Let's say a chap, a good looking and charming drummer, just a random one, I'm not thinking of anyone in particular here. Let's say he had a car, one that he'd bought about six years ago when it was brand new.
We'll also say that the car in question was a reasonably high end one, costing, we'll call it £40 at the time.
Our good looking and charming drummer drives the car for the six years, quite liking it but never thinking of it as being a scorcher of a car. However, though he doesn't consider himself a flashy, motivated by recognition type of person, he's also aware that he gets a certain amount of satisfaction from the fact that the car is one which turns a few heads.
Over the six years the car does its job, continuing to turn the occasional head or two. Then, our herothe random anonymous drummer takes the car to get it valued for a part exchange on a new car and is told that it's currently worth £8.50.
It's the same car, only six years older, than when it was bought, admittedly with a lot of depreciation, but still looking pretty much the same. It was the same car five minutes before the valuation as it was five minutes after. But, the chap can't help feeling a bit disappointed that it's now just a fairly regular saloon, the kind that many people will go out and buy.
He's an honest and genuine fellow, big and bold enough to admit this sort of thing.
What does this situation say about the fellow? Is it bad, good or just normal?
What do you reckon then?
8 comments:
depreciation is a bitch mate, especially when you buy a new car. Being the car business here in Australia I always turn my car over before a year is up that way no repairs, no depreciation and always something new to experience :o) if only it were that simple with women.
8.50 ? Are you sure ? Did you forget to add a K at the end of that ?
Are you sure the car dealer wasn't being sneaky and trying to get it sold for a steal ? I bet you take good car of it though...
i have a similar car story...my pre-owned ford taurus...is apparently the car of the ( 30 something unspontaneous unambitious losers)... I saw it on the news recently...and was obviously taken aback when i realized that's probably why it didn't cost me as much as it should have. i still love my car though and treat it like my baby... and i'm nothing like that ( well...not 30 until next year anyway :p )
Marc - in one way I wish I could afford a new car every year, but I also quite like "getting to know" a car over a few more years. I guess there's never a straight and easy solution and, whatever one does, a car costs money, lots of it. I never realised you were in Oz. My cousin lives there, do you know him? Oh and G12, but you probably know here anyhow!
Maya - I was being cagey with the exact figures for fear of coming across as bragging. As far as I can make out it's a pretty reasonable price for the car, though all these dealers want to make some money and I know I'd get more if I sold it privately.
I think the main thing about any car is whether you like it or not, and clearly you do, which is ultimately all that matters!
Have a good day out there in US land!
ugh *embarrassed* ...why do i always take everything sooo literally ! ...i so need to get used to your style of wit ...
might help if you told me your cousins name :p
Sell the Beemer privately mate, it's worth taking a few calls and putting up with a few tyre kickers to make an extra couple of thousand quid :o)
Actually Rajiv was talking about cars having a "loss of confidence" point -- the point at which it no longer appeals to you the owner or user. He was mostly talking about it from a reliability POV, that once it's been to the workshop a certain number of times, you lose confidence in it and it's got to go. But I also think that loss of confidence can come from just being told your car is a hairdressers' favourite, or a bit girly, or not considered a real driver's car, whereas you'd always liked it. Suddenly you begin to question your own taste, or your overall carmanship, and you start to look elsewhere. I'm told this applies to wives and girlfriends too, but as I said, it's just what I've been told.
If you remember that list of top 25 cars we were discussing, I'd initially picked the MC12 as my Maserati, and this has long been a car I really liked. Then I read somewhere that it wasn't as good a performer as the Enzo it was based on. Suddenly, I just couldn't bear to have it in that 25, and I look at it quite differently just from that knowledge.
RD, IMHO the best way to enjoy a nice car is to buy a less-than-a-year-old pre-owned (not "used" heh he) car; use it for 2 years and get rid of it before the repairs/replacement parts kick-in.
There is no way one could avoid losing the money – either the depreciation or the maintenance is going to kill you anyway.
DB - Yes, I think this "loss of confidence" point is something that's very important for most of us drivers. Though I don't feel as is my confidence in my current car has ever been very high, it definitely seems as if it's now gone way past the tipping point. I've never questioned my overall carmanship though!
SI - The sad thing is mate, I enjoy that "new car smell", really I do.
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