Yes, as we've already established - you change your vehicles regularly. I'm not sure what those changing requirements could be, considering you're using 3 or more vehicles at a time. You'd think you'd have all bases covered. I suspect the real reason you keep increasing your budget is because you're never satisfied for long and always want a new or more expensive model. Or maybe you can't really afford these vehicles and you're hanging on month by month?
It's a tricky one. It flies in the face of satisfaction if you're regularly changing and swapping out. That behaviour points to not being satisfied. You'll say it's due to a change in circumstances, but the evidence doesn't suggest that. You might actually tell yourself you're satisfied, because you need to believe that in order to keep repeating the process, i.e. changing your vehicle. If you admitted you were never satisfied, it would detract from the buzz and thrill of a new purchase. You'd be buying more insatisfaction. So there's certainly a level of you playing games with your own mind here, probably without you even knowing it.
When buying a vehicle, there's a sweet spot where its age will mean you're getting the best of the modern and the best of the old. You'll get the best value and quality because you make a series of judgements. This can range from vehicles around 3-20 years old. But of course, doing the research and homework is essential. There's lots of differences from brand to brand and model to model. Finding a good example of a 20-30yo car isn't easy. Also, big steps in safety advancements were brought in around the early 2000s and things like better rust protection came in. When buying used and a bit older, you want to take advantage of the significant steps in advancements whilst not being too concerned with many of the small steps and unneeded technology. For example, DCTs were brought in to much acclaim and have been littered with faults for over a decade. It took a good few years for manufacturers to accept there was a problem and they still wouldn't admit to it fully in terms of warranties. Of course, there's always compromises to be made, there's no perfect vehicle.
The thing is, the whole point of doing research and making an informed decision is not being an average buyer. All cars need fixing, but many of the mostly costly things are related to technology. Then of course you have EV batteries. These issues can cost more than a new engine and more than the vehicle would be worth. We'll see how these warranties work out over time. If you stick an EV vehicle on a fast charger that it doesn't like and it fries some components - will the manufacturer play ball? I wouldn't be so sure, a lot of this technology is going to be open to interpretation in terms of faults.
£10-£50 isn't really an accurate range for shoes, £50-£150 would be more typical. But the point is that something considerably cheaper isn't necessarily that much inferior in quality. It could be very similar. Just to note, I tend to shop smart rather than shop the cheapest. My judgement has been honed through research and experience. For e.g, I'll generally buy footwear for around £70 in genuine end of season sales if I can get my size. Around 5 years ago I bought a pair of handmade Italian brogues that fit perfectly. They were around £150 and had been £500 at full retail. I thought the cost to benefit ratio made sense. They were probably discounted so much because they weren't seen as on trend at that time (they prob actually are now) But I'm a contraian buyer and do like that type of purchase if it makes sense.
To me, it seems like you're someone who is attempting to derive meaning through their spending. You earn a certain amount so a certain percentage of that has to be spent. You're effectively on a ladder system of purchases. You might need to be to get up in the morning. But at the end of the day, everyone makes their own decisions. I'm just trying to warn people about spending big money and getting contracted to significant monthly payments.
Strange where you have to base your opinion on incorrect assumptions to justify your comments. :unsure:
But to clarify, I've probably changed my main car on average every 2-3 years, but gone through many earnings changes and many changes in requirements, that happens for younger folk. Some cars I've had 5-10 years. For that I don't think it's a lot, but hey, you seem to think you know more about me and EV's than I do, but actually you don't unsurprisingly. My total outlay on my main car (TCO) is typically <5-10% of my wage, and I save/ invest >50% I reckon I'm ok thanks.
A 20k earner with no kids may be satisfied with a 10k sporty hatch, then over the course of 10 years they might end up as 100k earner with a 50k on a convertible, then they might then have kids and spend 50k on a SUV or whatever. Lots of changes in lifestyle, lots of changes in circumstance, in a short period of time. If each time they have a car (or shoes, clothes, house etc) for a set budget then the budget will change, and then again for circumstance changes. For their age Younger people probably swap more, if they can afford too. Some old guy in his 60's likely won't change circumstances as much, so might keep a small car and run it into the ground, which for them is probably sound, that's what I may end up doing one day.
Of course I don't have to explain myself, nobody does. All I'm here to do is compare the numbers on newer cars, which are like for like, and this will be my last response to you, as it's clearly a waste of time. The only reason I've responded up to now is to help others passed your narrative.
Some buy a car to drive and enjoy, or at least not hate, some get the cheapest thing they can get their hands on to just get from A to B. Each to their own.
I agree on the sweet spot, for 2-3 year old cars, this is often the case, but in a time of demand and in a time of a switchover, that conventional thought can change. For ICE cars that probably still applies, more than EV's. But like I keep saying, I'm talking largely about comparing to EV cars 0-2 year old, as this is when EV's have started to come into the market to a reasonable level. I've no interest in comparing anything before then, as EV's largely were not even remotely mainstream, and the infrastructure wasn't great. But a lot has changed. The fuel, tax, maintenance savings on a new EV, can offset that of buying a 3 year old ICE. Plus the ICE will likely depreciate more, especially a new or 0-2 year old one.
I don't have the same concern about batteries and motors as you do, largely as the warranties are massive. A performance engine for a BMW, Audi or whatever would cost an absolute fortune (I've had to pay this once), and the warrenty on it would expire in half the time/ miles. I would expect the engine to be fine for a lot longer mind, but maybe not the fan belt, clutch, auto gearbox, discs, pads etc. Obviously an EV is covered for all of those (doesn't have most of them), and won't likely even need a set of discs and pads ever (certainly not in my timeframes).
You can get shoes for £10-£30 very easily, but I wouldn't buy them. You could even get some good ones which are 3-5 year old? You seem to think a bit smarter when it comes to shoes though, I'll give you that. But with shoes it's simpler, the TCO is the shoes and shoes only. There's 20 things which decide the TCO of the car, it's more complex, which is why ticket price is not the be all and end all.
Not really, I know what I can easily afford, and certainly wouldn't buy a car more than 10% of my monthly wage now TCO, don't think I ever have spent more than 20% when I was much younger, but that was mainly fuel and insurance. I'm probably spending a lesser percentage now than most I expect. If you do alright, you want nice things, if you do medium you get medium things. To some people that's a watch, a fishing rod, a season ticket or whatever, and some blow their budget on one or two things. I spread mine out, like most do I expect. Still manage to save half my wages, and have done for a long time. I could save more and just buy the cheapest gear, but I'd rather enjoy what I have/ use often.
You still have liabilities to fuel, maintenance, being outside warranty, tax etc. If you don't pay them you don't go anywhere.
Again, I'm only talking about 0-2 year old EV's, most cars in that range might be out of peoples budgets (ICE or EV), that's fine, I'm not really talking about them, and most reading this thread or considering an EV probably aren't either. Maybe a 3 year old ICE v a new EV is probably the furthest comparison I could do. But a new EV is around 10-20% more than a new ICE, will practically win every time, for a comparable car. That's not your market, that's fine, but for many others it is.
). Other than that a few 50 mile trips.
