[Donster]

Hi, i am new to this board.

I am 28 years of age, and have just landed a package worth around 38k+ benefits. I have no mortgage (tenants are paying for it), and no credit or debts.

I have never really bought a car above the 15k mark before in my life..

I guess what i am trying to say is can i really afford to run a 330d?

Or maybe its a complex i have...gah who knows!!!!!

[Porscha!]

Just GO FOR IT!

Believe you me if I was on £38K p/a I'd be driving a GT3 ... yeah, really! Depends how much cars mean to you what you spend your money on!

If you'd love a 330d, buy a 330d you never regret things you've done only those you haven't.

What exactly are you worried about?

Porscha -x-

[AlanQS]

I know it's a few years ago but when I was young, single with no commitments, a rough rule of thumb was that, if you wanted to spend most of your free cash on a car rather than anything else, then you could afford something that cost almost your annual gross salary (basic, excluding benefits etc.) although you would have little cash left for anything else until you paid for it.

I don't think it's as easy now but if you said 75% then a car costing about £28k is within reach and an almost new 330d could probably be bought for significantly less than that. Provided the insurance company doesn't hammer you, I don't see why running a 330d would be excessively costly - and it is a buyer's market out there!

[beemerbird]

Welcome to the forum.............simple answer with the figures and circumstances you have given is yes.

[Donster]

Wow, thanks for all the comments you guys...

I am defintley going to be on the lookout for a 330d now. I think its feasible. However, i think my sensible head is taking over sometimes.

Maybe the money could be invested elsewhere etc... blah blah..

Christ i think i need to get out more! It never used to be like this lol

[CD]

its not a matter of being able to afford the car, its can you afford to keep it in tyres or thats what i find anyway

good luck in your decison, there are a lot of deals to be had at the moment, shop around and you will find a cracker im sure

welcome to the forum and happy christmas

[CD]

Originally Posted by Donster

Christ i think i need to get out more! It never used to be like this lol

im a similar age mate, 27 ... and im getting more and more like that

[Donster]

Originally Posted by CD

im a similar age mate, 27 ... and im getting more and more like that

lol...

So true mate. Have a gf wanting to get married. Both sides parents are pushing for it also. Responsibilities just seem to pile up over and over with time..

How i wish i was 22 again. Backpack on my back, chilling out on beaches with lots of hot women in brasil and other places around the world. Not a care in the sodding world!

Merry Christmas to you also!

[rsyed]

i have been fortunate enough to have been driving a bmw ever since i turned 26. I have realized for myself - buying the car is not the big problem. The big problem are the running costs: petrol/insurance (about 1,5k quid/year)/road tax (we pay about 1000 quid/year on a 335)/repairs/service that come after warranty (any visit to the bmw dealer costs a fortune. example: 300 quid for an oil change)..

good luck with your decision... go for it - enjoy life whilst you can

[dxb335d]

They are expensive to run/insure/maintain for sure. Especially if your young.

[marriedblonde]

With no mortgage and no bills then I'd say yes you can afford it. Your only young once

J.

[Gibbo]

Ask for a pay rise and get an M3.

[hmi1750]

I am 27 and have a 330d and earn no where near you. but like you I have no mortgage etc.

My biggest bill is for fuel, which is due to 20K+/yr and running both the family cars in terms of servicing etc. Sure a 320d would have saved me a bit in fuel, but not too much as mostly i just cruise the motorways.

But I have paid for my car, it is not effecting my cashflow.

Depends on the other responsibility. I might have sold my car if I freed up enough cash, but really with the mileage I do its my only vice, so might as well enjoy it too.

[cn555ic]

you live in this world only once, and since your not married and have no bills at all, I would say buy the car instead of leasing because once you pay the car off in say 4 years who knows where you life will be then....If you have more expenses 4 years from now at least you have a nice ride thats PAID OFF...IF your leased the car and 4 years from now have more important bills, you probably would not be able to lease another car because priorities don't justify it and have to downgrade to something thats not even comparable to your BMW and that would suck....I bought my E93 two years ago and is still paying for it, but 1 more year its mine totally...I have two kids that need to go to Catholic schools next year and if I was in the scenario of leasing the car, I would probably not be getting the E93, but since by next year I have no more payments, I get to satisfy both areas, me having a fat ride for quite awhile and my kids going to the best school in my area...Who is better than me!!! For you I would say buy the car instead of leasing it before you get married but make sure you take really good care of it, once your married do you want to drive around in a MINI-VAN!!!!

[itsbrokeagain]

I always like to step into threads like this and it makes me sit back and realize how the rest of the world sits compared to here.

I am 26, but I have had my BMW since I was 24. I leased mine through the employee program at the time ($3k USD off invoice) and my car was pretty packed out with options ($42.5K USD total pricing). My lease is almost up, and I could most definetly afford it now to actually buy it (it lost $8K in value due to the market crash so that makes it even easier).

When i was single at the time, I figured, ah what the heck, I could jump into a coupe later, or perhaps even a Z4M. But with a gf and the possibility of marriage as well, things have changed, and Im looking to get out of my house and start living on my own. I wish I was 26 and had tenants paying for my mortgage

We dont usually have road tax here. If we do, it most likely comes bundled into some other tax, or tolls for the bridges and parkways. Insurance here is purely based on age, any previous driving violations, and how many miles per year you drive. Im sure if I lived over there, there would be NO WAY I could afford a 335. Do they tax you on engine size as well? In Japan they do, which is why so many people drive a 1.5L or smaller car....that and the parking spaces are absurdly small.

I also have a 1988 325iS, which is my daily driver, to and from work kinda deal. I have to make it last, because when the 335 goes, I have to keep driving some sort of BMW.


Although Porscha would most likely want to see me driving a Porsche

[itsbrokeagain]

Originally Posted by cn555ic

you live in this world only once, and since your not married and have no bills at all, I would say buy the car instead of leasing because once you pay the car off in say 4 years who knows where you life will be then....If you have more expenses 4 years from now at least you have a nice ride thats PAID OFF...IF your leased the car and 4 years from now have more important bills, you probably would not be able to lease another car because priorities don't justify it and have to downgrade to something thats not even comparable to your BMW and that would suck....I bought my E93 two years ago and is still paying for it, but 1 more year its mine totally...I have two kids that need to go to Catholic schools next year and if I was in the scenario of leasing the car, I would probably not be getting the E93, but since by next year I have no more payments, I get to satisfy both areas, me having a fat ride for quite awhile and my kids going to the best school in my area...Who is better than me!!!

Sup dude? I havent seen you in a long long time.

Does your store sell Tempurpedic (sp) mattresses? I think me and the girl next year need to upgrade to a bigger bed LOL

[willhollin]

Buy one mate, i'm just on benefits and I can afford one. I love this government.

[Donster]

Originally Posted by willhollin

Buy one mate, i'm just on benefits and I can afford one. I love this government.

Are you shitting me?

Which council estate? how many kids? how many disabilites?

[marriedblonde]

Originally Posted by willhollin

Buy one mate, i'm just on benefits and I can afford one. I love this government.

If you claim you have bad eye sight the goverment will buy you a 40" flat screen to save you squinting...

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by Donster

Are you shitting me?

Which council estate? how many kids? how many disabilites?

Can't really divulge that on here mate but it's possible, bit of this bit of that you know what i'm saying.

[Donster]

Originally Posted by marriedblonde

If you claim you have bad eye sight the goverment will buy you a 40" flat screen to save you squinting...

Originally Posted by willhollin

Can't really divulge that on here mate but it's possible, bit of this bit of that you know what i'm saying.

On a serious note, i was watching a documentary about benefit cheats.

A couple who were "apparently" divorced were claiming seperate benefits yet living together.

All the while the missus was renting out her other pad to some angolan refugees for like 300 quid.

Neither worked at all, and the guy had amassed a fortune of around 2 million pounds in assets and property. They had him on film buying a new-build with benefit money.

She had the 3.2 DSG Audi TT and he got the X5.

Within 2 days the authorities took back everything and put them back into the stone age.

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by marriedblonde

If you claim you have bad eye sight the goverment will buy you a 40" flat screen to save you squinting...

Barstards only gave me a 37"