changing your car... what affects your choice?

tupac_healy

Years back it was the case where if I wanted a car I would get the money the money together and buy it... Tax and insurance (even though they were always paid) never really came into the decision making process.


Nowadays I find that more so than ever its TAX is deciding what my next car will be!!!!

For example, now im driving a vw bora 1.4 petrol and would fancy getting something a bit more powerful with a bit more space, you know upgrade.


Preferabbly id go for an e46 or a lexus is200, both comfortable cars etc but I have them ruled out solely based on tax!!!!!


I'm sure im not alone in this positon & was wondering how do people find some common ground beteen affordability and comfort.....


And yes, I do blame the government for this crap, our motor tax system is so unjustifiably bias that's insulting.

sentient_6

I think your being a bit dramatic about tax. Your paying 385 on the 1.4. Its 710 for a 2 litre, so thats just 325 extra. A fraction of what you'd pay over the course of a year on your car if you account for fuel, servicing, tires, & insurance. Nevermind a fraction of what you'd probably pay to switch in the first place.

toastedpickles

How much are parts and stuff to get fixed, stuff like that, how safe is it and so on

Cba about all the rest

Peanut2011

My main concern is reliability & running cost (servicing, parts, insurance, motor tax). Also if the car is fit for the use I need it for.

tupac_healy

sentient_6 wrote: »

I think your being a bit dramatic about tax. Your paying 385 on the 1.4. Its 710 for a 2 litre, so thats just 325 extra. A fraction of what you'd pay over the course of a year on your car if you account for fuel, servicing, tires, & insurance. Nevermind a fraction of what you'd probably pay to switch in the first place.

How dramatic I am being depends on your point of view in all fairness.....


How about this, earning less money these days, Motor Tax rates, petrol prices have shot up over last 5 or so years, life circumstance change etc etc etc.... All of which combine to make that 'fraction' as you put it THE deciding factor when it comes to changing a car. Insurance etc won't affect me was much as I am over 30 with a full clean licence and have had a vast array of cars insured with insurance companies.

Sorry to say but it is only a fraction from your point of view, one persons view is another persons deciding factor, consider that when you comment calling my post dramatic.

Eric Cartman

I always go for whatever the largest engine I can afford to run is. Im happy with 28mpg from my commercial 4x4 so I just buy the most powerful / biggest engined vehicle I can get that will hit that number. Once ive made that decision then its down to whats the cost with every single factory extra included on it , full spec is the only way I go with cars.

insurance would come second last, tax I dont care about.

13spanner

Reliability, fuel consumption, insurance costs and personal taste. Bit of everything really

tupac_healy

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I always go for whatever the largest engine I can afford to run is. Im happy with 28mpg from my commercial 4x4 so I just buy the most powerful / biggest engined vehicle I can get that will hit that number. Once ive made that decision then its down to whats the cost with every single factory extra included on it , full spec is the only way I go with cars.

insurance would come second last, tax I dont care about.

So you would buy say an m3 or similar for example without a second thought regards tax?


Damn if I was like that my life would be so much easier! Ha ha!!!!

sentient_6

I'd be of the opinion by the way that changing cars will never ever make finanical sense no matter what you do. You'll be down money no matter what. I stand over my point about concentrating on tax. There's vast amounts of people in this country who buy brand new cars for low tax. Whats that about like? How many threads pop up on motors of people even looking to spend 10k+ plus but its has to be 08+ & in tax band a & b only. Doesnt make sense.

tupac_healy

sentient_6 wrote: »

I'd be of the opinion by the way that changing cars will never ever make finanical sense no matter what you do. You'll be down money no matter what. I stand over my point about concentrating on tax. There's vast amounts of people in this country who buy brand new cars for low tax. Whats that about like? How many threads pop up on motors of people even looking to spend 10k+ plus but its has to be 08+ & in tax band a & b only. Doesnt make sense.

Not true! Being down money no matter what.... I once bought a 1.6 impreza for 3k, sold it a year later for 9k!!!!!!! Its all about timing and finding the right buyer.

Your talking about those buying brand cars for band b tax, this os my main point about the entire system being discriminate in the first place!!!!!!!!!


08 audi 10k+ less than 400 to tax...
01 is200 2k nearly 800 to tax......


Why? You see my point?

dgt

Do I like the car?
Can I run to the tax per year?
Is the fuel type suited to the car?
How many faults can I spot on it?
How difficult are they to sort?
How much will it cost to buy the parts?
How cheap can I get the car?
Does it drive well?
Do all/most of the switches/electronic crap work?

I'm sure there are others but thats generally how I work when buying a new daily hack

tupac_healy

dgt wrote: »

Do I like the car?
Can I run to the tax per year?
Is the fuel type suited to the car?
How many faults can I spot on it?
How difficult are they to sort?
How much will it cost to buy the parts?
How cheap can I get the car?
Does it drive well?
Do all/most of the switches/electronic crap work?

I'm sure there are others but thats generally how I work when buying a new daily hack

What combo of those would make you walk away?

Anan1

tupac_healy wrote: »

Nowadays I find that more so than ever its TAX is deciding what my next car will be!!!!

....

And yes, I do blame the government for this crap, our motor tax system is so unjustifiably bias that's insulting.

This would make perfect sense if motor tax was a completely separate cost, but it isn't. The cost of tax is to a large extent reflected in the purchase price of the car, which is how my brother managed to pick up a 07 Murano with 70k kms and FSH for €7000 last month.

Eric Cartman

tupac_healy wrote: »

So you would buy say an m3 or similar for example without a second thought regards tax?


Damn if I was like that my life would be so much easier! Ha ha!!!!

bought a 735i :pac: , only thing about it is now that its in the top tax band I feel like buyign a 750 just to get the most for my tax money, only problem is I cant afford to maintain a V12

dgt

tupac_healy wrote: »

What combo of those would make you walk away?

Depends on how much the car is, and if it requires major work to get right (I'm trying to put those day behind me) as the last thing anyone wants is a daily hack that keeps blowing up/falling to bits/having a mind of its own etc