Ever bought a car you can't aford.. just for the hell of it?
Discussion
Have any of you ever bought a car you can't afford to run.. just for the hell of it?
A few years back I bought a Lexus LS400 at the age of 19, during my degree. I had no job at the time either, but I just thought sod it, I might never get the chance to own a V8 if government legislation tightens it's grip.
I owned it for 2 weeks (paid 900 for it), then flogged it on ebay for 600 quid (woops).
Don't regret it though, had a right blast in it.
A few years back I bought a Lexus LS400 at the age of 19, during my degree. I had no job at the time either, but I just thought sod it, I might never get the chance to own a V8 if government legislation tightens it's grip.
I owned it for 2 weeks (paid 900 for it), then flogged it on ebay for 600 quid (woops).
Don't regret it though, had a right blast in it.
Scrambled said:
Tame Racing Driver, your thread is here!
The 350Z. I kind of knew deep down it would be expensive (for me) to run, but I just had to have a 6-cylinder powerful(ish) car before I settle down into somewhat more sensible vehicles.
It hasn't been unreliable, thankfully, as that would have ruined me completely.
I can afford it actually, but it takes up rather more of my wage than I'm comfortable with, if I'm honest.
£475 road tax.
£300 a pop for a rear tyre, £200 for a front.
20 MPG on super unleaded - 300 miles for ~ £100.
To be honest I love it, but almost find it a neither "here nor there" type of car. It's a lovely comfortable torquey car for commuting and travelling long distances, but it costs too much for me to use just to come to work. And then, its not really raw enough to be a pure hooning car, and the tax is just too much for something that is only used occasionally at weekends.
If it wasn't for the fact that I have an otherwise fairly expensive lifestyle, it'd be fine, but as it is, its competing for money against things I view as more important these days (like getting a better place to live for one).
BUT, I am glad I owned it.
I got my 335i M-sport at 21
Bought for £19k and sold 2 years later for £16k, monthly payments of £375 in addition to the £300 in fuel plus consumables, especially as my take home each month was less than £1,200 at the time. It was ok for a few weeks, until I got a girlfriend...that was a struggle! (made easier when I got a far better job in the city)
Sold it over the summer and feel financially liberated, although decided to move out last month with the same gf so all my money goes that way now
Bought for £19k and sold 2 years later for £16k, monthly payments of £375 in addition to the £300 in fuel plus consumables, especially as my take home each month was less than £1,200 at the time. It was ok for a few weeks, until I got a girlfriend...that was a struggle! (made easier when I got a far better job in the city)
Sold it over the summer and feel financially liberated, although decided to move out last month with the same gf so all my money goes that way now
Had a supercharged Elise at 21. Wasn't horrific on fuel, but to get any labour done on it at a specialist was horrendous and cost me much more than i could really afford. Was forever borrowing money from my Parents for things!
Then decided to sell that and buy a 450bhp B5 Audi S4. Frightening on fuel at £100 per week. and then horrible bills if anything went wrong. Split power steering rack £500, new brakes £500 etc. the i blew a turbo (K04) and it was pretty much written off! Was looking at a £4000 repair bill! At the time to run it including petrol, tax, insurance and servicing, it was taking up about 40% of my monthly income!
Now i'm older and running a golf diesel it takes up approx 5% of my monthly income when you divide the total costs up over the year. Massive difference! Never will i go back to spending that month of my disposable income on running a car, no matter how much i miss it!
Then decided to sell that and buy a 450bhp B5 Audi S4. Frightening on fuel at £100 per week. and then horrible bills if anything went wrong. Split power steering rack £500, new brakes £500 etc. the i blew a turbo (K04) and it was pretty much written off! Was looking at a £4000 repair bill! At the time to run it including petrol, tax, insurance and servicing, it was taking up about 40% of my monthly income!
Now i'm older and running a golf diesel it takes up approx 5% of my monthly income when you divide the total costs up over the year. Massive difference! Never will i go back to spending that month of my disposable income on running a car, no matter how much i miss it!
A friend of mine got a bank loan for a MK2 escort.
Erm yes for 10grands worth of MK2 Escort Mexico
How we managed it when he takes home 12ish grand a year.
He never has more than a £10 petrol in it, but it does have a 2.1 pinto on twin 45's that sounds the absolute b
ks.
It makes him the happiest man in world when he drives it so why not ?!
Erm yes for 10grands worth of MK2 Escort Mexico
How we managed it when he takes home 12ish grand a year.
He never has more than a £10 petrol in it, but it does have a 2.1 pinto on twin 45's that sounds the absolute b
ks. It makes him the happiest man in world when he drives it so why not ?!
) Great Days 
A Caterham at 19, while keeping my first car on (a clio). The only reason I could almost afford to buy it is because I had just received a redundancy payout and my Honda CG125 had just been written off and I'd received a decent payout for it's value and the crash helmet and jacket which was damaged in the accident (non fault).
Running it was the next challenge. I never saw more than 25mpg.
Having said that, I haven't been unlucky enough to end up with a particularly unreliable/ruinous to maintain car yet. Everything has been DIY.
Running it was the next challenge. I never saw more than 25mpg.
Having said that, I haven't been unlucky enough to end up with a particularly unreliable/ruinous to maintain car yet. Everything has been DIY.
Leins said:
drophead said:
Just graduated and started my first career based job, paying off my mountain of debt when I decide I need 6 cylinders in my life!
So now I am trying to run a 325Ti on an MX5 budget
tax is due in a couple of days. Winner.
Great choice of car. I loved mine!So now I am trying to run a 325Ti on an MX5 budget
tax is due in a couple of days. Winner.
currybum said:
kiethton said:
I got my 335i M-sport at 21
Bought for £19k and sold 2 years later for £16k, monthly payments of £375 in addition to the £300 in fuel plus consumables, especially as my take home each month was less than £1,200 at the time. It was ok for a few weeks, until I got a girlfriend...that was a struggle! (made easier when I got a far better job in the city)
Sold it over the summer and feel financially liberated, although decided to move out last month with the same gf so all my money goes that way now
After insurance, tax and maintenance you must have been spending over 80% of your take home on the car...that must be a win thereBought for £19k and sold 2 years later for £16k, monthly payments of £375 in addition to the £300 in fuel plus consumables, especially as my take home each month was less than £1,200 at the time. It was ok for a few weeks, until I got a girlfriend...that was a struggle! (made easier when I got a far better job in the city)
Sold it over the summer and feel financially liberated, although decided to move out last month with the same gf so all my money goes that way now
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