Can we do anything about toxic posts?

Cornucopia

Robisere wrote: »

One carbuyer's Renault is another carbuyer's Nissan.

Or something.

Exactly. Amongst cars and even car finance (as with many other things) people's needs, wants and preferences vary.

There is no one best car, best brand, best type, best age to buy, best age to sell, or best finance option. They each have their pros and cons, and fit (or don't fit) each person's needs differently.

As for PCPs, there is nothing wrong with them, IMHO. The issue is people entering into them without a full understanding of how they work and what the potential outcomes could be (especially if their circumstances change). Their popularity has perhaps overtaken the Public's capacity to properly understand them, and maybe they tap into other themes like entitlement and consumer extravagance.

reeac

Cornucopia wrote: »

Exactly. Amongst cars and even car finance (as with many other things) people's needs, wants and preferences vary.

There is no one best car, best brand, best type, best age to buy, best age to sell, or best finance option. They each have their pros and cons, and fit (or don't fit) each person's needs differently.

As for PCPs, there is nothing wrong with them, IMHO. The issue is people entering into them without a full understanding of how they work and what the potential outcomes could be (especially if their circumstances change). Their popularity has perhaps overtaken the Public's capacity to properly understand them, and maybe they tap into other themes like entitlement and consumer extravagance.

Regarding PCPs , my infrequent car purchases over the past 30 years or so have all been by cash but my son, who is high up in banking and has oodles of cash is a big believer in PCPs. I've never really established why but I suspect it's that with the various manufacturer incentives that exist you get a better deal that way.

Cornucopia

reeac wrote: »

Regarding PCPs , my infrequent car purchases over the past 30 years or so have all been by cash but my son, who is high up in banking and has oodles of cash is a big believer in PCPs. I've never really established why but I suspect it's that with the various manufacturer incentives that exist you get a better deal that way.

If you have the cash to meet the payments, then it's a way of getting a new car without tying up a large amount of capital. It also protects against excessive depreciation.

For people who want/need to budget plan in detail, it also provides a simple, fixed payment that rolls up the financing and depreciation of the vehicle.

I don't think we should be writing-off PCPs just because some people haven't understood them. I'd add that MSE isn't just about money-saving, but is also about "spending it well".

Having said that, my experience (on only my second PCP) of paying c. £200pm rather than taking on a £17k depreciating asset has some money-saving aspects to it, I would say.

Herzlos

n217970 wrote: »

OP - Are you currently or have you ever been an owner of a Renault/Nissan? I know one or two people who have bought a crap car, they know its a crap car but they can't admit its a crap car and so leap to its defense at every given chance in an overly sensitive way.

I've got a Renault Clio and it's a pretty nice little car though a bit rough around the edges due to it's age. I'd have no hesitation in recommending one to someone else if it was suitable. I've had plenty of cars that were a bit crap, but I can't say the Clio qualifies; it drives well enough, has been largely fault free in the 5 years we've had it (only big issue was the boot mechnism failing and a couple of springs breaking). I've had worse reliability & more expensive repairs from much more expensive cars.

I'm at currently looking at buying a new car and Nissan is one of the main contenders. They are only really crap cars if they are unsuitable, you're a car snob, or get all your information about cars from 90's motoring magazines.

My point had nothing to do with the choice of vehicle at all or the actual contents of the post, just the fact that so many new posters ask a question, the thread gets derailed and they rarely come back. Why would they if any time they ask a question they get people complaining about their choice of car instead of answering the question?

d0nkeyk0ng

Herzlos wrote: »

It seems almost every thread has some smart arris chipping in with something totally irrelevant
Can we do anything about it or should I just find a better place to talk about cars.

Welcome to the internet. I've been on quite a few different forums since 1999/2000. There is almost someone who is a troll, someone who is a self-appointed expert, someone who is a pedant, some newbies who are often clueless, and some helpful people. The ratio varies from forum to forum and year to year but this is what happens when you group together the general British public who can hide behind a username.

I agree with the others - report the user or ignore them.

iolanthe07

I don't know why there is so much negativity about PCPs. I've just bought a new car with one because, though I was intending to pay cash, I have saved almost £2000 by taking out a PCP, because of various manufacturers and dealers discounts. I shall pay it off in the new year, so interest will be minimal, and even if I was to continue for the whole deal, I would still be much better off taking out the PCP than paying cash.

AdrianC

iolanthe07 wrote: »

I don't know why there is so much negativity about PCPs. I've just bought a new car with one...

It might seem a minor point - but you haven't bought it, and you won't buy it until and unless you pay the balloon at the end of the contract. Until then, it is not your property.

Think of it as a lease with the option to purchase at the end, and you're pretty damn close.

NBLondon

Because, iolanthe, you know what you're doing and have thought it through and planned to take advantage of the discounts. That's exactly what m'wife did in the Spring - she had the cash in hand but saved a couple of grand by signing up and clearing a week later. Or as cornucopia said above - if you can make the payments comfortably (and are reasonably confident that won't change in the foreseeable future) it can be a convenient way of getting what you want/need. But not everybody thinks it through and can be tempted by just the headline figure of "A brand-new car for only £199". Your "win" as it were is not so much at the expense of the manufacturer/finance company as it is at those others. So for some people - it is good advice to say it might be better to look at a separate loan and/or buying a not-brand-new car.

On the original topic.... Most forums have someone (or a few) who love to get the digs in everytime - or to crowbar their favourite topic into any discussion they can. If you stay long enough - you know who to ignore and who to challenge. Yep - that can put off some newcomers.

But as Robisere said - you do get some new posters who seem to only want advice that fits their worldview "How do I get out of this ticket/fine?" and don't like the accurate answers "You can't - you were in the wrong" or won't offer more information when repeatedly asked a reasonable clarification question. Some of these are actual trolls (in the original sense of the term) and some are just stubborn. When there has been a troll-infestation - it has the unfortunate rebound that naive newcomers may get mistaken for trolls (and this might also be what the troll wants).

[Deleted User]

WestQueen wrote: »

Yeah but you could always just shut up.

Good well thought out response.

Did you read the thread title or the OP before coming out with that?

Robisere

Second time this person has told someone to shut up on this forum.

Should perhaps take his own advice?