Morning everyone.

I have found myself in quite a dilema and after a couple of days reading posts on here, I thought its probably the best place to discuss the issue.

About 2 years ago, I bought my 3rd BMW M5. Its a brilliant car and everyone who rides in it with me loves it. I'd used it every day from driving the short distance to work to 400 mile trips to the Nurburgring. On 1st December we moved into our first house and money has become tighter, we are doing fine but have to be aware of how much we are spending on things. Its become increasingly annoying to put fuel in it with the dramatic increase in prices over the last 2 years (50%) to the extent where it all came to a head on Wednesday morning.

I'd been getting more and more fed up with putting fuel in it and the rate it goes through it and 5 days ago I put in £105 for Super Unleaded. Ironicially, I did it whilst on the way to a Skoda garage with a friend to look at a Fabia VRS (for him). I'd been looking around at an alternative large car for the last few months but found nothing that I fancied at all. Whilst browsing the dealership (friend talking about the Fabia post-test drive) I walked past a large green estate a couple of times before finally sitting in it.

Literally I closed the door in a near Bentley like <thud> and sat there thinking "What on Earth is this?" as it was so far above what I expected from Skoda. I moved to the back where I found (6ft 2) a huge amount of space. I was astounded and actually wanted one right there and then.

I don't do a huge mileage a year but I am really keen to try and reduce my driving costs. Currently we have 3 pre-2000 cars and pay £645 a year in Road tax alone! I've done some sums and worked out that the M5 costs £4,600 over 12,000 miles and the Superb I have my eye on, the Greenline II, would cost £1,900 (excluding deprecation). Alas, massive lead times and used prices being so close to new prices mean that I'd want a new one and I'd be spending over £20,000 to do it, at a time when I'm trying hard not to spend money.

Am I mad? I could just get a £1k Mondeo and have done with it but the Superb is the first car I've seen in ages that I actually really want.

Wrong place to come for a discussion I am afraid.

Everyone here will say just do it!

I had that £1000 Mondeo, well £2500 in reality, but you get my drift and I too ended up in a Skoda garage by chance.

I was gobsmacked by the Superb Elagance and I decided that "as I spend over two hours a day in a car" it would be cool if I could spend it on one that I have actualy choosen, so I went and got one.

So no, I don't think your mad, it's not a difficult decision at all.

certainly the superb is the Skoda to make people reassess their view of the brand. I know we've had a number of audi and BMW owners here like yourself pondering a change.

These days Skoda isn't seen as substandard choice, and instead as well built & spec'd yet at an attractive price as you say. Sure its not an M series, but with fuel at stupid prices and rising the sporty cars are becoming less and less attractive to everyone. Even older 2L+ cars are becoming hard to sell on compared to those more efficient from last 2yrs. Our 2L 07 octavia trade in is dropping like a stone :(

Have you explored trade in values on the m5 and delivery times yet?

It's a little complicated in that the M5 has alot of rust on it and now a collapsed jacking point. So it's worth more in bits! Hence with the delivery times it would be a deposit and then strip and sell the M5 bits whilst waiting for delivery.