cost of cars

[kev2021]

Hi all,

Is it just me or have all car prices gone up?  I went to my local ford dealer, with a view to possibly changing my car to the newer model, same spec albeit in the new model that comes with whatever that model comes with for same spec and only adding on rear camera.  Not only has the deposit required gone up but the monthly payment has gone up quiet a bit and the figure to pay if decide to keep the car is also significantly higher.

I’ve looked at some others and all seem pretty high now…. starting to look like will need to keep car the full term and then prob buy it but it’s not good in terms of a replacement…..

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

Defo, there’s a website I follow (www.honestjohn.co.uk) and they are great for reference.

Probable much like yourself, we always like browsing around car showrooms and as http://www.honestjohn.co.uk say, prices are up by 25% since 2019 and even the secondhand market has increased considerable as a percentage.

If you are looking for a deal, try Pre-registered cars as they are effectively surplus stock if you can find them ?

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[kev2021]

Yes, I hear that the new Focus will be the last one they make as they wont be making that any more or making an electric version.  So that’s the Fiesta, Focus and I believe Mondeo they are getting no longer going to be making (unsure when the Focus will cease production) but the Fiesta you can only order until end of the year.  So it looks like Fords are now sticking with there effectively crossover (puma) and SUV cars as I guess that’s what people are buying these days.

Personally, I quite like the KUGA but unfortunately its out of my price range even for the standard spec, let alone addition options I’d like on it.  I’d go for the PHEV version which yes would assist in fuel costs as could hopefully do daily journey on Elec (bit unsure as not sure what they are like in traffic and my commute is effectively the electric  mileage range so could be close to call, and suspect over time batteries will be less efficient so will get shorter range) but it’s too costly… the months are high, the remaining balance is high etc so hence looked at getting the last Focus model as I’ve had a 2006 Focus, then a 2011 focus – which i have to say was utterly shocking in every respect, from buying it i could floor it and it would not even get up to a speed I could put it into 2nd so I’d have to force it and let the car struggle a bit and then it picked up…. (this got better having used it for a week or 2 but still occasionally struggled a bit, it then had to get a new windscreen as the heated screen stopped working and wouldn’t clear, left areas not cleared, then the Elec windows started to play up.. after that I just got shot of it, totally unimpressed with it, I kept it for approx. 1.5years then just couldn’t live with it any more…. shame as my previous car (2006) was fine, I only sold it after suddenly realising how little I’d get back for it and that I’d have it 5 or 6 years…. So I switch brands completely then but came back earlier this year as due to now using my previous car for commuting, it wasn’t really up to city driving and towards the end, diesel was going up and up and it started to complain 6 months after a service it needed another one, not due to mileage, just due to the on board computer as it sits in slow moving traffic, wasn’t doing it any good so after much debating as I did like the car and it was great on a run, was a 2 litre so plenty of go, was nice drive etc but that too was loosing value so I decided to bit the bullet and trade it in as diesel was costly plus lots of rumours gov was going to hit diesel car drivers etc plus then the used car prices started going up so I sold it and got a bit more money for it that I would have, mileage was only 38k and was coming up to 6 years old, had to pay for last service (had a service plan before so all was covered but that ran out) and servicing was high cost, albeit I fortunately needed a minor service on last go so got a way with it cheaper but still bit high for just a standard service. The major service would have been due this year and that was double at least the standard service so no way was I paying that out so hence sold it.  Fords have passed it on to a auction site, where it still looks to be up for sale, no MOT/Tax on it to date since i sold it.  Partly surprised as it has a pretty good spec and low mileage (38k) but I guess cost of diesel is so high, people don’t want to spend a fortune filling it up. But does pretty good mileage on a run.  Initially i used it on mainly long runs but since covid, I’m driving to work etc so that has caused it to be more town driving and it not overly happy with that, wasn’t too bad whilst lockdowns as I still had to go in so roads were pretty clear so not too bad, although still lights etc.

So i’m back to Ford and would of been nice to switch to the newer version of the Focus, just to see the model out so to speak but not yet as too costly, maybe they will come down in the next year or so? suspect not but with everything else going up, don’t want to commit to something I’m then going to regret and possibly not have funds for etc.

So will have to potentially look around again, I hear new Kuga coming in 2023, due to be out late 2023 but we should see it in early 2023 in Europe.  No doubt will be a higher cost for that, suspect that’s why the existing Kuga isn’t as high to buy at the moment as they prob trying to shift them as they know newer version coming.

I’ve looked at some pre-registered but 2 issues..:-

1. They don’t have options I’d like
2. The price isn’t hardly any different to a new one and also no 0% interest, some are higher interest rates.

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

My wife prior to her Citroen C3 had a Toyota Yaris (Hybrid) and a great car mechanically but was just lacking the creature comforts and interior decor of European equivalent’s.

Interestingly, the C3 which is 2019 plate actually achieves higher MPG than the Yaris (2015-16) I forget which, as the commute is 50 miles per day.

Hybrid is good, in certain scenaro’s but lifetime costs and batteries are a challenge.

I am still awaiting Hydrogen Fuel cells for my next Car/SUV or at least Solid State Battery (SSD) technology and will be keeping my Diesel until then I hope.

 

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[kev2021]

Yes, I had a diesel previously and was great car just not for commuting round town, perfect on a motorway etc.

I’m half tempted to go plugin-hybrid as it seems most of these cars can do 30-40 miles pure electric which, depending on how the Elec lasts whilst in traffic etc, in theory is enough for a round trip but only just.  So in that respect, i’d have to charge it every night and given how elec has gone up, would need to work out if its cheaper than buying petrol.

I did look at one car manufacturer and it gave a handy section whereby you could choose motorway or town driving and it told you how many miles the car would do and surprisingly, if on motorway it is a fair bit lower than the advertised miles you can do so I think they have based the mileage on town driving as opposed to sitting at 60 or 70 on a motorway so worth bearing in mind if you ever take that option.

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

Do you not find, switching cars every year or so, you actually are losing £ in the pocket as a percentage / depreciation ? or have you found that actually you have been lucky and depreciation has worked in your favour ?

This is one of the reasons for myself keeping my diesel, whatever I buy will cost more than my car currently is worth and diesels do tend to be reliable if looked after ?

£20 car tax, service and MoT every year and my vehicle is on the road for around £ 150 each year (I do my own services)

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[kev2021]

As my previous car was comig up to 6 years old, it would of started to cost me every service going forward whereas previously the car came with approx 4 years of service plan left so didnt cost me anything to service it, all covered.  Only thing i paid for was 2 MOTs and 1 brake fluid change for that whole 5 years.  It never needed brakes or anything else doing apart from the stadnard service so in that respect, it cost me effecively very little to run. It had 1 recall on it that was done again all paid for, didn’t cost me anything.

Previosu cars i’ve kept a few years before selling, only car i sold quikish appro 1.5years was the 2011 Focus as it was just hopefulless, was spending more time at garage than i used it.

With this car, I’ve bought on PCP deal so i’ve put in a small deposit and I pay monthly for it.  At the end of the term, i can pay remaining balance to own and keep it OR i can trade in.  At present, if i traded it in, i’d rob get approx 1k to put to another car BUT unfortunately all the prices have gone up so the difference in monthly payments for example the same car (excluding options i would want to fit) is a little over £100 a month more and then the final payment to keep the car is a fair bit higher but thats becuase the cost of the car was gone up.

This is my first PCP deal as a mate of mine has been doign it a few years BUT he put down 0 but pays a higher monthly payment and he changes every couple of years as he can get out of the deals and end up with something towards the next car.

My dad did one previously and after 1 year, they let him switch to another new car, same spec and options for exactly the same monthly payment for same model car BUT as the new shape has gone up in price, its a fair bit more which doesn’t make it a viable option snow a getting expensive but ti seems all cars are going up in value.

I was only interested as if i could of got the new shape for same monthly cost and no additional money then i’d of done it as will be last focus they produce and i’ve owned previous models but wan’t to be.

Normally i keep my cars 5-7 years beofre i sell but i’ve always bought then via a loan and when the loan is paid off, its mine and I can then sell on and that money goes to deposit on next car etc but the PCP i’m trying out as effectively i can pay 3 years of X per month + initial deposit and then get antoehr car and not pay the final balance on a car that is 3 years old by then as typically they get more expensive to maintain.

So i’m tryign this out and will see how it goes.  Given the higher PCP prices now, whereby tey nwo seem to want a higher deposit and higher final balance and then monthlys can be lower, it works out a bit too costly so far so will have to revisit next year as this car took about 6 months to get and shortly after, newer orders were taking 12 months to arrive so not sure if they have come down yet but will revisit next year as will need to decide do i:-

1. Hand it back and walk away and buy something else
2. get another car on PCP, being it same model or different and work out the costs
3. buy the car, find a different brand car i like and then trade it in and then do a PCP or normal loan to get it
4. Buy the car and keep it for a year or 2 and re-assess options

I do fancy a PHEV car, not keen on going full Elec yet as don’t think we have charging infrastructure appropriate yet.

Kev

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[Kian Naspruitts]

I totally agree with you on car prices. It’s not just you. Prices have gone up across the board. I was looking to upgrade my car as well and noticed the same thing. The deposit and monthly payments are definitely higher, making it harder to get a newer car. It’s starting to seem like we might have to keep our cars longer than we’d like to save up for the newer models. On another note, I recently purchased a car and had to ship it to my location. After researching different shipping companies, I contracted the best company to ship car. They had the most affordable rates and great reviews.

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