Having a car when you don't need one...
Discussion
I'm sure I'm not alone, in that I actually don't need to have a car, but I desperately want one.
I live in London so travel by car day-to-day is pretty much unnecessary and I can get to the majority of places I go without, however, I love cars and will, in the next year, be in a position to buy something tasty (c.£20k), yet the battle that I'm having with myself is not which car to get but whether I actually need one at all.
I'm young, rent my accomodation and don't really have any other large outgoings but there's a part of me that just thinks if I can't use it that much, it's just an expense which I'll only be able to use to go places at weekends and that my money could be better invested.
So, since I doubt I'm alone in this thought, what do you do, did you do in this situation?
I live in London so travel by car day-to-day is pretty much unnecessary and I can get to the majority of places I go without, however, I love cars and will, in the next year, be in a position to buy something tasty (c.£20k), yet the battle that I'm having with myself is not which car to get but whether I actually need one at all.
I'm young, rent my accomodation and don't really have any other large outgoings but there's a part of me that just thinks if I can't use it that much, it's just an expense which I'll only be able to use to go places at weekends and that my money could be better invested.
So, since I doubt I'm alone in this thought, what do you do, did you do in this situation?
I was in exactly that situation in February 2000 - I bought a Caterham 
Edit: It was parked on the street in N5, covered about 10,000 miles a year and I was a 23 year-old single male with no insurance history. First year's premium was about £1k. Still got it.
Edit: It was parked on the street in N5, covered about 10,000 miles a year and I was a 23 year-old single male with no insurance history. First year's premium was about £1k. Still got it.
Edited by ewenm on Monday 20th June 14:13
Same situation in London and I keep coming back to this and persuading myself its a bad... bad idea...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2164644.htm
looks so good and would be so much fun though.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2164644.htm
looks so good and would be so much fun though.
When we lived in Central London, we didn't bother using a car to travel within, but kept a cheap old Toyota for any travel elsewhere. Although old I drove it to the south of France and back, no probs.Spending money on cars can be a foolish way to waste money unless you buy a steadily appreciating classic and keep it garaged. Otherwise if parked on the street...go for some kind of Japanese smoker and keep your money.
V88Dicky said:
Seems like you need a weekend toy as a hobby, something hardcore yet just practical enough for longer roadtrips. Do you have a garage/driveway to park it?
OP, buy a Caterham/Westfield as there isn't much depreciation, you really don't need a practical car, and they are cheap to run for the performance they offer.ewenm said:
I was in exactly that situation in February 2000 - I bought a Caterham
Exactly what I want to do after uni if I live in a city with good trasport links. Means you don't have to run 2 cars but still get the car you really want, although perhaps at the expense of passengers/ikea trips. If it doesn't need to be practical of reliable, you can get a very good car for an awful lot less than 20k. If I was in that position, I'd probably start with a budget or 3-5k and see what you can find. If you do end up spending 20k, make sure it's on something fairly depreciation proof; there's plenty of choice - something along the lines of a Caterham, early Elise, classic 911, etc.
Why don't you just rent something nice when you need to, or join one of those car clubs that have supercars, classics etc, and you can exchange points for a car, depending what car, and when you want it. At least that way you're not paying for maintenance, insurance etc, for something you hardly use.
Edited by tomsugden on Monday 20th June 18:35
kambites said:
If it doesn't need to be practical of reliable, you can get a very good car for an awful lot less than 20k. If I was in that position, I'd probably start with a budget or 3-5k and see what you can find. If you do end up spending 20k, make sure it's on something fairly depreciation proof; there's plenty of choice - something along the lines of a Caterham, early Elise, classic 911, etc.
, there is a garage with the house I'm renting but with 3 cars in the household, I'd either need to pay more or agree for the other housemates to let me use it 
Elise for £10k or less could be worth a look, have thought about caterhams and the like but parents live in Cornwall and I'm not sure I'd fancy driving that back there in winter (not sure how much better an Elise would be mind...)! Other considerations include being a keen cyclist so would probably need something to carry a bike 
Why can't these decisions be easy?
kambites said:
sparks_E39 said:
I would go and buy a £17k DB7, they haven't a lot to lose now.
Could you run it for a significant period of time on the remaining 3k? 
So much car for the money
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2669929.htm
Edited by sparks_E39 on Monday 20th June 18:40
kambites said:
sparks_E39 said:
I would go and buy a £17k DB7, they haven't a lot to lose now.
Could you run it for a significant period of time on the remaining 3k? I have browsed the classifieds for DB7s (being a childhood dream car) but I think they may be slightly too much of a money-pit at £17k - plus I'd want the Vantage 
24 and driving a DB7? 
Don't invest £20k.
Buy something cheap and fun like an RS Clio, 182's are down to £4k now.
Insurance won't be too bad, can't be parked on the street like anything else, great fun to drive on the right road but equally its still a Clio so you can fit your bike in it.
If depreciation is a worry buy a Trophy but be prepared to pay up to £3k for it.
Buy something cheap and fun like an RS Clio, 182's are down to £4k now.
Insurance won't be too bad, can't be parked on the street like anything else, great fun to drive on the right road but equally its still a Clio so you can fit your bike in it.
If depreciation is a worry buy a Trophy but be prepared to pay up to £3k for it.
Arthur Daley said:
Don't invest £20k.
Buy something cheap and fun like an RS Clio, 182's are down to £4k now.
Insurance won't be too bad, can't be parked on the street like anything else, great fun to drive on the right road but equally its still a Clio so you can fit your bike in it.
If depreciation is a worry buy a Trophy but be prepared to pay up to £3k for it.
Have to say I agree with this. I am a complete hypocrite though as when I was in a similar position to the OP (didn't need a car for work at least) I sold my Clio and bought an S1 Elise Buy something cheap and fun like an RS Clio, 182's are down to £4k now.
Insurance won't be too bad, can't be parked on the street like anything else, great fun to drive on the right road but equally its still a Clio so you can fit your bike in it.
If depreciation is a worry buy a Trophy but be prepared to pay up to £3k for it.
How about something like a 130i. Great car, reasonably affordable to run. Bike will fit in the back (probably).
I know this is Pistonheads.... but buying a flash car comes a long way down on the list of life's priorities - behind getting on the property ladder and starting some kind of investment for retirement.
When you're 30-odd and struggling to buy a house, you'll be kicking yourself for blowing £20k on a car.
When you're 30-odd and struggling to buy a house, you'll be kicking yourself for blowing £20k on a car.
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