To buy a car outright?

[tumericmasala]

I'm in a conundrum. We need a new car - our car is 10 years old we've spent a lot on it this year. The manufacturer and an independent mechanic have both said that the repairs are not with it.

My family say buy a car outright. So we're looking at 3 year old cars (to take into account depreciation but to account that it's still fairly new). My BF always leases but it doesn't make sense. I suppose we've always bought a car about 3 years old then just ran it til it's end of life.

But now I'm thinking rather than a huge £20k outlay on a new car (I want a decent and safe SUV) are we better off leasing?

Driving an SUV is vulgar . What about the queen? Is she a bit rough in her Range Rover and landy? You naughty troll you.

DO NOT buy a Land Rover unless you want a massively unreliable heap of crap and a completely disinterested dealer network. XC90 FTW.

I bought a low mileage second hand MPV that was ex-Mobility scheme. If you can find a garage that sells from that scheme it's good - because they have full service history, well maintained, low mileage.

SUVs are just so practical. Our xc90 seats 7 if needed & it’s very safe. Fits 3 in the 2nd row with the bulky car seats. Lots of space for luggage & comfortable for the annual trip to the South of France.

Go for the XC90, by far the safest and they are really nice to drive.

Driving an SUV is vulgar.

Dont be ridiculous!

Lease cars have a restriction on how many miles you do, don't they?

Me and DH considered this once, but we had to keep down to 8,000 miles a year. We do 2 to 3 times that!

I'd go for a Toyota if I were you. Or Vauxhall.

Never ever bought a new car. They lose about 15% of the value as soon as you drive off the forecourt.

Bought one 2 years old once, newest ever. Usually we buy cars that are 5 to 6 years old though.

SUVs are nice enough, but I see no point in them unless you live VERY rural, or up a mountain! Also, the vast majority of SUV drivers are dreadful. Massive dangerous obnoxious bullies. Not all, but maybe 2 out of 3.

I’ve got an ex mobility car - it was neither well serviced or low mileage. Don’t get me wrong it’s been a brilliant car. Now 11 years old and 105k miles on it

I appreciate the lack of servicing was down to the person leasing the car but don’t assume just because it’s ex mobility it’s been looked after.

For me I’d go for a highosh mileage ex lease or mobility car at 3 years old. Should be cheap ish and looked after in the main.

And from your list I’d only be looking at the Volvos. But give it another 12 months and there will be a shit load of cheap XC60s coming of lease.

Woundnt touch BMW or Land Rover.

Lease cars and PCP you can choose your mileage and pay accordingly the headline offers usually have a low mileage

My Comapny lease car has 30k miles a year you just pay more.

It's interesting a couple of posters report that you can choose your annual mileage with a PCP. It must depend who you're speaking to. I know my friend wasn't given that option and when I was thinking about a new car recently I was only "allowed" 10K a year. When I said I did more mileage than that the car dealer said there was nothing he could do about that so I walked away.

I always buy a car outright, run it to the ground. Have always chosen Ford or Vauxhall. Never spent more than £2k. Never spend more than £200 a year on MOT.
£20k outright on a new car would seem a stupid waste of money. What I spend is bad enough for me

DH got nice company car and pays too much through tax have been tempted to lease but I'm shit at looking after my cars if I'm truthful and don't want to drive about being worried about scraping it or leaving it in dodgy places.

Xc90 or xc60 it is!!

Will look further into what's available at 3 years old.

I would look at the BMW tourer too.

Outright I think is best for us. We keep for a long time

Un-mumsnetty thanks!

I buy cash because I was brought up to save up if I wanted something and not to borrow, so it goes against the grain to get a car on credit when I can afford to buy.
So those who run an old car, are you mechanics? I could just about top up the washers but anything else would have to go to the garage. I usually get away with an annual service if I buy a car that's 3 years or so old.

am agog that people have the money seemingly stashed away to drop on a new or nearly new car.
Well plenty of people do. And it’s cheaper in the long run than lease or finance.
We’re in a similar position to the OP and having looked at the options, I just don’t want to waste the money on some kind of finance pay monthly deal.

XC60 is not seven seats though and I think you said you needed seven?

So those who run an old car, are you mechanics?

No, we've used our village "back street" garage for the past 20 years once cars are over 3 years old/out of warranty. They do the yearly service/MOT and we also get them to repair/change punctures etc. They can also do the welding etc needed to extend the life of exhausts etc. Modern cars need very little maintenance and there's little, other than consumables such as brake pads, spark plugs, filters, etc., that needs replacing. We tend to buy French cars, Citroens, Peugeots and Renaults .

Yes we use our local mechanics too.

We tend to buy French cars, Citroens,
Peugeots and Renaults

Statistically french cars are the worst out there. Especially with electrical issues. I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

Statistically french cars are the worst out there. Especially with electrical issues. I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

We've had 7 and never had any electrical problems at all.

Kia caren is a nice car

am agog that people have the money seemingly stashed away to drop on a new or nearly new car.

You only need to save up for the first one. Then instead of paying the lease or HP, you save the equivalent monthly amount instead, so you have the money (along with the PX) for your next one a few years later. Overall, it makes no difference - except you save all the finance/interest charges.

My car's leased and I was asked what annual mileage I wanted. I went for far more than I ever thought I'd need - all the "unused" miles reduce the cost of the next car by increasing the trade in value.

We've had 7 and never had any electrical problems at all.

The you’ve been lucky and / or buying quite older models? I work in the auto industry and they are well renowned for this, especially the mid age models circa. 2005-2012.

We buy second hand Saabs from a local specialist in Devon, who in a decade, has never sold us a wrong 'un. We take the cars back to Devon from Brussels for servicing, around trips to see my Mum. Dh's last Saab was £995, bought in 2013, and has done loads of miles since, to and from the UK and Germany. Mine was bought in 2014 for a tad over £3k. It does the Brussels to UK and back run at least four times a year; requires minimum servicing, and will owe me nothing by the time she's done 250,000 miles.