Quick Comparison of Running Costs

[Colin Morgan]

Don't usually worry about this, but wondered how a mile in the Seven compares with a mile in my nine-year-old Golf?

Do about 500 miles a year in the Seven, so insurance of £50 is 10p a mile.  Fuel at 40mpg is about 15p a mile.  Spent about an average of £100 a year on parts and consumables, including tyres, over the years - so about 20p a mile.  There is no depreciation.  Loss of interest on capital at £4000 is about £40, which is 8p a mile.  That makes about 53p a mile.  Have I missed anything?   

If I did about 1000 miles a year in the Seven, this should come down to between 34p and 44p a mile.

Do about 10,000 miles a year in the Golf, so insurance at £200 is 2p a mile.  Fuel is also about 15p a mile.  Servicing is about £200 a year, MOT £50, Tax £130 which add up to about 4p a mile.  Depreciation is about £1000 a year, which is 10p a mile.  Loss of interest on capital is about £50, so is less than a penny a mile.  Spending on replacement items including tyres is running at an average of about £400 per year, or 4p a mile. Total cost per mile is therefore about 35p.

[Chris KC]

Yes Colin, but in the Golf you went to Tesco & back. In the Seven you had a life-affirming adventure. Priceless...

[Jamie]

I have a motoring manual from the early part of the last century which also compares the costs of modern and more traditional means of transport. In this case, it compares the costs of running a car with those of a horse and wagon. Who knew that chauffeurs and grooms earnt that amount?

Regards,

Jamie.

[Howard Wright]

Hi Colin

Not sure about your insurance calculation. Surely insurance is an annual cost that covers theft, fire etc etc. Can it be simply converted to a per mile cost?

And please don’t tell the wife that my two Sevens cost more to run than our little Audi A1.

Cheers

Howard

[Andy Bennett]

hmm, i would suggest that rather than including a loss of interest on capital at 8p a mile, i would think that you could include a positive amount in terms of increase in value. I bought my A7 10 years ago at £4300 and it is now worth around £8K. So it is an asset gaining in value not losing from lost interest from a static value.

So you need to look at what you paid, what it is worth now and then divide that increase over the years as a contribution, Then looking forward I would suggest an assumption of a further increase in value. I believe ou have a ruby which might be at the lower end of value increases but it will still be there.

Then how about a contribution from free show entry? We regularly go to shows costing £5 to £10 a head and get in for free. We cal our A7 our Blue Peter badge for those who remember them.

oh and using your calculations I make it that the A7 then wins

Of course if you did more miles in the 7 then it would just get better, so a perfect argument for getting it out more.

Andy B

[Duncan Grimmond]

I'm glad Andy gets into shows for nothing. Our local shows don't seem to realise that without our cars there is no show and they insist on charging an entry fee. I turn round and go home.

I'm surprised nobody has made an allowance for pleasure per mile. IMHO it's inestimable.
And someone told me that 7 owners have a reputation for being parsimonious! As if...

[Colin Morgan]

Given the higher purpose of a Seven, it is surprising that it can compete at all on something as mundane as pence per mile.

All the above numbers are small - when an Audi R8 owner was selling his low mileage car recently, someone kindly worked out that it had cost him £66 a mile.

[AustinWood]

Fixed costs, such as insurance and loss of interest, would have a much lower cost per mile if you covered more miles per year.
Use the car more!

[Steve kay]

Well these calculations are a bit worrying. When I add up the costs of entry fees for nav rallies and driving tests in the Seven it costs me a fortune. Trials entry fees for the 2CV are less, but only because it does fewer. Maybe I should stick to the not very modern Saab. Then again, maybe not.

[Alan]

If you think £66 a mile is expensive, I once worked out cost per mile of my hill climbing Ulster. It’s eyewatering