We couldn’t help overhearing a recent cafe conversation about an
old chap who had decided to sell his car. We couldn’t help it because the main
speaker was so loud. At least that’s our story.
Anyhow, two chaps were drinking coffee at a nearby table and they
began chatting about a mutual friend who was getting on in years.
Apparently this aged friend of theirs was about to sell his three year old
Volvo. He’d only covered about 1000 miles in those three years yet the car
originally cost him somewhere between £40k and £50k. The teller of this story was rather
vague about the price and didn’t know much about cars either.
However, the subject of their conversation had approached the Volvo dealer
where originally bought the thing and had been offered about £20k for it. This of
course was the point of the story – why had their old friend bothered with an
expensive car in the first place if he hardly used it? He could have done without a car and used taxis instead.
Hardly an uncommon type of story but people do make strange
decisions when it comes to buying cars. We’ve switched back to buying used cars
but we don’t fancy a used Volvo even if it only has 1000 miles on the clock.
4 comments:
All cars are money pits although some are bigger than others. At 1000 miles a year given total costs, and I mean total, you are better off in most cases using taxi's. But if you want to spend the money OK that is a personal decision. With rising costs generally, I suspect a lot of people need to weigh up the housing versus car question carefully.
My days of cars are now over. Taxis if needed.
By coincidence a friend dropped by today and I could not help but notice he did not have his Range Rover Vogue Sport but was in an 04 Escort, the Range Rover not for the first time was in for repairs, the alternator had packed up requiring a partial vehicle dissemble to fit a new one and a bill to match.
I could not help ask about the rather well kept Escort, not mine he said a friend has lent it to me whilst repairs are done, he then went on to extole the virtues of this little gem, the owner had paid just £400 for it and had used it as a second car for two years it came with Full Mot leather seats diesel engine new tyres unmarked body work in metalic silver and has never missed a beat.
I suggested he ditched the Range Rover and stick with the Escort, I don't think he will, status still has it's place in the world of cars, but what a little bargain.
Demetrius - yes, if he has the money he may as well spend it as he chooses but this is almost throwing it away.
James - I know a chap in the same situation and it is surprising how little real difference it makes to his ability to get around.
Wiggia - yes the status seems to matter, although I don't think other people notice any but the most unusual cars.
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