Just had first service

[Primus1]

1st service done on the cross, all very good nice coffee and biscuits and whilst I was there got chatting to the sales chap over a nice cross premium in urban khaki, decided I like the bronze colour better, he asked if I wanted a valuation against my 1 year old cross excel, of course my curiosity was peaked so I said yes….£10 k to change, valued mine at £21,680 that’s against a premier, even less against an excel which is probably what I’d go for…don’t think I’ll bother..

[bathtub tom]

Have you dipped the oil? They always used to overfill mine.

[TonyHSD]

These car swaps at one or few more years old examples were excellent choice during lockdown period 2020-2022. 
Now the car market is facing the worst ever times.
No one is buying cars anymore, not new nor used. Used car prices will contact to go higher although the market is stagnant at the moment. 
The reason is obvious, new car prices unrealistically high, population has become poorer by 40% circa, not a good financial deals. 
Another major factor are the wide spread bev’s. Those are the worst enemy to used car sales, an environmental disaster worldwide and a big reason why used car market is totally devastated. This Trent will continue in the next 3 years. If anyone has a car newer than 10 years of age there is only one best option, keep it for ever. 👍

[Primus1]

51 minutes ago, bathtub tom said:

Have you dipped the oil? They always used to overfill mine.

Not checked it as yet but will have a look

[Primus1]

48 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

These car swaps at one or few more years old examples were excellent choice during lockdown period 2020-2022. 
Now the car market is facing the worst ever times.
No one is buying cars anymore, not new nor used. Used car prices will contact to go higher although the market is stagnant at the moment. 
The reason is obvious, new car prices unrealistically high, population has become poorer by 40% circa, not a good financial deals. 
Another major factor are the wide spread bev’s. Those are the worst enemy to used car sales, an environmental disaster worldwide and a big reason why used car market is totally devastated. This Trent will continue in the next 3 years. If anyone has a car newer than 10 years of age there is only one best option, keep it for ever. 👍

I’ll certainly be keeping it for a couple more years, might treat myself when I retire, if they’d come in with a better offer of say, 5k to swap I might have been interested..

[forkingabout]

1 hour ago, TonyHSD said:

No one is buying cars anymore, not new nor used. Used car prices will contact to go higher although the market is stagnant at the moment. 

When the missus was looking at Yaris Cross at the start of this year, the used prices plus interest rates when so high it worked out cheaper for her in the long run to factory order a brand new one. 

[SDR]

1 hour ago, TonyHSD said:

These car swaps at one or few more years old examples were excellent choice during lockdown period 2020-2022. 
Now the car market is facing the worst ever times.
No one is buying cars anymore, not new nor used. Used car prices will contact to go higher although the market is stagnant at the moment. 
The reason is obvious, new car prices unrealistically high, population has become poorer by 40% circa, not a good financial deals. 
Another major factor are the wide spread bev’s. Those are the worst enemy to used car sales, an environmental disaster worldwide and a big reason why used car market is totally devastated. This Trent will continue in the next 3 years. If anyone has a car newer than 10 years of age there is only one best option, keep it for ever. 👍

Tony, were you ever a fan of the Private Frazer character in Dad's Army by any chance?    "We're Doomed".

Just wondering... 🤣

[Paul john]

1 hour ago, TonyHSD said:

These car swaps at one or few more years old examples were excellent choice during lockdown period 2020-2022. 
Now the car market is facing the worst ever times.
No one is buying cars anymore, not new nor used. Used car prices will contact to go higher although the market is stagnant at the moment. 
The reason is obvious, new car prices unrealistically high, population has become poorer by 40% circa, not a good financial deals. 
Another major factor are the wide spread bev’s. Those are the worst enemy to used car sales, an environmental disaster worldwide and a big reason why used car market is totally devastated. This Trent will continue in the next 3 years. If anyone has a car newer than 10 years of age there is only one best option, keep it for ever. 👍

The PCP car market is definitely driven by FOMO

[Primus1]

I don’t do pcp, I’m a cash only buyer preferring a small bank loan if required, maybe in a couple of years I might consider going fully electric, can’t understand why Toyota aren’t making an electric version of the Yaris/Yaris cross, I think they’d be a market for them, atm, the only electric car that would suit our needs would be the Hyundai kona..

[Cyker]

The tech just isn't ready - It'd be 1.8 tons and have less range than a milk float. If their solid state batteries can deliver what they claim, then maybe we have a chance of seeing something like that - That's what I'd been waiting for before I got KHAAAAAAN'd and the money I'd been saving for just such a unicorn vehicle got pulled for the Mk2 and then the Mk4 when the Mk2 went blam.

As you say, the Kona is the closest thing to such a thing, in that it's not much bigger physically and actually has useful range, but literally nothing else has come out that comes close since - To my knowledge every EV since the original Kona has been bigger and heavier with worse miles/kWh or had joke range. I had been hopeful when it came out we'd see more progress in the direction I wanted, but it's been going in the opposite, with EV manufacturers seemingly concentrating more on adding useless bling and bigger wheels to try and tempt people instead, because the tech just isn't there to make them less crap for their intended purpose, i.e. transport vehicles.

I just hope these Battery breakthroughs we keep being promised come to fruition or we're basically going to see the end of small vehicles and everything will be increasingly massive and heavy pothole-digging SUVs.

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Kona (4,350-4,385 mm L x 1,825 mm W x 1,585 mm H)  is actually around the same size as the C-HR (4,362 mm L x 1,832 mm W x 1,564 mm H), rather than the Yaris Cross.

The Bayon (4,180 mm L x 1,775 mm W x 1,500 mm H) - though no longer sold in mild hybrid form, just petrol only - is similar in size to the Yaris Cross (4,172 mm L x 1,765 mm W x 1,595 mm H).

[Cyker]

2 hours ago, Paul john said:

The PCP car market is definitely driven by FOMO

That and kickbacks!

When I got my Mk4, one thing that totally threw me was they didn't want to take my money!! I was prepared to buy it outright there and the, but the salesman practically forced to take out a 3 year PCP!

I wasn't that bothered since it was 0% so didn't make much difference to me (And let the rest of the money build up a piddly bit of interest after I shoved it into an ISA), but I later found out this is because the dealers get a significant 'contribution' from the finance company for signing people up, which is where most of my discount came from.

This is a good tip for anyone - If you get persuaded to get a car on PCP, make sure you negotiate additional money off!

 

[Chas G]

6 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

These car swaps at one or few more years old examples were excellent choice during lockdown period 2020-2022. 
Now the car market is facing the worst ever times.
No one is buying cars anymore, not new nor used. Used car prices will contact to go higher although the market is stagnant at the moment. 
The reason is obvious, new car prices unrealistically high, population has become poorer by 40% circa, not a good financial deals. 
Another major factor are the wide spread bev’s. Those are the worst enemy to used car sales, an environmental disaster worldwide and a big reason why used car market is totally devastated. This Trent will continue in the next 3 years. If anyone has a car newer than 10 years of age there is only one best option, keep it for ever. 👍

It's the same with luxury watches. Nobody is buying and second hand values are dropping like a stone.

I have been thinking about not changing my car in September next year when it will be 3 years old time and maybe buying a usable classic second car for a bit of fun. Unfortunately I am too old for another Caterham or motorbike though.

With this in mind I have been trawling through recent auction sold prices of cars like a Triumph TR2/3, MGTD/TF, Morgan 4 etc.

Its apparent that he prices for the run of the mill classic cars are dropping  and cars that were selling for £20k are now £10k-£12k plus commission.

Depreciation and the inflated prices of a newer car just seems like a waste of money.

[SDR]

2 hours ago, Cyker said:

 

This is a good tip for anyone - If you get persuaded to get a car on PCP, make sure you negotiate additional money off!

 

And if you are getting a discount that depends upon taking out a PCP, but it isn't 0% (as is likely won't be anymore), confirm how quickly you can pay it off (if, of course, you are able to do so).

[Primus1]

Are you able to take out a pcp then pay it off say a couple of weeks later.? I know you can do this if you take out the dealer finance loan to buy the car.

[152bobby]

I beg to differ on the comment that less people are buying new cars, EVERYONE i know have new cars and it's VERY hard to see any bangers on the road like we used to.

I guess a lot of them may be on the never never or company cars and there's so many people out there that just don't care about taking the pride in looking after them.

MANY years ago when I worked in the office environment,  I had a company car and I treated it like it was owned and paid for by myself, it was pristine when I handed it back and then I took the car allowance cash option instead.

[bathtub tom]

10 minutes ago, 152bobby said:

 EVERYONE i know have new cars

What do you class as a new car? I see from your profile, yours is around three years old.

[MC1216]

9 minutes ago, 152bobby said:

I beg to differ on the comment that less people are buying new cars, EVERYONE i know have new cars and it's VERY hard to see any bangers on the road like we used to.

I guess a lot of them may be on the never never or company cars and there's so many people out there that just don't care about taking the pride in looking after them.

MANY years ago when I worked in the office environment,  I had a company car and I treated it like it was owned and paid for by myself, it was pristine when I handed it back and then I took the car allowance cash option instead.

Sorry but you are wrong...new car sales this year to private buyers are down 12%.

New car sales are strong to companies and people who lease but the majority of money/profit made by car companies is to private buyers as we don't get the same discount.

https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/new-car-sales-private-buyers-fall-ninth-consecutive-month-15-04-07-2024

[Paul john]

3 minutes ago, MC1216 said:

Sorry but you are wrong...new car sales this year to private buyers are down 12%.

New car sales are strong to companies and people who lease but the majority of money/profit made by car companies is to private buyers as we don't get the same discount.

https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/new-car-sales-private-buyers-fall-ninth-consecutive-month-15-04-07-2024

There is a VAT incentive for company purchase/lease so instantly much cheaper. 

[152bobby]

23 minutes ago, bathtub tom said:

What do you class as a new car? I see from your profile, yours is around three years old.

For example, I have 8 regular customers who come to my house nearly every day, they all have 24 plate 4x4 cars or similar and I recently just sold my Aygo X which was brand new when I purchased it and there's always a waiting list for people on here who have ordered a new car, grant it may be to do with availability, parts etc, overall stats may say there's a decline, but people are buying new, at least the people around my area 😄.  

And I know the new cars sales rep at my local Toyota dealership pretty well and he is rushed off his feet.

[MikeSh]

1 hour ago, 152bobby said:

at least the people around my area

Yes - Berkshire (and Bucks, Surrey, etc) are some of the most affluent parts of the country. And your customers obviously have money to spare or they wouldn't be customers (I'm assuming you don't live in the local Lidl store 😱 ).

So you are seeing a very select slice of the UK demographic.

[152bobby]

25 minutes ago, MikeSh said:

Yes - Berkshire (and Bucks, Surrey, etc) are some of the most affluent parts of the country. And your customers obviously have money to spare or they wouldn't be customers (I'm assuming you don't live in the local Lidl store 😱 ).

So you are seeing a very select slice of the UK demographic.

And I assume my nearly 3 year old YC Premier Edition is now today's "banger"😭😄

[Primus1]

My problem is I’m a bit like a magpie, I see a shiny new car in the showroom and I’m tempted to buy one, I really wanted to keep this one long term and it looks like I will, especially as I retire in two years and, of course, the car will be worth even less in another two years, that’s partly why I returned to Toyota, if any car is to survive long term ownership without problems, then it will most likely be a Toyota, but, never say never…

[Cyker]

It is a bit weird - My neighbour was saying sales were badly down which is partly why he left, as the higherups were pressuring them to leave to save on wages while there was a slump.

However, I've seen so many Yaris Mk4s, RAV4s and AygoXs with Jemca and Hills plates I don't see how this can be the case, and that's not mentioning all the Tesla Model 3s, Pole Star 2s, Ioniq 5's (Albeit 90% of those are cabs  )

re. the PCP, there is a minimum period but you'd need to check with the salesman or finance people. Might be in the Ts and Cs

[anchorman]

I lost only four thousand on my 2020 Lexus NX after 2 years which was when cars were in short supply.  I lost significantly more just changing my UX from a 250 to a 300.  It would have been impossible without some severe negotiation but then you have to ask, if you’re in the position of no debt and being close to dropping off your perch, what’s the point in squirrelling money away?   I know several people that are proper well off and live like church mice.   Wtf are they waiting to happen?