downgrading car lifestyle

[sunnyb13]

having a performance car is getting expensive in this day and age, has anyone taken the plunge and downgraded their cars?

thinking of getting something simple like a golf or similar.

would be good to get thoughts.

[Robertb]

No reason at all for it to be a ‘downgrade’, just a different sort of car.

Some of the most fun cars to drive are hatchbacks, with great handling and enough power to exploit on the road.

I often drive my daughters R56 Mini Cooper and it’s brilliant fun, lots of character.

I’m always amazed by how good cars like the Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208 etc are.

[AmyRichardson]

Check the shredders forum; they're all a bit hardcore, but their mantra - that a car you can be unprecious about is very liberating - is 100% true.

It doesn't have to be a totally rubbish, gutless thing either...

[brillomaster]

I've long thought about downgrading my 330d to a 120d. I don't need such a large car, and a 120d will get to work just as well. Plus it'd be easier to park in town.

But on the other hand... I dislike hatchbacks, really dislike 4cyl engines. And I really like the ridiculous torque the 330d makes, so much so I'm actually thinking of going even faster with a 435d.

So far I haven't changed.

[NomadicTurbo]

I went from a 2018 Audi S4 Avant to a 2014 BMW 530d to release cash for a house move, so I guess that counts.

[Missy Charm]

AmyRichardson said:

Check the shredders forum; they're all a bit hardcore, but their mantra - that a car you can be unprecious about is very liberating - is 100% true.

It doesn't have to be a totally rubbish, gutless thing either...

Which one is the shredders forum? I've looked for by using a search engine to query 'shredders forum' and have only been able to find people talking about paper shredders! Speaking as a lifelong clerical worker, entering into such discourse would be a busman's holiday but never mind.

I've 'downgraded' my own car by owning it so long that it's sunk from 'boring hatchback' to 'old banger'. It's still pretty much the same, albeit with additional squeaks and rattles and the sort of interior wear that dealers are wont to call 'patina'.

[msportpanda]

I tried a downgrade from a Z4M to a TTS. The logic was the TTS would free up some capital, cost less to run on tax, insurance and maintenance. Turns out despite them both being 2 seat roadsters, that's where the similarities end. I didn't like the way the TT drove, handled or sounded so ended up putting it up for sale and still keeping my Z4 instead.

[Alex_225]

When I was younger, it was all about the new cars, the latest hot hatches etc. My tastes have varied, V8s etc. But buying some higher mileage or well used but mint cars has taught me you can have something sensible, inexpensive and fun for not much money. Also a car that could give you years or use as well.

So rather than something high end and/or fairly new, there's loads of interesting stuff out there to be enjoyed relatively cheaply.

[Crippo]

After 15 years of Perfromance cars, early morning drives around Wales, countless track days and 2 trips to the North West of Scotland,I have well and truly scratched that itch. Cars keep you poor and they give you stress when they break. I sold my car. Banked the money, got my garage back and now do loads of cycling.
I have no money stress, I’m not going to kill myself or anyone else and my license is no longer in danger. I really dont miss it at all. I look at nice Sports cars and they don’t get my heart rate pounding at all. I have almost zero interest in cars now and I count that as a blessing.

[AmyRichardson]

Missy Charm said:

Which one is the shredders forum? I've looked for by using a search engine to query 'shredders forum' and have only been able to find people talking about paper shredders! Speaking as a lifelong clerical worker, entering into such discourse would be a busman's holiday but never mind.

I've 'downgraded' my own car by owning it so long that it's sunk from 'boring hatchback' to 'old banger'. It's still pretty much the same, albeit with additional squeaks and rattles and the sort of interior wear that dealers are wont to call 'patina'.

"The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)"

(Auto correct prefers ninja turtles/bodybuilding to low cost motoring...)

[Roboticarm]

Down graded performance wise from a JDM Subaru Legacy 2.0 twinscroll to a R56 Mini Cooper

Horse power has halved but so has the fuel bill, the car still makes me smile just in different ways, mini is more go kart like which makes me smile, Subarus wild power made me smile.

I'm happy I made the right decision

[J4CKO]

I went from an M135i to a Fiesta ST that was half the price, that wasn’t to release the cash, but was going to get an M4 but decided to do three years in the ST and modify it.

Thing is, could get something else but couldn’t easily part with it and am worried I would spend thirty grand and end up not enjoying it more.

Could get an additional car but don’t way to be paying to lots of costs.

Will have a rush of blood to the head and go and buy something but will keep the Fiesta as don’t want to end up buying another and repeating the process, so for what it’s worth and dealing with 19 year old halfwits wanting to buy it for five grand, may as well just hang onto it.

[Muzzer79]

This time last year I was driving a near-six figure value EV.

Now, I’m driving a rented Nissan Juke 1.0 auto.

And you know what? I like it. It drives fine, it is quick enough, it has Apple CarPlay, it does 40mpg.

I wouldn’t choose to buy one, but I absolutely don’t miss having an expensive ‘luxury’ car.

It’s made me rethink my priorities but it’s also a bit depressing…….if a nice car doesn’t light your candle, where’s the excitement in motoring? What is there, vehicularly, to look forward to?

I may have to spend what still amounts to a lot of money on something that’s ‘boring’.

[Rich Boy Spanner]

I think it's difficult to enjoy cars in the UK now, and anyhow very ordinary cars are now rather good. Unless you are lucky where you live and have open, good driving roads. There's something frustrating with having a fast capable sporty car in the UK because it feels like it is trapped in a cage.

[Muzzer79]

Rich Boy Spanner said:

I think it's difficult to enjoy cars in the UK now, and anyhow very ordinary cars are now rather good. Unless you are lucky where you live and have open, good driving roads. There's something frustrating with having a fast capable sporty car in the UK because it feels like it is trapped in a cage.

This is true

I’ve been considering buying a Q car……Audi S4 or big engined 5 series or similar.

But then I think “when am I going to use the performance?”

My commute has average speed cameras half the way and a 30mph
Limit for half the other half. I don’t do many other miles, so what’s the point?

[AlexGSi2000]

Have thought about selling my e39 M5 a couple of times in favour of a Caterham.

In a world of modern cars, I like to try and keep things as analogue as possible - If I did get rid of the e39 then I think I would be after something as close to a go kart as possible.

[stanlow45]

Would’ve expected a lot of downgrading for PCPers after the recent interest rate hikes. Coming to the end of their contract with a fat balloon payment on the cards which would usually would be refinanced with a new contract except rates are vastly more as are monthly repayments. Has anybody dropped off the treadmill? Odd that we haven’t had more of these examples, I guess you don’t post in that situation?

[Gordon Hill]

AmyRichardson said:

Check the shredders forum; they're all a bit hardcore, but their mantra - that a car you can be unprecious about is very liberating - is 100% true.

It doesn't have to be a totally rubbish, gutless thing either...

Nothing "hardcore" about it, it's simply a different approach to motoring that a lot of people don't understand. You buy a cheap car, look after the mechanicals and if it dies throw it away and start again.
You don't care about car park dings or scrapes, badge snobbery or other such nonsense and just get on with life without stressing about monthly payments or what other people say or think. It is 100% liberating and very enjoyable.
I run a 6 cylinder diesel Merc, it's very comfortable, quite fast as it's been remapped and cost me next to nothing.

Edited by Gordon Hill on Tuesday 19th March 20:50

[Muzzer79]

stanlow45 said:

Would’ve expected a lot of downgrading for PCPers after the recent interest rate hikes. Coming to the end of their contract with a fat balloon payment on the cards which would usually would be refinanced with a new contract except rates are vastly more as are monthly repayments. Has anybody dropped off the treadmill? Odd that we haven’t had more of these examples, I guess you don’t post in that situation?

Assuming a 3 year cycle, that PCP would have been taken out in early 2021, so I assume that people have done well out of the GFV being undervalued.

My BiL has an X3 that came to a PCP end. Rather than trading in, they just kept the car and financed the balloon. Payments stay about the same, car is perfectly fine, no need to change.

[JCM001]

Just moved a MK7.5 Golf R on and replaced it with a MK5 GTI. With an android headunit fitted it's 90% of the car but at 20% of the price. I don't doubt the older car will need more TLC though!