I get 35mpg on average in mine. Sometimes get above 40 but rarely.

Maths.

Look up various p2p lending platforms for starters, e.g. Zopa or one of various property based platforms.

Open a fixed rate bond in the UK with Bank of Baroda in joint name. Fund it from a single name via a cheque and use the account as the nominated account. On maturity they will send funds to the nominated account in joint name (like idiots) which will be rejected. Bank of Baroda will say its not their problem and they have discharged their obligations. They will then insist the second account holder gives permission for funds to go to a single account, which is not necessary as your original form gave authority. Refuse and insist on repayment. When they refuse, go to the Financial Ombudsman and an claim 8% interest (statutory court interest) for late payment. This will take at least one month. Let them drag it out as you get 8% interest. The Ombudsman agreed with me and awarded 8% interest on the late period. This worked out 4% interest in total! May be a little less. Remember, if a bank has over 25 complaints in a quarter the Ombudsman charges them around £600 to handle the complaint. Play the game!
Such an incompetent bank with misandric attitudes from a female manager.

4% is also available on peer to peer rates.

Leasing does often work out better, but it's always worth checking for your own circumstances and the specific deal you find.

Some lease deals are no better, or even worse, than borrowing money to buy a car. But good lease deals do seem like the lowest cost way of owning a new or nearly new car.

Leasing the Mrs.? She wont like that, especially when the lease is up and she has to go back.

This is not PCP, but PCH. Each finance option will have its own benefits for different people. A metro won't fit my family of 6 anyway.

This gets heat from me as 7 seaters usually pricey on lease deals.

I think we know who the mug is here.... (annoyed)

Buying cars for cash (mainly we're talking cars £20k and above not sh*tty 14 year old metro's worth 2 bob) and then leaving that depreciating asset to sit on your drive, earning 0% whilst interest rates are on the floor is a MUG's game. We're in a borrowers market right now, not a savers market clearly.

Even a cautious, risk adverse investor can earn a modest 5-8% return on money at the moment (then add compound interest to that and it's even more). That money can easily be borrowed at 0-2% right now so with a bit of simple maths 5 - 0= 5% earnings or 8 - 2= 6% earnings.

Why would you turn down free money? If banks don't want to give you anything for saving your money with them, then take their money cheap and use it elsewhere to make money out of it! It requires a bit more thought and creativity than "ok honey which savings account shall we open to put this cheap borrowed money into?"

Borrowing on cars and leasing in Britain has this bizarre "old fashioned British values" stigma attached to it by some, "I don't buy anything I can't *afford*". It's total poppycock! Borrowing also has a bad rep because plenty of people go way beyond their means and allow it to get out of control.

Generally speaking if you can't understand the concept of borrowing money/assets cheap (RESPONSIBLY!) to make more money elsewhere rather than having it sit on your driveway earning zilch, nada, sweet FA, then you will always drive a 14 year old ageing Metro. "Ignorance is bliss" for some I guess....

If £3100 / year sounds like a lot, please show other deals for similar cars (7 seaters) at a lower cost.

From a quick search, a fair spec 4x4 diesel duster already costs more to lease than this deal, so I doubt the 7 seater will cost less.

Even if it does, it's not available now, and may not be as good a car.

Leasing a Q7 costs around £7k per year, so you're only out by a little over 100%.

I'd recommend looking at car leasing web sites to get an idea of what is a good deal, and what isn't.