Weird car choices

[nicanary]

I know we're all different, and there's no accounting for taste, but do you think some people buy the oddest cars? I don't mean Sloane Rangers in Chelsea Tractors, but some choices seem to have no sense.

A car is ,for most people, the second most expensive thing they ever buy. Yet they don't even bother to check the press for what might suit them, or ask for the opinion of someone in the know.They're a salesman's dream.

I know a guy who had an Astra, but needed something a bit newer and bigger to transport his family and all their gear. He tried a Vectra and a Mondeo, boring but suitable, and finally showed me his actual acquisition - a Daihatsu YRV , yup Youth recreation Vehicle. Smaller than the Astra, although probably more versatile. But why? That salesman must have been the business.

Then you see old biddies of 70/80 in the "sporty" version of some hatchback, hardly able to see over the wheel, with lairy stripes and vivid colour bodywork (Not the old biddy). I swear the salesman has seen them coming - oh,now, the model you want isn't available for some time, but look at this, now that's just your colour madam, matches your eyes.

I worked for a (very) short time in a dealers and was amazed by the crap people were trying to part-ex; I suppose it stands to reason, since they probably couldn't sell them privately.But why did they buy it in the first place? Weird colours, weird spec, totally unsaleable stuff.

Have you noticed how few MPVs are actually sold to young fanilies for whom they're intended? They get bought by old codgers cos the seating position is high and they don't have to bend down to get in.They never use any of the facilities.

It seems to me that if the critics say a car is rubbish, everyone goes out to buy one.

[EDLT]

nicanary said:

I know a guy who had an Astra, but needed something a bit newer and bigger to transport his family and all their gear. He tried a Vectra and a Mondeo, boring but suitable, and finally showed me his actual acquisition - a Daihatsu YRV , yup Youth recreation Vehicle. Smaller than the Astra, although probably more versatile. But why? That salesman must have been the business.

So he bought a car that was more versatile than his Astra, which is what he wanted isn't it, also the Daihatsu will sip fuel and a Vectra/Mondeo won't.

Just because he has a family it doesn't mean he has to buy a battleship to keep them in.

nicanary said:

Then you see old biddies of 70/80 in the "sporty" version of some hatchback, hardly able to see over the wheel, with lairy stripes and vivid colour bodywork (Not the old biddy). I swear the salesman has seen them coming - oh,now, the model you want isn't available for some time, but look at this, now that's just your colour madam, matches your eyes.

Or they just had the money and wanted to spend it on something fun.

nicanary said:

I worked for a (very) short time in a dealers and was amazed by the crap people were trying to part-ex; I suppose it stands to reason, since they probably couldn't sell them privately.But why did they buy it in the first place? Weird colours, weird spec, totally unsaleable stuff.

You mean people bought a car that suited their tastes and not your profit margins, shocking! Everyone knows they should only buy diesel Golfs in resale grey to make a car salesman's life easier.

nicanary said:

Have you noticed how few MPVs are actually sold to young fanilies for whom they're intended? They get bought by old codgers cos the seating position is high and they don't have to bend down to get in.They never use any of the facilities.

Being easy to get in and out of is a feature of an MPV, they might want to take friends/grandchildren out occasionally.

nicanary said:

It seems to me that if the critics say a car is rubbish, everyone goes out to buy one.

Have you actually driven these rubbish cars yourself, many are shocking....ly good. I was surprised at how nice the some Japanese/Korean cars are despite lazy hacks claiming they had "scratchy plastics". In general they were in no less of a "Nice place to be" than an Audi, which is just as dull inside imo.

[iva cosworth]

I believe some people buy what they hope is the "car of the moment" on the off

chance that in 12 months time it may not lose huge amount to flog on .

Which makes a sort of financial sense