AIBU Husband wants new car

[beaniebutter]

Want to make sure i'm not being scrooge here...

Husband texted me just now, 'brother said he can sell me his range rover, going to have a call later to discuss', and sent me some photos.

Ummm...what?!

I asked where he's magically going to find £30K,40k (i have no idea how much it would cost?) for this shiny 22 plate(!) range rover. He said that he and his brother and would work something out.

I feel like i'm living on a different planet right now. We literally just bought a house, which used up 90% of our savings.

We have under 10K(!!) left for emergency savings, and are building on this every month. I meticulously track our savings, and record our outgoings. Our savings are currently in my bank accounts.

This is the best bit...he can't drive yet (is having lessons), and has somehow decided discussing to buy a range rover was an entirely logical and sensible idea?

We have a nice Ford, few years old, no problems, nice reliable car. I bought it outright.

Lastly, he has some debt which he is paying off, so is literally in NO position to even be thinking about this or some kind of loan, which i would obviously object to.

He is a high-ish earner so could probably get one quite easily, but I hate loans and would rather make sure we have a comfortable nest egg before any big purchases.

AIBU? I'm in disbelief.

He's gone quiet now, but no doubt he will be pushing for it later when he comes home.

He's a lovely guy, but often lives in lalaland when it comes to finances. Sometimes it makes me feel like scrooge.

I put in some vaguely plausible details for this, based on your message, for a car insurance quote, and the cheapest was just under £7,000. Excess £925.

i agree get him to do an insurance quote.

It’s ok to say a straight no on this, TBH.

But if you don’t want to - “pass your test, let’s see how we manage with one car for 6 months, if we decide we need two, let’s research the options then eg city runabout, large estate etc”

The brother is taking him for a mug. I wouldn't touch a diesel now either.

Evoque owners are scrambling to ditch them due to the issue mentioned upthread that they are so easy to steal insurers either won't insure or charge a fortune. That's without being a new driver.

Is it a diesel, they are v expensive to drive in London now, and I’m sure other cities will be bringing in ULEZ soon enough

Tell him once he has passed his test you will discuss getting a car but it won’t be a Range Rover, good only knows what the insurance would be for someone who has just passed his test

Oh my God his brother is a twat.
Oh my God your DH is a bigger twat.
What a stupid penis extending car.
I’d rather this non driver spend 35k on taxis.
I think I’d have to stab them both.
I’d almost be praying he failed his test so I could laugh my socks off.

Your BIL is a bit of a cheeky fucker trying to pass off his liability to his brother with awful financial literacy.
I'd be pissed off with both of them and it would be a hard no if he looks at insurance ( if he can get it ) and still doesn't have the sense to back off.

@ohdamnitjanet this reeks jealousy and bitterness no end 😂

A RR Evoque isn't exactly a REAL Range Rover though is it? It should have been badged Land Rover, but I guess they couldn't charge as much then.

I'd estimate that 90% are bought and driven by women. A man in an Evoque is not a good look. Tell him to wait until he can afford a proper RR (and the insurance to go with it).

It's a Land Rover regardless as that's the brand

also have to ask, not just the price but also why is he selling it?? why not just trade in?? btw I sold my car and bought a new 1200 cc car when my daughter was learning because I didnt want her driving a powerful car. She passed her test 3 weeks after her 17th birthday and for her 21st we bought her another 1200cc car!!! No way would I let a new driver out in a 2 litre vehicle!! they will kill themselves and probably other people!!!

His brother is as stupid as he is Ffs.
Presumably it’s going to sit outside your house as some sort of ridiculous status symbol?

He would get friends and family discount but on servicing at a main dealer you're looking between £385-750 depending on which service
Tyres anything from £120-250 each
Insurance - I wouldn't imagine he would get any as a new driver, they would probably refuse to insure

Run the plate through an insurance company comparison site now before he gets blinded by the shiny object.

I thought loads were getting nicked now which is why the insurance is now so high for them, never mind that he would be a newly qualified driver in an expensive car.

His brother is trying to pull a fast one on his own family. He will in one swoop get rid of an albatross and boost his sale figures to boot. Don’t agree.

Just to add the cost of diesel will be huge if he drives a lot, it all adds up!
Also agree it's a car usually driven by a woman.
Hopefully reality will set in once he realizes what a stupid idea it is, but agree you should let him come to that decision on his own, as as long as he is financing it with no additional cost to you, or lack of savings etc... then let him get on with it, but if it's going to impact family finances at all it would be a hard no from me!

With the theft issues and him being a new driver (if he passes) insurance will be horrendous. Someone had a thread here last weeks about insurance quotes of 3k for a new driver for a small car worth £800. Admittedly that was a younger driver but you could easily be looking at that if not more due to the cost of the vehicle.

plus don’t they top the lists for the most unreliable car? I imagine parts will cost more than for a Ford. Fuel consumption will be awful.

Does the brother own it outright or has he got it on some sort of employer PCP/HP plan? If so could he just be trying to set your DH up to take over the monthly payments whilst he still owns the vehicle and keeps himself as main driver for insurance purposes, but essentially letting your DH use and maintain the vehicle. This is honestly the kind of crackpot scheme my daft ExH would have come up with.

Also when you price up new driver insurance don't go on it with him for quote purposes - as you will lower his insurance. Mine went up by £200 the day I passed! (and that was on a suzuki alto!!) DH brought it right back down because he's been driving for ever.

God, his brother really did try to pull a fast one didnt he. What a sneaky fucker. Really pissed with him trying to pawn it off on us under the guise he was being nice.

I sent DH a few insurance quotes (£££!!), and the £35,380 asking price from 'We buy any car'.

Turns out his brother was asking for £35K, and saying 'oh but it's worth £55K, but giving you a good price etc etc'

What a chancer, he said he's selling as he wants a new car?! he's only bloody had this RR a year! Seems like he's trying to dump it given the insurance/thieving issue (i didnt know about that, so thank you mumsnet!)

Ive managed to completely scare DH off it now, and he's told his brother thanks but no thanks.

Still annoyed he even thought it was a remotely good and sensible idea, he knows how much we have saved, and thought we were aligned on savings/goals etc🙁

I'll be honest, I thought there was further talk (in the last two years) of banning diesels in some major cities even if they were the latest engines. A blanket ban.

But happy to be put right if it's not true.

Yanbu it's a stupid idea. but instead of flying off the handle (not saying you have, I would have done mind) go through the reasoning calmly and rationally.

Can't bloody bear RRs. They make driving and parking harder for everyone else. There is a a house near me with three white RRs. They are never even out and about, most of the time all three are neatly parked in a row outside their house (on the street!). Which household needs 3 white RRs?