Champagne taste...lemonade money...

[tradepro]

Hi all,

Before I begin can I please stress that I am not trying to piss anyone off with what I'm about to say, I would really like to try and help at least one person if I can.

I'm new here, and I seem to see lots of threads along the lines of;

"I have £2000/£4000/£5000 to spend, and I am considering
BMW xxxxx
Audi xxxxx
Jaguar xxxxx
Range Rover xxxxx"

Why is it that people can't consider a 'normal' car, which they could probably get a nice lowish mileage example of, instead of a worn out money-pit with a posh badge on??

It's not like anyone is going to be impressed with a £2000 BMW (in fact, whatever car you have, there will almost always be a better/more valuable one in the car park).

It's not even the case that the so-called posher car will be more enjoyable to drive, when you consider that Focus and Mondeo probably out drive anything in their respective classes.

I just don't get it, sorry.

Any good reasons to help me understand the motives please?

p.s. I'm not a Ford fan by the way, I happen to think Japanese (and now to some degree Korean) cars make the most sense as a rule.

[Willy Nilly]

+1

[tradepro]

Willy Nilly said:

+1

Thanks

[Kinky]

tradepro said:

I happen to think Japanese cars make the most sense as a rule.

And MX-5/Eunos/Miata is always the answer to every question

[tradepro]

Kinky said:

tradepro said:

I happen to think Japanese cars make the most sense as a rule.

And MX-5/Eunos/Miata is always the answer to every question

+1 here

[pilchardthecat]

A £2000 bmw will be better to drive than a £2000 corsa/ford/korean thing/whatever

[V8Wagon]

Surely it's not necessarily about it having a 'posh' badge, the reason why people fancy one of the cars you mention is because they are damn fine machines.

Surely your average PH member doesn't want an 'average' car?

It's funny, today I had a thought that ties in with this thread....I passed a '07' plate Panda for sale at the side of the road at £2850 iirc and thought I'd rather have a ten year old barge myself!!

I went down the 'sensible' route recently when I replaced a V8 Audi with a Honda Accord. I really can't fault the Accord it is soooooooooo reliable with a fabulous spec. It just lacks passion....but makes up for it in being a hassle free ownership proposition.

[Kinky]

pilchardthecat said:

A £2000 bmw will be better to drive than a £2000 corsa/whateve

And a £200 '5' will be even better

[Wafflesmk2]

tradepro said:

It's not like anyone is going to be impressed with a £2000 BMW (in fact, whatever car you have, there will almost always be a better/more valuable one in the car park).

It's not even the case that the so-called posher car will be more enjoyable to drive, when you consider that Focus and Mondeo probably out drive anything in their respective classes.

-1

The 2007 Focus i drive at work is the most uncomfortable, bone breaking, spine dislodging car i have ever driven. I fking hate it.

My ST220 is the most unreliable car i've ever owned.

By comparison, my 2002 146,000mile 3-series touring i had was really fun, and much more comfortable.

[FreeLitres]

Yeah, but why would you choose a Skoda when you could have a BMW 116?

[tradepro]

pilchardthecat said:

A £2000 bmw will be better to drive than a £2000 corsa/whateve

This is true, but I think a Corsa isn't really a fair 'argument'. What about a £2000 Focus, or a £2000 Nissan Primera GT, Accord Type R etc. - And even if they were slightly less dull (and they're probably not) they would all cost a lot less to keep on the road and would suit someone with a low budget much better.

[Kinky]

FreeLitres said:

Yeah, but why would you choose a Skoda when you could have a BMW 116?

I'd rather a VRS over a 116

[Steffan]

PH lovers are clearly brand orientated. They generally believe that an Audi or Range Rover or BMW etc must be better than lesser cars.

I do agree that the grinding reliability and quality of Japanese cars does make them the better buys. Particularly the ones like the MX5.

There really are to European equals to that inexpensive well designed sports car within that price group.

Buy what you like. I like reliability but run Classic Minis and Kit Cars. My choice. I do not get reliability. I get FUN!

[Terminator X]

I think the OP has stumbled across the wrong website, let me redirect you:

http://www.whatcar.com/

TX.

[Baryonyx]

FreeLitres said:

Yeah, but why would you choose a Skoda when you could have a BMW 116?

I'd rather have the Skoda - at least it won't be mistaken for a Hyundai!

[tradepro]

Terminator X said:

I think the OP has stumbled across the wrong website, let me redirect you:

http://www.whatcar.com/

TX.

WhatCar? either take 'bungs' or are of genuine badge buying mentality themselves, some of their verdicts and star ratings are laughable.

[tradepro]

Wafflesmk2 said:

-1

The 2007 Focus i drive at work is the most uncomfortable, bone breaking, spine dislodging car i have ever driven. I fking hate it.

My ST220 is the most unreliable car i've ever owned.

By comparison, my 2002 146,000mile 3-series touring i had was really fun, and much more comfortable.

I wouldn't doubt what you say, but I expect your experience is likely to be exception rather than norm.

[pilchardthecat]

tradepro said:

pilchardthecat said:

A £2000 bmw will be better to drive than a £2000 corsa/whateve

This is true, but I think a Corsa isn't really a fair 'argument'. What about a £2000 Focus, or a £2000 Nissan Primera GT, Accord Type R etc. - And even if they were slightly less dull (and they're probably not) they would all cost a lot less to keep on the road and would suit someone with a low budget much better.

I dont think they would be much cheaper, and none of those things have rwd and a straight six

Old bimmers can be pretty cheap. Not sure if youve ever run one, but you should give it a go

[carreauchompeur]

Hmmm, I do agree to a certain extent. I've been having similar thoughts about my recent purchase whiny thread.

I suppose to many people it is "just another old BMW". And for the same money I could have bought a BRAND NEW CAR!!!1!!

However it's not just the raw figures or misguided brand loyalty. For the most part, an older BMW/Audi etc just feels, well, better than a newer econobox. We have various 58/09 plate Foci at work and they're just not a particularly pleasant place to be/drive.

Sure, I've got a 13 year old BMW with 100k on the clock. But it's a sublime thing to drive, looks the part I suppose, has 300ish BHP and you can take the roof off. I wouldn't have afforded one of the horrible work Foci with what I spent on this.

And for reference I'm not a brand snob, my RX8 was a beautiful but flawed thing which I would happily have kept despite impending engine bork.

[tradepro]

V8Wagon said:

It just lacks passion...

I hear this 'reason' quite a lot, but don't think it can be truly quantified.

I used to work as a Service Manager with VW (and to some degree, Audi) - so many components are cheap plastic tat, usually marked as made in Mexice/Brazil/South Africa etc., rarely Germany - it's 'badge placebo' guys, trust me.