Running Costs - Older Berlingo vs Xantia Estate

[addo]

Just crunching some numbers at present, it looks like the Berlingo is costing about £550/yr less than the Xantia to run.

That's with the additional imposts on the Blingo of commercial vehicle insurances and correspondingly higher taxes. I could save half as much again if I lied about its usage (like many tradespeople do). The Xantia has projected maintenance costs of about £1800, where the Blingo is about £1200.

If I sold both and bought a new white van, the interest payable would exceed savings on parts conferred by a five year warranty. In a country with no road salt, the only real reason for a change of work vehicle seems to be because it is genuinely, utterly worn out all over or because it no longer fits the business shape.

[steve valentine]

My van is insured for business use and costs £320.

I doubt lying about its use would half it.

[geoff]

A difficult choice you are exploring with lots of permutations ....
In the UK the decision for many to keep the Xantia would come down to rust and corrosion of the hydraulic pipes.
If I was in your shoes it would come down to how my wallet looks / my vehicle needs / how much life is left in the existing vehicles.
Dare I say it ..... is there another vehicle from a different manufacturer that fits the number crunching and your needs better than Citroen ???

[addo]

My next round of premiums are $1072 (compulsory third party personal injury), $641 elective comprehensive, market value ($4200), $484 registration (=your road tax). Lying would put me at $450 on the compulsory insurance, save $70 on the tax and knock $200 off the comp policy.

I can't see any cost saving in change; new commercial vehicles are overpriced if they're genuinely useful, and anything used will either be too dear or carrying its ownhazards. I'm not really wanting to change; just trying to get a grip on where my hourly rates need to be at presently, as I felt they weren't quite keeping up - and they aren't.

I've attached a picture taken yesterday, to show how little weathering has occurred to my Xantia rear subframe; a high mileage car that sees the road every day and never gets cold.

[geoff]

With respect to the hourly rate you need to be charging to cover whichever is the more expensive option irrespective of whether you choose the cheaper option.
If running older vehicles is cheaper for you then that is your perogative but the cost saving should be in your wallet and not your customers, think of it as your retirement fund.