FAO Coops

[Neath_Jack]

We used The Motorway to sell the wife's car, first guy pulled out of the sale after agreeing to buy the car initially which was a little frustrating.

Second attempt was much better the guy honoured the agreement turned up for the the money was transferred in to her account within seconds before we handed the keys over.

All in all it was pretty seamless process and the money received for the car wasn't to be sniffed at.

Would use them again.

Thats good to hear, never used them myself before.

 

[Pegojack]

That's a fascinating and informative discussion. I currently have a Skoda Octavia VRS diesel, bought from new but now six years old with about 113,000kms on the clock. Diesel is currently 1.29€ a litre here (£1.12) and I get about 60mpg.
I'd have another in a heartbeat, it's the best car I've ever had, but I'm feeling my environmental responsibility weighing on me, so my current plan is to replace it in two or three years time with full electric. If I do that, I'd install solar panels and a charging point on the house at the same time. Lots of free Spanish sunshine.

I'm hoping EV technology will have moved on a bit more by then and prices will have come down a bit. I'll probably stick with Skoda because I love everything about them. The furthest I go these days as a retiree is Alicante or Valencia airports, both around a 240km round trip. The rest is pottering. We haven't driven back to the UK for a couple of years because flying is so much cheaper, but I'd like the option. The idea of driving across half of Spain, the whole of France, crossing the channel and driving Portsmouth to S Wales in electric makes me nervous! Have ferry companies got charging facilities for EVs in cross channel ferries yet? They are missing a trick if not.

 

[Cooperman]

That's a fascinating and informative discussion. I currently have a Skoda Octavia VRS diesel, bought from new but now six years old with about 113,000kms on the clock. Diesel is currently 1.29€ a litre here (£1.12) and I get about 60mpg.
I'd have another in a heartbeat, it's the best car I've ever had, but I'm feeling my environmental responsibility weighing on me, so my current plan is to replace it in two or three years time with full electric. If I do that, I'd install solar panels and a charging point on the house at the same time. Lots of free Spanish sunshine.

I'm hoping EV technology will have moved on a bit more by then and prices will have come down a bit. I'll probably stick with Skoda because I love everything about them. The furthest I go these days as a retiree is Alicante or Valencia airports, both around a 240km round trip. The rest is pottering. We haven't driven back to the UK for a couple of years because flying is so much cheaper, but I'd like the option. The idea of driving across half of Spain, the whole of France, crossing the channel and driving Portsmouth to S Wales in electric makes me nervous! Have ferry companies got charging facilities for EVs in cross channel ferries yet? They are missing a trick if not.

If you keep changing oil and belts that engine will run for many more years. I have seen test cars with those powertrains and 500k miles is normal. You’ve also got the added benefit of climate and at 113k km, yours is barely run in. The tech may be a few years old now, but in non hybrid format there’s not much out there to beat it.

 

[Cooperman]

2025 will be a key year for EV sales as the next step down in overall emissions targets kicks in. The main driver towards achieving that is simply to sell more EV and sell less ICE, but on the flip side consumers don’t want to part with the extra cash for an EV. Quite what the OEM’s now do is anyone’s guess, but I’d fancy they take the option of heavily discounting EV’s over failing to achieve emissions targets and paying the fines which this will attract.

 

[Muteswan]

I didn’t think about the insurance angle! No doubt I’d have to start from scratch again knowing those bunch of shysters! That would be a massive no no if that is the case.

I did look on the motorway selling site and I was pleasantly surprised by their minimum offer.

Your insurance point is going to tip the balance I think. Thank you.

I had a company car for many years and decided to change and lease my own. I got in touch with our insurance broker and they went to the insurance company on my behalf. I had a letter from the broker stating that I’d had full no claims bonus for many years and could use this as proof to my new insurance company. They accepted this with no issues.

 

[Niigata Jack]

I've been looking as well. We have a salary sacrifice scheme with Octopus energy.

It's the range anxiety that is putting me off.

You work for Octopus then Smurph? got a couple of butties working at Octopus.

 

[Cooperman]

You work for Octopus then Smurph? got a couple of butties working at Octopus.

Smurph could be your mate and you never knew it, imagine that!

 

[Smurph]

You work for Octopus then Smurph? got a couple of butties working at Octopus.

Sorry, should have phrased it better.

The salary sacrifice scheme my employers offers is with Octopus.

 

[Smurph]

Smurph could be your mate and you never knew it, imagine that!

FFS, I've blown my cover

 

[K23]

My last works car was a hybrid, it drank petrol, just glad I wasn't paying for it. I wouldn't recommend a hybrid based on that experience. I'm sure others have had much better experiences though.

My tax threshold took a massive dip whilst I had it as well.

The electric was only thirty odd miles and I never got the full thirty miles of a charge, just seemed to disappear.

The thought of pulling in to a service station and having to wait there while the car is on charge gives me shivers.

I drive a Lexus GS300H which is a self-charging hybrid and I get about 45mpg out of it which is pretty good for a 2.5L. It can be pretty quick too when needed but I tend to buy a car for comfort these days.

 

[Smurph]

I drive a Lexus GS300H which is a self-charging hybrid and I get about 45mpg out of it which is pretty good for a 2.5L. It can be pretty quick too when needed but I tend to buy a car for comfort these days.

I was driving a Peugeot 3008 which would run out of fuel just reversing it off the drive, awful car on economy and the electric charge just wasn't worth it.

Very comfortable car though and quite nippy when you needed it. I also tend to look for comfort these days.

 

[Neath_Jack]

Anyone had or driven a BYD Seal? Would like to hear your comments if you have.

Coops, you know anything about them?

 

[Cooperman]

Anyone had or driven a BYD Seal? Would like to hear your comments if you have.

Coops, you know anything about them?View attachment 4798View attachment 4798

Think of them as the Chinese Tesla, albeit without the same global footprint. I think they run at about 15% export from China but have plans to set factories up in Europe and possibly Brazil (the two options that I know of). That’s quite a nice looking model, have seen some other BYD’s around and thought of them as a bit meh.

 

[Neath_Jack]

Think of them as the Chinese Tesla, albeit without the same global footprint. I think they run at about 15% export from China but have plans to set factories up in Europe and possibly Brazil (the two options that I know of). That’s quite a nice looking model, have seen some other BYD’s around and thought of them as a bit meh.

It looks lovely, that’s what caught my eye. One of the other managers who’s considering an electric company car, went and had a go of one in Cardiff the weekend. Said he needed to change his boxers after driving it

 

[Cooperman]

It looks lovely, that’s what caught my eye. One of the other managers who’s considering an electric company car, went and had a go of one in Cardiff the weekend. Said he needed to change his boxers after driving it

Do you know where they are sold from? I've not seen a BYD dealership when out and about.