I bought my dream car!

My hubby's constantly trying to get me to upgrade my car which I absolutely love. I spent ages hunting for this car. All I wanted was a car which reminded me of my old car, a Honda Civic 1988 model which my 2006 Peugeot 206 definitely meets. It's a great car, has barely cost me a cent and I got it for less than half the original price (I bought it three years ago when it was only 2 years old). I'm so happy with it that I think like with my old car that I'll keep it until I run it into the ground.

-I can't justify spending huge amounts of money on a new car, but my husband constantly wants a new car. I got a bit of a win this year by getting him to agree to continue the lease on his car for another year so that we can buy another investment property. Don't know how to convince him again next year. Just can't see the justification in buying a new one. I know he does a lot more k's per year than I do (around 30,000), but if the car's running well, is there really any need to upgrade? I mean the maintenance costs for his car aren't very high. It's all the money that he spends keeping it clean that costs a fortune!

Wish he was more frugal like me, i can't even convince him to buy second hand clothing. He won't wear anything that doesn't have a tag on it when i bring it home for fear it may be secondhand. So annoying!
 
HandyAndy888 said:
On the other hand, I can't believe the amount of people driving around in EF/EL Falcoons and VS/VT Commys. Must be the "just over 10 year old cheapy" bargains...:D:D:D
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Welcome to my world. Our area is predominently Commodores, Falcons, Camrys, Corollas, Magnas and a multitude of utes. It is definitley not yer Beemer, Audi, Saab, Merc neighborhood.

The amazing thing is how many miles they all seem to have on the clock - we get them for servicing/repairs through the workshop, and you'd be amazed at how many of them are dumbfounded at how the car is suddenly costing them money to keep on the road.

Helloo...They forget to look at the odometer - a Conbogundore with 300k on the clock is about to blow up in most cases, and most of these owners can't afford their own car when it does. Sad.

We had a guy last week who recently bought a Holden Rodeo with 330km's on the clock. It's already causing him problems.

There is a cut-off point where you simply don't buy cars soo cheap that the repairs are going to cost more than the car did to buy.

Conversely, I am a firm believer that you never buy a brand new car either - it is financially a mistake; virtually any car these days about 2 years old with warranties is virtually brand new anyway and you will save approx 1/3 the cost of a new one. Good for more IP deposits and loan servicability.

So, look for cars that are between 2 and 8 years old within your budget.
 
Trogdor said:
Wow, thats why I love Somersoft.

People outdoing each other at ridiculous attempts at frugality.
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It depends where you are on the financial ladder. It's not ridiculous if you have no money.

For many people starting out in their investing life, their income is not high, and their ability to accumulate a decent deposit is hard.

Any helpful tips on how to maximise each disposable dollar for savings is crucial for these people.

I see many, many peolple wandering around this planet who have far too much car for their income, far too much designer label clothing and so on.

In most cases, they also whine because they are always broke, or how expensive life is.

One of my own staff - he has a brand new Commodore SS ute - about $40k on road I think. And he is renting. Now, maybe he wants to rent forever, but to me it is a bad financial move he has made.

To me; given his income level and stage of life, it would have been far better to have bought a $10-15k something, and plow the extra funds into savings for a house/unit deposit.
 
I buy new cars, but keep them for a long time. Someone got into my old VY Berlina the other day and said "wow, someone looked after this", and I said "yeah, me".

Owned it from new, and it has heaps of life yet.
 
One of my cousins taught me a very important lesson about cars (I was in my early 20s). He said "Cars dont get you women. Cars get you to the women" (we were talking about all the guys buying new SS Commodores with ferrari racing suspension and all that craziness for $70k+)

So, he tells me a story about the last car he bought, a few months back, for $500. It was the most busted up Ford Festiva known to man. This thing barely qualified as a car - it was a go-kart. So he and his brothers head down to a 2 dollar shop, buy a pile of $2 spraypaint, and paint the whole thing black. Then, to top it off, they then paint 2 yellow racing stripes running up the bonnet/over the roof/over the boot as if it was the latest Ford GT sex machine.

They drove it around for a few months being total hilarious lunatics on the road, daring people to race them at the lights (meanwhile, I could have had a Fred Flintstone car with a hole cut out of the bottom powered by my legs that goes faster), parking directly in front of nightclubs as if it was a limo and pretending that it was an awesome beast. And they got girls!!

Eventually the car committed suicide and died (probably from embarrassment), they sold it for $300 to a monster truck show, and munched on popcorn as it was run over several times in front of a cheering audience.

This is why I drive a van.
 
He he - good story O-A

My first three cars I sold for more than I paid for them. Easy to do when the most I paid was $200 (and one of them was free).
My third car I splurged on a 25yo Holden Rodeo, which was a beast of a thing. In the 5 years I owned it I had 2 repairs done (once the clutch and once the altinator). I still own it today, but it has been retired to the beach house.

Last year I went all out on a brand new set of wheels. Spent big, but got exactly what I wanted. My fuel costs are now right down, insurance and rego are non existent, maintenance cost are also right down and parking is never an issue. I just hate the big hills, or pushing into a strong Freo southerly.
Plus I get fit - all for the grand expense of $1500 (including the proper shoes and shorts). :D

Its an amazing trend on this forum, 90% of us are too tight to buy a new car :D
 
Ocean Architect said:
One of my cousins taught me a very important lesson about cars (I was in my early 20s). He said "Cars dont get you women. Cars get you to the women" (we were talking about all the guys buying new SS Commodores with ferrari racing suspension and all that craziness for $70k+)

So, he tells me a story about the last car he bought, a few months back, for $500. It was the most busted up Ford Festiva known to man. This thing barely qualified as a car - it was a go-kart. So he and his brothers head down to a 2 dollar shop, buy a pile of $2 spraypaint, and paint the whole thing black. Then, to top it off, they then paint 2 yellow racing stripes running up the bonnet/over the roof/over the boot as if it was the latest Ford GT sex machine.

They drove it around for a few months being total hilarious lunatics on the road, daring people to race them at the lights (meanwhile, I could have had a Fred Flintstone car with a hole cut out of the bottom powered by my legs that goes faster), parking directly in front of nightclubs as if it was a limo and pretending that it was an awesome beast. And they got girls!!

Eventually the car committed suicide and died (probably from embarrassment), they sold it for $300 to a monster truck show, and munched on popcorn as it was run over several times in front of a cheering audience.

This is why I drive a van.
Click to expand...

Great story...
 
luckyone said:
Wish he was more frugal like me, i can't even convince him to buy second hand clothing. He won't wear anything that doesn't have a tag on it when i bring it home for fear it may be secondhand. So annoying!
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gross! I don't like second hand houses but they can be reno'd to freshen them up, the thought of a second hand car is a bit wrong, second hand clothes is simply out of the question. I would rather wear my old ones
 
I know a guy who has spent more stuffing around with an old landcruiser than a brand new commodore would have cost him over 3 years... no maintenance and no headaches. I think he may have finally got it registered - but it's still just a rusted out landcruiser
 
I bought my first dream car a few months ago...go Toyota Echo...fuel efficient and easy to park.
One day I'll have a bigger dream and a better car...but for now, it is my dream car as it takes me from point A to B
 
Ausprop said:
I know a guy who has spent more stuffing around with an old landcruiser than a brand new commodore would have cost him over 3 years... no maintenance and no headaches. I think he may have finally got it registered - but it's still just a rusted out landcruiser
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when it gets to that stage, you ahve to remember "what was he going to do with all the time he spent on this hobby which happened to be a car"
 
Got my dream car 7 years ago.. Nissan 300zx 1990 sports car.. Had to teach myself how to become a home mechanic for it to be financially feasible. Damn expensive cars to send out to a mechanic..

Right now scored a free Corolla 1991 hatchback that Im fixing up to be a cheap runabout train station dont car about car so I can spend more time fixing up my dream car..
 
love reading this stuff. the frugality of some investors baffles me.

I've been investing and working hard for more than 10 years. Just put in an order on my new lease car - a brand new black BMW 5 series with M sport package. It's not my dream car - just my main company car. The porsche 911 C4S will have to wait a little while,.... but not too long:)
 
the whole argument around cars just getting you from A to B also erks me. I spend most of my life either at home, in the office, or in a car. I want all 3 of those experiences to be the very best they can be. That's why I invest and work to the best of my ability.
 
shim said:
...fuel efficient and easy to park.
Click to expand...

That in fact is one of my key criterea for a dream car these days..... I found that driving a track ready car on the road had several issues:

1. Police seem to pull you over more often when you have a 6 point harness, racing seat, and are sitting with your eyeline just over the dash (so you don't keep whacking your helmet againt the full roll cage...)

2. getting in and out at your destination gracefully from said seating position in point 1 not so easy in anything other than a racing suit.

3. Trying to parallel park while in said seating position described in point 1, as well as big rear wing near impossible without a pit crew member guiding you....

4. Clutch heavy in traffic jams..... Luckily I had a normal one. Carbon multi plates are a dog in traffic - you'll burn them if you ride them, so it is basically redline and drop it - and hope the car in front has moved sufficiently...

5. Fuel - having to plan your trips based on where the correct fuel will be available before you run dry is irritating. (ok, ok, exaggerating - program your ecu to run lean....)

6. Interesting side effect of low suspension setup and splitters - can not get into every petrol station mentioned in point 5 due to angle on driveway. Also may not necessarily complete all speed hum crossings without losing various bits of aerodynamic aid and componentry.

7. Interesting side effect of stiff suspension/chassis set up - bent wheels when going over rail way crossings. Also broke engine mounts regularly.

8. If you are running hi temp brakes, they need to get hot before they work. Forget corbon discs or pads on the road - just does not work at legal speed limits. I found ceramic pads on steel rotors are a good compromise :)

9. Radio/CD/any entertainment?? Come to think of it, where's the aircon!

10. Passengers seem to have a hard time sitting on the floorpan with the fire extinguisher (no seat...)

11. Catalytic converter - oh, you need one of those? Damn!

12. People think it is fun to play with the switches on the outside of the car with the red or blue triangle pointing to them :mad:

The Y-Man
 
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