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Original poster

Spending a lot on cars

110 replies

ClawsandEffect · 09/10/2025 19:58

I don't get it. I know cars aren't my thing. To me they are transport. A-B safely and on time.

I do get wanting a reliable car. So not a banger. Safe for the children definitely.

But I am just mystified at why anyone would drop 50K on a car. I understand if you're very wealthy. Because it doesn't make a dent in your finances.

But the parents I see at the school drop off in super expensive / flashy cars when I know their living situation and income bracket (jobs). Why would anyone want to either dump a small fortune into something that depreciates so quicky OR saddle themselves to a small mortgage for a piece of kit that is just going to rust and decay.

Is it just me?

OP posts:
thisishowloween · 09/10/2025 20:21

I don't get it either OP. As long as my car is safe and can get me from A to B, I don't care what it looks like or how much it cost. My parents had plenty of money but always bought very modest cars and ran them into the ground.

DH and I both have 2nd/3rd hand cars.

icouldholditwithacobweb · 09/10/2025 20:20

Because many people think expensive cars = status, and because a lot of them are happy to spend ridiculous sums of money on monthly payments for something they do not and will not own rather than buy an older car outright and drive around in that. You likely already know this. Most people won't admit to that vanity, though.

I earn more than all my immediate family members and I drive the oldest car out of everyone because I don't particularly care what I drive, I'm not very careful with my car so it gets scratched often, I would resent monthly payments on a car that depreciates at a rate of knots and to be perfectly frank, I'd rather have money making money in investments than evaporating in my driveway. One of my immediate family members grumbles about not being able to afford her own house, but she spent the same on her (leased) car in the 5 years it took me to save my deposit. We just have different values.

Original poster
ClawsandEffect · 09/10/2025 20:20

Homephonea · 09/10/2025 20:15

Normally down to insecurity sadly. They think that’s what wealthy people do. It’s not,

Yeah, I worked for a couple of millionaire families (one British, old money etc, aristos, one American oil money). Neither had cars that announced wealth.

OP posts:
FairyRobot · 09/10/2025 20:19

We’re not loaded by any means, but we have a £40k car. It’s leased, as I expect are the vast majority of new cars that you see. Our reasoning is that we’re not interested in owning a vehicle, as it’s an unreliable asset that will only depreciate.

After a few bad experiences with 2nd hand cars costing us a fortune in unexpected major repairs, we decided that we’d rather have the predictability of a regular monthly payment on a new car, that’s under warranty and isn’t going to surprise us. And after 4 years you swap it for a new one using the equity as the deposit on the next car.

Scottishlassie10 · 09/10/2025 20:17

Their money, their choice. I inherited money and bought a “flash” car I’d always wanted. Some people get pleasure from holidays, I get pleasure driving my car.

Homephonea · 09/10/2025 20:15

Normally down to insecurity sadly. They think that’s what wealthy people do. It’s not,

AhBiscuits · 09/10/2025 20:13

People like different things. I don't care about cars either. I also wouldn't dream of spending loads of money on a handbag. That doesn't mean other people shouldn't if it pleases them.

Sirzy · 09/10/2025 20:10

Each to their own. How people legally spend their money is nobody else’s business

UnderMedicatedMum · 09/10/2025 20:09

Here’s a new concept for you, sometimes people do things because they want to.

teees · 09/10/2025 20:09

I mean it’s because people are different. Some people have more money than others. Some people like to buy more expensive cars than others. Some people like to save their money and not have a car. Some people just get a bike. Whatever.