# Well... *the beast has arrived*



## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

...it seems like so long since the flurry of "ordered this today" threads last year, so...

...in October last year I started having to park in the city centre every day, never liked that, and now this contract will last for another 12 months or so, and fuel prices, 21mpg in the SLK, etc. So I decided to get something else for driving to work. New, used, big, small, petrol, diesel, how much to spend, it's a bit of a minefield TBH. If you get a small loan for a used car the APR is extortionate. And you always want the next model up too :roll:

So in the end I settled on doing a personal contract hire, not a PCP, no arrangement fees, no balloon, just 3 years and then give it back. And the secret to getting a cheap lease is picking a car where you don't need any options. Requirements - small petrol engine, air con, CD, MP3, bluetooth, 4 airbags...

...and the beast which satisfies all the above - Nissan Micra 1.2 Acenta  

Hopefully I will get my mitts on it next week. In silver of course, with the above spec, no alloys so no worries about kerbing them. And maybe, at last, after 12 months of the Merc, someone will feel sorry for me driving it and actually let me into a queue  Really looking forward to it in a weird sort of way.


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

You're going to drive a car built by mackems    have you lost the plot :wink:


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## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

Well, I've been thinking about that too...

...every silver lining has a cloud unfortunately :lol:


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

Wondermikie said:


> ...21mpg in the SLK, etc....


Makes me realise just how good (fuel consumption wise) the 5.5 V8 in my old CLK was. In 16k miles of varying driving, I averaged 20.1mpg - the previous owner averaged 22.2mpg!

But a Micra??? Is it pink?


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## senwar (Apr 21, 2003)

Crikey mate 

Thats some change!!!

I know I'd been thinking of getting rid of mine for similar reasons, but you're a brave man!

Good luck (of sorts!)


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## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

You are joking right. You could have leased a Pug 1 or C1 for Â£89.00 +vat per month they are funky in a funny sort of way But a Micra


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## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

BreTT said:


> But a Micra??? Is it pink?


  no no no, it's silver.

Hehe thanks for the kind words  Am I the first "Other Marquer" with a Micra :lol:

Just had to add that I haven't gone completely mad, I'm keeping the Benz...









I'm getting this to supplement it, not replacing it. Paul, to sell it now I'll lose Â£10k in a year so I might as well keep it, bit like yours really, it'll only depreciate when you come to sell it, if you keep it, it doesn't matter.


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## BreTT (Oct 30, 2002)

Wondermikie said:


> Just had to add that I haven't gone completely mad, I'm keeping the Benz...


Ok, order resumed. Move along please, nothing more to see here :wink:


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## senwar (Apr 21, 2003)

Wondermikie said:


> Just had to add that I haven't gone completely mad, I'm keeping the Benz...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ah right!

Phew!

lol

True re: depreciation....


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## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

You had us all going then :lol:


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## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

Yep I never realised I hadn't made my intentions clear that it was a runaround rather than a replacement.

That really would have been crazy [smiley=freak.gif]


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## teucer2000 (May 14, 2002)

Was given a Micra as a hire car in Tuscany last year..did 2000 miles in it and had an absolute blast.


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## PaulS (Jun 15, 2002)

Wondermikie said:


> Yep I never realised I hadn't made my intentions clear that it was a runaround rather than a replacement.
> 
> That really would have been crazy [smiley=freak.gif]


You had me worried too :roll:

Actually I had an Avis hire car last week - I can't actually remember what it was other than it had 4 doors and a Nissan badge I think ... was not looking forward to driving it, but once it was on the move (although taking an age to accelerate) it seemed fine


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## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

teucer2000 said:


> Was given a Micra as a hire car in Tuscany last year..did 2000 miles in it and had an absolute blast.


Micra power  



PaulS said:


> ...was not looking forward to driving it, but once it was on the move (although taking an age to accelerate) it seemed fine


Yep, given that the average "fuel-conserving non-concentrating soccer mom" 0-40mph time is about 40 seconds now I'm sure that it will hold it's own during the "rush" hour.

Roll on next week 8)


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## PaulS (Jun 15, 2002)

Wondermikie said:


> teucer2000 said:
> 
> 
> > Was given a Micra as a hire car in Tuscany last year..did 2000 miles in it and had an absolute blast
> > Micra power   .


Actually the car I had felt like a mini-mpv, don't think it was a Micra, any idea what I could have been driving :?

* edit - it was a Nissan Note :wink: *

I was actually quite impressed by it, seating, ride and comfort were fine (bar the roly polly cornering) even the steering wheel was fully adjustable in all directions.

I'm getting my Monaro back next week (having it's annual mot/service & some suspension fettling) it's going to be interesting going from the fwd Mondy to the rwd Monaro :wink:

Taking it on a week euro driving tour in July to see Blondie, the B52's and a few other bands


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## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

Well, it's better than I thought it would be, not a bad wee runabout, and the best thing - between 45 and 50mpg so it looks like it's going to be at least 23-4 mpg better than the SLK.


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## ResB (Apr 17, 2005)

Well, it's, it's, emm, it's an emm, yeah, it's a new car. 

_[whisper]Pssst. are you okay?[/whisper]_


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

ResB said:


> Well, it's, it's, emm, it's an emm, yeah, it's a new car.
> 
> _[whisper]Pssst. are you okay?[/whisper]_


 :roll:


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## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

Wondermikie said:


> Well, it's better than I thought it would be, not a bad wee runabout, and the best thing - between 45 and 50mpg so it looks like it's going to be at least 23-4 mpg better than the SLK.
> 
> I get 40 around town and 48 on a run and mines a V6 diesel :wink:


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## barton TT (Nov 13, 2004)

My x-type Jaguar diesel does 52 on a run and cheap on road tax Â£115 shame you could not gone for something like that second hand.


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## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

ResB said:


> ..._[whisper]Pssst. are you okay?[/whisper]_


Actually, getting this has been a moment of clarity rather than madness, I think :lol:



Hilly10 said:


> ...I get 40 around town and 48 on a run and mines a V6 diesel :wink:


There's only one flavour of V6 for me...



barton TT said:


> My x-type Jaguar diesel does 52 on a run and cheap on road tax Â£115 shame you could not gone for something like that second hand.


Yep I hear what you're saying, the problem is that you always think "...oh, if I just spent another Â£50/month or Â£100/month I could have this or..." and it just gets out of hand.

I already have this on the drive so a really basic car does me, can't start having two "good" cars if you know what I mean.


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