£20k family car that doesn't depreciate.

£20k family car that doesn't depreciate.

Author
Discussion

Muzzman

Original Poster:

187 posts

114 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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I was thinking, the family wagon has cost about £15k over the years to lease, I've got to give it back this year and I'm bound to get stung for some additional costs.

Is there a car £15k to £20k that has gone through its depreciation cycle that the missus wouldn't feel a wally driving?

I suggested a nice w123 Merc Estate and it went down like a tonne of bricks. (Appreciate not 15 to 20k)

I don't really want Maserati Quattroporte running costs either though.


The spinner of plates

17,733 posts

201 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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A lovely e39 M5 kept in tip-top shape should meet the brief.

Driver101

14,376 posts

122 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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The E91 BMW 335i has been holding value very well. Rare in good condition with good specification.


wattsm666

694 posts

266 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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M5 E60 will hold value, but running costs might be expensive

Dracoro

8,685 posts

246 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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Most will depreciate unless has some of the following:
Old
Rare
In demand
Performance
Etc.

I had similar thought when I got my Golf R. It was a toss up between that and a Lexus ISF.
I went with the Golf as it’s much cheaper to run (fuel, tax, insurance, maintenance, servicing etc.), so offsetting the lack of depreciation of the Lexus. The Golf was a lot newer of course (2yrs old) so had warranty (extendable through VW for not a lot). Lexus should be reliable and, if anything, go up in value if kept in good condition.

Anyway, I suggest the Lexus IS-F (would probably be cheaper to run than M3/AMG/RS4 etc.) or an in-demand newish hot hatch....

Doofus

25,848 posts

174 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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Your best best is a 2k family car with 18 grand in the boot.

Even if it's rare, in demand and so on, you intend to use it as a family car, so it won't remain desirable.

austinsmirk

5,597 posts

124 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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Vw caravelle or Kombi. Used prices are beyond common sense.

normalbloke

7,463 posts

220 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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Only vehicles I’ve had that didn’t depreciate were a Caterham and a Unimog.

Pit Pony

8,655 posts

122 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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I'm not sure.

I think you need to be looking at cars costing £500 to £1500 If you want zero depreciation.

A 3.2 V6 omega was purchased by me for £525. In 4 .5 years I've done 60k miles and it's definately worth more than I paid. Probably 3 times what I paid.

The problem would be getting your wife to drive it. My wife won't.
In fact she was very hating of it for the first couple of months. Eventually she admitted it was the most comfy and the fastest car she had been a passenger in. She still hasn't driven it.

What about a V6 vectra estate ?

The spinner of plates

17,733 posts

201 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
Only vehicles I’ve had that didn’t depreciate were a Caterham and a Unimog.
The perfect two car fleet.

I approve muchly smile

Jag_NE

2,993 posts

101 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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For a milf float it really needs to be German and as new as possible.

tejr

3,109 posts

165 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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E92/e90 m3... Maybe an f80/f82?

Running costs on the e92 weren't massive other than the warranty and steep tax band.

Massively practical, decent fuel economy for a v8.. Relatively discreet depending on the colour options and find one with Edc for a ride more comfortable than any other car I've owned tbh. Including the 530d and current crv.

samoht

5,736 posts

147 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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You could consider some AMGs, like https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009234...
2007, 84k, £15k


I don't know for sure on future values, but it does have the USP of one of the biggest engines ever put in a car in the European market, so it could be seen as special.

Stu-nph26

2,002 posts

106 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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Love that great shout

aka_kerrly

12,419 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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The spinner of plates said:
A lovely e39 M5 kept in tip-top shape should meet the brief.
The E39 along with the E60 M5 + AMG Mercedes may not depreciate a huge amount but each one of them is capable of throwing up bills well into the thousands .

£15k to buy the car and then you spend a fortune on maintenance and if you are using it daily it WILL pick up dents/scratches and other damage and more frequent/expensive servicing so keeping it pampered and mint will cost a significant amount of money which wipes out any dreams of saving money running an older car

Hence I'd not recommend buying 10-15 year old performance cars to use daily whilst dreaming of its value going up up up and it not costing you a penny..nor would I want to be explaining to the wife why buying a 2006 BMW M5 for £15k one week and 6 weeks later spending £6k on a engine build was a good move.

cptsideways

13,551 posts

253 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
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samoht said:
You could consider some AMGs, like https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009234...
2007, 84k, £15k


I don't know for sure on future values, but it does have the USP of one of the biggest engines ever put in a car in the European market, so it could be seen as special.
This for sure

Jaguar steve

9,232 posts

211 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Doofus said:
Your best best is a 2k family car with 18 grand in the boot.

Even if it's rare, in demand and so on, you intend to use it as a family car, so it won't remain desirable.
...Is the right answer. Nothing to prove and nothing to loose and 18 grand on your pension or off your mortgage.

If anybody's too proud or status conscious to drive it that's their problem, not yours. smile

Muzzman

Original Poster:

187 posts

114 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
quotequote all
Thanks for the replys.

M5 / AMG are out of the question, the missus does 8k miles a year pottering around. The kids are 5 and 6 so the car looks like a skip. The wheels are curbed to buggery and it has a multitude of car park dings.

There is a decent amount of snobbery at school when it come to having the latest and greatest 4x4. Knowing what the Dads do for work I am really stumped how they all seem to afford the latest Range Rover.

I was looking at Range Rover classics last night but they seem to have shot through the roof.

I think maybe a BMW 3 series Touring might fit the bill and comes in well under budget.

I definitely wouldn't get her in an old Omega or an E39 as much as I like the e39 and wouldn't hesitate myself.

The non depreciation requirement looks like its going to be hard to fill.

Hub

6,440 posts

199 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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MK2 Focus RS and a roof box.

Meltham Terrier

322 posts

134 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Toyota Land Cruiser ( proper one) not the import.

Massive residuals, never seem to loose too much value