AIBU to buy snobby car?

[LillyPillly]

I know I'm going to get absolutely flogged for posting this, but I genuinely want your opinions (please be gentle!). Here is my first world problem....

AIBU to buy a second hand (3 years old) Audi or Range Rover because I am a snob and like nice cars or should I buy a brand new Kia or Vauxhall?

Currently have a 3 year old Audi Q5 which I bought new, but I now need more seats so am after a 7 seater.

What would you do? AIBU to buy a second hand car when I could buy a new one, just not a flash one?

• we buy ex demo cars generally, so you get six month old a car which has done under 500km but the new price tag doesn't apply, and you save several thousand.

Just seen the fact you are in Oz. As pp said European parts will be expensive. I would go Japanese. Nissan or Toyota especially is really reliable.

I agree with others (and grew up in Oz so know exactly what you mean about "snobby" cars - the import taxes (used to?) really create a 2-tier system). Look carefully at running and servicing costs, and how long a car will last / hold its value. Then look at which cars fit your needs and find the best value in a used car.

Affordability trumps all other reasons as far as I am concerned. I am sure DD would love a BMW, but for her it's a six year old Suzuki Alto!

I have an Audi, DH has a LR Discovery and a BMW, but we started car ownership with a shared rusty Fiat Panda.

Nothing wrong with getting the best car you can comfortably afford. everything wrong with getting a top end of the range car on high interest finance or PCP when you are scratting around to pay the electric bill.

A Range Rover or Audi doesn't have seven seats.

So many people buy expensive brand cars without considering how much they cost to maintain, servicing requires parts so it's not just if something goes wrong.

Do your homework, if you can afford the car you want then go for it. New isn't the best use of money but that's a personal choice.

noego er yes, they can do. An Audi Q7 or a (specced up) Range Rover Sport both have 7 seats.

A Range Rover or Audi doesn't have seven seats.

Range Rover Sports do. The Audi Q7 does.

I misread the title as ‘snobby cat’ and wondered what that was

Me too. Disappointed it’s about cars!

Range Rovers are notorious for being utter shit and only good for posing in aren't they?

Audi's are much better, so I would get a 3 year old Audi.

OP I drive a BMW X5 and it's a 7 seater. It's a lovely drive and incredibly reliable. I think it had a couple of thousand miles on the clock when I bought it (we looked at brand new but thought there was little point paying so much more for very little gain). It's the nicest car I've driven, far nicer than any of DH's choices.

The rest of my thread doesn't focus on 7 seats people give their opinions on cars etc

I'd never buy new. As soon as you drive it away it looses it's value. Save yourself some money or, like you say get a better 2nd hand car.

what - why are they snobby cars? Bizarre - they are just cars. Buy what you want.

Also nowadays I don't think flash car always equals more money. With finance available even teenagers could afford an Audi if they were really happy to spunk 50% of their wages on the payments and another 25% on their insurance for it. So not so special anymore I think.

I wouldn’t give two figs about the name. I’d go for best option. Go for Skoda or older Volvo.

Second hand Audi or Range Rover over new Kia or Vauxhall any day. If you already drive an Audi, you'll hate either of those two latter options. There's no comparison in quality or comfort. I would go for a Q7 over a Range Rover though.

Audis are beautiful cars and I would love to own one. However recently I’ve had two near misses that could have been very serious accidents - both due to crazy dangerous driving by Audi drivers. So clearly some Audi drivers are indeed bellends! Mind you I suppose you could say that about every car brand!

A Range Rover is the last car you should buy if you care at all about what motoring costs. It's the least reliable major vehicle brand there is.

I once read a comparison across brands of costs for a specific type of repair/maintenance, and Audi came out worst at double the typical cost of the others. When the journalist queried this with the Audi dealer, the reply was that their customers did not care about the cost of maintenance.

If you must have a status symbol go ahead.
I see Range Rovers have taken over as the biggest bullies on the road these days. It used to be Audis.
Buy either. If someone is driving at the speed limit, stay out of their arse though. It’s rude and dangerous and you’re not special in your silly car.

Buy an electric car. BMW do a very good one, the i3.

Petrol/diesel will be worthless in a few years' time.

Range Rover Sports do. The Audi Q7 does

Beg your pardon. I stand corrected. My RR doesn't

I doubt Audis are necessarily more expensive to maintain than any other German brand, just pointing out that at least one dealer seems to agree that they are not for "poor" people, i.e. people who care about how much their motoring costs.

Thanks so much for all the advice! Definitely a lot to think about.
Servicing on my current Audi does cost a fortune! Thanks for the other thread too tumeric

It's not the car that's snobby. We have three "German' cars on our drive but that doesn't make us snobs.
Ultimately, if you are transporting kids in your car, go for the safest you can afford.