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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to buy a new car

26 replies

DorisDaisyMay · 08/12/2019 16:08

My car is in the garage. It is worth £400. Over the last few months we have spent £600 on car and we are waiting for the next bill.
I think it’s stupid to keep spending money on it.

We don’t have a lump sum but could get a loan and easily meet the repayments.

DH does not want a car loan as he does not want to be in debt.

I do want a particular car - a Mini Countryman - and have wanted one for ages. So if I am going to get a new car I want to get the one I want. It’s me that will drive it 95% of the time. I saw a great one on autotrader today.

DH flatly refuses and says he wants to save for car.

I think he is being unreasonable because we could sort it out now and pay back the loan early if we save up the money as well.

What do you think?

OP posts:
RJnomore1 · 08/12/2019 16:10

You’ve probably just spent twice the value of your car on it. Get shot. I’ve made this error before too.

You’ll never manage to save As you’ll be always spending on it. If you’re lucky you might get a few hundred trade in on it.

Momniscient · 08/12/2019 16:23

Need a bit more detail, really. How old is the car, and mileage? Difficult to know if this is the beginning of things going south or if it's the usual sort of "change the break pads and a CV gaiter boot" thing that can cost a bit, but honestly there's nowt wrong with the car. Do you find things coming up on the annual service?

Original poster
DorisDaisyMay · 08/12/2019 16:30

It’s a 2009 fiat bravo and its done 107,000. It’s a nice looking car but I think it’s tipped to the point where it’s old and things will keep going wrong.

We don’t have any debt except mortgage as DH was brought up in a debt free household. Also hence why I have a car that has been run into the ground.

I was brought up in a loans for things household. (They did always get paid). It’s just polar opposites. I think sort it out now. DH is overly cautious in my opinion.

OP posts:
BigusBumus · 08/12/2019 16:34

No deffo get it on finance. It's a necessity and if you can afford the repayments you should do it.

chocolatesaltyballs22 · 08/12/2019 16:35

Why don't you lease a new car? Lots of people doing that these days - we both have lease cars and will hand them back after 3 years and get another new one. If you can afford it and are paying for it yourself I don't know why you need permission from your husband?

lovemenorca · 08/12/2019 16:36

No way should we be giving our view when we know bugger all about your financial situation

Original poster
DorisDaisyMay · 08/12/2019 16:41

And that ‘permission’ thing is what made me so angry with him as I don’t think he gets equal say as it’s me who will drive it and this is me it affects. Also I work and have always worked.

But .....I also saw the emotional wrench getting a loan would have on him. He looked so worried at the thought - that I could see that it would emotionally weigh on him.

I am so annoyed because I see him as being the barrier to me just being able to sort it out.

OP posts:
Momniscient · 08/12/2019 18:37

What's plan B? If the car went tomorrow, you'd need to replace it with something. Guessing if he grew up debt free then you have savings set up. If you don't already know, I'd ask him what his plan is. When your car is over 100k miles you're looking to replace certainly within five years.

My end point being - I think you're reasonable to be looking now, and I think it's unreasonable to expect that car to keep going for a very long time. If it's a "buying new things" issue then you can point out you'll get more of a return on your current vehicle if you part exchange. If you wait for it to break more, you've got nothing.

Part two is that it seems your husband is surprised that you'd need to replace it now, or maybe you don't have the savings set up to get one right now. It will go soon. If you don't have the savings then you'll need to get it on finance, there's no two ways about it! If he wants to save for a car before buying... Well... He's left it a bit late to start! Sure it's not broken... yet.

Or, to play devil's advocate, what does he know that you don't? Is his job at risk?

He's unreasonable to refuse to talk about it. The reality is that you'll need to replace your car on the near future, regardless of whether that is right now or two years, and you need an agreed plan.

Grekko · 08/12/2019 18:44

I'm not sure why you've posted on here tbh? It sounds like you know what you're going to do anyway, and just want a rant about your dh.

StayClassySally · 08/12/2019 18:51

What age cars are you looking at? The issue you have is that some old Mini Countryman's are still quite a lot of money. What happens if you buy it and it also breaks because it's old? Can you afford maintenance and the finance?

You should tell him that if the car is on finance and you have mechanical issues while the car is on warranty that the finance co help you with getting the car fixed.

PlumsGalore · 08/12/2019 18:57

I’m all for getting a new car, with a loan if necessary, but a Countryman is not a typical step up from an ancient Fiat Bravo.

Get the new car but reconsider your choice IMO

PettyContractor · 08/12/2019 19:13

You can get a running car without spending more than £1000, whether the money is on repairs for the existing car or a replacement banger is a subsidiary question.

From a financial point of view, the right thing to do is buy a car with savings, he's right about that. Leasing is not risk free, unless the lease allows you to hand the car back immediately in the event of unemployment, and cease payments without penalty. (And you'd be happy to right off any money put into the car so far.)

PettyContractor · 08/12/2019 19:16

No way should we be giving our view when we know bugger all about your financial situation

We know that she doesn't have spare cash lying around to buy the car she wants. I think that's enough to base a conclusion on.

mrsbyers · 08/12/2019 19:19

I’m in the middle , I think you should get a new car but not necessarily a countryman - you’re paying over the odds for an image

PettyContractor · 08/12/2019 19:21

The only things I think it is valid to borrow money for are:-
(a) a mortgage to enable you to buy your main home
(b) the "tools" needed to enable earning.

"Tools" could include educational qualifications or a vehicle to enable commuting. But in the vehicle case, you don't spend more than you have to, it's not an excuse to spend a lot more to get a car you want.

PettyContractor · 08/12/2019 19:24

I'll row back a little, and say it depends on how secure a job you have. If it's public sector with virtually zero probability of unemployment, then a lease car might not be so unreasonable. Though the one you want isn't the best value for money, I'd guess.

PooWillyBumBum · 08/12/2019 19:27

I kind of agree with you both. It sounds like it would be sensible to get a newer car, but a brand new Mini on finance would be like setting money on fire.

I was given a Mini Countryman for rental when in an accident a couple of years ago - it was to replace my VW Tiguan 4X4 - and it was truly awful to drive and really plastic-y inside for the price point. I now drive a much cheaper small Kia and think that’s better than the mini.

Personally would meet in the middle and get a loan for a second hand Honda Jazz or similar then start saving for a nicer car so the next one can be in cash.

CAG12 · 08/12/2019 19:30

So its really a diagreement between saving for the new car, or getting a loan and buying the new car now?

If you save what will you gain? Potentially more bills from the car you already have?

If you get it now you'll have the monthly repayments on the new car.

Either way you'll be paying money out, you just need to work out whats affordable

Scarlettpixie · 08/12/2019 19:53

I guess it depends on a few things.

Do you have separate finances? Do you tend to agree big purchases and if you can’t agree not do it? What does he think should be done about replacing your car?

Are you talking about a brand new countryman or a used one? Do you have any deposit to put down? If not deposit and nothing saved I can understand his concern about heafty loan repayments. How will you afford it if you have been spending all your income? Will your DH be financially worse off if you buy the car you really want?

A countryman is probably not the best use of your money in any case. You are paying for the badge. I think there is a compromise to be made here.

Lazypuppy · 08/12/2019 20:01

This sort of thing is why me and my partner will always have our own cars and keep some of our money seperate.

You want your own new car? Go buy one in your name (your debt not his) and he can have your old one, and all the repair bills that go with it

Dacquoise · 08/12/2019 20:01

From a financial point of view, new cars depriciate very quickly. Having had several brand new cars when I was married, I wouldn't buy from new again as you lose so much money on them. If you do decide to change your car, perhaps look at a few years old and take out a loan and pay it off early if you can. Regular servicing will make it run longer. Not sure how you get round the issue with your other half as you clearly have different attitudes to money which is a tough one.

Stegosaurus1990 · 08/12/2019 20:05

A ten year old car really isn’t that old.

19lottie82 · 08/12/2019 20:09

Don’t buy a mini, they’re utter crap. (I own a garage and we specialise in German cars)

Scarlettpixie · 08/12/2019 20:13

I would get shot of the Bravo though. My old one cost me an arm and a leg!

Alarae · 08/12/2019 20:47

Your scenario mirrors mine, except we are replacing one car with a 5 door due to an impending arrival.

In the end we did purchase a car and put part of the cost on a credit card, but this is because I knew we could pay it off in six months (~5.5k). As we would have simply saved this money during that period and spent it on a car anyway, as the cost of borrowing was only £100 but the car we were buying was a massive steal, it made sense in our situation to do so.

We would not borrow money we could not repay in the immediate short term. Anything longer than a year is uncomfortable for my DH, so we don't put anything on long standing finance. We also don't like adding extra debt repayments to our monthly bills.

If you have a sensible repayment plan then explain that to your OH. If your plan is just 'we can afford the minimum payments' then I am on his side and think you should readjust your expectations. It won't be fun to have a long standing credit commitment if you were to have a sudden drop of income for any reason.

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