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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think £15K is excessive to spend on a car?

311 replies

SunflowerOwl · 07/06/2021 14:13

DH and I seem to disagree massively over what a 'reasonable' budget is for our new car.

Our requirements are that it will last us a good 10-15 years so not too old (I cant be doing with having to car shop again in a few years time!), is safe and has a big boot as we have a large pram and a dog.

Every car he sends me that he likes seems to be in the region of £15K whereas I was thinking we would need to spend half of that! He tells me I'm out of touch and that's just what decent cars cost these days.

Is this true? Is this really what the average family spend on a family car?!

OP posts:
ZZTopGuitarSolo · 07/06/2021 20:13

Alternatively South Korean Hyundai and cheaper Kia sub brand offers excellent value propositions too. Much of the engineering is former German BMW etc.

In the last year we've bought one of each. They were a great price, seemed well enough built, and came with a much longer warranty than similar Honda/Toyota/Ford etc. (I'm in the US so things are a bit different in terms of what's offered.) I'm really pleased with both cars.

The 2 year old Hyundai Tucson was I think $17k secondhand with 50,000 miles left on the warranty, and the Kia Rio was $14k new with a 75,000 mile warranty.

IhateAntivaccers · 07/06/2021 20:14

@MaBroon21

lol @ the people mad enough to buy new cars when it loses 50% of its value as soon as it leaves the garage forecourt btw grin

I like making people happy and I’m glad something is putting a smile on your face.

As for losing 50 percent of the value of a new car - it’s honestly not a problem and I imagine that most of the people who buy new cars don’t give it any thought at all let alone a second one.

fair enough, if you have thousands of pounds to throw away all the best
Lancrelady80 · 07/06/2021 20:19

Vauxhall Astra estate here, bought at 7k with 32000 miles, 6 years old. You can get a good, low mileage vehicle of that size for that money, but it's a fluke. Try an independent dealer and they will try to hint out a car that fits your requirements, whereas dealers are perhaps not quite so motivated.

£1k per year of expected life is probably about right for a used car.

I would say though, think realistically about this. 10000 miles every year for 10 - 15 years is a lot of miles and a lot of wear and tear on an already used car, and I really would not expect that life span. To keep it that long, I would be fully expecting you to need a brand new car as opposed to nearly new.

oblada · 07/06/2021 20:33

Depends on the car/make etc.
Bought a Citroen Berlingo about 5-6yrs ago. It would have been 3-4yrs old and I think we spent about 7k then. It's still fab. Last year we bought a massive Spacetourer (9seater) as well, it was 18months old and cost us 13k. We expect to keep it for about 10yrs hopefully.

MissCruellaDeVil · 07/06/2021 20:35

Are people really that thick that they don't understand if people didn't buy new cars, they wouldn't be able to buy second hand ones a few years down the line, you can have mine once I've scuffed the alloys, used the warranty up and added a few bumps and scrapes along the paintwork.

Watchingyou2sleezes · 07/06/2021 21:00

[quote sst1234]@Watchingyou2sleezes

Murky world? What do you think this is? Who do you think repairs write offs? Colombian drug lords?[/quote]
Plenty of back street incompetents out there buying up and badly fixing various cat S auction buys.
I notice some idiot saying their wing mirror getting knocked off was a cat S write off.... FFS!
Anyone buying a Car S repaired car needs to proceed with caution

Hairbrush123 · 07/06/2021 21:17

I don’t think so. My father-in-law bought a brand new Range Rover for £90k a few years ago and me and DP have a Mercedes GLE we bought for £45k (secondhand - a year old). Depends on what car you want, how new it is, what your salary is and if your finances are like!

clary · 07/06/2021 21:25

@IhateAntivaccers

lol @ the people mad enough to buy new cars when it loses 50% of its value as soon as it leaves the garage forecourt btw Grin
How can that be true though? If it were, I could replace my Yaris with a 2020 model with a couple of thousand on the clock for £7k. I really really can't tho. Last year's Yaris at v low mileage will cost £12k or more.

FWIW we bought new because we got a 0% finance deal and £2k scrappage on our old car - which was worth about nothing as it had done 189,000. So it was barely more than a nearly new car.

TubeOfSmarties · 07/06/2021 21:26

Having bought a nice but decidedly not extravagant car recently to replace the one I'd had for 15 years, I definitely think your husband's estimate is closer than yours.

excuseforfights · 07/06/2021 21:27

I bought my Mazda 2 brand new 12 years ago for £9k. It has never broken down or had any problems and I am terrified of replacing it. I really want a grown up car but the thought of giving up a car that runs so well feels sacrilegious.

Duchess379 · 07/06/2021 21:30

You'll think I'm totally insane then. I've dropped £45k on my car. However, it totally works for me & my dogs & I very much doubt I'll be buying another one until the 'full electric' era.. Sorry. (Not sorry) 🤷🏼‍♀️🐾

Cadent · 07/06/2021 21:34

@Duchess379 if OP had £45k to 'drop' on a car she probably wouldn't be posting about this. Nice boast though.

applespearslemons · 07/06/2021 21:48

I bought a second half golf for £6k but I don't think we will still have it it 15 years

The large buggy is only a short term need. Buy the buggy to fit the car not the other way round

Henryettalittle · 07/06/2021 22:24

OP If you want a car that is safe, reliable, comfy to rife in and drive and also has lots of space.

I would recommend a Toyota. For a couple of reasons, first they are constantly in the top 5 of reliability of every make in every single survey. Second they have been be Which car of the year numerous times. The Corolla and Prius are the worlds largest selling car for a reason. Third Toyotas are Uber drivers most popular car in London and one of the main Taxi cars in all countries across the world, they can all be wrong. Fourth Toyota has superb warranty, that they extend year on year with each service. Fifth they hold their value well and last a lifetime. Sixth Toyota are one of the main forerunners in the world for hybrids they have been creating them for a long time and have got it right.

I would recommend looking at either a Prius or Corolla estate.

ZenNudist · 07/06/2021 22:33

A Passat is a really good call. I loved mine. Everyone in my family has had them and DH had them as company pool cars.

I got mine in 2013 2 years old £16k maybe? anyway got rid in 2017 when it started to need work. Then spent 24k (part ex on the passat think I spent £18k cash. Bought a new BMW People carrier 7 seater SUV type car. Which is amazing. Planning on keeping that til its 7 years old cos I love it. I will trade it in if the electrics develop a fault.

The bills on an older car can be a kicker

Tatapie · 07/06/2021 22:33

Used car prices are crazy right now but your DH is nearer the mark. Get one from a dealer with servicing included etc

Thevoiceofreason2021 · 07/06/2021 22:39

I spent 12k on a nearly new fiesta, but the boot is small. If you want something bigger that will last you 15k is the minimum

Auntienumber8 · 07/06/2021 23:29

DH Passat was six months old and cost 20k, had it quite a few years and no problems.

sunflowerdaisies · 07/06/2021 23:52

We spent £8k on a second hand big car 8 years ago and has been brilliant (7 seater Citroen grand Picasso). It's 11 years old now and flew through its service and MOT last week! I'm with you OP.

We won't spend more than £10k max on our next car. We don't need the big boot so much any more as children are older and we won't have any dogs fairly soon but we bought it with babies and dogs in mind!

IhateAntivaccers · 08/06/2021 00:15

@MissCruellaDeVil

Are people really that thick that they don't understand if people didn't buy new cars, they wouldn't be able to buy second hand ones a few years down the line, you can have mine once I've scuffed the alloys, used the warranty up and added a few bumps and scrapes along the paintwork.
Most of us aren't pretentious enough to be a condescending cyber character bragging about having a new car named as " miss" like a wannabe aristocrat online though.
SadieCow · 08/06/2021 07:45

I bought my pre reg Juke a year ago for £10700 which I thought was a bargain.

Boot quite small though.

Flev · 08/06/2021 08:06

I'm another one with a Skoda Octavia - bought it 3 yrs ago partly for the boot size. Cost us £12k, ex-display model so nearly 2 yrs old but low mileage and well looked after. We're fully expecting it to do us the best part of another 10 yrs. It's my second Skoda and I'd thoroughly recommend them, they are not exciting or trendy cars but are so practical and reliable, and much more sensibly priced than anything similar to them. My previous one was running beautifully at 12 years old but we needed something a bit bigger than the Fabia, otherwise we would still have had it now, I suspect!

bruffin · 08/06/2021 10:23

the bills on an older car can be a kicker
Also the insurance! we paid more insurance for a 10 year old car than a brand new one.

stackemhigh · 08/06/2021 10:35

@SadieCow

I bought my pre reg Juke a year ago for £10700 which I thought was a bargain.

Boot quite small though.

What does pre-reg mean sorry? My friend bought a 3yo Juke for £10k.
3LittleDucksQuack · 08/06/2021 10:39

Depends how lucky you are.
Ours at the time was 8 years old. Paid 3.5k. 67000 on the clock.
Full service history.

Weve now had it 6 years. Only general wear and tear repair has been needed. Ie tyres etc
Biggest expense was 200 for a re con gear box. Dh fitted it, he does all the repairs and mots on them.