Would you buy a new car?

DUTR

Tobster86 wrote: »

I buy cars that are at least 12 years old.

-They're cheap to buy.
-They're easy to fix.
-They're better built, simpler and more reliable than modern cars.
-They still have ABS, air con and a few toys.
-Some of them run on vegetable oil.

I could afford a new car, but just don't want one.

Well you missed a bargain Volvo C70 this week, my mate just changed his to an Audi A5 S line, surprisingly the Volvo was more spec'd than the A5. I have only ever purchased one brand new car, but hope to get another once some house improvements are completed :cool:

Tobster86

I'd love an old V70 T5 but my Mrs won't let me buy a Volvo!

mildred1978

All 3 of ours were bought new (2 pre reg, 1 on the forecourt but not registered). Saved more than 25% on the list price on the last 2.

We keep them till they die so we don't really take a hit. Plus we aren't driving cars full of other people's bogeys _pale_

vikingaero

The funny thing is that "someone" has to buy a new car for it to trickle down to the secondhand market for you MSEers to purchase.

Ultimately it really depends on how long you plan to keep the car for. If it's 3 years or less then ouch, depreciation will hurt.

For instance I bought a Zafira new in 2002 for £16k. After 3 years it was probably worth £8k max - depreciation of £2.6k per annum. 10 years down the line my mum is driving it and it's worth £2k max - depreciation of £1.4k per annum.

We have a very British attitude to depreciation of the cost cost cost and yet we ignore the benefits. A new car that will get you to work reliably and earn you hundreds of thousands over a decade, be safe, comfortable. Remember that not everyone has the mechanical skills to buy a reliable banger and service and fix it.

giraffe69

I've mostly bought cars that are a few months old with only a small amount on the clock but twice including the most recent car bought new because the difference was quite small and to me worth paying so my advice would be to look at new and nearly new, compare the prices/spec and then decide.

Tobster86

vikingaero wrote: »

We have a very British attitude to depreciation of the cost cost cost and yet we ignore the benefits. A new car that will get you to work reliably and earn you hundreds of thousands over a decade, be safe, comfortable. Remember that not everyone has the mechanical skills to buy a reliable banger and service and fix it.

Reliability - from observation, all of my colleagues that have missed work due to vehicle breakdowns have been <7 year old vehicles. As for earning hundreds of thousands of pounds; I've never paid a penny in depreciation.

Safety - Debateable, especially by car. I've been in an Audi 80 as it crashed into a tree on black ice and am glad it wasn't a new Kia Picanto. Admittedly though some older cars are death traps (Citroen Saxo for example) and all modern cars are exceptional. The most common cause of serious accidents due to mechanical failure are tyre failures that can happen to any car.

Comfort - Both of my cars (R reg BMW 323i and Peugeot 306 DTurbo) are more comfortable than a brand new Vauxhall Astra SRI by admission of the Vauxhall's owner.

Mechanical skills - The only skill required is English so you can read the Haynes manual. I'm a software engineer/computer nerd. I'd say it's more of a question of justifying the time. With a £30k salary equating to typically £14/hour, and garage labour rates being £15-£100+, a few hours on the occasional sunday afternoon seem to be a no-brainer!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

i would say it all depends, if your requirement is a few toys like parking sensors, sat nav, and dvd in headrests, the i would buy a pre registered or 6-12 month old and have those fitted in the savings i just made not buying a bran new one, by purchasing the bits through the dealer and have a someone fit it at lower labour rates.

if your after a tailor made car, i.e astra 1.4 but want SRI VXR styling, leather interior, indash dvd, head rest screens, revers parking sensors with camera, tinted windows, chrome kick panels, upgraded alloy wheels, chrome door handles gloss black interior panel surrounds and a certain colour paint available in the range etc then finding one on the second hand market will be a rare thing and go for more dollars hence ordering one with the spec you want and have the cash why not order one brand new.

Pipz

DUTR wrote: »

If you are creating a car to your spec, then hopefully you won't be changing it too soon, hence depreciation does not come into it, my current car I had from new, and yes there was all the negative comments on depreciation etc, right now the car I would like is not available to the spec I would like, so I will continue to save until the next generation model is launched and buy brand new again, like you say, treat yourself every now and then. What sort of car are you considering? Have you considered brokers? You often can get a new car for dealer used prices.

The plan would be to keep it with me till it dies or at least within the family if I decide to upgrade later on.

The car in question is a Polo R Line (cosmetic I know) but since the trim was released in July 12 there are effectively none on the used circuit. To personalise it I'd be upgrading the stereo, incorporating a Winter and Smoker's packs, choosing the colour, getting a fixed service plan and including Bi-xenon headlights.

A friend purchased new through Orange Wheels which seem to offer a reasonable discount over the rrp. However I think I'll pop into the dealership and to at least see what price they offer as well.

Then will come the decision :think:

oldagetraveller

"They're better built, simpler and more reliable than modern cars."
But the car you buy in twelve years time will be the "modern" car you don't buy now because it's less well built, more complicated and less relaible!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

just went through the extra option for the R line, bi xenon aint an extra and you get halogen clear lights. no leather options either and all cloth.

no rear spoiler on these if factory ordered and is an extra, climate and reverse parking sensors are under £200 and cheap enough for factory order IMHO. £625 for a satnav upgrade!!. £45 for airbag switch !!!!!!!!

not many colours to choose from wich is suprising form me, red grey white or blue colours more option with a golf!.

then you have winter pack smokers pack etc ontop, the spec i generated online wich included you spec and some trim extra's like chrome boot strip and a steel kick guards would cost me £598 shy of £22000.00. 1.2 TSI 6speed is only engine option.

if you build a SEL model with same engine you get the bi xenon gas discharge headlamps for £800 optional extra.

TBH alcantara interior option with SEL model, aswell as a multifuntional steering wheel, (not as nice as the bottom cut r-line give it that), and the center consol armrest is fitted as standard not on the R line thats an extra.

if i was serious enough to keep this car for a long time i would approach a dealer, and ask if theres anychance that the SEL model extra's be available to me for the R-line model.