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Original poster

To wonder why people don't buy cheaper cars

161 replies

JaceLancs · 22/02/2017 10:00

This has come up on a few threads recently about people saying they can't afford a car
Why not just buy something older smaller or cheaper?
The most I would consider spending would be £5000 and I would have to borrow or save that - if my current 14 year old car becomes unrepairable in the near future I would buy a put me on for around £1000
DD last car was £800 DS just bought first car for less than £500
They are all very reliable and cheap to run and repair
DD and my car both come into cheap insurance and tax brackets

OP posts:
daddyorscience · 22/02/2017 12:49

I've run quite a few old tubs in my time... I'm unfussed. Only for the kids sakes do I go modern. My last 3 cars have been ex-motability.

Low cost (most was £2100, bartered down to 2k for cash, delivered to work with a new MOT), full history down to every last bit and bolt.

Wouldn't do it any other way...

Lazyafternoon · 22/02/2017 12:51

We bought a 15k car as its what DH wanted. Combination of savings and loan. Don't intend changing again until it starts falling apart, but hopefully that will be at least 6-7 years.

We only have the one car though. It's the running costs, insurance etc that make it too expensive to have two. It was a key consideration when moving house to be somewhere where we only need car. We can get by with one as I work from home and town, shops, preschool, leisure centre etc all within 20mins walk. I just got an expensive buggy with huge basket, big cosy toes when DS was a baby and I have lots of coats and shoes/boots for every weather! Still cheaper than a car 😀

womanwithoutasong · 22/02/2017 12:52

I've had old cars and new cars and would go for new every time. They're just so much more reliable.

the last used car I had was forever having services, MOTs, repairs, was off the road (no curtesy car). It was a nightmare. That's without going into the horror that is dealing with garages.

I get a car allowance from work now though so it's a bit different.

After having seven used cars I feel justified in getting a new one. I've done my time hanging around garages and waiting for parts and repairs.

Orangebird69 · 22/02/2017 12:52

My 22yo nephew was killed instantly last month after being t-boned, from the passenger side, by another car. He drove an older, small, cheap car. I'd never let my son drive anything like it. Yes, old, cheap and cheerful is great. But the safety aspects of older cars compared to newer cars is just not good enough. Maybe if he had had a bigger newer car he'd still be here.

doggydaft · 22/02/2017 12:54

I've just got rid of my 12 year old car when the proposed repair bill was more than the car was worth. I'd had it 11 years Grin
New car on finance ( 6 months old) is costing me half what my old car did in petrol and has minimal road tax asking with free servicing for the next 3 years.
I fully expect to keep this car for at least the next 10 years until it becomes too expensive to fix.
I need a reliable car but don't particularly want/need to have a new car every 2-3 years.

MuseumOfCurry · 22/02/2017 12:54

My 22yo nephew was killed instantly last month after being t-boned, from the passenger side, by another car. He drove an older, small, cheap car. I'd never let my son drive anything like it. Yes, old, cheap and cheerful is great. But the safety aspects of older cars compared to newer cars is just not good enough. Maybe if he had had a bigger newer car he'd still be here.

Flowers

How terribly sad for you & your family.

Crunchyside · 22/02/2017 12:59

There are so many reasons to spend more on a car, if you can afford it:

  • Newer generally means more reliable
  • More reliable means less unexpected costs
  • More reliable also means peace of mind
  • Often cheaper insurance, tax, breakdown cover etc
  • Better MPG
  • Affordable finance deals
  • Status symbol, shouldn't be the case but if you're the only one parking at the office in an old Micra when everyone else is driving Audis, BMWs and Mercs you may feel the urge to upgrade!
  • Better safety
  • If you have a long commute you may benefit from a more luxurious and comfortable car.

We have a long commute and spend 2 hours a day in our car so for us having a nicer car is worth the extra expense, as we spend almost as much time in the car on workdays as we spend awake in our own home!

Our first car was an old banger Corsa which cost £900. It had lots of stuff going wrong with it which kept costing us money, it was expensive to insure, and expensive to get breakdown cover. Eventually it broke down on the M4 on Christmas Day and we vowed never to get an older car again. We got a brand new Kia after that on finance and I'm pretty sure the yearly cost of that was less than the yearly cost of that shitty Corsa, much more reliable, and much more of a pleasure to drive and own!

Orangebird69 · 22/02/2017 13:00

Thanks Museum x

I've driven 4x4s for years for no other reason than I like them. Now I have my own ds, I won't drive anything else. And when he can drive, neither will he. The bigger and higher the better. I'd rather wince a bit at the cost of the car and the mpg than go through what my sister and family have gone through the last few weeks Sad

MuseumOfCurry · 22/02/2017 13:01

Oh, and this just happened? Shock

Your poor sister. So sorry.

Hotfuzzed · 22/02/2017 13:01

I've just put down a deposit in a new car on finance. Brand new Ford Fiesta for £148 a month -absolute steal if you ask me.

Before that I had a KA that was 15 years old. A few reasons why I've taken that leap. One my KA was not a safe car really, comparing the safety of an old car to a new one is no comparison, and if you have kids I don't know why that wouldn't be a priority.

Secondly I have to drive everyday as part of my job. I need something reliable that I don't have to worry about repairs.

Thirdly my uncle works for ford so I got a major discount off new cars Grin.

Finally By getting it in finance I could swap it every nine months if I wanted to for a brand new model.

WatchingIZombie · 22/02/2017 13:02

I have had my car since it was two years old.

If you work out how much it has cost in car payments, repairs, etc. it actually works out far worse now in terms of value for money. I have paid out about £1700 in repairs alone over the past year and a half. That could easily have paid off more than a year and a half worth of payments on a new version of what I have now.

To find a reliable old run around under £1000 that isn't a money pit you have to be incredibly lucky!

That said, I don't really get the appeal of spending tens of thousands on one. That could pay off a huge chunk of mortgage for us (or provide a house deposit). Bizarrely, I have friends in rented housing who say they can't afford a mortgage but still have ridiculously expensive cars (on finance)!

Orangebird69 · 22/02/2017 13:02

Yes Museum, mid January x

Secretsquirrel252 · 22/02/2017 13:06

For years I had a small, reliable, second hand car. Eventually, as it got older, it started to cost us more in repairs and maintenance than its blue book value. I bought a two year old car three years ago. It cost a lot more than your limit but so far our repair and maintenance costs are practically non existent.

Secretsquirrel252 · 22/02/2017 13:08

Flowers Orangebird69

LoupGarou · 22/02/2017 13:10

Orangebird69 Flowers for you and your family.

Orangebird69 · 22/02/2017 13:13

Thanks Loup and Squirrel. I wasn't trying to bring a downer to the convo. But please, especially if you have any influence on your dcs cars, get AS SAFE a car as you can afford.

TheProblemOfSusan · 22/02/2017 13:14

I bought a nearly-new pre-reg with about 20 miles on it that was three months old. It saved me a couple of thousand on the new prices I was getting through CarWow (so already discounted a bit).

It's my first car, I am a bit clueless about them and so wanted to guarantee reliability as far as I could. It's got most of its very good warranty left and is a very reliable make. I'm also intending to drive it for at least ten years if not into the ground, so the monthly running costs are important (low right now), low petrol consumption and best current safety features. And I know I'll look after it so the running costs should stay relatively low, which I couldn't guarantee with a car others have had.

Also I really really wanted it. It's so shiny.

elastamum · 22/02/2017 13:16

Orangebird, sorry for your loss and I echo what you are saying. Having been hit head on a couple of years ago on a country road (not my fault) I realised the difference between a substantial modern car (Volvo XC90) and the older car that hit me. I walked away without a scratch and the other driver was hospitalised for 3 months.

Because of this, I bought an newish XC40 for DS1 to learn to drive in. It wasn't cheap, but it is very, very strong. Interestingly, being a Volvo it is really cheap to insure.

Keletubbie · 22/02/2017 13:16

My car is a vessel for getting us from A to B - including a stinky dog and a sticky kid.

I spent £4k on it 10 years ago (it was already 5 years old) and it's never cost more than £200 to get through an MOT (including the £50 MOT cost).

I got a brief pang of jealousy when I sat in my sister's new Mini... but honestly, for what I need, my mobile crap heap does the job.

TheEdgeofSeventeen · 22/02/2017 13:16

My mum didn't want me to have an older car because it might breakdown , cost more on maintenance or insurance. So mines on a monthly finance x

Lilypurple · 22/02/2017 13:21

What really gets me is multiple car owners with cars costing 20k upwards but they live in Housing association houses paying rent to LA? Surely they are not good to have finance on tick? so how the hell do they do it? I agree a car is to get to A and B and what car you drive is never going to impress me unless I like the colour!

BeIIatrixLeStrange · 22/02/2017 13:23

You could say the same about anything, - why don't we all have the most basic of anything

Why do people live in houses, when they could live in a tent?

A tent would be perfectly adequate. But it would be unsafe, uncomfortable and we could afford better. So instead of living in unsafe discomfort with money in the bank, we spend our money on making our life safer and more comfortable

Why does anyone buy Heinz beans, when they could have value brand for 10p!? Because the cheap ones are not as nice - however you dress it up there is a huge difference

imjessie · 22/02/2017 13:31

Lily purple .. this makes me cross , I k ow a few families who have expensive cars and holidays and live in LA housing . Surely if they can afford all that they can afford private rent . Get out and give it to a family in need imo!! ( I own so it isn't about me by the way )

LoupGarou · 22/02/2017 13:33

I agree Orangebird69 I used to drive classic cars but had a bad accident a lot of years ago that I nearly didn't walk away from. By contrast I totalled my previous pick up (which was only a few months old) when a lorry hit me as the driver had fallen asleep on the highway. Both baby DS and I walked away without a scratch.

Orangebird69 · 22/02/2017 13:38

loup my dh collects classic cars. Before this happened to my nephew, we used to daydream/disuss what classic we'd like to get him for his first car... not anymore x

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