Change car every 3 year? Think again !

[Ahyoo2002]

Agree.

 

Sometime I do think my neighbour must be thinking I super poor as driving a "OLD" 7 years old car

[Throttle2]

depends on what 7 year old we are talking about.

 

many standard premium 7 yr olds can cost more than a brand new Jap anyway.

 

 

My strategy in the past was to change cars every year or so.

I would specifically buy >7yr old cars and pay in full.

 

During those days, paper value would be maybe only a few grand less than selling price.

This guarantees that even if i totalled the car, the loss is very limited.

 

I think i will go back to this strategy after i drive my current car to end of COE in 2014 ? ?

[Chrispie]

haha bro, tot that time you keep wanting to make ppl buy your 5 series? change plan aldy ah?

 

Adding on to what some other bros has commented, as in the rich in other countries do not really care about the car you drive (unless its a ferrari or what), they dun really pledge your level of achievement based on car. It is also because cars are not that expensive (as compared to your monthly income) that it is not a good gauge for financial achievement.

 

IT is precisely the govt has made car SOOOOO expensive here that it has become a fairly good marker for financial achievement. I can drive an old toyota with 3M in the bank, you can drive a new 3 series and living pay check to pay check, ppl will still think you are doing much better than me.

 

I guess it is a very common trap for many of us. More often than not we seek approval from others by using our material possession.

[Iziz]

I have been reading this very interesting thread.

 

I find that people around my age (late 20's, early 30's) usually exhibit 2 schools of thought:

 

1) Those with ambition to curb expenditure, be financially independent, and to one day make it rich. They have hope that one day they could turn their savings into bigger money through investments either in business or any of the investment instruments. They look forward to that day.

 

2) Those who lead their financial life on a day-to-day, paycheck-to-paycheck, hand-to-mouth basis, not thinking much about the future and wanting the high life NOW. This school of thought know that they will never be very rich anyway, they are farked anyway in this era of rich-getting-richer and poor-getting-poorer so what's wrong with being happy now when they can still afford to be?

 

Group 1 may also be those who are upwardly mobile in career and society, as they have something to look forward to. Group 2 may be those whose careers have stagnated, probably saddled with children and a mountain of debts, and are farked anyway.

 

Of course these are all generalisations, and there are those who are moderate (in between) and who overlap these 2 traits.

 

Interesting take but did u notice tat Grp 2 r the kind who might end up with some lobang/frens/biz opportunity which "helps" them to attain riches?

 

I feel tat being overly prudent may not be too good a thing either, u lose interest in life itself and starting ranting at every single thing under the sun tat does not fit into ur "ideal".

 

Disclaimer: My above statement is not pertaining to cars nor is it trying to promote car sales, just my observations and 2 cents worth (or has it inflated to 3 cents now? )

[Throttle2]

haha no change. My 5er is always for sale.

 

Only thing is I cant think of what really to get if I sell the 5er.

I got 16mth old kid and I dont fancy SUVs or MPVs.

 

Any suggestions?

[Longg8]

the new audi s5....

http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_...rts/audi-s5.htm

 

good looks that are reasonably priced.

[Chrispie]

Liteace.. big and good.

[Kelpie]

haha no change. My 5er is always for sale.

 

Only thing is I cant think of what really to get if I sell the 5er.

I got 16mth old kid and I dont fancy SUVs or MPVs.

 

Any suggestions?

 

I read some of the correspondences in this thread about richmen keeping humbly old cars . When I visited a few Middle-East countries and chance upon chatting with some of the very rich people there and we were talking about cars. So one of them said, changing or buying a luxurious car is as simple as a phone call away for them. But when I told them I drove a humble Honda Civic, they told me how they admire Japanese technology that produces fine automatives at very competitve price (I know they are b ull sh itting but being polite and I appreciate that ). None of them have sat in a Honda Civic. And to them, is like they can't imagine themselves sitting inside a small and cheap car . Probably to them, they already find A4 too small or "cheap" to put their foot in. However, one of them told me, Audi is good and gave his son a R8 on his xth birthday.

 

You see, most of these rich men don't drive or do not fancy handling the wheel. And some know nuts about Auto technology and they are so rich that what is a Mercz S500 to them? Remembered the corrupt Prince of Brunei? You guys know how many S500 are keeping in the garage and rust away?

 

If one old rich man prefers to use an old car, he probably have fond memory of it. You see, when you are so rich and things can be bought so easily, you don't have much feeling about it one. However, money can't buy you memory.

 

You see, in your case, if you are already there with a 5, would you want to drive a Picanto just to show that you're thrifty ? Not unless, touch wood, you have serious financial difficulty and no longer as rich .

 

Regards,

Edited July 27, 2008 by Kelpie

[Throttle2]

S5!

 

cool . i'm not keen to buy new car becos i change quickly and audis lose money more than other contis. did think about the 1.8t cabrio secondhand though.

 

in the end the 5er was a better choice overall for me

[Throttle2]

Wow, you just echoed my earlier post.

Fully agree.

 

however, rich doesnt necessarily mean great.

There is no need to emulate the rich.

They may not want to drive cars or eat char kway teow but i do.

 

Am not looking for a picanto becos it doesnt suit my style and practical requirements. maybe someday it will.

 

lastly, i am not rich. i think i wont ever be.

[Throttle2]

Hmmmm, how come i never thought of that, bro?

 

does it come in a 6cyl engine, moonroof, 200bhp and fully adjustable electric front seat version ?

 

[Nhyone]

Being born into wealth is different from building it up from scratch.

[Struvytes]

[Longg8]

yes indeed. audi has very poor resale value...

my boss's boss's boss A8 3.2 bought @ 280k, after 3 years, it's valued at 130k.

 

that's 150k loss in 3 years.

[Ahyoo2002]