Cars suck

[CardShark]

They're so bloody expensive.

I spend a fortune running and maintaining my car, and when i try to sell it cause it costs so much suddenly no one wants a powerful car so the price has halved.

Infuriating.

[southbiochem]

Yes, I see what you mean.

Usually most people who buy a car will focus on the price alone but not on the gas costs and repairs and such, that is carries.

Gas is getting pretty expensive and so the monthly cost of having a car is getting up there too. Let's not even begin to discuss if the car need some repair.

[CardShark]

Petrol prices are getting insane as well, literally a 3rd of my salery goes on paying for my car just due to my own idiotic nature of going for large and powerful cars, and its not even a new car.

Its also a Jaguar so repair/part prices are ridiculous from that side of things as well.

[partis]

Yes they do suck, going around polluting the air, beeping your horns at other car even if the pedestrian standing right next to you gets most of the effect, always thinking you have right of way even though you’ll get to your destination quicker than im getting to mine, going places and by the time you find somewhere to park its time to go home… yeah they suck!

[Lilitu]

i want my bike back.

It was a really good bike. >

[southbiochem]

i want my bike back.

It was a really good bike. >

OMG yes, I would want a job that I could ride a bike to.

Instead I have to travel and hour and a hafl in train and bus

[Bowyn Aerrow]

I spend a fortune running and maintaining my car, and when i try to sell it cause it costs so much suddenly no one wants a powerful car so the price has halved.

Actually cars depreciate in value rapidly after the first 2-5 years (depending on make and model). My Roomate bought his 2004 Saturn in 2008 for $6,300. After it got totaled last December it was only worth $3,000.00 And that is according to Kelly Blue Book.

And it sold for around $15,000 brand spanking new....

So cars lose value rapidly... Well until they are 25+ years old then suddenly they start gaining value depending on what shape they are in. More on that in a moment.

due to my own idiotic nature of going for large and powerful cars, and its not even a new car.

Well there is the root of the problem which in your first post you completely failed to mention.

Reality: Cars do not suck - your choice in cars is what really sucks for resale value and cost and maintenance.

There are affordable compact sedans and semi-sporters (cross breeds) which are great on gas mileage and maintain a high turnover value early on. Understand until a car becomes a classic its value depreciates with time.

When I got my 65 mustang it was $1000.00. A little work and an over all investment of $3000 and I was able to sell the care for $12,000 - profit of $8,000. One reason why it earned more than what I paid for it was its age. It was 40 years old when I sold it in 2005. Another reason was it had only been in one fender bender - and aside from a bit of body work (rust and paint chips) its only real need was a removal and replacement of its wire harnessing, and a bit of re-upholstery and carpeting.

Had I done a few other things (which were on the wish list), I most likely could have doubled and got twice the price. Fully restored classic mustangs can now fetch $25-$30 thousand - if they are restored with official 'authentic' prices and given authentic 'official' paint jobs and stuff. Time/age has given them back real value. Collectors values.

So is your Jag like a 65 Mustang? Is it close to classic status (I believe 25+ years)? Does it have only minor accidents and nothing major on its record, needs only a bit of body work/interior work or something simple like a rewiring? If so then a little investment may turn this lemon into a profit making item. How much profit depends on how much work needs to be done and how good you are with tools.

IF your Jag is a classic you may need to start hunting for a classics dealership. I was fortunate to find an old mechanic who was a Classic Ford Mustang fan to the point where he converted his garage, then added a new garage in order to be a sales point for Mustang parts. He did some ver serious digging to find manufacturers who dealt cheaply in authentic classic restoration parts. Going through a modern Jag dealership is going to cost you majority (this is how car manufacturers really make their money). Places like Autozone and NAPA cart parts typically only stock more recent model and popular makes parts, and then charge you a bit extra for special orders for older car parts.


Fuel efficiency: Keeping your car tuned yearly (at the very least) - tune up means belts, sparkplugs, spark plug wires, getting in the engine compartment and actually tightening nuts and bolts that will loosen just with driving - can boost gas-mileage a couple miles per gallon. Proper tire maintaince can also be a huge boost - maintaining the correct pressure and keeping the tires balanced and aligned can have a huge impact not only on fuel consumption, but also on wear and tear on the car.

[sillyboy86]

Those are few of the reason why I don't have a car... and I don't want a car.

[MisterTinkles]

Jaguar cars are classically a British auto offering, and though the company has changed hands, the production plants for Jaguar are still in the UK.

The original Jaguar developed from another company, the Swallow Sidecar Company, which was located in Blackpool, England. Swallow eventually moved to Coventry, where Jaguar was produced for several decades.

After WWII, the Jaguar production plant location was moved to Brown's Lane. In recent years, this plant was shuttered, and production moved to two locations: Castle Bromwich in Birmingham and Halewood in Liverpool. These two locations have shared the production of the various Jaguar models, including the XK, X-Type and S-Type, that help maintain the brand as a popular luxury car for buyers all over the world.

In 1989, the Ford motor company purchased Jaguar, and held it until 2008, when it was resold to Indian auto maker Tata Motors. The Jaguar division was packaged along with the Land Rover line of vehicles, which Tata now also owns. The bottom line is that, though the Jaguar company has not been in British ownership for many years, production still continues to be located within the UK. However, rumors abound of new plant locations for the company, as executives make statements about the future of Jaguar. Along with plans to compete in offering environmentally sound solutions to a worldwide customer base. There are also indications that in the future, current UK plants may decrease or cease operations. However, for the moment, Jaguar cars are produced within the UK and shipped to their global clients.

http://www.carsdirect.com/car-buying/whe...cars-built



I have been in retail for most of my life. And during that time, I have seen what prices stores actually pay for products and services, and what the vendor price is, as well as the middleman price and markup price.

I have also worked at the world headquarters for a global company in the purchasing department.

This has allowed me to devise a basic system for how much it actually costs to build an item, as opposed to the extravagant and obsessive price hike that is asked for said item. And I can tell you that prices all over are "gouging prices". Meaning that companies are not regulated for the prices they charge for what they sell or make, and are able to charge any price they want. Such is the fact with Apple products. "Luxury" or "high end" products are marked up even more, just because of their "name". (by the way, it costs Apple Company about $40.00 or less to build one of their $600.00 phones)

Jaguar automobiles is one of these "luxury" named automobiles. When Ford bought Jaguar, they pretty much ruined the line. They imposed cheap Mexican parts to be integrated into the production, as well as cut corners to make more profit. The Jaguar line suffered, and has still not fully recovered from Ford fucking over this brand.

I know nothing of the current owners of Jaguar, but the "look" has improved.....I have not heard anything about quality though. If I am to go by the India made products I do know about, then Jaguar is still made with cheap parts and not worth the extravagant prices you are paying for a "name".

If you have an older model Jag (at least 10 years old or older), and it is in very good shape, then you might want to research some Jaguar collectors/appreciation sites. Sometimes the best way to sell something that has devalued, is to sell it to someone who actually appreciates the brand.

If you are spending more in maintenance than it would cost to be making monthly payments for a new vehicle, then you are screwing yourself over. I would suggest, if you do like your Jag and would really like to keep it for a while, clean it up and have it repaired to as close to perfect as you can possibly get it. Rent a storage space made for vehicles, and place it in storage, with a car cover over it. (You will need to start it up once a week to help keep the engine from freezing up over time) This will allow you to keep the vehicle until the market gets back to the status level at which you can ask the price you want to ask for it. Or you can just keep it around until you get to retirement age, then sell it for whatever you can get for it. Of course, you have to determine if the costs of keeping said item in storage is worth it or not.

In the past, it has been said that vehicles (ALL vehicles) devalue $1,000 once you drive them off the lot. This is false information. Vehicles actually depreciate/devalue between $5,000 and $10,000 dollars once driven off the lot and there is over 100 miles on the odometer.

Lets take a brand new 2013 XJ Sedan. Factory suggested sale price is around $72,000. Actual dealer price is around (actual selling price) $65,000. Once driven off the lot and has at least 100 miles on the odometer, the "Blue Book" price is around $58,000. It has devalued at least $7,000.
(and in reality, it only costs the car manufacturer about that much, or less, to build that vehicle)

People who buy new vehicles NEVER take this into consideration. Anyone who knows HOW to buy a new vehicle, knows how to get the REAL dealer price for a new vehicle. Anyone who knows how to haggle the dealer, knows how to get the automatic depreciation price removed from the sales price.
Most people don't know how to purchase a home and save money, much less purchase a new vehicle and save all that money. Thats why these industries charge exorbitant amounts for what they produce, because they have the public brainwashed into believing their hype and lies.

People who can afford it, buy vehicles for the "name" and the "hype". ALL vehicles are made from the SAME materials....they are just pressed and molded into different shapes. Other than that, they are all the same.

If you want to buy something for "looks" or "prestige", then make sure you have the money to be taking care of it. Maintenance fee's are a bitch and can bleed you dry, like a egotistical, self-centered, spoiled brat.

Along with all of this information, there is also information that sites like Kelly Blue Book do not have listed on their selling information, to get the correct price for a used vehicle. I do NOT go by KBB, but for some reason, this scam site has people believing they are the "right" source for divining a price for a used vehicle.

If you do not know HOW to sell a used vehicle, you are just screwing yourself out of money. Just as there are certain ways to buy a new vehicle, there are ways to sell used vehicles. People who cannot be bothered to learn either, are always screwed out of money, and taken advantage of.

Unfortunately, this is one of those life lessons where you need to know "how to play the game" or get fucked over and ripped off all of your life.



I know that is no answer for you, but I'm in a "preachy" mood this morning. At least you have some usable information now. What you do with it is up to you.

[CardShark]

Awesome post MisterTinkles, I've owned a Ford Mondeo which i notice a lot of similarities between that and my Jaguar however if i had the choice between the two i'd go Jaguar any day if the maintenance cost was lower.

Don't get me wrong i'm chuffed i brought a Jag the one i own is in absolutely mint condition i cannot fault it in any way and in my opinion i got a very good deal for it when I first purchased it, I'd love to keep it in storage somewhere cause I don't really want to let go of it and give it to someone who doesn't care about it. I love the design of the old x-types they look aged now but I can imagine in 20-30 years people will see it as a classic, but unfortunately that's a expensive item to store!

I think I will be going back to a Ford Mondeo though i can pick one up for around £500 and I'll just consider it a disposable car really once it dies scrap it and get another cheap one I'd save a fortune I recon.