I am paranoid about my stuff so buying a shed, not a whatcar

[lyonspride]

Jaguar steve said:

hyphen said:

It isn't just a choice between a shed (i.e. £1k car) or a nice car (i.e. £20k plus) though.

Loads of cars at £7k or so that have taken most of their depreciation, and you don't really care as much about the car as you would a shiny new one as resale will be low when you do move on.

There's a mindset prevalent on PH and i the real world that says everybody always has the most expensive car they can afford but Shedding isn't always about money, it's more about freedom from worry and acquiring peace of mind.

Quite intentionally choosing to run a car that makes little or no demand on your finances or your time and that never keeps you awake at night rather than one that does is incredibly liberating.

In the UK social status is EVERYTHING, and cars are now seen as the easiest and most effective way to gain pseudo high social status, because anyone can lease/pcp a car they could never afford in cash.
People get trapped into a cycle of not owning a car, paying all their disposable income on a rental and being forced to do the same again in 3 years time because they haven't the cash to buy another car OR pay the balloon payment on the one they've been renting.

[anonymous-user]

lyonspride said:

In the UK social status is EVERYTHING, and cars are now seen as the easiest and most effective way to gain pseudo high social status, because anyone can lease/pcp a car they could never afford in cash.
People get trapped into a cycle of not owning a car, paying all their disposable income on a rental and being forced to do the same again in 3 years time because they haven't the cash to buy another car OR pay the balloon payment on the one they've been renting.

To quote Fight Club "We buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like."

So they all buy a White Audi A3 TDi S Line with big wheels and low profile tyres to show off the tiny bottom of the range brakes?. Surely nobody is impressed considering anyone could have one if they are prepared to pay the £300 a month rental cost?

Funnily enough my sister in law is always going on about all the people at her work who lease Audi A1's and how she wants one too so that people think she is "doing well".

Funny to think that those who try hardest to portray the image of having money (Designer clothes, aggressive German metal on the drive, constant holiday/night out selfies on Facebook) are most likely the ones living pay cheque to pay cheque.

Personally I love the anti social status element of driving a shed, to me it just says I have decided not to be involved in the madness.

[Shnozz]

Surely one of the benefits of a PCP/lease/rental is that you wouldn't be so precious about someone else's car? Mind you, as stated earlier, I have a relaxed view about my own based on the fact life is too short/its insured/small knocks and scrapes can be sorted for a few hundred quid. I wouldn't devoid myself of driving pleasure and ownership pleasure for the sake of modest outlay.

[Toaster Pilot]

Please, for the love of God people, don’t turn this into another “pcp is bad” “people only buy new cars for status” “I drive a shed because wealth whispers” thread

Please.

[PixelpeepS3]

lyonspride said:

In the UK social status is EVERYTHING, and cars are now seen as the easiest and most effective way to gain pseudo high social status, because anyone can lease/pcp a car they could never afford in cash.
People get trapped into a cycle of not owning a car, paying all their disposable income on a rental and being forced to do the same again in 3 years time because they haven't the cash to buy another car OR pay the balloon payment on the one they've been renting.

So if you can't pay for your house outright, you can't afford it?

If you had £30k sitting in a bank account and bought a £30k car outright and ignored the 0% PCP deal you are an idiot.

People that know what they're doing with money purchase cars with the most cost effective option available to them at the time.

I leased a Golf R for two years and saved £4000 that it would have been lost in depreciation otherwise.

Please stop recycling this clichéd bullst - Whilst i appreciate there are some 'love island' clones that want the latest and greatest in an attempt to fool the world they are successful they are the minority.

I buy a car based on a set of filters that are important to me - none of those include (perceived) image improvement.- There are more like me too.

[greenarrow]

I'm loving this thread as I love a good shed.

Got my daughter a Mk1 Ford KA at the weekend. Its got a few scrapes and bumps and I absolutely love driving it. You can park it anywhere, it rides potholes like they aren't there - 13 inch wheels - haven't owned a car with wheels that small for over 20 years - and there's liberty in not really caring whether someone bangs their door into it etc.....

In fact its got me thinking that for my next commuting car a shed will do. Even my 7 year Insignia seems a bit new really for hacking about in!

[Pistonheader101]

It's why a lot of 911 turbo owners have a golf gti/r as their daily drivers.

[calletso]

Jaguar steve said:

There's a mindset prevalent on PH and i the real world that says everybody always has the most expensive car they can afford but Shedding isn't always about money, it's more about freedom from worry and acquiring peace of mind.

Quite intentionally choosing to run a car that makes little or no demand on your finances or your time and that never keeps you awake at night rather than one that does is incredibly liberating.

Nail on the head here.

Even if you can afford to fix your pride and joy when dented - you then have the worry of who to use for the paint job, will it be up to scratch, will the colour match be good etc etc

[Cloudy147]

I ran a £300 Audi A4 shed for a few years. Going to the supermarket, parking right at the front and not giving two sts if it gets dinged is incredibally liberating!



If the thought of a public car park, where we are all hemmed in like herds to go spend our money in the shops that provide these tight ass spaces, is a worry for you and your P&J, I'd recommend a bit of shedding.

Or shop only at CostCo. They know how to make proper parking spaces.

[lyonspride]

Toaster Pilot said:

Please, for the love of God people, don’t turn this into another “pcp is bad” “people only buy new cars for status” “I drive a shed because wealth whispers” thread

Please.

Well it is bad..........

Before PCP was so easy to get, people used to drive new cars as if they gave a damn. But now everyone just drives like a complete tit, as they don't own the car and don't care if it takes damage.
Not only does this make driving a chore, but it also means that nearly new used cars have mostly been driven like they were stolen.

[SidewaysSi]

I love cheap cars as much as the next man, partially because I can drive older stuff which I tend to prefer.

But whilst sheds give freedom, you tend to have to sacrifice in other ways e.g the way they drive, latest safety tech etc.

They have their place but surely most PHers can't just run sheds if they like to enjoy cars on fast roads and tracks, for example.

[dhutch]

I drive a 16yo E46 330ci which has been maintained well, including a cheap respray to all arches and doors, but is also of a value and condition that means when I find a carpark door incident mid-panel I shrug and continue.

Very hard to justify having anything that's nicer than you have the ability to maintain, and certainly no point in having things you don't enjoy using. Temper that against not letting life stop you owning nice things, and there is I have found huge potential to have things that nice and the you care about, but that are also expendable and repairable in a way that allows the rough and tumble of life.

I clean my car about once a fortnight reasonably well, unless I'm busy in which case I don't, or I just do the roof bonnet and glass.

Daniel

[anonymous-user]

Toaster Pilot said:

Please, for the love of God people, don’t turn this into another “pcp is bad” “people only buy new cars for status” “I drive a shed because wealth whispers” thread

Please.

To be fair if it wasn't for people PCP/leasing cars there would be no sheds for us to buy. So as far as I am concerned please carry on, infact lease and PCP more cars so they are even cheaper for me 10 years down the line.

Plus I understand that most people want a reliable car, they are not prepared to risk driving a shed and are happy to pay a monthly payment in return for peace of mind.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 21st June 12:52

[Khaki Suit]

calletso said:

Nail on the head here.

Even if you can afford to fix your pride and joy when dented - you then have the worry of who to use for the paint job, will it be up to scratch, will the colour match be good etc etc

For me the mindset isn't about being able to afford to fix it. It's why the hell should I have to fix something that some inconsiderate person has damaged? Maybe there is some validity to the earlier comment about those with PCP etc not caring about the car? Or maybe it's the throwaway mentality and people seeing a car just as a tool? Bit of both probably.

I run a shed so that my fun car can remain in the condition I keep it in, not in the condition others leave it in.

[Baldchap]

Pistonheader101 said:

It's why a lot of 911 turbo owners have a golf gti/r as their daily drivers.

Very true indeed, though not necessarily just Porsches.

Problem is you end up getting rid of the posh car and keeping the Golf.

[Toaster Pilot]

lyonspride said:

Well it is bad..........

Before PCP was so easy to get, people used to drive new cars as if they gave a damn. But now everyone just drives like a complete tit, as they don't own the car and don't care if it takes damage.
Not only does this make driving a chore, but it also means that nearly new used cars have mostly been driven like they were stolen.

What a load of bks - premium German marques have had a stereotype of “dhead driver” since time began.

Not saying I agree with said stereotype but you can’t blame PCP for it

[KM666]

Joey Deacon said:

To be fair if it wasn't for people PCP/leasing cars there would be no sheds for us to buy.

Edited by Joey Deacon on Thursday 21st June 12:52

Between that and the fleet sector flooding the market with year old cars we enjoy a used car market kept as artifically low as housing is kept artificially high. Want to buy a 18 year old Golf GTI in Europe? Certainly sir, that'll be 5000 euros thank you very much.

[Tim16V]

I bought an old Honda Accord off my mother in law years ago.

Dents scratches and rust, but I really enjoyed the 'freedom' of not having to worry about it anytime anywhere.

[RDMcG]

I have some good cars, but also a couple that get used a lot:

A 2005 Smart Fortwo which is surprisingly unmarked - probably all the plastic panels..excellent for nipping around dense urban areas.

A 2008 Cayenne S with 150,000 miles on it, nicks and little dents on every panel. Mechanically bulletproof. If it gets a scrape or the like I don't even notice it. Great to park and not think about it.

Better cars have more pampered lives

[Hoofy]

I think living in SW London means I'm always going to pick up dinks and scrapes so unless I can happily own a nice car and not give a st about the bodywork then I will stick to cheap crap cars. Doesn't mean it doesn't have to be comfy/luxurious but it will be an older model.