New car purchase - Massive downgrade !!!

[kai]

This is where I get my *** handed to me; by every forum member who will read this post.

The 350z has gone; it went on the weekend to the garage I originally purchased it from as the dealer was more than happy to receive back off me.

The was a number of factors that contributed to the sale, the ever increasing petrol prices a 3.5l with a tax band of £475.00 a year was leaving a large dent in the wallet for something I drive about 30 minutes a day. Insurance just over 1k a year was also a considerable factor.

The service and tax due at the end of the month I decided to call it quits after 20 months of great motoring.

The car was part x from this;

to this...



















Yes a Volvo S40 - R Design ( And it's not even the T5 engine)

One massive downgrade, but at the moment i am in the process of saving for a wedding and looking at buying a house. Had a good price part x while walking away with a cheque from the dealer for my car. Alongside cheap tax, and insurance per year. (This is just me trying to justify to myself why the heck i purchased something to meh)

 

[GinG]

Must have been a hard decision to make, but with the financial comitments you are looking at (wedding & house) last thing you want is a car with quite high running costs.

Have you any further pics of the car? Also did it cost you anything to move into the Volvo??

 

[Rybo89]

**** happens mate.

commiserations.

 

[poker_999]

volvos are brilliant cars, had a 240 glt and then later bought a v70 estate for the girlfriend.

 

[LiE]

Sounds like a good move mate, welcome to Volvo club, although mine is a T5

I bought a house first, got married then got a fast car. You'll be back in a fast car in a few years once you've settled into your new lifestyle.

 

[Vita]

That sucks, but at least you have your priorities set out right.

 

[Howard]

Such is life sometimes. At least the S40 is a nice car.

 

[Sneaky Peaky]

Not much help I know but if you squint they almost look the same?

Shame mate but needs must and all that..

 

[rodenal]

Meh...everyone has priorities - A car certainly wouldn't come before a home for me either (or wedding I guess). Plus it's not as if you've traded in the 350z for a 20 year old pug 309, I'm sure the S40 will be perfectly reasonable - you might even enjoy having a boot for a while

 

[kai]

Must have been a hard decision to make, but with the financial comitments you are looking at (wedding & house) last thing you want is a car with quite high running costs.

Have you any further pics of the car? Also did it cost you anything to move into the Volvo??

nothing, to move across to Volvo; dealer wrote me out a cheque for the difference between the two.

 

[kai]

Sounds like a good move mate, welcome to Volvo club, although mine is a T5

I bought a house first, got married then got a fast car. You'll be back in a fast car in a few years once you've settled into your new lifestyle.

Booo

The worst part of the story was i test drive a new shape TT before commiting to the Volvo (same garage); i got convinced i would end up in the same boat as the 350 if i went ahead and purchased a 2.0L Turbo high running costs etc and be back at square one.

I decided to cut my losses and go for something fairly economical.

At the moment it feels very slow! but yet again i am convincing myself if i want to go for a blast on a sunny day ill go get my bike out the garage.

 

[GinG]

Not a bad deal then

Looks nice in the pics and if you got some cash back that should help soften the blow!

What engine is in it?

 

[rodenal]

Seats are nice in the S40 - what's the engine?

 

[LiE]

It's a good move, the money you'll save + what you got from the dealer will really help.

 

[kai]

Not a bad deal then

Looks nice in the pics and if you got some cash back that should help soften the blow!

What engine is in it?

Seats are nice in the S40 - what's the engine?

**whisper** 1.6l

19k on the clock managed to get him down to £8,000 for sale and give me 11,200 for mine with plate transfer for my private reg, new service, new tax and full tank petrol.

 

[rossk26]

To be fair that Volvo looks really nice, and will be a nice place to be. Granted it's no 350Z, but it's far from a shed...

 

[GinG]

No wonder it feels slow lol.

Money in your back pocket though and a car that *touch wood* should last a very long time with little to go wrong!

Just think no more wincing at the thought of having to change tyres, brakes etc

 

[Will Gill]

as previously mentioned **** happens! hardly the worst car in the world to find yourself in though, things could be worse

 

[lordrobs]

I'm doing the performance downgrade thing myself at the end of the summer, tbh I don't think I'll even miss it.

 

[Muffin`]

I'm doing the performance downgrade thing myself at the end of the summer, tbh I don't think I'll even miss it.

famous last words