One for the Road: Should I sign up for a personal lease?

A 2003 Nissan Micra 1.0E with a full service history could be had for £1,000, making it both economical and cheap to service

Guy Evans wonders whether he should buy a car outright or sign up for a personal lease at £150 a month.

A car for the head

There is no simple answer to this question. As Guy is keeping his mileage low and just using the car locally and for the odd long trip, it may work for him to go for a PCP, or personal contract purchase. He will, though, have to pay a down payment, so he will need to have some savings available. A Kia Picanto would cost just over £100 a month – the exact total would be calculated on the annual mileage and on the car's value in three years' time.

A car for the heart

Rather than being caught in a cycle of renewing a contract every three years, even though the car will be brand-new, warranted and trouble-free, it might be simpler to take the alternative approach, which is buying a cheap, reliable motor. So we would have to find Guy a car that's easy to live with. A 2003 Nissan Micra 1.0E (above) with a full service history could be had for £1,000, making it both economical and cheap to service

Looking to buy?

Email James Ruppert at onefortheroad@independent. co.uk, giving your age, address and phone number, details of the type of vehicle in which you are interested, and your budget