Depreciation on vehicles other than Cali's

[Fryers!]

We are looking to replace our daily commute car in January and was wondering if anything else out there has as good depreciation as the Cali?

So far we have a mixed list with the Kia Sportage coming top in most polls because of the 7 year warranty along with the Audi Q5

Is there anything else we should consider?

 

[KernowLad]

It's VERY hard to find anything that isn't incredibly niche (like top end 911s or Ferraris!) that won't drop like a stone.

Best thing to do is get as good a discount as possible - I know our BMW will drop like a stone (and already has) but the £6k we got off list will soften the blow.

I'd check for deals; now is a great time to buy as dealers desperately try and fill quotas for the year.

I'd bet far higher on a Q5 than a Kia for slow depreciation but any SUV seems to drop like a rock off the Eiffel tower for some reason. However buy one at a year old (or less) and you're quids in.

We've had two apparently depreciation proof (or nearly) cars cost us £5k in a year on it (a mk4 R32 Golf and a LR 110 Defender) and our low mileage 335d Touring (very desirable apparently!) dropped pretty sharply too; yet two cars that had terrible reputations for it (A Vx Astra and a Jimny) fetched far better money than we expected.

So choose the that suits first, haggle the nuts off the price, run car, cry when you come to sell it.

A possible good one is a 110 Defender (if you need seats) as they stop production next year and should hang onto their money but they're hard work to live with!

 

[Maud]

Would it be possible just to use the Cali as your daily commute? Low depreciation + saving the cost of running two cars

Maud

 

[teeboy]

If you just need a little run around, have you considered leasing. There are some stonking deals on VP Up / Skoda Citigo type cars.

About £3500 for 3 years (deposit + 35 rentals) - there are not many cars you can buy that will be under warranty and only depreciate £3500 over 3 years.

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/volkswa ... 39-2050686

Not exciting cars, but you have a Cali for that.

I am considering leasing my next non-Cali vehicle.

T

 

[pjm-84]

As above. We're thinking about leasing an Up or a Seat Mii for a work's pool car. 3 cylinder engine is pretty good.

 

[KernowLad]

Just avoid the auto on the Up - it's the worst gearbox I have ever used.

 

[teeboy]

Also avoid the auto, as it is a lease car and you are obliged to thrash the cr@p out of it and that is far easier in a manual.

To be fair I have had a couple of Ups as loan cars from VW and they are great fun to drive around town, like little go karts

I am 6'2" and quite large and fit no problems

T

 

[caligraphy]

Like any new car the Californias will still depreciate quite a bit in their first 3 years but after that very little indeed. I've owned 2 bought at 3 years old for roughy half their new value and lost almost nothing on them in the years since. Of course it depends on mileage but my last was a 24,000 miler with almost every option bought for a fraction over half its new value.

The only other cars I can think of will be future classics such as the Mk2 Gti or Jaguar XKR. These tend to hit a bottom then appreciate. I sold a Mk2 Gti for more than twice what I paid for it despite driving almost 100k miles in it.

 

[muttley]

I tried to be clever last year, and bought an old V6 Golf for just 1800. That was sure to be pretty much depreciation proof, and indeed it was - except that it cost me 1500 in spares & repairs in a year!! Bangernomics can save you a fortune, but it is such a huge gamble. You definitely don't ever want to buy an old performance car, although I have seen a lovely old TVR Cerbera ...

My wife bought a new 1.4 Golf 3 years ago, and I worked out that the depreciation on that exceeds the cost of leasing a Golf R for the same period. Naturally, that is what she wants to do now!

As others have said, just buy what you really want and try not to think about the depreciation. You could get a nice, luxury holiday for the cost of depreciation on a Cali each year, but I doubt that would tempt any of us to sell up.

Simon

 

[Californiaman]

I had a 1985 ish Camero Z28 which cost me £187 to run (plus fuel) for six months. A week after I sold it, it got sad and killed itself by throwing a rod. It was a very expensive fix....

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[KernowLad]

I tried to be clever last year, and bought an old V6 Golf for just 1800. That was sure to be pretty much depreciation proof, and indeed it was - except that it cost me 1500 in spares & repairs in a year!! Bangernomics can save you a fortune, but it is such a huge gamble. You definitely don't ever want to buy an old performance car, although I have seen a lovely old TVR Cerbera ...

My wife bought a new 1.4 Golf 3 years ago, and I worked out that the depreciation on that exceeds the cost of leasing a Golf R for the same period. Naturally, that is what she wants to do now!

As others have said, just buy what you really want and try not to think about the depreciation. You could get a nice, luxury holiday for the cost of depreciation on a Cali each year, but I doubt that would tempt any of us to sell up.

Simon

My Golf R32 lost over £5k in a year which rather hurt.

A Cerbera is lovely but very flaky. A mate bought one new; two weeks later it leaked and the clutch died... A Sagaris is a very safe bet though.

 

[pjm-84]

6 series convertible. 3.5years/ 33.5k lost (22k miles)

 

[Fryers!]

6 series convertible. 3.5years/ 33.5k lost (22k miles)

Ouch

 

[WelshGas]

Land Rover Defender 90 2.4 XS, so all the goodies - heated seats, carpets, air-con, 1/2 leather seats. Cost £28,000. Sold after 5 years and 55,000 miles for £18,000. Depreciation £2000/pa

 

[KernowLad]

6 series convertible. 3.5years/ 33.5k lost (22k miles)

Ouch!!

Welsh; our 110 lost over £5k in a year. 110xs, all the toys. Chopped it in for our Cali.
Still not sure which was the least reliable but the Cali is rather more useful.

However I do still hanker after a sorted 90; probably a pre ECU 200 or 300 tdi.

 

[WelshGas]

Agreed. The Defender never let us down but there were constant niggles. But the two vehicles are like chalk & cheese. And my L knee is now getting a well deserved rest. :laugh2