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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand what you get for your money with a posh car?

222 replies

pinkyponk67 · 17/01/2013 13:21

One of my friends recently bought a 5 series BMW. Friend is dithering between Audi A6 and a 5 series as well. I dont quite see what the attraction is?

I drive a Ford S Max (2 years old) and it is a great car to drive, seems very luxurious and solidly built, with all mod cons. Man from the independent garage remarked to me what a good car it was (and that was after I had paid for the service!).

Friend 2 is spending a lot more money on her 2nd hand Audi/Beemer than we did on the S Max. (I realise not exactly the same type of car). But I really don't see what you get for your extra money apart from the posh badge with a "prestige" car brand- am I missing something?

OP posts:
bureni · 19/01/2013 01:24

Lets face it, the value of an alfa depends on how much petrol is in the tank.

Pendeen · 19/01/2013 01:28

Not this one?

PigletJohn · 19/01/2013 01:28

no need to be unkind just because it isn't a Vulvo Volvo

Pendeen · 19/01/2013 01:29

bureni

You may have a point but that's cost not value... Grin

PigletJohn · 19/01/2013 01:30

no, far uglier.

Think "Italian Job"

evansthebread · 19/01/2013 01:33

To all those who knock a rear-wheel drive in the snow - have you ever seen or driven a front-wheeler when the front end goes on ice (or a diesel spill)? Best of luck!

I drive a 17 year old Beemer with nearly 200,000 miles on the clock. I've never had a problem with it and it's never let me down. Having said that, I look after it and drive it properly. Driving well is down to part common sense, part skill. I'm afraid to get in the car with some friends - I actually wonder how on earth they passed their tests! The same friends are the ones that sneer about Beemers getting stuck in snow (I never have) and are shocked that I drive with a winter kit and weight in the back. They're also the ones whose cars are always in the garage being repaired for some little prang they've had. I'm happy to carry some extra weight in the back when there's snow down and am happy to swap out my tyres to winter ones. To me it's as common sense as not drinking and driving.

The Beemer logo is "The Ultimate Driving Machine" and they're right - it's all about the drive. My car doesn't have any bells or whistles. It's just a damn good, safe drive. I suspect people who rubbish Beemers are not the sort that actually enjoy driving (or show any particular aptitude). As several people have already mentioned, just drive one and see the difference.

Pendeen · 19/01/2013 01:39

Aww PJ...

Grin
theodorakisses · 19/01/2013 06:11

I must confess to thinking Audis the most drabbest of all cars

MadameCastafiore · 19/01/2013 06:23

I drive a BMW for safety. Feels a lot safer driving big hunk of German metal than the light little rollerskate of a cmax that I test drove for mumsnet.

Flossiechops · 19/01/2013 08:16

Tbh I have always thought that people who drive expensive cars are those who have company cars. Like I said dh has a car as part of his company package. Most of the people we know who have naice cars are the same. We could never have justified spending so much on 4 wheels. Yet again if you have the money and want to then why shouldn't you? I will be honest I love that car!!

Original poster
pinkyponk67 · 19/01/2013 09:10

Joan that's a good point about the VW Phaeton. Also when Lexus launched as the Luxury brand of Toyota, sales were dire until they realised they needed to put the prices UP to match the other luxury marques they were competing with. Buyers didn't want to buy a car that cost less than the rivals as they perceived it was not a luxury item! They put the prices up and sold more cars.

On another note, do people still have company cars these days now you are taxed on them? DH receives a flex allowance from his work instead.

OP posts:
Original poster
pinkyponk67 · 19/01/2013 09:12

Ps Of course if you have the money you can spend it on whatever you want! I am just curious to know why!

OP posts:
IfNotNowThenWhen · 19/01/2013 10:45

I like the Alfa Guilia. Pretty car. Was it nice to drive PJ?

I do wonder about all those saying they drive their big luxury car "for safety".
Great, you're safe, but what about the poor bugger you plough into?
I wonder whether there were fewer accidents when all cars were more rickety, and people felt rather less "safe".

countrykitten · 19/01/2013 10:52

Here is a question for you all. I would never buy a car that I could not afford to pay for outright. This means that in my younger years I drove around in many £400 French bangers despite always having had along commute. As I said, I now drive an Audi that is ten years old which I bought it outright (obviously not new!). Do many of you go in to debt and borrow for your vehicles or do you actually own them? Or do you use the lease thing that many garages offer?

countrykitten · 19/01/2013 10:53

And I have just remembered that when I first started teaching I bought a Ford Fiest for £80 in 1997! It lasted three months and was a horrible car but at least it was mine!

Butterycrumble · 19/01/2013 11:06

I can choose between a merc or van, I pick van everytime. Armchair seats, great visibility and no need to collapse the buggy.

I like heated seats and the merc is quiet but I much prefer my van.

LunaticFringe · 19/01/2013 11:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pugsandseals · 19/01/2013 11:39

I am always Shock at the presumption that a car has to be German to be luxurious! The real luxury comes from Japan NOT Germany!!! I just don't understand why others don't see it.
Stomps foot & goes off in a strop....

Rocknrollnerd · 19/01/2013 12:02

I've always driven a lot in my jobs, until 6 or 7 years ago I drove various Fords (Escorts, Focus, CMax), they were fine, varying degrees of whistles and bells all reasonably well powered enough for the driving I do, fine in snow etc. Then after being royally fucked over by a Ford dealer over the CMax (which was a dog of a car and constantly having things go wrong, being recalled etc) I stomped home, paid off the last month finance on the CMax and went to our local Audi dealer.

On paper the Audi was not really any different from the higher end Fords I'd driven (CD changer/iPod, Climate Control, 2L Diesel etc). The difference in the drive and comfort though is amazing - I can't really describe it, it is just nicer to drive, it's a more pleasant experience. The ride is a bit smoother and quieter, the acceleration that bit better, the cabin so much more comfy and better finished. Oh and the current one I have is ultra low emissions so costs me £30 a year to tax! I've also not had any problems as regards reliability etc.

I appreciate I'm lucky to be able to afford it and I would never run a car I couldn't afford, however whilst I do the amount of driving I do and have the cash I would happily stick with my Audi.

MsIngaFewmarbles · 19/01/2013 12:29

I dunno really. In his last job DH got to order a BMW of his choice. He chose a 320 M sport. Don't get me wrong it was nice, comfy and speedy and lots of gadgets but it just left me a bit cold. Our family car at the time was a Fiat Multipla and I loved it so much. The most ridiculously ugly car but it lugged our 4 dc and 2 big dogs everywhere really well, including the South of France.

We now have a Skoda Fabia for me to get to uni and toddle around town and a Volvo XC90 for longer journeys and when we all need to go out together. Both amazing cars for what we bought rhem for. Fabia is dirt cheap to run and the Volvo has every little gadget DH wanted and everyone is very comfort able even the dc in the third row.

I am still lusting after a frog eye sprite for my 40th though :)

pugsandseals · 19/01/2013 12:35

Sorry, I still believe Japanese is better. I would rather have a Lexus than an Audi any day! (not that I have one, but I still prefer my Japanese 'award winning in snow & ice' car to anything German). German cars are just so boring!!!

theodorakisses · 19/01/2013 12:50

I love my American cars (Hummer was made in China though) I love the noise they make, the extra wide seats and the weight of them. I had smaller cars when lived in the UK but they were always a disappointment, shoddy and a zillion pounds a day to tax, run and insure. Just not worth it. If I were forced to live in the UK again. I would either have something I really really loved or a crappy little cheap shitheap, inbetween is just depressing and trying almost as hard as putting eyeleashes over the headlights.

theodorakisses · 19/01/2013 12:53

I just looked at a Volvo XC90, what a beautiful car!

JoanByers · 19/01/2013 13:35

Xc90 is not a car, it's a big fuckoff 4x4

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 19/01/2013 14:06

Mine is not German, 'tis British.

Joan - what's wrong with a 4x4?

I would buy a Range Rover if we had the money. One day Grin