2 cars or 1 all rounder

[obi_waynne]

What are your thoughts on this dilemmar - perhaps in a year or 2 I'm upgrading cars.

Do I get 2 cars, a cheap runaround with good MPG for work/domestic use and a 2nd car for fun weekends or should I just get a good all rounder.

The car I have at the moment is an all rounder but I wanted to know the arguments for getting 2 cars instead, each more focussed for the job in hand.

Perhaps to get you thinking I'd throw in a couple of options, but feel free to make your own suggestions:
Fiat 500 1.2 for daily running
Honda S2000 for weekends and fun

Ford Fiesta 1.4
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

BMW 120D (lowest tax band and very economical)
Nissan Skyline R33

Or the answer to just one all rounder would be a 2008 Audi S3 (5 door) - which costs far too much at the moment but I know the price will come down if I wait a bit.

 

[HDi fun]

If there are two drivers then 2 cars is going to be more practical.

 

[Broken Cambelt]

Owning two cars may defeat the point of having the cheap economical runabout, keeping in mind you would have to keep them both insured, taxed, MOT'd and serviced
(not to mention shiny and clean - Double the car wax bill !)

I would personally be tempted to buy a car that will put a smile on your face and spend the money that would have been spent on the second car on fuel and maintainance for the main one. however of course if you are driving 100k a year then suddenly it would be cheaper to have a small car, it all depends on how much you drive and how you drive, and as HDI pointed out, if there are two of you driving then two cars would be good.

The only problem: who gets the Evo, and who gets the Fiesta, plus imagine getting into a fiesta after driving the evo, depressing!

 

[HDi fun]

I think a thoroughly good allrounder is the best bet. When I was covering 650-750 miles a week the last thing I wanted to be driving about in was a Fiesta or other similar runabout. And driving that much for work meant I didn't really want to drive elsewhere for pleasure.

 

[MasterAuron]

I think a thoroughly good allrounder is the best bet. When I was covering 650-750 miles a week the last thing I wanted to be driving about in was a Fiesta or other similar runabout. And driving that much for work meant I didn't really want to drive elsewhere for pleasure.

Why? My Fiesta is for that exact reason. It's quiet, very comfortable, well equipped and nice to driver. In fact, with more power it would actually be a very good all-rounder.

Imho you can't beat two cars if you're yearly mileage is high. You just don't want to be driving a powerful Evo for 100k miles a year, it'll cost you a fortune in tyres let alone anything else I have two mates with 8 FQ-340 MR's (albeit more powerful than 340bhp) an believe me when I tell you, they are damn expensive the run. Servicing is often and expensive, parts aftermarket and OE are very expensive, tyres and brake pads don't last very long, poor mpg...I could go on...

An all-rounder is okay if you live 10 miles from work for example. I'm guessing Broken Camblet doesn't have to travel 90miles to work often and I'd be interested to see what HDi would recommend as an all-rounder?

 

[Loz]

With fuel prices rising as they are, I'd be happy to potter to work in something like Gordon Murray's T25 & have a beastie for hooning about the weekend. :bigsmile:

 

[HDi fun]

Trouble is if we all give in to fuel price hikes and buy little tiny cars the govt will raise the duty further just to make up for the lost revenue.

It's nothing to do with the environment. It's all about revenue.

 

[dpsubaru]

think 2 cars is the better option. firstly, if you have a cheap runabout then thats exactly what it is, the insruance/tax etc will be low as its only your runabout, as for washing it - why bother.
then have something nice for the weekend. as mentioned above though you cant get something too crap as the runabout if you do a high mileage.

currently am running a 1994 ford escort as a runabout, its great for transporting stuff in and parts are easily available still. insurance is also cheap. its much more versatile for doing things with than the Subaru. much bigger boot space, can park it anywhere, its always on hand and who's going to nick it?

 

[Skullion]

Just get one car lol .....

......I tryed that, when I got my first celica, also had a mk1 clio so thought i'd keep both, one for work and the other for fun but it all costed too much money keeping them both on the road!

Now I just own my other celica, Am loving it ..... Rear Brakes are needing replaced so cause it's my main pride and joy, I'm replacing all the brakes with Grooved disc's and mintx pads but if I owned two car it would just be the rears being reaplced with blue print.

 

[old-git]

There is a major problem with an allrounder......It's an allrounder, fairly good at everything but excellent at nothing.

We have the Chevy Blazer for carting stuff about, pulling trailers and long, comfortable journeys, a Vauxhall Astra turbo for general pootling about and the Robin Hood purely for sunny day fun.

Then, there is the Elan................