2nd car - BMW 320d - opinions? things to look out for before we get it?

[TW]Fox · 3 Feb 2013 at 22:37

squarehead94 said:
quote for TPFT, 1600 a year, so yes, I'd rather pay another 700 odd to get all the extras including fully comp.

What do you think those 'extras' are doing for you thats worth £700 for 1 year?

rodenal · 3 Feb 2013 at 22:39

You'd rather pay 44% more for something you are highly unlikely to ever use? Why? On what planet does that make.sense? I mean 100 quid...sure, but 700 gbp extra!?

Bromhead · 3 Feb 2013 at 22:55

Honestly, I'm a first year driver and I get my first NCB in April, I'm running a Corsa B which is maybe the uncoolest car going, but it gets me to work and from work which is important. I'll be sticking with this until I can get a Focus for £500 insurance. (per year not month, the prices you quotes are insane

)

Jic89 · 3 Feb 2013 at 23:18

As every other sane person in this thread has said keep the fiesta. Christ, I drove my sisters old ford ka for a year until I could afford something better. Wanting a new car because you don't consider yours "cool" dear me

wingman · 4 Feb 2013 at 07:49

Stick with the Fiesta for now, unless you like burning money.

Having said that...

dargab said:
Do not sacrifice so much for a piece of metal - because at the end of the day that's all a car is.

A car is no more "just" a piece of metal than a house is "just" a pile of bricks.

Sacrificing so much on a vehicle is up to the OP. Throwing half your earnings at the insurance for a vehicle that isn't remotely special, is something quite different.

[TW]Fox · 4 Feb 2013 at 08:28

wingman said:
A car is no more "just" a piece of metal than a house is "just" a pile of bricks.

Thats not really true, is it? Think about how long each item will last you for a start. Spending over half the money you earn every month on a car never sounds like a great idea especially when said car is an old, tired and not particularly good example in the first place. You sink all that cash you can never get back into something which, when you look back, was never that good anyway.

wingman · 4 Feb 2013 at 12:17

[TW]Fox;23690632 said:
Thats not really true, is it? Think about how long each item will last you for a start. Spending over half the money you earn every month on a car never sounds like a great idea especially when said car is an old, tired and not particularly good example in the first place. You sink all that cash you can never get back into something which, when you look back, was never that good anyway.

A poor comparison on my behalf, but any personal innanimate object could be considered "just" the items it's created from, which was the point I was trying to make.

I don't like the idea of cars being a piece of metal. In the eye of the beholder, they could be their raison detre, their hobbie, sentiment piece or whatever.

[TW]Fox · 4 Feb 2013 at 12:23

wingman said:
I don't like the idea of cars being a piece of metal. In the eye of the beholder, they could be their raison detre, their hobbie, sentiment piece or whatever.

It's a bottom of the market 320d he hasn't bought yet. It's therefore not going to be of any sentimental value to him.

I appreciate cars are more than just a peice of metal - especially when you've owned them for a while. But come on, half your wages* to run a 13 year old 320? It's just daft.

*Based purely on his figures, we all know it would cost even more than that.

In the context of this thread it very much *IS* 'just a car'.

wingman · 4 Feb 2013 at 12:33

[TW]Fox;23691889 said:
I appreciate cars are more than just a peice of metal - especially when you've owned them for a while. But come on, half your wages* to run a 13 year old 320? It's just daft.

*Based purely on his figures, we all know it would cost even more than that.

In the context of this thread it very much *IS* 'just a car'.

Agreed. Which I why I followed up with;

wingman said:
Throwing half your earnings at the insurance for a vehicle that isn't remotely special, is something quite different.

After all said and done though, I still think cars are special in the eye of the beholder. My Micra (first car) was special to me, as is my E46 330i, but in very different regards. It's certainly a tricky one. I don't believe the 320d is special from my perspective, but it would be from his (irrespective of whether he has purchased yet).

His satisfaction will be the death of his desire, though.

squarehead94 · 4 Feb 2013 at 13:17

There are a lot of folks on here with invalid opinions like, it doesn't matter what car it is, I keep seeing "tired 13 year old BMW diesel" I haven't shown you the example I was looking at and it may have been very well looked after, as some have said beauty is in the eye of the beholder and irrespective of the car. I've decided to keep the fiesta and get maybe a VTEC next year.

Sui · 4 Feb 2013 at 13:21

[TW]Fox;23688666 said:
Protected no claims? You can't get this without NCB. So its not included on your policy unless its in your parents name.

Think he said in his edited post with all the details in that he's only a named driver.

Glad you're keeping the Fiesta, it's the only sensible option.

iaind · 4 Feb 2013 at 13:23

garriec said:
Think he said in his edited post with all the details in that he's only a named driver.

Glad you're keeping the Fiesta, it's the only sensible option.

So he doesnt even have valid insurance, despite paying through the nose for it?

Sui · 4 Feb 2013 at 13:24

iaind said:
So he doesnt even have valid insurance, despite paying through the nose for it?

Think he said his mum is the main driver, and as far as I can work out she does drive in it as well? Whether it's the majority of the driving idk.

iaind · 4 Feb 2013 at 13:26

garriec said:
Think he said his mum is the main driver, and as far as I can work out she does drive in it as well? Whether it's the majority of the driving idk.

Hmmmm sounds iffy, most kids around here seem to think fronting is OK

booyaka · 4 Feb 2013 at 13:57

£3k per year to insure a car worth probably less than that? Holy cow!!

You earn £600 a month and your happy to pay £300 a month in insurance - serious rethink your priorities please.

Stick with the fiesta till insurance is more reasonable would be my thoughts.

Liampope · 4 Feb 2013 at 14:22

squarehead94 said:
There are a lot of folks on here with invalid opinions like, it doesn't matter what car it is, I keep seeing "tired 13 year old BMW diesel" I haven't shown you the example I was looking at and it may have been very well looked after, as some have said beauty is in the eye of the beholder and irrespective of the car. I've decided to keep the fiesta and get maybe a VTEC next year.

At least that's a step in the right direction but you can do much better! You also need to stop paying more than the car is worth for fully comp insurance with all the trimmings. Absolutely daft thing to do - your insurers are laughing all the way to the bank! Get on the minimum you can pay for insurance immediately (should be able to save around a grand if you do it right) so that you are saving as much as possible for the future. You are not, and never will, gain anything from paying fully comp for that car in your situation.

By doing that and keeping the festa for a couple of years you'll be literally £thousands up in a couple of years compared to where you would be with your original daft plan of getting and old beemer now.

Matt82 · 4 Feb 2013 at 14:36

Mr Squarehead, honestly, youll thank us one day if you dont buy it