Major motoring costs have a habit of creeping up on you. Just Add Fuel aims to cut down on the stress by bundling nearly everything into one monthly payment.
Packaging all the costs (except for fuel, funnily enough) together makes it one of the simplest ways to run a car, although not the cheapest.
Peugeot pioneered this scheme in the UK, and it uses the term Just Add Fuel.
But Citroen and DS belong to the same parent company as Peugeot and offer the same thing, except they call it Simply Drive.
Subscription services
Subscription services, such as Volvo’s Care by Volvo and Jaguar/Land Rover’s Pivotal service offer something very similar in that they bundle all the costs into one payment.
But they don’t work on two-to-three year deals. They essentially work like leasing, but with flexible contracts that can be typically cancelled with three months notice.
How Just Add Fuel schemes work
Peugeot’s Just Add Fuel, along with Citroen and DS’s SimplyDrive scheme includes practically everything you’ll need to pay for when running a new car. Monthly payments cover the following:
> Car finance costs
> Car tax
> Routine servicing
> Insurance
> Roadside assistance
If you’re aged 18-20 or have less than two years’ no claim discount, Peugeot adds a telematic device. This measures various things like speed and braking force. If you use a telematics box, the insurance can be cancelled after four warnings of poor driving.
Wear-and-tear items such as tyres and windscreen wipers, however, are not included, so you’ll want to make sure you save a little cash to cover any unexpected costs – such as having to buy a new tyre if you pick up a puncture.
The best Just Add Fuel deals
These types of package finance deals are generally only available for new cars. Below we’ve rounded up some of the best around. The prices are rough because of how variable they are depending on personal circumstances.
Peugeot 208 Active Premium*
Monthly cost: £197.80 per month (47 payments)
Deposit: £4,140.85 (£650 deposit contribution)
Total amount payable: £22,337.36
Cash price: £18,445
Mileage allowance: 6,000
APR: 6.5%
Citroen Berlingo Feel*
Monthly cost: £351 per month (47 payments)
Deposit: £750
Total amount payable: £13,219.35
Cash price: £22,820
Mileage allowance: 6,000
APR: 5.9%
Peugeot 508 Active Premium*
Monthly cost: £319 per month (47 payments)
Deposit: £6,677.72 (£2,250 deposit contribution)
Total amount payable: £33,620.72
Cash price: £29,600
Mileage allowance: 6,000
APR: 6.5%
*Deals are correct at time of writing and are subject to change. All prices are for 21-year old drivers and older. Prices change depending on age, mileage limit, and postcode.
Just add fuel cars
Cars that are available via Peugeot’s Just Add Fuel deal and Citroen/DS’s Simply Drive include:
> Peugeot 108
> Peugeot 208
> Peugeot 2008
> Peugeot 308
> Citroen C1
> Citroen C3
> Citroen C3 Aircross
> Citroen C4 Cactus
> Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer
> Citroen Berlingo
> DS 3 Crossback
> DS 7 Crossback
Just add fuel deals for new drivers
Bundling all of the motoring costs into one neat package is hugely appealing. Sadly, it’s not quite that simple for young or new motorists. As mentioned above, most companies offering Just Add Fuel add a proviso that those aged 18-20, or those with less than two years’ no claims discounts need a telematics device installed.
While if you’re lucky enough to be under 18, you can’t sign a finance agreement anyway.
If you want something powerful, a lot of schemes will only insure you if you’re over 25. Some even want you to reach 30.
What this means for you
If convenience is important to you, a Just Add Fuel-style scheme could be the right one for you.
But it’s still worth comparing how much you’ll pay in total compared with paying for the extras yourself if you’re after the best-value option. For instance, many new cars slot into the free road tax band, with a large proportion of the others costing just £20 or £30 per year to tax. So having car tax included is often not a big cost benefit.
Servicing deals are often available on a pay-monthly basis too – even for cash buyers. As a result, you can compare the monthly cost added in a packaged deal – as this is typically shown as an additional monthly cost – with the price of a standalone service plan.
Meanwhile, many manufacturers throw in free insurance or servicing into some of their standard PCP deals – which can be extremely good value, thanks to low interest rates, big discounts and several extras included.
As a result, it’s worth comparing the best PCP deals with top packaged deals to see the difference in total monthly price and make your mind up on which set-up works better for you.
What to read next – car finance
>> Best cars for £100 per month
>> Best cars for £150 per month
>> Best cars for £200 per month
>> Best cars for £300 per month
>> Best cars for £400 per month
