The recession and car ownership.

[travelininstyle]

I just wondered how the current and possibly long financial squeeze was affecting and shaping members decisions with regards to their current car ownership,changing and buying etc.

I will be honest,I suspect I might even consider to opt to purchase my current CLK ,as the miles are low,but I suspect a few members may be re-assessing their options in respect of a less certain future and a squeeze on income - what are your decisions and thoughts about your own car ?

 

[LTD]

No plans to change the W220. It's better now than when I got it 3 years ago.

Might have a new toy tomorrow evening though. That'll depend on some bugger outbidding me on eBay

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I have just swapped my W211 that did an average of 35-40mpg for a Discovery 3 that does about 25mpg.

A recession is what you make of it...

 

[whitenemesis]

Best time to pick up a real bargain!!

 

[travelininstyle]

No plans to change the W220. It's better now than when I got it 3 years ago.

Might have a new toy tomorrow evening though. That'll depend on some bugger outbidding me on eBay

Good Luck !

 

[Colin_b]

I don't like uncertainty, but I'm paid more than average, enough to indulge my car fun to a degree. I'd planned to upgrade my SLK 350 to an SLK 55, and another more sensible but newer car.

But I'm not going to commit 3 years ahead just yet. Or possibly ever, I retire in a couple of years!

 

[markjay]

Recession or no recession, the W203 stays for now. It has been very reliable and as long as it stays this way, I'll keep it.

 

[millo777]

I've been tempted recently to get a more frugal car, but the thought of being tied into 3 years of finance payments isn't especially attractive in the current climate. I may opt to get a w124 diesel and run it on chip fat as week day transport and keep the petrol engined cars as toys. I might even save enough on fuel costs to fund a nice r129 as well.....

 

[LTD]

millo

keep what you have - they are the cheapest cars you'll find

 

[Dr-Nab]

I intended on indulging in a 911 or GTR once I've finished with my E-Cab, 911 being more appealing than original plan of going for a Datsun GTR - with its bi-yearly servicing, thirst, ability to chew through ridiculously expensive run flat tyres and questionable gearbox reliability puts me off because it could be a real money pit..... May well end up sticking with my rattly Benz until it rusts away!

 

[millo777]

millo

keep what you have - they are the cheapest cars you'll find

No chance of selling what I have, just adding another old smoker or two. I've given up selling cars as I always lose a fortune. They only leave my ownership now if someone writes them off or they're nicked.

Just filled up the w140 and it took £110.00 and that was at tesco, not the V-Power it usually drinks.

I can see a chip fat burner in my future!

 

[diggerfil]

Well, i have ran two cars for many years now, usually some form of Van based vehicle but now an Isuzu quad cab diesel pick-up for work and the 2nd car has effectively been the family car or My weekend Toy would be a better description

Now, my week-end toys over the years have given me immense pleasure, the list is very lengthy but have included many M3's (E36/E46) M5, Alfa Romeo V6's Lexus, Subaru P1's & STi's, Yankee Muscle cars and pick-ups...the list goes on...

...All these 2nd cars have varied in price around the £10K+ figure, but having just sold the Vauxhall/Holden Monaro V8, I have made the decision to spend far less on the weekend toy, in fact considerably less!....Bought a superb W140 CL500 coupe for what i see as bargain basement money, it gives me all the toys and feel good factor that i like in owning a car, maintains my love of big engine'd/powerful V8 Coupe's and if i have any issues with the car I have money in reserve to maintain it! OK, the running costs are still high but i do low annual mileage and i can justify the expense of that

Happy with the Merc' so far! (in fact more than happy with my first V8 Merc')

 

[jackafrica]

It is all about the feel good factor for me.
Here in Oz, whilst they insist things are wonderful, it's wonderful for only a few.
Those retired on fixed incomes (me) are pondering the options.

As my entry into these cars is based only on a whim and a limited budget (the cars here are worth 3-5 times more than the UK) bang for your buck if you'll excuse the pun is limited. Good thing I enjoy working, albeit slowly, on the cars as well as only driving maybe 8,000ks annually.

So I have decided to indulge away, with a 124 now and a 123 for my dotage, to help along my Citroen D series.

Pleased not to be in Europe currently, we're still in the "lucky" country.

 

[st4]

No plans to change the W220. It's better now than when I got it 3 years ago.

Might have a new toy tomorrow evening though. That'll depend on some bugger outbidding me on eBay

Let me guess. CLK cabrio?

Jay will be vending my E320CDi sport. It's one of a kind with the suspension and as you said, it's not new, but most of it is.

Off to Nuneaton you go in two weeks.

 

[Frugal]

I find that my car purchase decisions are pretty independent of the global/national economic picture. If I'm happy with what I've bought then I'll keep it for several years before moving on.

 

[robtt]

Last company car before becoming a consultant so will buy it when I leave and keep for a few years

 

[Geoff A]

The recession isn't really influencing my decisions. It's all down to past experiences really, with a mix of current reliability and costs.

My next car will, one day be a C350Cdi Estate, but I'm not ready to shell out £30k on the current model and be tied to heavy payments for three years. So I'm waiting another year or maybe longer, for prices of secondhand models to ease downwards a bit. After losing £16k on a BMW 535d Touring a few years back, I promised myself I'd never spend more than £20k on a car again. It means my C270Cdi will continue to earn its keep - after three years of ownership, I see no point in moving it on yet. It's been brilliant and one of the best value motors I've ever owned.

I'm lucky enough to have a TVR Tamora as a weekend motor/toy and it keeps me from getting bored with the Benz as my daily driver. Had it three years too and it really is a keeper. And its a bonus that TVR prices have been gaining ground recently.

My partner's MkIV Golf GT TDi has just passed 152k and after six years of ownership is still going strong, but she's hankering after an SLK and that's probably the way things are going to go. Yes, the Golf soaks up some expenditure, but with one previous owner, its very tidy - she's not as interested in cars as me, but given that she's mentioned SLKs more than once, classified ads have been drawing some of my attention......

 

[Lockhart Flawse]

We run 4 cars and exact mileage done in each from 27/7/11 to 27/7/12 was :

W124 - 2696 miles
TVR Griffith - 2350 miles
Defender 110 CSW - 6026 miles
Nissan Note - 27274 miles

Total mileage over 12 months - 38,346. Three of our cars are not depreciating and can be easily and cheaply repaired with new or second-hand parts. The Nissan Note is the hack.

Point of the preamble is that I had planned on swapping the Note next year when it will go over 95,000 miles but with the recession I am going to try to get an extra year out of it.

L.F.

 

[Deleted member 11979]

The recession and high fuel prices have meant that we have managed with high spec economical diesels that are relatively new and therefore a known cost.

The cars that I get enjoyment from can be sold or not used should harder times come, but thankfully this has not happened. I think where we are now is the new normal, and we are just about to layout a lot more money on changing to our "rest of life" house, and I want to make sure that purchase is a secure and comfortable one, hence the cheap to buy and run cars.

 

[haggis2768]

Recession or no recession, the W203 stays for now. It has been very reliable and as long as it stays this way, I'll keep it.

my thoughts exactly!