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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To buy a really fancy car?

81 replies

PrettySophisticated · 10/12/2016 20:15

Dh and I celebrate our 25th anniversary next year. First 10 years or so we were broke but things have improved due to a combination of hard work, good luck and continuing to live frugally despite improving circumstances - we almost didn't realise we'd started to become better off. No debts and good savings.

In recent years we've had newish standard family cars, perfectly functional and presentable. We live in a house that suits our needs in the nicer part of a rough town. I think most people in our position would use the money to move, but we don't have any great desire to.

The car we have in mind is probably three times as much as we've ever spent before and would be the "best" car in the street by far - I think this is where my uncertainty stems from, I'm concerned it would seem unbearably flash and/or draw attention to us as a target for criminals.

Anyway we're thinking of buying ourselves a very nice anniversary present. Would you?

Oh, should say neither of us drive much! Dh commutes by train and I work 3 miles away, so it would only be used weekends and holidays (which Di usually involve driving). We'd pay cash for the car

OP posts:

PhilODox · 10/12/2016 22:10

Oh, my brother has the jag 4x4- he loves it, thinks its the bees knees (had BMW X5 before)

OhSuckItUpDucky · 10/12/2016 22:13

Do it
I bought a classic car that I lusted after , I bloody love it
Who gives a shit what anyone thinks
Life is too short

Noofly · 10/12/2016 22:15

DH spent what I consider to be silly money on a Jag a few months ago. It went in for a service last week and I nearly fell over when he told me how much it cost. He barely drives the stupid thing!

However, it makes him very happy. Very very happy. I don't understand it, but hey ho, whatever makes you happy OP, it's your money.

PrincessConsuelaTheSecond · 10/12/2016 22:35

From my own personal experience I'd say no.

I spent 4x the amount I usually would on a car last year. Highly luxurious, brand new, kitted out with everything.

But it's just a car. I don't feel any differently about it than any other car I've owned (except to acknowledge it's a bit nicer) and it isn't worth paying the same cost as a bloody mortgage for it.

Next time I'm sticking with moderate and sensible.

PrincessConsuelaTheSecond · 10/12/2016 22:36

Oh and I do a LOT of driving so I thought I deserved a treat! If you don't drive that much I definitely wouldn't bother. That's just me though.

UsernamesAreAPainInTheBalls · 10/12/2016 22:40

That is a fab car your thinking of buying OP 😍 Just be so careful if it's going to be the fanciest car on the street as it will attract unwanted attention
In the past few months in my estate we've had break ins where they steal the keys and another scam thingy where they can use a device that reads your keys from anywhere in the house and allows them to just open the car and drive off in it (keyless ignition) I saw a playback of the persons cctv they took their brand new BMW from the garden in 2mins flat 😳
My oh has a pretty nice car (new x5) and hes so paranoid about it being stolen we have cctv,sensor lights,a steel pole cemented into the ground that you pull up behind the car, a tracker that allows you to see where the car is at all times via an app and it also lets you set times i.e. After 11pm and before 6am where if the car is driven it calls your phone and alerts you 🙄
Meanwhile my poor golf lives out on the street and fends for herself 😂😂🙈

OhSuckItUpDucky · 10/12/2016 22:43

Just to add to PrincessConsuelaTheSecond post , we drive / go away more too now as its so much nicer

Original poster

PrettySophisticated · 10/12/2016 22:49

See, I don't understand that paranoia about having it stolen. Apart from the inconvenience, what does it really matter if it's stolen?

OP posts:

UsernamesAreAPainInTheBalls · 10/12/2016 22:56

I know that's my attitude let the insurance sort it out
But this is a man who loves the car and treats it like a precious baby gets it washed about 3 times a week and then likes to stand looking out the window at how shiny it is 🙄
In his defence though the insurance companies here (Ireland) can be a bit of a nightmare and take forever to do everything so it would be a pain

caroldecker · 10/12/2016 23:04

F-pace is significantly cheaper than the Range Rover, about the same as an Evoque. Better on road than the Evoque and a great car.

TheVeryHungryDieter · 10/12/2016 23:14

Have you driven one OP? How it feels to drive makes such a difference. I got a new (new to me!) car this year. It's 18 months old and I really enjoy driving it. I want to get in it all the time! It's the newest car I've ever owned and I feel almost embarrassed to have spent so much money on a car but the pleasure in driving it is worth it. I frequently rent cars as I travel a lot to my home country where public transport isn't as good as here. I got randomly allocated one of these and when I was sitting in it one Sunday night (a year ago!) in the airport car park saying "I really don't want to give it back.." I knew I'd love it. And I do.

If you can afford it and you'll enjoy it, you may as well.

Sedona123 · 10/12/2016 23:47

Have you had a test drive yet? I did, and didn't like it at all.

RJnomore1 · 10/12/2016 23:55

I think it depends on the importance you place on your car.

I'm currently driving a ten year old clapped out Astra which I bought 6 months old. We've been to the moon Nd back together and it's reliable and costs me tuppebce hapenny to run. When it dies I'm getting an a5 convertible - I covet one and financially things are better and I can afford it - but I wouldn't fork out on it while I have a working car because to me it will do the exact same thing. Get me a to b. If I'm forced to spend then I'll spend more on what I want though.

That's not a criticism of anyone who spends on cars. I pay a lot per month for personal training which I could skip and go train myself but it's worth it to me and if you get that from your car or anything else and can afford it, do it. Make your heart sing.

littlepeas · 11/12/2016 00:03

Not worth buying it brand new - wait and get a nearly new one, especially if you plan to keep it until it dies.

NicknameUsed · 11/12/2016 00:17

SleepFreeZone It is almost impossible to nick a car these days without a key.

Is this car going to be kept on the road? Or do you have a drive or garage?

If you get it be very careful where you keep the keys in the house. I live in a village where we are fortunate enough to have a low crime rate, but the crimes that do occur are house break ins to look for the keys of the fancy car on the drive.

caroldecker · 11/12/2016 00:18

nearly new ones will not be available for at least 12 to 18 months.

FeralBeryl · 11/12/2016 00:47

Oh I'm looking at this too
Do it! If you test drive it first obviously and love it.
I've got a RR Sport moneypit shithead but these look so fun, I still need a big car for work purposes and it'll fit the bill.
Or, if your mileage is low and you'd be weekend drivers-would you consider leasing one for a while? That said, I'm very tough on cars so never see it as a viable option.

bluetongue · 11/12/2016 03:31

If you afford it and it will make you happy why not? Not sure I'd want to have to park it on the street though.

To think I'm worried about 'splurging' on a new Mazda hatchback!

ihatetosay · 11/12/2016 05:44

do what you want - no debts good savings want flash car - are you just showing off

Madinche1sea · 11/12/2016 08:01

OP - if it's genuinely what YOU want, then go for it!

We're in Central London with no off-street parking and were burgled for the keys for a quite new Range Rover. The police said there's a market for these cars in places like Nigeria. The car thieves drive around with a "shopping list" and the cars are in containers and on their way within hours. We also had an Audi Q7 stolen after 3 weeks of it being parked in the street and most of our neighbours have experienced similar. Sometimes they bring the vehicle transporter and crane down the street and just load the cars on! So not sure where you live, but if it's going to be in the street, get a tracker fitted!

DH is approaching mid-40's and has just bought a Ferrari Thank god it's not red though. He already had a Lotus and he keeps them both in dingy garages down an alley. He and his friends are also into racing cars now and these are kept by someone who brings them to the track in a lorry.

Whatever makes people happy I guess.

SleepFreeZone · 11/12/2016 10:03

This thread is making me chuckle 🙊

The guy who owned the house before us stored his brother's Audi on the driveway to protect it from being nicked. Couple of days in the thieves had clocked it, broke in our house(then his house) during the night. Nicked the key and the car disappeared up the A14.

We live next door to a policeman and he said there is a strong market for Audis apparently. This seems to be backed up by my MIL's neighbour having his brand new Audi nicked off his driveway a few days after it was delivered. I just couldn't be bothered to deal with it

Sixisthemagicnumber · 11/12/2016 10:09

I wouldn't buy a car that costs that much mainly because I know quite a few people who have had their houses broken into just so the burglars can steal the car keys. A couple of those people have been in the house when the burglary has taken place and they have been in physical altercations with the burglars.
It's not about depreciation concerns or what the neighbours will think for me but more about not wanting anybody to come into my house just because they want to steal my car (couldn't really give two hoots about an insured car being stolen).

bluetongue · 11/12/2016 10:14

This is where having a 20 year old car comes in handy. Dead easy to break into and steal so no need for anyone to break into your house

Madinche1sea · 11/12/2016 12:22

Yes what the police told me is that often when you see men in white vans or something, parked up and eating sandwiches, they are actually just masquerading as builders. What they're really doing is waiting for certain cars to be parked and seeing which house you then go into so they know where to break in that night. They literally nick cars to order.

I agree with Blue that I couldn't really give a hoot about insured cars but when we were broken into DH was away and I have 4 kids so that was the worst bit. All they took was the car keys though. The other time we got broken into, they legged it before DH got down and left the front door wide open. I don't know what they were looking for.

Hulababy · 11/12/2016 12:26

If you can afford it and want it, then go for it. It is your money, your choice.

Different cars have different values when it comes to stealing, and especially stealing to order.

Hot hatches and vans, esp white ones, are generally top of the list. Also things like camper vans, and not just VW ones. A family 4x4 less so - main one they look for is a Defender.

We've had one of the cars from the top of the list - one of the fast Golfs. They did break in but didn't actually get the keys in the end - we were upstairs and us and the alarm disturbed them. Had a LR Discovery for last few years - not a murmur. Its not high on their lists apparently.

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