Spending a lot on cars

I spend a lot of time in my car (long commute) but that's exactly why I wouldn't buy a fancy one. Would find it far too stressful being in something that costs £30k plus and worrying someone might scrape it. I go for a boring but reliable old VW.

But that said... I spend a huge amount of money on holidays as travel is really important to me. Some people would find that nuts whereas I don't understand the appeal of cars/handbags/watches/all the other status symbols.

We're all different aren't we, and being sneery or judgmental isn't particularly useful. Unless people are leaving themselves utterly skint and can't feed their kids as they have £300pcm payments on a fancy car or something..

You do realise that you still pay for the depreciation, just in monthly instalments?

That’s an SUV issue, I hate big cars, my brand new expensive car that gets judgement on threads like this is a hatchback.

My DH bought a 50k electric car when he retired. Hopefully we will have it for 10 years. we’re saving over £ 350 per month on fuel.

Because we all ought to be taking notice of the growth of cars on our roads which are 1.5 the size of former makes of car and which have hidden costs to us all.
These heavier cars damage the roads thus increasing the costs of mending pot holes etc, they emit more carbon, are less fuel-efficient, and can have higher running costs. On the road, their size makes them harder to maneuver and park, and they can pose a greater risk to pedestrians and cyclists due to larger blind spots and their mass. As for their lights, the position and brightness are just plain dangerous for everyone else.
It's not hard to find reputable information as above, you just have to look.

Most will probably be company cars. My husband has a company car worth £40,000 no way could be buy a car this expensive ourselves. I drive a ten year old car.

It's quite hard to understand our ego, and not let it rule be the roost.

I find the reverse snobbery around cars really weird, it’s like people get personally offended by the car choices of others. I’m sure we all understand why (most) people want to have the nicest home or the nicest holidays they can have, why would cars be any different? For my DH he is a complete petrol head, it’s his hobby not just a means to an end. For me, cars are a pretty fundamental part of our lifestyle, in terms of reliability and comfort, so I am happy to spend a good chunk on a brand I trust, on the bells and whistles that make the drive more comfortable. What has that got to do with my own level of confidence? Totally get others don’t want to spend big portions of their salary on cars, they may be more of a means to an end for them just as I don’t like spending much on clothes for example, we all have different priorities, but I don’t understand the level of judgement against people who want to have a more expensive car (or how they choose to fund it for that matter).

Millionaires tend to have homes in other countries and you don't know what kind of cars they keep abroad.

Also, cars that "announce wealth" to you might not, to others.

Some very odd responses on this thread. It comes to something when someone having what you perceive as a”fancy” car makes you feel somehow superior?
I have driven and owned everything from a crapped out old banger to a £££ luxury vehicle. It was what I wanted/could afford at the time and I gave and still give, zero fucks what anyone else thinks about it? Why would I? My money, my choice. If you judge me for the car I drive, whether it’s a banger or a super car, you aren’t the type of person I’d want to know.

So people are somehow better if they are old money and drive shit Volvos?

It's an interesting topic & one I find myself wondering. I guess we all have our own ways to spend money - I personally prefer spending on holidays/trips away. But I've got friends who both have high end cars & that's their thing.

BIK is irrelevant if you get an allowance. Fewer people have company cars these days as the tax position is poor for both employer and employee vs a car allowance.

Can you image the BIK rates on that.. but good fun 😊

Buy a new type R?

Thats what I’d do if I had 50k to spend. Nurburgring times would tend to agree with this…

I'm with you OP, I'd rather landscape the holiday home grounds, or get triple glazing, than curate a big awkward SUV for a car lease company.
An old 2nd hand car costs no way near the yearly leasing on a new car.
People should do whatever they like really...if they can afford it...but I feel a bit sorry for them 😢

One of the stipulations linked to my car allowance is that the car can’t be more than 5 years old meaning if I drive an old Honda Civic I’m immediately 14k pa out of pocket.

£50k isn’t a lot to spend on a car these days. If you want something brand new and nice you’ll be spending more than that.

It is a decent size for what I need and is incredibly comfortable to drive. I really like it

Strange, as I get all of that from a civic that’s worth 4 grand😄

Ha you’re probably right 😂

I’m not at all into cars however I recently bought a fairly decent SUV for around 50k. It is a decent size for what I need and is incredibly comfortable to drive. I really like it.

I get a car allowance of 14k pa so it’s easily affordable.

Quite a few parents at DS’s school have similar cars but those I know all have decent jobs so they don’t feel like disproportionate purchases.

YABU

I have zero interest in cars. I drive a twelve year old hatchback.

However, I understand that some people prioritise cars. They probably don’t understand why I spend such a large proportion of my disposable income on holidays. So what?

Careful, or we'll have a new thread about people who have big garages.

I do think there are 2 types of people who spend a lot on cars; people who actually like and appreciate cars as a hobby/interest and people who want to keep up with the Jones's. The first type I totally get, my hobby is horses and I spend a ridiculous amount on them. Ive got some mates who bought expensive cars, do all detailing, go on car forums etc and it isn't for me, but its very understandable. I feel really sorry for the people who dont really care about cars but feel they have to spend a tonne of them (and other things) to look rich/good, then have less money for the things they actually value.