A sound financial decision...

Things that are wrong with our car and cost of fixing them:

2 new tires:                          £100
Front end suspension:          £250 (inc. parts and labor)
Blowing exhaust:                  £100 (estimated)
Wing mirror:                        £25
Brakes:                               £125 (estimated)
Climate control fan switch:  £50 (estimated)
Road Tax:                          £105
MOT test:                           £35
Ignition repairing:  Not a clue!  Just started having problems last week.

Grand total:  £790 (plus the cost of fixing the ignition, whatever that would be)

Total cost of new car which we just bought:  £800

This includes the tax until September.  The MOT is good until February 2012.  The new car is 4 years newer than the one we currently drive, will cost about £40 less per year to insure, is in a lower tax bracket, and gets better mpg. than the Nissan we are currently driving.  The bodywork has a few bumps and scratches, but it is in much better shape than the old one.

Plus, it is a Seat Leon.  I have wanted one of these cars for about 4 years now. 

We'll be picking it up from Heanor first thing Wednesday morning, and leaving the Nissan with a scrap dealer in Nottingham.  I can hardly wait to start driving this new car. 

Of course, the most sound financial decision of all would be to do without a car entirely, which is very feasible for us.  Martin walks to work, we live super close to a Tesco, Dylan's school takes less than 5 minutes to walk to.  But we have that 35 mile round trip journey to church every Sunday.  The church isn't on a direct bus route so we would have to change buses twice, and leave home 2 hours early and church 30 minutes early every week.  AND would cost us about £15 a week to do it.

The best decision for our finances isn't necessarily the best decision for our family.

And, well, it's a really pretty car.