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1

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 16 June 2025, 16:06:50 »

Hence looking at i5 Touring, sat in one last week. I did very much like it. Would order with a tow bar, so I can haul a trailer, bike carrier on the back. (kids are loving cycling at the moment)

I would also shift the spend into money "I do not see" and free up some funds that do hit by bank account.

Plus changes in taking kids in etc, increased miles.

What would be the down payment and subsequent monthly payments on that?

It's a nice enough car but a bit 'generic' perhaps.

Salary Sacrifice = No down payment.

Cost can vary dramatically, based on personal tax status. (20%/40%/60% tax payer)

I worked out the real world loss to me is £475/m.

That was 15k pa, i5 Touring, various packs, active suspension, tow bar, everything I would want.

That £475 includes the car, insurance, maintenance, tyres etc. Other cars with same deal:

£400 I could have a Tesla Model Y RWD

£275 for a Renult 5.

I would strike the Renault 5 off, have literally just got back from having a go in one, you wouldn't fit 

The baguette holder is also another good reason to avoid !

 

I had visions of it being a "Little hot hatch" after years of RWD barges. But I don't think it drives like that though.

Like I say the only appeal was the price!

2

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 16 June 2025, 16:05:56 »

One thing holding me back currently is the 100% of the EV gross figure (which are stupidly large) goes straight into my pension. So at the moment, I'm keeping that flowing as that is the true cost to me.

Yes, this is where I am. I think the iX 'costs' around £14k p.a. and I could really do with boosting my pension by this amount, but on the other hand, it is a nice car. I also have another 17yrs of private school fees to pay, so retirement is a little way off for me! I think the way I will go is a second hand EV, once decent ones fall into a sensible price bracket, until I fill out my pension annual allowance (should I ever get there!).

All that said, the 435i is going to be a hard act to follow. Other than my ar$e not fitting in the M-Sport seats, its a really nice motor!

i5 with some packs was coming in at around a similar amount!! I might look at LEX prices on those iX, I do prefer the looks of the i5 Touring though.

Luckily no private schools here, the eldest liked one when she went for a school competition, but soon discounted when we saw the yearly cost 

3

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 16 June 2025, 11:08:59 »

There are many, many factors though. I expect my mileage to increase significantly. With a salary sacrifice deal I would:

Never have any repair or service costs
Never have to pay for tyres
Never have to pay for insurance.
I get a brand new car every 3 years.

It will cost me sub £5 to charge at home and cover 300 miles.

I expect my petrol fuel bill to rise to nearly £200/£250 so already some big savings. But I need to wait until the new commuting style kicks in before I make a decision.

Then of course getting something nice and new has its appeal, along with never having to do any service work on it.

Sounds like you and I are in a fairly similar boat. I took the iX for exactly this reason last year. Except in our case we both use it to commute and clock up around 25k per year.

I worked out I was basically maintaining my own cars for the fun of it, while paying about £25 pcm for the privilege. There is also a great sense of comfort knowing that I don't have any repair bills coming and anything that does go awry (3 punctures in 11 months in my case) I just ring a number and a nice polite man makes it all better for me 

As for the i5, it's a lovely car, I had a razz round in one while the iX was having a little niggle sorted at the dealer. Better to drive than the iX for my money, but SWMBO wanted an SUV, and the i5 wasn't out when we ordered.

Let us know how you get on with it

25k a Year 

Yeah at those miles and EV cost at home that's a no-brainer.

Good to know about the i5, reviews do look good.

One thing holding me back currently is the 100% of the EV gross figure (which are stupidly large) goes straight into my pension. So at the moment, I'm keeping that flowing as that is the true cost to me. I need to find out about some structure changes at work, which is due to happen later this year.

Trouble is I really like my 435i - Near perfect blend for me of power and economy.

Another aspect is all these new cars have all these stupid active saftey systems, which are difficult to turn off.

4

General Car Chat / Re: R169 PNP

« on: 15 June 2025, 22:49:30 »

Still on the road!

Colour - Black
Fuel type - Petrol
Date registered - 17 October 1997
MOT valid until - 19 December 2025

5

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 14 June 2025, 18:01:34 »

Of course, it sounds ideal for what you need. I need something that I'm not too precious over, to transport a muddy dog and a smelly old man 

 

6

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 14 June 2025, 17:43:33 »

These figures you guys are bandying around are making my head hurt! 

Me too, that's why we drive crap old cars

With new cars getting more crap with every model year, who are the fools here?

Tunnie's annual budget for his new rental, is about the same as my budget for my next new to me car, which I expect will last me at least 5 years. 

£475 x 12= £5700

Over 3 years £17100.

I've no idea if that is good or bad.

I'm not having a pop at Tunnie. Far from it. If these lease deals work for him and his family then good for him. 

It's not for me though. 

Me neither. As you know, I paid just under nine grand for the grandland. Had if four weeks today and I haven't washed or vacuumed it yet. It's no more than a tool to carry my dog around in.

There are many, many factors though. I expect my mileage to increase significantly. With a salary sacrifice deal I would:

Never have any repair or service costs
Never have to pay for tyres
Never have to pay for insurance.
I get a brand new car every 3 years.

It will cost me sub £5 to charge at home and cover 300 miles.

I expect my petrol fuel bill to rise to nearly £200/£250 so already some big savings. But I need to wait until the new commuting style kicks in before I make a decision.

Then of course getting something nice and new has its appeal, along with never having to do any service work on it.

7

General Car Chat / Re: Travel Costs (Train)

« on: 13 June 2025, 22:05:09 »

I suspect Covid and WFH has dropped off quite a bit of traffic as well, no longer Mon-Fri needed.

Probably less than some of us might believe.  I think people drive in now, or use one of the coaches, or use WCML instead, again playing into HS2's plans with their claims about capacity issues there.

That and the £100 a day by the time you have paid for parking at a Chiltern station.

Even back in 2007-10 era, I was paying around £600-700 a month to go into Londinium all in

8

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 13 June 2025, 19:56:00 »

Hence looking at i5 Touring, sat in one last week. I did very much like it. Would order with a tow bar, so I can haul a trailer, bike carrier on the back. (kids are loving cycling at the moment)

I would also shift the spend into money "I do not see" and free up some funds that do hit by bank account.

Plus changes in taking kids in etc, increased miles.

What would be the down payment and subsequent monthly payments on that?

It's a nice enough car but a bit 'generic' perhaps.

Salary Sacrifice = No down payment.

Cost can vary dramatically, based on personal tax status. (20%/40%/60% tax payer)

I worked out the real world loss to me is £475/m.

That was 15k pa, i5 Touring, various packs, active suspension, tow bar, everything I would want.

That £475 includes the car, insurance, maintenance, tyres etc. Other cars with same deal:

£400 I could have a Tesla Model Y RWD

£275 for a Renult 5.

9

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 13 June 2025, 17:24:30 »

Hence looking at i5 Touring, sat in one last week. I did very much like it. Would order with a tow bar, so I can haul a trailer, bike carrier on the back. (kids are loving cycling at the moment)

I would also shift the spend into money "I do not see" and free up some funds that do hit by bank account.

Plus changes in taking kids in etc, increased miles.

10

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 13 June 2025, 17:03:52 »

But you'd better watch out this government doesn't reintroduce the LTA.

I thought they already had, 1 million? 

Not yet. At your age, you could easily exceed that.

Very easily, current calculator I use via the work provider, puts mine at 1.5 to 1.7.

You'll need to employ a very clever accountant, or retire at 55 like hospital consultants do. This is why the Tory government abolished the limit, not enough consultants. If Labour reintroduce it, they'll have to have a special get out for consultants, which will miff other public sector workers and......STRIKE!! 

 

I have the retirement calculator set for 60, as that's my current aim. Suspect by the time I get there though it will not be an option, have to be 55 currently to access the work pension, it's raising to 57 in 2028.

11

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 13 June 2025, 16:56:22 »

But you'd better watch out this government doesn't reintroduce the LTA.

I thought they already had, 1 million? 

Not yet. At your age, you could easily exceed that.

Very easily, current calculator I use via the work provider, puts mine at 1.5 to 1.7.

12

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 13 June 2025, 16:53:12 »

But you'd better watch out this government doesn't reintroduce the LTA.

I thought they already had, 1 million? 

Just seen it was abolished. But for how long and when do they U turn that! 

13

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 13 June 2025, 16:51:52 »

Yes it is, just checked. She won't touch that with her 12% and employers 24%.

Yeah, half expecting Rachel from Accounts to lower it in the next budget as well. 

Employers 24% 

14

General Car Chat / Re: Travel Costs (Train)

« on: 13 June 2025, 16:41:17 »

I'll also add the Flightline bus had excellent WiFi, joined some meetings on the bus and was a flawless connection.

Leg room was acceptable, could be quicker but they appear to limit these full size coaches to 56mph as well and don't do 70mph down the M3/M25.

15

General Car Chat / Re: Who owns a milk float on here?

« on: 13 June 2025, 16:38:19 »

My missus will tip over the ridiculous 60% tax threshold this year. But the 12% that goes into her pension will ,keep the taxman at bay for a while.

One thing to bear in mind, which I did not realise until recently, is that employer pension contributions are included in the cap limit.

It's punishing the single earner, it's a pi$$ take. The silver cloud is that it's forced me to put more into my pension, which is always a good thing.