Never bought a new car – am I missing out? Have you?
Discussion
In my 20 years driving I’ve never bought a new car.
Never had the new car buying experience.
Never being able to select colour and spec and enjoy that indulgence of picking up a sub 20 mile, new smell inclusive car that has had no previous owners (only been ragged by the garage to get its first fuel fill up
)
I’ve had a few nice 6-12 month old cars but I figure this isn’t the same.
The reason isn’t that I couldn’t afford one, albeit never one I really wanted, but I just couldn’t stomach the substantial depreciation the minute I drove away, the sense that 3 months later it wont smell or look new and that it will just feel like any other car. In addition I figured I’d be more ‘emotionally attached’ to a new car and would forever be worrying about it getting dinked or scratched.
Am I missing out from one of lifes nicer experience or is it really not a big deal?
To those who have bought a new car do you regret it or not?
Never had the new car buying experience.
Never being able to select colour and spec and enjoy that indulgence of picking up a sub 20 mile, new smell inclusive car that has had no previous owners (only been ragged by the garage to get its first fuel fill up
)I’ve had a few nice 6-12 month old cars but I figure this isn’t the same.
The reason isn’t that I couldn’t afford one, albeit never one I really wanted, but I just couldn’t stomach the substantial depreciation the minute I drove away, the sense that 3 months later it wont smell or look new and that it will just feel like any other car. In addition I figured I’d be more ‘emotionally attached’ to a new car and would forever be worrying about it getting dinked or scratched.
Am I missing out from one of lifes nicer experience or is it really not a big deal?
To those who have bought a new car do you regret it or not?
I never have, and I strongly doubt I ever will. Other than the joy of getting a car to your "exact spec" - which overpriced extras you want, and having that "new car feel", is is worth the massive depreciation incurred just by driving it off the lot? If I really wanted to spend on a "new" car, I'd get one that was 6-12 months old and had the running in schedule properly adhered to, that way you get the "new car feel" and someone else has taken the big hit on price.
That said, I'd rather stick to buying used, better value for money for me and few new cars interest me enough to make me want to spend on them.
That said, I'd rather stick to buying used, better value for money for me and few new cars interest me enough to make me want to spend on them.
Why is this place always whinging about fecking depreciation! Its like mumsnet for sad middle aged men who dont go into the pub to have a whinge anymore but do it on here instead.
Cars lose money. Its part of it ! you pay to play,live with it ffs dont buy anything ever but get old instead whining about the cost of things and die with a few more quid in the bank. Great or treat life as happy thing buy new things if you can afford them. Enjoy nice things be it cars,watches or whatever. Stop ffs getting hung up on how much things are going to cost. This is a motoring site for people who do cars
Cars lose money. Its part of it ! you pay to play,live with it ffs dont buy anything ever but get old instead whining about the cost of things and die with a few more quid in the bank. Great or treat life as happy thing buy new things if you can afford them. Enjoy nice things be it cars,watches or whatever. Stop ffs getting hung up on how much things are going to cost. This is a motoring site for people who do cars
We've bought four; the first was a bit of a naive purchase and I paid full list (!!!) the rest have had such a good saving over RRP that they've been cheaper than many used examples.
The m135i, due on Wednesday, is the first factory order though. The rest have been orders from stock.
I also buy used too and take each "case" on it's merits; there's no right or wrong IMO.
The m135i, due on Wednesday, is the first factory order though. The rest have been orders from stock.
I also buy used too and take each "case" on it's merits; there's no right or wrong IMO.
squeezebm said:
Why is this place always whinging about fecking depreciation! Its like mumsnet for sad middle aged men who dont go into the pub to have a whinge anymore but do it on here instead.
It's always been like that- thus it's popularity
Besides if you're worried about depreciation you probably can't afford to go to the pub seeing as a pint costs nearly a fiver a pop.
As for new cars- don't bother. The first time some
damages it for you it becomes a poisoned chalice, your eye drawn to whatever minor blemish they inflicted every time you see the fking thing. Better buy one that someone else has pre-fked up for you.Motorrad said:
It's always been like that- thus it's popularity
Besides if you're worried about depreciation you probably can't afford to go to the pub seeing as a pint costs nearly a fiver a pop.
As for new cars- don't bother. The first time some damages it for you it becomes a poisoned chalice, your eye drawn to whatever minor blemish they inflicted every time you see the fking thing. Better buy one that someone else has pre-fked up for you.
This!! not so much the depreciation.Besides if you're worried about depreciation you probably can't afford to go to the pub seeing as a pint costs nearly a fiver a pop.
As for new cars- don't bother. The first time some
damages it for you it becomes a poisoned chalice, your eye drawn to whatever minor blemish they inflicted every time you see the fking thing. Better buy one that someone else has pre-fked up for you.I have had a few new company cars and one I bought myself from new to the spec I wanted and could afford.
Its a very nice feeling driving a new shiny car away from the showroom, knowing that its got all the bells and whistles that you wanted.
Depreciation is only a real problem if you keep the car for 3 years or less, after that the rate of depreciation flattens. In addition, you can negotiate, I drove my new Audi A6 Le Mans out of the showroom for a lower price than a used one on the forecourt. First years depreciation dealt with
Its a very nice feeling driving a new shiny car away from the showroom, knowing that its got all the bells and whistles that you wanted.
Depreciation is only a real problem if you keep the car for 3 years or less, after that the rate of depreciation flattens. In addition, you can negotiate, I drove my new Audi A6 Le Mans out of the showroom for a lower price than a used one on the forecourt. First years depreciation dealt with
Vladimir said:
We've bought four; the first was a bit of a naive purchase and I paid full list (!!!) the rest have had such a good saving over RRP that they've been cheaper than many used examples.
The m135i, due on Wednesday, is the first factory order though. The rest have been orders from stock.
I also buy used too and take each "case" on it's merits; there's no right or wrong IMO.
On top of getting discount, if you are getting some form of finance for your car purchase, it can be cheaper to buy new then nearly new. This is because all the best finance / loan deals are on new cars and you pay more interest on deals for used cars.The m135i, due on Wednesday, is the first factory order though. The rest have been orders from stock.
I also buy used too and take each "case" on it's merits; there's no right or wrong IMO.
Motorrad said:
squeezebm said:
Why is this place always whinging about fecking depreciation! Its like mumsnet for sad middle aged men who dont go into the pub to have a whinge anymore but do it on here instead.
It's always been like that- thus it's popularity
Besides if you're worried about depreciation you probably can't afford to go to the pub seeing as a pint costs nearly a fiver a pop.
I do get customers that sit with a pint for 2 hours drinking very slow, just to get value for money
Bought my first car brand new, think it had 11 miles on it or something. Still driving it now. There were numerous faults within the first 2 years, all were fixed under warranty but it was a real pain. Think I would go for either a pre-reg or 1-2 year old car next time, for the peace of mind that manufacturing niggles should have been fixed, and for the cost saving.
I'm generally opposed to buying a brand new car, and would rather someone else took the big depreciation hit for me. However, back in July, I did buy a new car for the first time- because it was the same price as year old examples, but with better spec. However, I did miss out on the joys of speccing it myself- it was in the showroom, unregistered. Hours of comparisons with other examples for sale, poring over the options lists, and this was about as close as I could get to my ideal spec- just not in the colour I wanted!
I would love to have the money to burn to spec a brand new car exactly to my tastes, but this is unlikely to ever happen (for the cars I wish to own!)
I would love to have the money to burn to spec a brand new car exactly to my tastes, but this is unlikely to ever happen (for the cars I wish to own!)
I passed my test in 1992 and have never had a new car. I've always had a budget and the fact is £x per month can get me a 1.6 Astra in basic spec or a 4 year old 325 (or whatever.) I tend to buy cars about 4 years old as you can get a good car with low mileage without paying over the odds for it. I'm not against buying new, if my budget was a lot more then I'd be happy to spec up a brand new shiny 911 or M3.
I have mates who own cars that I would hate to own and they paid more for them than I did. They still say "ah but mine's new." I guess that means more to them than it does to me. Saying that, it would be nice to get the exact car I want rather than the right car in the right colour but missing a bit of spec or the right car and spec but wrong colour.
I have mates who own cars that I would hate to own and they paid more for them than I did. They still say "ah but mine's new." I guess that means more to them than it does to me. Saying that, it would be nice to get the exact car I want rather than the right car in the right colour but missing a bit of spec or the right car and spec but wrong colour.
squeezebm said:
Why is this place always whinging about fecking depreciation! Its like mumsnet for sad middle aged men who dont go into the pub to have a whinge anymore but do it on here instead.
Cars lose money. Its part of it ! you pay to play,live with it ffs dont buy anything ever but get old instead whining about the cost of things and die with a few more quid in the bank. Great or treat life as happy thing buy new things if you can afford them. Enjoy nice things be it cars,watches or whatever. Stop ffs getting hung up on how much things are going to cost. This is a motoring site for people who do cars
Perhaps because not everyone has an infinite pot of cash, and for whatever you can get a new car for you could get a better used one.Cars lose money. Its part of it ! you pay to play,live with it ffs dont buy anything ever but get old instead whining about the cost of things and die with a few more quid in the bank. Great or treat life as happy thing buy new things if you can afford them. Enjoy nice things be it cars,watches or whatever. Stop ffs getting hung up on how much things are going to cost. This is a motoring site for people who do cars
Out of 8 cars I have owned 2 have been brand new - one Honda, and one Toyota (currently owned). I bought new because on both occasions the deal offered was so good that it was actually cheaper than a nearly new example. And both models were relatively new so there were not many secondhand examples around.
Bill said:
Perhaps because not everyone has an infinite pot of cash, and for whatever you can get a new car for you could get a better used one.
You could also equally end up with a money pit , not everyone likes a gamble. I liked the response to the depreciation of driving a new car off the forecourt , who takes that hit? Who buys a new car drives it off the lot and spins it straight back on to trade it in ?
Even used car buyers would have a nasty shock if they tried that I tend to buy new and tend to keep my cars 5 or 6 years, if I bought used I would probably have to change them more frequently and I don't think I would actually save much money. With three cars in the household that's a new one every other year, I don't enjoy car shopping particularly so that's enough for me.
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