That's it for me , I'm out.

[gbb]

I guess it's just down to finding the right pathway, the one that suits your circumstances.
My son had an Astra on PCP, payments were do-able but in the end, he figured it restricted him too much on mileage and once you're into a PCP, you have to really make an effort to come out of it, you're starting at zero, no car to trade in etc.
Once out, he brought a fairly simple 2015 CMax diesel, low mileage and he still has it, long since paid off, still really quite low mileage, just costing him running costs now.

Personally I always did bank loans which were cheaper than finance but last couple times I tried, it was more expensive. So I'm happy (or was while I was working ) having a 1 to 3 year old car every 3 or 4 years on finance. It was all affordable, we have enough in the bank to pay off all debts so job loss wouldn't have been the end of the world.
I like cars of that age, most of the depreciation has already been taken, they're still really quite new (<1 to 3 years old, <30k miles), and invariably reliable . But of course now, you're going to spend maybe 9 to 14 k for something not that exciting, more if you want exciting.

Buy an older car, low mileage, something to with a good reputation is the way to go based on my sons CMax. It has to be the cheapest route. (but not a very exciting one, but that's fine )

I don't use the car that much now I'm retired and do make use of the concessionary free bus pass but, couldn't imaging not having the freedom a car gives you.

 

[cougie uk]

Even the dealers can't believe it....

Here's a comment from a professional called TradeVet from a car dealers' forum



https://forum.cardealermagazine.co.uk/topic/10785-car-valuations/

My friend's mum bought a top spec Electric mini last year. The salesman proudly told her - this is the most expensive car we have ever sold.
She can easily afford it. She buys new every year or two - I think she has the mindset from the 70s that cars are only reliable for the first year.

 

[cyberknight]

Dacias have indeed gone up a lot , they are no longer the "affordable " option they used to be , we were going to get one but your looking at £20k for a stepway now so on par with other budget offering from other brands .
Given the cost increases across the board in raw materials , energy , shipping and transport costs and wage increases added onto the increased cost of the ever prevalent tech that now infests every car its not surprising that costs have risen sharply .

 

[Alex321]

The newest car we have ever bought was 2 years old, with (I think )7K miles on the clock. That was the Micra my wife currently drives, which is now 9 years old with about 33K miles.

I think that is the only car we have ever bought that hadn't yet had its first MOT.

And I think the most we have ever spent on a car was about £8K, which was roughly what my current car cost, and I think the one before it wasn't much different.

 

[Drago]

Dacia have repositioned themselves as a lifestyle brand rather than a budget one, hence the large part of their 30-50% price hike over the last half decade. Global inflationary pressures are just rhe cherry on top.

 

[screenman]

I live in Lincoln my partner in Liverpool, I will not be getting rid of the car in the near future that is for sure.

 

[CXRAndy]

I've bought new cars, tend to keep them up to 10 years. Youngest vehicle we own is 2020 Nissan leaf that I did buy used.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I've bought new cars, tend to keep them up to 10 years. Youngest vehicle we own is 2020 Nissan leaf that I did buy used.

Your animated avatar is extremely irritating (the movement, not the content). I don't think there's an option for others to turn off animation, so any chance you could use an unanimated one? Cheers.

 

[grldtnr]

Dacia have repositioned themselves as a lifestyle brand rather than a budget one, hence the large part of their 30-50% price hike over the last half decade. Global inflationary pressures are just rhe cherry on top.

I've a feeling this is prevalent across the retail market bas a whole.
Bring out a budget brand , sell well, then take that brand upmarket.
Prime example is Skoda cars, us Skodarist were the butt of many japes & jokes, and yet the brand has gone upmarket from when I bought my first one 20 yrs ago, and I am as carefully as a Scots, living in Poshshire regards Coin.
I used to regard my Skud as a Audi in a donkey jacket and gumbies , but they are on par with Audi now.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What’s frustrating is the size and weight of modern vehicles. Plus the interiors seem to have got smaller. My 2009 estate car has far more space than these beefy looking SUVs that everyone drives now.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

Well done, a lot of newer cars just aren't as good as older cars, just IMVHO. They are way worse from a DIY mechanic's perspective. If I was buying a newer car I'd personally want one with a decent warranty.

I went the other way when rust was getting too much on my old Mazda last year, went older car. Couldn't really think of a newer car I thought would be decent for what I want (Except a Mazda with the trusted Skyactiv G engine). Bought an 11 year old Honda Civic 1.8 i-VTEC with 37,000 miles and a full Honda service history. Paid a couple of grand more for it than I would've for one with twice the miles, It's a fairly basic model, which does me as there's less to go wrong. It's still a very safe car though. It's got no lane departure, its got a cable operated hand brake (that I have never had a problem with in nearly 40 years of driving), it hasn't got a turbo, a dual mass flywheel, it's port injected not direct, its got a timing chain (not a wet cam belt), it's a manual not a CVT, I don't have to get loads of parts coded to the thing if they go wrong. It's fairly economical and quick enough. So there's not a great deal to go wrong and get fleeced with. I'm sure there's plenty of new cars with all the gizmo's that are possibly reliable, but it doesn't interest me, nor do brands. Put a double din Pioneer head unit in it with Android auto and reversing camera to bring it up to date. Rust proofed it, as it has next to no rust at all and want to keep it that way. Will top it up every summer if needed. Judging by the amount of the previous model Civic (the one that looks like a bit like a spaceship) that are still on the road, despite some of them coming up to nearly 20 years old, shouldn't really have a problem as this car is really just a re-worked version of those. It's pretty DIY friendly and very well engineered.

Have a feeling that my neighbour's possibly think I'm mad lying around on the drive, servicing, repairing or rust proofing the car. Just prefer it to having debt for a fairly dull newer car, that I'm possibly tied to a franchised dealer with. A fairly dull older one is much more preferable and probably a better vehicle, if I can't fix it there's plenty of independant mechanics that can, due to it not being overly complex.

The only thing I'd suggest if trying to keep an older car on the road is either get it rust proofed or clean the underside of it. Some cars seem to be better than others for resisting rust, some French cars and Vauxhall's, probably others. Would imagine it costing north of £500 to get it done professionally, but its money well spent. Otherwise people always seem to clean the paint work of a car, but never underneath. I bought a nozzle for the pressure washer that can be angled. Every few weeks in the winter I'll gently pressure wash the underside of the car and the wheel arches. The amount of cr@p that comes off it is loads, Then I'll move the car off the drive and clean the drive. May seem like hassle, but it isn't much to be honest. I'm sure that simply just removing the muck and salt will prolong the life of a car.

The only potential issue is that this government might tax me out of running it, but hopefully that won't happen for a while. Then I'll risk getting a used or new basic EV.

Sorry if it's a bit long winded. Used to be a bit of a petrol head, but I've had no interest in motoring for several years now, the cheaper it can be done the better. Just seem to be paying more for things that are potentially worse and failry mundane, than they used to be, with ICE cars anyway, just IMVHO.

 

[Brandane]

I was put off buying new cars many years ago when I was in the merchant navy. We were berthed at one of the ports in the Gulf, cannot remember which but probably Kuwait, Bahrain, or Dubai.. A roll on/roll off car carrier ship arrived from Germany, full of BMW, Mercedes, and Audis.. The dock workers went aboard and set about discharging the cargo, which seemed to involve starting them from cold then driving them as fast as possible, in the lowest gear possible, off the ship and along a long stretch of dock. Bluish white smoke pouring from the exhaust, squealing tyres, crunching gears. Probably not the best start to life for your pride and joy, especially back then when proper "running in" was considered quite important for the engine. And yet people buy new cars in the belief they are getting something that has never been abused by another driver!

 

[vickster]

What’s frustrating is the size and weight of modern vehicles. Plus the interiors seem to have got smaller. My 2009 estate car has far more space than these beefy looking SUVs that everyone drives now.

Indeed. I'd like an electric version of my Skoda Fabia estate, they simply don't exist (yet)

 

[Drago]

I'm tempted to go to the local Hyundai dealer, repeatedly pronounce Hynundai incorrectly then ask to test drive a Coma.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I'm tempted to go to the local Hyundai dealer, repeatedly pronounce Hynundai incorrectly

Pronounced Honda isn’t it?