the Elise S2 is very attractive because of the better fuel economy (33mpg versus about 23/24).
I've carefully read the daily driver thread, but my problem is I'm not in the least bit mechanically-minded. However, I do have a cousin who is a mechanic who lives about 15 miles away who is pretty good with most things. Question is: exactly what should I be looking for with my sort of budget, and how often can I expect to speak to my cousin considering that budget?!
Some extra info:
Daily commute of 35 miles. Weekly average of ~230.
The vast majority of my commute (90%) is A roads and motorway, but weekend use is much more varied (traveling to football matches, etc.)
I'm 5'11 and 12st, so hopefully shouldn't be too awkward size-wise, from what I've read.
I'm a teacher, so I usually have a collection of books with me on a day-to-day basis, but I'm usually the only one in the car.
I'm now used to group 17 insurance from the RX-8, so my only issue is the economy
I already have a pair of earplugs as a result of going to a lot of gigs! Haha.
[edit] I live near Doncaster, South Yorks, England.
Thanks in advance,
Spud