Would you drive an Alpine A110 as a daily?

[mjheathcote]

As we all know the used car market is crazy at the moment.
My M140i is my opted out company car, and I have bought it/fueled it/maintained it all within my car allowance/tax refunds for business miles.
Even though it will be 5 years old next March (I will have then owned it 4 years), and it has currently over 56K miles on it, due to the current market I have over £12k positive equity.
I've always loved the Alpine A110, my sort of left field type of car, but it's always been out of the question due to the cost.
However I seem to have stumbled upon their lastest finance offer, which fits in perfectly with the amount of deposit required, and the monthly payments are actually less than what I pay for the M140i with my car allowance!
Now normally I would say you would loose all that deposit on new car depreciation, however I'm not so sure with the Alpine.
The amount available on the market are limited, and they are all not that much cheaper than a new one, even if over 3 years old, albeit with low mileages.
Would this be a crazy idea, the thought of being able to buy and run a £50k car over 3 years ago all with my car allowance was simply unimaginal.
If I did do this, it would certainly be my last new ICE car.

 

[Andyk]

I would yes…They are great cars and really should deserve to sell more than they do. As you say prices are really strong as well.

 

[dickygrace]

Do it Michael.

 

[mjheathcote]

Do it Michael.

What else can you potentially buy, that hasn't been inflated in value due to the current market like used cars presently, on a low Apr % deal, that hopefully won't loose a packet?
I don't think they will be making the Alpine for too many more years I believe like many going EV. Could be collectable in the future too!!

 

[sionie1]

Do it, before there's a stampede from here..... I love the Alpine and life is too short for regrets.

 

[TimR]

You have to ask...?! !

 

[Oneball]

 

[mjheathcote]

Well I feel I have to do something.
Either cash-in and hold (using other vehicles in the fleet) until the market changes.
Or roll in the equity into something else that hopefully will retain the equity I'm putting in as a deposit, I'm okay writing off the car payments, as depreciation, which aren't 'really mine', being car allowance money.
That's what is so crazy at the moment, most of the depreciation that should have happened with the M140i, hasn't.

 

[TimR]

I suspect the same may not be true of a 'daily' used Alpine...I can only be wrong and its win win !!

 

[mjheathcote]

I suspect the same may not be true of a 'daily' used Alpine...I can only be wrong and its win win !!

I've looked into this.
I've searched an early car for the registration, plugged that into a car valuation but with 40,000 miles, and the valuation comes back £10k greater than the finance owing at 4 years.
No guarantee of course for the future, but a good sign.

 

[mjheathcote]

I could also do nothing and have a "free" M140i in 16 months time...

 

[hashluck]

Totally

 

[allandwf]

Yes, always too strong money for a daily for me though.

 

[philw696]

What a Great thread and a really interesting proposition.
You only live once unless your 007.

 

[christianm]

100% meant to be a great car modern dont see issue.

 

[Andyk]

The A110 must be the only new French car that doesn’t shed money as soon as they take it off the forecourt. I do not think I have ever seen one in the road either. Don’t think I have heard a bad word or review about them…A very special car.

 

[philw696]

Seen a few on the roads here but that's not a surprise with great driving roads.
If I was looking at something new I would be seriously tempted.

 

[zagatoes30]

Go for it, friend bought one to replace his Exige as a weekend toy with his Bavarian panzer wagon for the daily stuff, recently he sold the BMW as he found he was using the Alpine every day

 

[c4sman]

Errr…. YES

 

[GeoffCapes]

@hilts uk has bought one, although I'm not sure his is a daily. He might be able to give you an idea of what they are like to live with.