Thinking of buying a new Citigo on 0%

[sleepers]

I'm on a quest to reduce my commuting costs but depite doing the energy efficient driving course from the Energy Saving Trust I'm finding my Suzuki Jimny, owned outright, just to expensive on a day to day basis...

 

Annual costs

Road Tax £175 possibly ~£185 next April!

Insurance £220

Mot & Servicing ~ £300 - £400

Fuel 32-35mpg [commute 35 miles a day]

 

Vs

 

Skoda CitiGo 3Dr SE 60ps Green tec list £9140 on 0%

 

As this is a second car to the wife's Passat TDI Sport i'm not really interested in options bar a spare wheel and roof bars for my bike as I part cycle my route every day. Might be able to haggle on those two items anyway...

 

On my Excel spreadsheet the numbers say flog the Jimny for ~£3500, put down £2500 on the Citigo and bung the £1000 in savings. Ongoing cost savings would be about £1000 a year [first 3 yrs], again into savings so the cash will be there for the final payment. The wife likes having the 4wd capability for winter but hates driving the Jimny. The Passat runs winter tyres [Avon Ice Touring] and is excellent in the snow anyway so with winter tyres on the Citigo I'm sure it will be fine in winter too?

 

Don't get me wrong I love the Jimny but I'm falling for the Citigo and feel that the money saved is better in my bank account than going out on car tax, servicing, MOT, fuel duty plus the Citigo is only £131 to insure. I almost never use the Jimny to go visiting friends anymore as I resent how expensive it is to run on top of commuting.

 

I've been to the dealer to view/drive etc but even if ordered now that's March delivery! The upside being I still have the Jimny for winter and take delivery of the Citigo just before the Jimny's car tax is due...

 

My head and heart are saying Citigo, is the right thing to do as big decisions make my brain hurt....?

 

PS I just got a work mobile which means I'll save £10.50pm by cancelling my barely used contract and my bike to work scheme ends April 2014 saving £27.16 net. Citago £69 - £10.50 - £27.16 = £31.34 :-)

 

We could buy it outright but I guess I'm trying to do is fund it through reduced running costs being a tight git

 

 

 

 

[Damo]

As Kevin Bacon says in the adverts, its a no brainer

Citigo is the car for you (especially cos your a tight git lol)

Rest your brain and get it ordered

Welcome to the forum

Damo

[philhoward]

If you're not fussy on spec, colour etc, look for one in the "system" or stock cars?  They do exist although might be few and far between.

 

We got to buy the dealers demo - 3 days old and still got the 0%, free servicing etc.

[bilun777]

Your costings and reasonings are very similar to ours,against my wifes 9 year old MX5.

She now has a 75 bhp 5 door Elegance on order with a couple of extras.

we found the finance little altered by going for the top spec Elegance.

"You know it makes sense."

[sleepers]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I've been thinking about this change for a while... One of the guys at work bought one for himself last spring, then another for his wife. Had a sit in it back then and really liked it. Funnily enough he switched out of a Suzuki Vitara and is quids in.

 

Anyway the wife has rubber stamped this change with the condition that it is red. Think I prefer white but living in the country means it would more like be brown...

 

Right now I'm jotting down the spec with possible options should there be any leeway. Of course when we pop in to buy it i'll leave the talking to the wife as she is chief negotiator. I usually end up sinking to the floor with shame whilst she does her stuff  

 

Will keep the forum posted...

[sleepers]

Your costings and reasonings are very similar to ours,against my wifes 9 year old MX5.

She now has a 75 bhp 5 door Elegance on order with a couple of extras.

we found the finance little altered by going for the top spec Elegance.

"You know it makes sense."

Extras I like are... Winter pack and leather steering wheel etc. Might as wll go for the Elegance 60 PS Green tec? At the last visit to the dealer they said floor mats and a full tank of gas were a given

[Neo_VR]

As already mentioned - try and find a car thats already in the system, otherwise youll be waiting several months for it.

 

Ive made a similar decision to switch from an Octy vRS to a citigo.. the financials are compelling... although i couldnt stick with a pov-spec version so ive gone for a Sport.

[bilun777]

Extras I like are... Winter pack and leather steering wheel etc. Might as wll go for the Elegance 60 PS Green tec? At the last visit to the dealer they said floor mats and a full tank of gas were a given

My wife went for red as well.It's Greentec(forgot that.)

We added Covenience pack,15" wheels +Spare wheel pack,variable boot floor,and fitted side protection strips(THe dealer fits those when it's PDI'ed.)

[Markyg]

Id go for the elegance over SE spec every time on a PCP. The extra costs per month are very small as the Elegance holds its value slightly better and if you want to spec an SE with the PID its a no brainer.

 

Of the top of my head with the elegance you'll get (over for example an SE)

PID

Leather wheel

Heated seats

Electric and Heated mirrors

Much nicer interior trim

Alloys

Greentech (if manual)

Front fogs

I'm sure theres more.

[davidukne]

Id go for the elegance over SE spec every time on a PCP. The extra costs per month are very small as the Elegance holds its value slightly better and if you want to spec an SE with the PID its a no brainer.

 

Of the top of my head with the elegance you'll get (over for example an SE)

PID

Leather wheel

Heated seats

Electric and Heated mirrors

Much nicer interior trim

Alloys

Greentech (if manual)

Front fogs

I'm sure theres more.

Exactly the reasons I chose an elegance.

[Auric Goldfinger]

Exactly the reasons I chose an elegance.

 

+1 and we got the Panoramic Sun Roof and tinted rear windows ( Summer Pack )

[greatdane]

we where the same as you with an ibiza...wife had my vrs I  used the old shed! so she got a citigo elegance in white and does all short trips school and back 4 times a day as she works there as well....shopping ect and puts in 40 pound per month ...no tax...heated seats,,,satnav she loves it

and I swapped my mk3 for a mk3....luvely jublee

[sleepers]

As already mentioned - try and find a car thats already in the system, otherwise youll be waiting several months for it.

 

Ive made a similar decision to switch from an Octy vRS to a citigo.. the financials are compelling... although i couldnt stick with a pov-spec version so ive gone for a Sport.

Will do.

 

Cheers

[sleepers]

we where the same as you with an ibiza...wife had my vrs I  used the old shed! so she got a citigo elegance in white and does all short trips school and back 4 times a day as she works there as well....shopping ect and puts in 40 pound per month ...no tax...heated seats,,,satnav she loves it

and I swapped my mk3 for a mk3....luvely jublee

That looks fantastic. The wife has relented to my wish for white. All going well at the dealers on Thur the Citigo will be ordered

[miskermark]

I too am very close to taking the plunge and ordering a new 75bhp Greentech Elegance, due to the 0% interest offer.

How many mpg can I expect from this model? I do about one third short journeys locally (supermarket, station etc), two thirds motorway runs (cruise at 70!!!, except in roadworks)?

Also, if I stream music from a Bluetooth phone to the PID, can I use the PID to select and play specific playlists? Or is there an easy way to create playlists on a micros SD card?

Edited 2 December, 2013 by damo :-)
to help user keep his licence

[Damo]

Without knowing your style of driving and the roads you use, its hard to gauge your expected mpg.

I would hazard a guess at low 50's if I was pushed, as your usage sounds a bit like my own.

If you drive steady, changing gear at the optimum time, avoid harsh accelerating/braking, judge the lights and try to keep momentum up hills etc then you may see 60.

A heavy right foot could see you into the mid 40's, but you will have a huge smile on your face as compensation!

Regarding the PID, I just use the SD card for music, as bluetooth can sometimes get a bit stuttery and gappy

Get one ordered, you wont regret it

[Defenderben]

Never found any Suzuki to be very economical. The Jimmy is very heavy on fuel for its size.

Only thing I would do is put ALL the money from the Jimmy into the new Citigo it is money you do not have to spend now and interest on savings is pants your better off getting the final payment as low as you can.

Putting the larger deposit down now, will reduce that final payment, you never know your circumstances in the future and xx years on the PCP/hp will soon be around and that payment will be due in no time.

Enjoy whatever you do

Edited 2 December, 2013 by Defenderben

[Owens]

We did the figures based on an old Corsa and the Citigo came out way on top. The quicker you change the more you will save.

[sleepers]

Never found any Suzuki to be very economical. The Jimmy is very heavy on fuel for its size.

Only thing I would do is put ALL the money from the Jimmy into the new Citigo it is money you do not have to spend now and interest on savings is pants your better off getting the final payment as low as you can.

Putting the larger deposit down now, will reduce that final payment, you never know your circumstances in the future and xx years on the PCP/hp will soon be around and that payment will be due in no time.

Enjoy whatever you do

Definately putting down the max 30% deposit with remainder of [private] sale in savings.

 

Trip to dealer on Thur seems so far away... :(

[philhoward]

I believe you can still do the "pay it off in full" within a short time of taking out the finance (or any time thereafter) and still retain the 3 years servicing and breakdown?

 

Ironically you will make a couple of extra quid in saving it, even with interest rates as bad as they are.

[Markyg]

Once you have taken the finance out. You have 14days to change your mind and fund the payment another way, yes you still get the finance discounts and servicing etc.

As for paying a large deposit, if you aren't going to buy the car at the end of the lease (I'm not) it may be better keeping the cash safe and not having it tied up in a car.

[sleepers]

I believe you can still do the "pay it off in full" within a short time of taking out the finance (or any time thereafter) and still retain the 3 years servicing and breakdown?

 

Ironically you will make a couple of extra quid in saving it, even with interest rates as bad as they are.

Come to think of it the salesman did say that there was the option to pay in extra cash once the finance agreement was up and running. That was in a response to something the wife asked...That would significantly bring down the final payment from £3900 to ~£2900  

 

Now that the decision has been made to order one on Thur my brain is starting to feel less like mush now.

 

A big thanks to everyone sharing their experiences.

 

Cheers

[sleepers]

One last question...

 

When you order it on 0% PCP.... Do you pay a small deposit at the time not the full £2742.30 odd?

 

Cheers

[Owens]

Is it not the £500.00 depost required to place the order?

[sleepers]

Is it not the £500.00 depost required to place the order?

Spoke to dealer... £100 deposit with 3-4 month wait unless a suitable car is already in the system.