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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to spend £20k on our first car?

110 replies

starksausage · 11/06/2026 07:45

I’ve never owned a car before. I’m in my late 20s now. Don’t own my own home but have enough for a deposit. Been with DP for 8 years.

We need a car for various reasons now and have found a used one we like for £20k. AIBU to spend this much money? We bring home roughly £10k a month and this would cost about £500 a month

OP posts:
Silverbirchleaf · 11/06/2026 10:15

I don’t think that’s too bad, and it’s a three year loan. People pay that on lease hire/pcp and have nothing to show for it after three years. A newer car will be more efficient, reliable and have a greater resale value at the end. However, with such a good income, could you pay it off sooner?

anyolddinosaur · 11/06/2026 10:09

Cars are depreciating assets. Look at the list of most reliable makes and then consider what the car is going to cost you to insure and to run. We have never bothered with flashy cars but we have, reluctantly, spent more than that on a new car we hope to keep at least 7 years.

SpudGunToo · 11/06/2026 10:08

Winkmurder · 11/06/2026 09:40

I just want a car that gets me reliably from a to b, couldn't care less beyond that.

I "treat myself" to a nice big house with gardens, decent savings , investment and pension, lovely holidays, nights out with friends, private education and expensive hobbies for my children, some beautiful art work, trips to the theatre ..

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But why do they make sense but a nice car not?

Why are people like you unable to understand that different people get pleasure from different things?

SpudGunToo · 11/06/2026 10:06

Heardy · 11/06/2026 09:32

Why is an expensive car a treat. Our combined income is well over OPs but an expensive is a total waste of money. I just assume people that spend lots of money on a car are attention seekers or have deep insecurities.

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Like someone spending a lot of money on a bag, or going somewhere luxurious on holiday rather than Skegness?

DH likes his cars. He enjoys driving and owning them and so for him having a collection of nice ones is money well spent.

takealettermsjones · 11/06/2026 10:04

Ablondiebutagoody · 11/06/2026 09:56

I have a bigger house than you both

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🤣🤣🤣

WhosGotTheKeysToMyBimma · 11/06/2026 10:03

hettie · 11/06/2026 09:47

Oh please you really do not need to spend 20k to get a reliable used car! Hyundai, Kia and Toyota will all be good bets and lots of used models available for less. If you really really get snotty about brands then mini do quite well on reliability scores and whilst not an Audi are presumably less cringe for those that care.
Whatever..... people are very free to make whatever choices they like with their cash. But there is no way you can justify a new car on finance ever being a sound financial decision.

Have you bought a used car recently?

20k isn't expensive for a used car. It's maybe 3 years old I'm guessing.

Much less than that and you're looking at 10+ years old. You might want to roll the dice on reliability but the OP doesn't.

Chewbecca · 11/06/2026 09:59

What's the interest rate?

SunnyRedSnail · 11/06/2026 09:58

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:51

She’s been saving a deposit for a house though hasn’t she?

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But a car loan would reduce the mortgage they could get.

In which case it is probably better to get a cheaper car.

Ablondiebutagoody · 11/06/2026 09:56

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:40

I treat myself to your list and a nice car too 😁 lucky me

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I have a bigger house than you both

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:51

SunnyRedSnail · 11/06/2026 09:50

If you bring home £10k a month then I'd question why you need to take a loan to buy it. Surely you are saving a lot with such a high income?

(Unless the loan is interest free?)

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She’s been saving a deposit for a house though hasn’t she?

FlappyDappyDoo · 11/06/2026 09:50

If you bring home roughly £10k between you a month but need to take the car on finance then it does not sound like you have your outgoings under control.

SunnyRedSnail · 11/06/2026 09:50

starksausage · 11/06/2026 07:45

I’ve never owned a car before. I’m in my late 20s now. Don’t own my own home but have enough for a deposit. Been with DP for 8 years.

We need a car for various reasons now and have found a used one we like for £20k. AIBU to spend this much money? We bring home roughly £10k a month and this would cost about £500 a month

If you bring home £10k a month then I'd question why you need to take a loan to buy it. Surely you are saving a lot with such a high income?

(Unless the loan is interest free?)

takealettermsjones · 11/06/2026 09:50

Only £10k a month!! 😮

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:48

Heardy · 11/06/2026 09:44

You think? It’s a considerable amount of savings if she is only on £10k a month and she hasn’t even got on the housing ladder . And I’m the immature one!

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Well maybe you’re both immature. But you asked why an expensive car was a treat, presumably as you haven’t got enough life experience to understand that others think differently.

Winkmurder · 11/06/2026 09:47

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:40

I treat myself to your list and a nice car too 😁 lucky me

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That's fine. I just prefer to have a very small unexciting car, it's genuinely my preference . We had a big car and it was a pain to park in city car parks

hettie · 11/06/2026 09:47

Oh please you really do not need to spend 20k to get a reliable used car! Hyundai, Kia and Toyota will all be good bets and lots of used models available for less. If you really really get snotty about brands then mini do quite well on reliability scores and whilst not an Audi are presumably less cringe for those that care.
Whatever..... people are very free to make whatever choices they like with their cash. But there is no way you can justify a new car on finance ever being a sound financial decision.

Samewrinklesnewname · 11/06/2026 09:47

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:45

I was in a garage recently and they were offering between 8%-10% 😱

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And that’s why you never take dealer finance!

icouldholditwithacobweb · 11/06/2026 09:46

Not something I would do if I was planning on buying my first home soon and wanted to continue building up my savings.

I buy used cars and pay cash. As this is your first car, if I were you, I'd look for something like a Honda Civic or similar, 5 years old or more, that's been owned by older very careful drivers so it has very low mileage for its age plus a full service history, and I'd purchase it outright. A well-maintained secondhand car from a brand with a strong reputation for reliability is the sensible choice and if you're looking to buy a house soon it's not going to harm your credit score or affect your purchasing power.

But if what you actually want is status, get the £20k car on finance.

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:45

Shedmistress · 11/06/2026 09:42

What is the interest rate on that 500 per month?

I was in a garage recently and they were offering between 8%-10% 😱

Heardy · 11/06/2026 09:44

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:39

You have such a strange attitude. Why do people like anything nice? Nice house nice garden nice clothes nice seats at the theatre? They consider it a treat.

not being able to understand that is pretty emotionally immature

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You think? It’s a considerable amount of savings if she is only on £10k a month and she hasn’t even got on the housing ladder . And I’m the immature one!

WhosGotTheKeysToMyBimma · 11/06/2026 09:43

20k is a standard used car price these days.

Me and DH bought a brand new mid range car for that just before Covid.

Prices for the used market are crazy now.

Shedmistress · 11/06/2026 09:42

What is the interest rate on that 500 per month?

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:40

Winkmurder · 11/06/2026 09:40

I just want a car that gets me reliably from a to b, couldn't care less beyond that.

I "treat myself" to a nice big house with gardens, decent savings , investment and pension, lovely holidays, nights out with friends, private education and expensive hobbies for my children, some beautiful art work, trips to the theatre ..

Show quote history

I treat myself to your list and a nice car too 😁 lucky me

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:40

ThePeppyOpalScroller · 11/06/2026 08:55

Depends on the car surely. A three year old EV, out of main warranty with five years left on the battery warranty, will be worthless in five years. A new Kia, will probably be worth 10k in trade after five years. So your 20k car might really cost you 10k. Depending on what you buy.

What difference does that make? You’re still driving it around getting value from it

Winkmurder · 11/06/2026 09:40

Backedoffhackedoff · 11/06/2026 09:26

Yes I think it’s fine. £20k isn’t an expensive car

i also think I’d hate to earn a good salary and be driving around in the cheapest shit car I could find. What’s the point in the work if not to treat yourself and improve your life?

I just want a car that gets me reliably from a to b, couldn't care less beyond that.

I "treat myself" to a nice big house with gardens, decent savings , investment and pension, lovely holidays, nights out with friends, private education and expensive hobbies for my children, some beautiful art work, trips to the theatre ..