How much does the car you drive cost you?

[Platypus]

I'm curious to know if people :

(1) Like to own a 'top of the range' motor and happily spend say £500+ a month on say a lease/purchase? This might be the case if you're image conscious (don't be shy) or just like the feeling of having a lovely car.

(2) Mindful of budget, but like to own a new(ish) car and spend say £300+ a month to lease something pretty decent and reliable.

(3) Even more mindful of budget, you buy something outright which costs less than say £10k, and is several years old. But promise yourself that one day you'll have a really nice motor!

Yes, I'm sure there are some of you who have bought £50k cars outright ! (Mich?)

I'm currently a (3) but I'm just ticked off with never having a really nice car. Although I don't need to drive much these days, it'd would be great to have something shiny and a bit prestigious. Just once!

What do you guys 'n' gals do ?

EDIT: Actually the thread title is a bit tulip. I'm not asking how much £ you spend, more what your attitude/mindset is!

[northernladuk]

You forget to ask one important question. Is a nice car important to you?

You are going to get differing answers from petrol heads to 'a car is a tool to get from A to B' so won't be able to make an real sense of the answers.

I have a 12 year old workhorse for doing my 20k miles a year. Cheap, does the job. Nothing special.
I also have a 'nice' car which is totally impractical being a 2 seater and is bloody expensive to insure, tyres are 250 quid a pop for OEM's and petrol consumption is rubbish... but do I give a toss? No.. its bloody ace and worth every penny.

My limit comes when someone asks why don't I do the 20k miles in the nice car.. At that point it gets a bit expensive with depreciation and so on. Stupid logic I know but works for me.

[Mich the Tester]

Bought the car cash from savings. Not new but bought it 3 years old; I don't want to throw away 30k euro the moment I drive out of the dealer. No idea what it costs me each year, but I like it.

Big Benz. V comfortable, but most importantly, very relaxing to drive, even at 200kph plus.

[Alf W]

We've got a workhorse 4WD that I use when it's hot and sunny and a very quick 2 seater that uses loads of petrol, costs a fortune in tyres and insurance, gives you a crocked back if you drive it for any more than half an hour and is a massive amount of fun to drive - I tend to drive this in the Winter and it's lethal in the snow and ice and the headlights aren't great either.

All nought with cash by the way. Before that I had a Beemer that I ran for about 9 years. Again bought with cash.

[swamp]

I've got a fairly decent car, but the important thing is it is not losing too much money in depreciation. Cars can cost you a tremendous amount of money this way if you are not careful.

[Mich the Tester]

I've got a fairly decent car, but the important thing is it is not losing too much money in depreciation. Cars can cost you a tremendous amount of money this way if you are not careful.

Yep. Here in Europe, Benz are probably the best for depreciation, especially if you have high mileage. VW are pretty good too. BMW and Audi are OK, but due to the reputation of their drivers, rightly or wrongly they're worth bugger all with 300k kms on the clock. You can still sell a Mercedes petrol car with 300 or 400 k on the clock, and a diesel with 600 or 700 k on the clock. A BMW or Audi with the same enormous mileage might be just as good, but nobody believes it because they see idiot sales reps driving like loons in them.

[Jog On]

Not much: bought for cash.

Now do about 25 miles/week.

Small engine, low insurance, disappointing fuel economy.

But it gets me from X to Z.

WHS

Honda Civic 1.4, 10 years old, cost £1k

I am ploughing £2k/month into my trading account afterall

[Jeebo72]

Yes, I'm sure there are some of you who have bought £50k cars outright ! (Mich?)
!

Yip, and i also know of one contractor who bought a bentley (second hand) for 85K cash. He's well known in the tax mans office...

[Clippy]

Bought my car (6 months old) for cash in 2002 and have still got it.

I've kept it in good nick and it still looks good for its age.

The last few years I think I've managed to shake off the 'keeping up with the Jones' thing with regards to cars.

Hope to have a nice motor one day - when it suits me not when peer pressure dictates.

[Scrag Meister]

You forget to ask one important question. Is a nice car important to you?

You are going to get differing answers from petrol heads to 'a car is a tool to get from A to B' so won't be able to make an real sense of the answers.

I have a 12 year old workhorse for doing my 20k miles a year. Cheap, does the job. Nothing special.
I also have a 'nice' car which is totally impractical being a 2 seater and is bloody expensive to insure, tyres are 250 quid a pop for OEM's and petrol consumption is rubbish... but do I give a toss? No.. its bloody ace and worth every penny.

My limit comes when someone asks why don't I do the 20k miles in the nice car.. At that point it gets a bit expensive with depreciation and so on. Stupid logic I know but works for me.

Here here!!!

And may I say what great taste you have, as does Thomas Soerenson.

Last weekend I got the old (not so old really) girl serviced and mot'd, insured and taxed (6 monther) £341, £399, £239 respectively, but it was still a GREAT weekend