Buying a car - why the interest in SUVs, 4x4 etc

[LondonMix]

In the US, MPV's are called minivans which, at least in the public psyche, are VERY different from SUVs. Minivans are only really for people with kids. Their very practicality makes them deeply uncool and they have a whiff of having 'given-up' about them...

Edited to fix typos

[JohnL]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> In the US, MPV's are called minivans are at least

> in the public psyche are VERY different. Mini

> vans are for people with kids. Their very

> practicality makes them deeply uncool and they

> have a whiff of having 'given-up' about them...

And Pick-ups are for serial killers and red necks ;)

[DaveR]

"In the US, MPV's are called minivans are at least in the public psyche are VERY different. Mini vans are for people with kids. Their very practicality makes them deeply uncool and they have a whiff of having 'given-up' about them..."

.....and this is the reason why SUV/crossovers have become so popular in the UK. MPVs took over the family car market (Citroen Picasso, Renault Scenic and of course Zafira) but they looked dull and worthy. The only body shape that keeps the high driving position and space but can be made more sexy is the SUV - QED. Plus, the Japanese manufacturers missed the boat in the MPV market and rather than trying to catch up decided to go different, and most already had bigger SUV ranges.

[LondonMix]

Yes--I know many people who need a minivan but don't want a minivan and end up getting an enormous off road vehicle instead that serves almost the same purpose.

Toyota tried to acknowledge and make fun of the uncool image of the minivan by launching an ad campaign in the US referring to their new model as 'Swagger Wagon'. It may come up on youtube if you google it. It highlighted the extra functionality of minivans for kids that most SUVs don't come with. I'm not sure how many people it convinced though!

[LondonMix]

Here is the link to the video--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4

Watching it again, they make specific reference to it not being an SUV, so that tells you everything...

[tomskip]

With cars it is so very much about status symbols.

[Seabag]

JohnL Wrote:

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> LondonMix Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > In the US, MPV's are called minivans are at

> least

> > in the public psyche are VERY different. Mini

> > vans are for people with kids. Their very

> > practicality makes them deeply uncool and they

> > have a whiff of having 'given-up' about them...

>

> And Pick-ups are for serial killers and red necks

> ;)

I also own a Pick-Up and a few white vans, and a fork lift

What kinda cutn am I

[Mick Mac]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> SUV with 7 seats.

Ha. Even if it says MPV in the name ?

Although to be fair I cant see it described as an MPV anywhere else. So and SUV it is.

[Jeremy]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Jeremy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> > SUV with 7 seats.

>

> Ha. Even if it says MPV in the name ?

>

> Although to be fair I cant see it described as an

> MPV anywhere else. So and SUV it is.

I guess there may be some ambiguity in the case of the enormous 7 seat SUVs (Audi Q7, Volvo XC90, and the absolutely gigantic Merc GLS that one of the mums in our nursery rocks up in every morning). But generally... off-road styling = SUV.

[Mick Mac]

I'd like to add that although we have one of these, our children all make their own way to school...

[jaywalker]

For my parents (who do not live in London) the critical issue is the high driving/passenger position - with age and arthritis the low position of a normal car is very difficult to get in and out of. Perhaps along same lines, also greater visibility (even if at cost to visibility of others).

[LondonMix]

My dad drives and SUV as its much easier to get in and out of with his back problems.

[ratty]

I am umming and ahhing about whether I want one. Really I want something economical, reliable, wi th enough space in it for camping holidays so I don't have to pile up half the luggage and equipment on the kids laps. It's between an estate and a SUV for me, but the question I cannot get past is how the hell does anyone afford one? They seem to start at around ?22,000, which on a combine s family income of about ?75k doesn't not seem possible when the mortgage sucks most of that out the bank!

[alice]

he he via GIPHY

[Phlox]

It's really difficult driving now with a normal low slung car due to the proliferation of speed bumps, in my opinion. And as Jaywalker says, easier to get in and out of a car with a higher driving position.

[Jeremy]

ratty Wrote:

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> how the hell does anyone afford one? They

> seem to start at around ?22,000, which on a

> combine s family income of about ?75k doesn't not seem possible

You don't need to buy new, ratty. I would have thought 10K or so should get you something pretty nice with reasonable mileage.

[Mick Mac]

A lot of people buying new ones will go for the finance deals, which often come with a discount to the list price, but obviously you still pay a bit more overall.

Upfront payment, two or three years of monthly payments and a final payment. At the end of the three years the car should be worth a fair bit more than the final payment due and then you either pay the final part and keep the same car, or trade in the car as your upfront payment on a new one and continue with the monthly payments with a new car for another three years.

Some people on the other hand might just be lucky enough to be able to fork out ?30/40/50k - good luck to them.

[KidKruger]

10k will get you a 2007-8 Landrover Discovery with high-end extras and seven seats if needed, indeed why by new ?

[Jeremy]

Each to their own, Mick. Personally... I dislike financial obligation, and like owning things outright. So I go for ~3yr cars with low mileage that I can afford to buy in cash. No need to swap regularly unless personal situation changes (or you just like shiny new things)...

Can't imagine why anyone would buy a brand new car in cash, unless they were seriously loaded.

[LondonMix]

I know people who regularly lease brand new cars and always trade them in. They aren't loaded either. Their logic is with a new car, you can easily budget how much your transport costs are. With an old car, whatever you think you are saving upfront ends up coming as large unexpected expenses when things start to fail and its much harder to budget that way.

I don't have a car yet but when we get one (maybe next year) I think we'll use it so irregularly that an older car with low mileage is the way to go for us.

[Mick Mac]

I had always been of the same view Jeremy but it worked for us at the time. The benefit is that as long as you can afford the upfront payment you are parting with 40% of the car price initially. In three years you have the option to pay off the finance (as we did) or return the car and take the amount by which the car value exceeds the outstanding finance.

You do own it outright, depending upon the financial product, its like a loan secured on the car, but the car is yours.

For us the car is now > 5 years old and we are likely to be keeping it another 4/5 until eldest child moves out and we don't need a seven seater anymore, so it has definitely worked out well. The car is still apparently worth 40% of what we paid for it (we buy any car...?). Had we bought a 3 year old version we would have had a lot of depreciation and likely service costs too

At the time we bought the new one, a 3 year old "approved" version was 65% !! of new list one's list price - I wasn't paying that. I'd rather pay less money for a down payment on a new one, with new car maufacturers warranty etc.

Also, you get to "build" the car yourself - You choose all the options that you want or don't want. Obviously you then have to wait 3 months for it to arrive.

[uncleglen]

I think Phlox has hit the nail on the head- it is the speed bumps- it's like driving on a dried up rutted dirt track- especially now we are down to 20mph everywhere. Also it's a safety issue- at least bull bars were banned....that's why when you are in a side road a 4 x 4 will aim at you and not give way- because the driver knows who will come off worst.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Yeah, I must admit, the speedbump thing makes sense. I don't speed generally, but I still find the bumps absolutely infuriating. That might be the one thing that would tempt me into a 4X4

[Phlox]

I was always worried about damaging the undercarriage of cars. Used to have an estate car, which when loaded was very low slung. It was longer than my current higher off the ground vehicle. If you live somewhere without so many speed bumps, then you might not see the need.