AIBU to wonder how on earth do people afford new cars ?

But you are limited on miles, tied into a contract and have a bubble payment to make at the end. If you roll that over it just gets bigger? What happens when you run out of value or lose your job?

For various reasons, I bought a car on PCP a few years ago. I say 'bought' but it was never really mine. In essence, I ended up with a five month old BMW on the drive for a couple of hundred pounds a month. It had strings attached as PCP does, and I wouldn't ever do it again, but I suspect either this, or company cars account for the majority of what you see.

Old ones are the best! 😆

PIP is not an out of work benefit.

Yeah, the only pensioners losing the winter fuel allowance are those who don't need it. About time it was means-tested. WELL overdue!

No, because it wooden go.

The motability fleet, which is the largest in the UK, is just over 750,000 vehicles…

https://www.motability.co.uk/how-it-works/who-we-are/#:~:text=We%20lease%20cars%2C%20Wheelchair%20Accessible,focus%20on%20meeting%20their%20needs.

Add in company cars plus those who for reason (maybe work) buy/pcp/lease new cars and it’s pretty easy to understand where all the new cars on the road come from.

company car so will just pay BIK tax and fully electric on 20% tax rate I can have one for about £12 a month or £30-50 for hybrid. That’s how for a lot of people

Condescending, judgemental with an over fixation on what others 'apparently' do: Tick!

I was going to say we have Mobility cars but I’m a bit scared of being judged now…

Mobility cars. I know a few people with one and it's pretty much the only nice/reliable thing they own, so it's not really something to be envious of.

Either that or they have a massive loan. I'm in a mixed council/ex council area and our car is definitely one of the more rubbish ones, but as long as it keeps running I don't care. I'd rather save my money for a holiday, which a lot of my neighbours never have. Just different priorities.

It’s all part of the 21st century British lifestyle.
New build house on an estate, rented of course : Tick!
Brand new Audi / BMW / Tesla on the drive, leased of course : Tick!
65’ 8K Ultra HD TV, on HP of course : Tick!
House full of brand new furniture & appliances, all on HP of course : Tick!
Wardrobes full of designer labels, all bought on credit cards, of course : Tick!
Wallet full of credit cards, all maxed-out, of course : Tick!
Massive overdraft : Tick!
Zero savings : Tick!

This is literally how millions of people live. And they will blame anything & everyone but themselves when it all crashes down around them and they realise they have nothing to show for decades of work.

Company car for us. We own the company though.

Gosh lots of jealousy on here. Live, and let live. Priorities are different, we have a new car, change it up every 4 year on PCH, and guess what we love not owning it! We have done that before, and kept a car for years.
We don't use credit cards, aren't in debt, apart from paying off mortgage, but judge away about all of our "debt" and apparent shit house. We are fortunate not to be on benefits.
We do have just one car, and are a family of 4, and it is a nice size for us. We use it a lot. Maybe if we had 2 cars we couldn't do it, but we don't.

It's not so much the how but the why, unless you earn fantastic money and can be spendy on your motors or you have full-rate mobility PIP and lease. It's a bit of a mystery to me why so many people spend so much on their cars, however I don't judge people for it as it seems to be the norm.

I have an old scruffy reliable car that's great for tip runs as well as getting from A to B cheaply, but that's me.

I do think a lot are on credit. You read all the time on here about people in huge debt

i bought my car outright, it was 3 years old and in immaculate condition and was ex motability, its a mid size SUV.

Finance and PIP/mobility scheme cars

These shiny ‘look at what drive’ cars are usually bought on the never never….or leased.

Yes. They paid for home charging ports to be fitted and we can reclaim the charging usage to the company. I've never had a company car before so I'm extremely grateful. Always had old £5k cars for a couple of years.

Wow!
that is amazing…
can you use them for whatever you want???

@CarsAreExpensive
i feel you. My mum is in an council estate in London which has 27 flats
their private parking has
a lambo, a Maserati, TWO Bentleys, a fistful of bmw and Audi 4x4s and Teslas and then about 5 “normal cars”
there is also one 4x4 I can’t remember the “brand” something like finch? but I googled it and it’s a is import that allegedly costs over $500k - the flats are less than that 😅
we are always fascinated!

How many pensioners work, or are expected to work?

PIP is notoriously hard to get. It is not being exploited. In fact, it was recently reported that the fraud rate in PIP was less than 1% (off the top of my head, I think it was 0.4%).
And denying people benefits does not return money to the pot to give to the people "more deserving". It simple does not work like that.

Plus, PIP is for people that work too. For some, without the motibilty car, they would not be able to work or have much of a life outside of their home.

Rent paid for by housing benefit +universal credit+child benefits +pip/dla+carers allowance +cash in hand job= lots of money to buy new 4x4/suv

Drug dealing.