How do you know when to change car?

Raymond Lin

Raymond Lin

Raymond Lin

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Apart from the obvious like dramaticly change of circumstances, dead car or crashing it into a tree. If you have a perfectly reliable car that fits into your life. Would you change it just because you feel like changing?
 
Depends on how bored I was/how much I fancied a change, and what my financial situation was like/if I could afford to step up to something I lusted for.

I don't think I'd ever change like-for-like or a sideways "upgrade" though.
 
When you want to really. I'd love to change my car, but finances won't allow it at the moment - at least not for something I would actually enjoy driving.

I suppose age is most peoples motivator.
 
Well, where I am at the moment is that I love my car (First car!) but I can't help buy keep looking at other cars, even made myself a shortlist and saved a few searches on Autotrader that I check every couple of weeks to see what has popped up and keep an eye on the average price on them.

The thing is that the cars I want (TT, C30 T5, 125i, 330i), will be about £12-15k there abouts, I will need to trade in mine and possibly take on a small loan agreement to get it. Currently it cost me nothing to run my car apart from the norm like tax, petrol and insurance. Nothing has broken (that isn't my fault - pothole) and passed the service and MOT with a clean bill of health. I did 9k miles last 12 months so what mpg it returns (40mpg) is more than acceptable.

I also can't help but to think I might resent a new car because of that, going from the 100% total ownership to "that car on the drive now cost me money every month" and the feeling that it isn't mine quite just yet, at least not for a few years. So I know it is too soon to change my car, at least logically speaking as it makes no sense in every way - financial, practicality, mechanically or even how the car looks as I do like it. The only reason I am looking is because I want to upgrade, that being better built quality, a little faster, quieter cabin and more toys. Things that isn't essential or necessary.

Or do I just keep it and buy a £6k Z4? Which will probably cost less than putting £15k into a single car.
 
Depends entirely on the person, I change my car if something cheap comes along that replaces what I have with a better proposition of driving for example I bought my Mazda 6 from a guy at work who let me have it for what he got offered in trade for his new Auris, I sold the Mazda as my Father pretty much gave me his Volvo S80 as long as I bought my sister a car with 1/2 the proceeds of the sale of the Mazda and then the BMW because the Volvo was going downhill and someone spotted a cheap BMW.

For my wife I'm now of the opinion she gets another dull car when her's reaches 80k before the big bills come in, she has zero mechanical sympathy and her driving is frankly shocking.
 
If you find yourself on PH/AT every day, you're probably driving the wrong car.

Do whatever you can do without taking a loan to get something better, imo.
Your 6k Z4 idea sounds good tbh :)
 
I traded my gf old Yaris for a new one because i could and i never had a car from new either.

It was coming up to a major service and i was practically using it every day. So i thought sod it and brought new.

As i only been using her car for 4-5 months and it was perfectly suited to myself and what i needed in a car. Did look into Audi A1 , Mazda 2 and other like cars , but i guess it was brand loyalty and reliabilty (maybe a bit on list price) swayed me to keep with the same model.

I dont think i need anything else , unless i start a big family. I can prolly get away with just the one sprog, any more , i might have to upgrade to say .. Auris or Verso ..
 
Whenever you want to. People will tell you you it may be a bad decision etc, they might be right but if you don't enjoy it anymore or want a change then just do it.

YOLO and all that :p
 
The last few car changes have been due to the car dying or being wrote off.

I had a Mondeo which was very boring but did the job. However I spotted a cracking Volvo which resulted in me chopping the Mondeo in. I can only see myself getting rid of the Volvo if it becomes too much of a financial drain or unreliable.
 
I have only ever bought cars (2) that I have wanted to buy. They have been cars I have admired for a long time and not just bought through looking on AT/PH.

I always look on AT and PH from time to time and keep thinking about changing, sometimes more serious than other times. But I won't change my car unless I need to for financial purposes/requirement for something bigger-smaller/or it's written off.

Unfortunately I see the ST being the last performance car I own for a very long time, as a house purchase will be in the not too far future. And unless circumstances change (more wages) I think I will be driving round in the most economical, reliable and cheapest purchase costing car I can grab my hands on.
 
I changed cars the first time when my existing one was on it's last legs and in the garage more times than I care to remember. I changed cars this time as i'd changed jobs and increased my wage and was getting bored with my cramped ZR (not that it broke, it was my most reliable car out of the lot!)
 
Raymond Lin said:
I also can't help but to think I might resent a new car because of that, going from the 100% total ownership to "that car on the drive now cost me money every month" and the feeling that it isn't mine quite just yet, at least not for a few years.
Click to expand...

I feel this too, I went from my first car which I owned outright from the beginning and only cost me fuel, tax, servicing etc. To having a £10k loan out for a new car. I don't resent the new car however, but I am trying my best to have the loan paid off ASAP. My original agreement was December 2014, but it's looking as though the car will be fully paid for in the first few months of 2013 :D
 
When the wife says she wants a new car, normally every 5 years or so depending on if its a nice car or not.. One before the current one we had two years, was just plain awful so needed to change it.
 
Shimmyhill said:
When the Jonses change their car.
Click to expand...

Time for Ray to change then. I just did.

I never change for the sake of things if the current one is in working order unless I need something bigger / faster / bring on something really magical.

For a car, it's too big a cost to constantly change on a whimp.
 
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