Decided on what car to have next

[Captain Kremen]

My Scout is due to be replaced after three years as a company car. I am going to buy my own now & want a 4x4 and have looked at Freelanders, Sante Fe, all the others, then switched to Citroen C4 Grand Picasso or even the Renault Scenic.

After looking at them all and being slightly disappointed, I contacted the leasing company about buying my scout, and I looked at my requirements:

I need good MPG. My Scout did 54mpg going into London last week. Never drops below 45mpg.

I want 4x4, Check.

I need a large estate. Double check with knobs on.

Must tow. Check again.

Must carry kayaks on roof. Roof bars, check.

Fun to drive. Yep.

Reliable. Like a Swiss watch.

Cheap to run. Not half, servicing has been incredibly cheap for my company.

Wanted to spend up to about £11/£12k max. Leasing company said it will be about £8500.

The result? I am going to buy my Scout from the leasing company and update my wife's 75,000 y plate Xzara Picasso, and still get change!

I have driven 55,000 trouble free miles in mine from new since July 2007, next service will be about £200, it has a towbar already, it is not perfect, but at the price the leasing company will let me have it for, I cannot refuse it.

It will be much more cost-efficient for me, and the wife gets a newer car (54 plate 30,000 mile Renault Scenic) in to the bargain. Result!

[VRsMatt32]

result indeed, and you know its history!

:-)

[a_waugh]

Good stuff. As said, you know the car, you know what it can do, your happy with it and SWMBO will be happy that she is getting a new car. Result.

[PH68]

It's a diesel.

Look after it and it'll have no problems going beyond 200K on the clock.

[Herschel]

awesome result that.

[Captain Kremen]

Yeah, that is what I thought.

It is odd but true, that nothing I looked at had the all round capability, low running cost & size that the Scout has. And they are all MUCH more expensive.

The Sante Fe was the only one that merited a second look, mainly for it's 5 year warranty. But even second hand 56 plate 40,000 milers are £12k. amazingly though, the Scout is longer & has more room inside for my kayak!