Would you pay over the odds / top dollar...
Discussion
J4CKO said:
Easy to fixate on cost more than value.
Exactly this 
Paying a bit extra to get exactly what you want is definitely worth it (within sensible reason obviously).
If you just settled for a car that was good but not quite right, you’d be forever looking at the classifieds, torturing yourself knowing that sooner or later the perfect car would turn up. A bit more expensive maybe but still in budget. You’d be sick as a parrot.
Buy the best, no excuses needed, look after it, enjoy it, reap the rewards when it’s time to sell.
Some of my best car buys have been 'overpriced'. Paid at least 20% over then book value for my E30 325i Touring back in the day. Largely on the strength of a recent £3.5k invoice from L&C in Tunbridge Wells for a complete suspension and brake refresh and major service. It was ca 15yrs old at the time. All the others I looked at were old bangers by comparison.
It was more than worth the extra. I kept the car for 10yrs and 80k miles, and sold it for exactly the same as I had paid;)
It was more than worth the extra. I kept the car for 10yrs and 80k miles, and sold it for exactly the same as I had paid;)
jhiker said:
Speaking of paying over the odds. More money than sense or an astute investment…?
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-1...
Impossible to know. https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-1...
Again, worth what someone will pay!
I paid more for my Defender 110 and my F-Type because they were from reputable dealers, with warranties which I believed would be honored and the specific spec of each vehicle was inline with what I was looking for.
The defender was a tick box car, I'd wanted one since I was a teenager and I wanted to get one and have a little fun with it before the CAZ went live in Bristol, that box got ticked and the only thing I wish I had known beforehand is that they're difficult to sell to dealers (Many refused part-ex valuations due to it being a 'commercial' vehicle - Though not according to the V5 or the 7 seat setup but obviously each dealership can classify however they want) and selling via AT was a little difficult to filter through numerous scam attempts, a possibly excessive fear of someone wanting the address purely to steal the car and then just a lot of time wasters.
The F-Type had all of the history I wanted, came in AWD format (No water ingress issues) and had my biggest trio of requirements (Sport seats, heated seats, panoramic roof) and was in one of the two colours I wanted (Stratus or Firenze). I reckon I overpaid by ~£2k but the dealer wasn't interested in negotiating and I valued the convenience of being able to have it now vs continuing to hunt.
PS - My negotiations were stifled partly by the market but mainly by my other half loudly stating "I bloody love it, it's so much nicer than the one we looked at last weekend. Let's get it"
In short, I'm happy to pay for convenience and confidence. I don't want the cheapest vehicle, I want the best combination of value and convenience.
The defender was a tick box car, I'd wanted one since I was a teenager and I wanted to get one and have a little fun with it before the CAZ went live in Bristol, that box got ticked and the only thing I wish I had known beforehand is that they're difficult to sell to dealers (Many refused part-ex valuations due to it being a 'commercial' vehicle - Though not according to the V5 or the 7 seat setup but obviously each dealership can classify however they want) and selling via AT was a little difficult to filter through numerous scam attempts, a possibly excessive fear of someone wanting the address purely to steal the car and then just a lot of time wasters.
The F-Type had all of the history I wanted, came in AWD format (No water ingress issues) and had my biggest trio of requirements (Sport seats, heated seats, panoramic roof) and was in one of the two colours I wanted (Stratus or Firenze). I reckon I overpaid by ~£2k but the dealer wasn't interested in negotiating and I valued the convenience of being able to have it now vs continuing to hunt.
PS - My negotiations were stifled partly by the market but mainly by my other half loudly stating "I bloody love it, it's so much nicer than the one we looked at last weekend. Let's get it"
In short, I'm happy to pay for convenience and confidence. I don't want the cheapest vehicle, I want the best combination of value and convenience.
I keep looking at this https://www.pmautosales.co.uk/cars/mercedes-benz/3... I think it counts as way over the odds, but the interior (to me anyway) is 
I initially baulked at paying £16k for a 6 1/2 year old F31 330D SE X Drive but it had FMD history and was approved used plus despite being an SE it had nearly every option box ticked.
A month later and I absolutely love the car and it is the first car I really look forward to driving and money well spent!
A month later and I absolutely love the car and it is the first car I really look forward to driving and money well spent!
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