You Have A New-Ish Car, Why Buy A Second-Hand Old Banger?
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
June 15, 2012 8:26pm CST
I really cannot get my head around the in-laws at times. My FIL was due to come round and decorate on Saturday as he's been on holiday for a fortnight but no..
He is off (with the Dragon) to see an R Reg Jaguar instead..in Leeds, which is probably over 100 miles away.
Now, the in-laws have a perfectly decent Peugeot that's from 2002. Apparently, the car is giving out signals saying certain computerised systems are failing. It will take £2,000 to fix, bearing in mind my FIL got this car for a bargain £6,000 as it was worth (in 2002) at least £22,000.
My FIL has always wanted a Jaguar. He saw one (an R Reg, very old) like I said, online for, yes, you guessed it £2,000. He is going to see this car in a Leeds Garage on Saturday as "he's not quite sure what he's getting for the money" and, I believe his Peugeot is to be used as part-exchange IF the sale goes through. Sounds dodgy if you ask me.
A few alarm bells are ringing. For starters, why buy a second-hand Jag from Leeds for 2 grand when he can get his current, more modern and efficient car, fixed for the SAME PRICE!
John says that his Dad "won't be driving as much these days" when I told him that a Jag won't be cheap to run but - surely - a more efficient, modern, Peugeot would be better, regardless of how much it is driven? It is a diesel and we used to use it to pick Mum up before acquiring the Ford Focus as it is economical on fuel.
What peeves me the most is that they were very quick to get rid of our Honda (J reg) when it suited (for £180 scrap value) but are quite willing to buy a second-hand Jag from a dealer they don't even know and replace a car that can be fixed for the same price.
Am I missing something here?
John says that his Dad "won't be driving as much these days" when I told him that a Jag won't be cheap to run but - surely - a more efficient, modern, Peugeot would be better, regardless of how much it is driven? It is a diesel and we used to use it to pick Mum up before acquiring the Ford Focus as it is economical on fuel.
What peeves me the most is that they were very quick to get rid of our Honda (J reg) when it suited (for £180 scrap value) but are quite willing to buy a second-hand Jag from a dealer they don't even know and replace a car that can be fixed for the same price.
Am I missing something here?3 people like this
9 responses
@PageTurner (2825)
• United States
16 Jun 12
Hello Janey1966
Perhaps your father-in-law is simply, finally, able to realize a dream that he has always had. Hurrah for him! I say, HURRAH!!
I hope that he has a great good time with his old new Jaguar.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jun 12
Well, we don't know if he's bought it yet, seeing as he has "doubts" about its authenticity, which brings me back to my original point.
Why risk it? Why not fix the car he already has? Why purchase a car that's not even in a garage he recognises..i.e. not local?
I could go on.
@PageTurner (2825)
• United States
16 Jun 12
Yes, I get it that he has a car that could be repaired. It does seem wasteful to get this Jaguar when he already has a car. But I'm not talking in terms of practicality. It seems that your father-in-law isn't thinking in those terms either, although he is perfectly capable of doing so, as you pointed out.
I'm talking of dreams. Wishes. Wants. Perhaps this is just something he has always wanted, and he's rationalizing to see that dream come true.
Have you ever just wanted something, even though it didn't, necessarly make the best sense?
1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
16 Jun 12
Perhaps your Father in law just really needs to fulfil one of his life's dreams regardless of the logic in the decision? It is a man thing to buy an old car that they had always wanted, sometimes guys do it to remind themselves of their youth, other times just to get out and live a little in their older years. As long as it brings happiness, then maybe it is a good thing. And Jags are definitely way more stylish than any car that the French have ever made! 
As long as it is reliable that is. Then again...I don't know about over there, but over here, French cars do not have a really good reputation. 
What do you mean by "J reg" and "R reg"?
As long as it is reliable that is. Then again...I don't know about over there, but over here, French cars do not have a really good reputation.
What do you mean by "J reg" and "R reg"? 
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
19 Jun 12
Interesting system! You learn something new every day on myLot!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jun 12
J and R Reg are the registration plates beginning with those letters, so we have an idea how old they are. Using numbers now from 2000 just to confuse you further lol.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
16 Jun 12
Hello Janey. I'm wondering how your father buying the jag will impact you and your husband. Will he expect your husband help work on it? Does he expect you or your husband to drive him and the mother-in-law around while he works on the jag?
This may be his only chance to fulfill a dream.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jun 12
If there is any work to be done on the Jag (and he hasn't actually bought it as yet, so he may change his mind after seeing it today) his grandson will do it as he's a major petrol head as well.
1 person likes this
@lelin1123 (15594)
• Puerto Rico
18 Jun 12
That does not make a whole lot of sense to me either. I would rather fix a car for 2000 dollars then buy a used or new car. Used car you don't know what your getting and a new car is alot more money. We brought a 1998 Chevy truck for 6000 dollars back in 2002 and we still have it. Yes, we have just about replaced most important parts to upgrade it. Its still working and has a great body. So we will not be getting rid of it anytime soon. I don't understand their logic in this.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 Jun 12
I have an update; they were told not to go to the garage in Leeds on Saturday so they've gone today instead.
We still have no idea if the Jag has been bought or if the in-laws have decided against it.
Watch this space!
@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)
• China
16 Jun 12
Maybe what somebody has said during holiday brainwashed him into buying the second-hand old banger.Sound like the second-hand car is a bargain at £2,000 which is equal to that charge him for repairing his Peugeot ,and that he can convert his present Peugeot into money,however nobody can know how much he will spend on getting the old banger fixed .
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jun 12
We shall see what he pulls up in next Saturday. My guess is it will still be the Peugeot but you never know with him, it could be something entirely different from the Jag, who knows?
@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)
• China
19 Jun 12
John had better go with his Dad,he may give him some advice.
@Lauraleigh99 (4718)
• United States
16 Jun 12
Sounds like he is a typical male who is in love with vehicles lol... to me it doesn't sound reasonable at all but whatever makes him happy I guess! maybe they will give you one of them to drive after he gets bored of it
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jun 12
My guess is he won't buy it at all if he feels there is something not quite right with the sale, which is the reason why he's going to see it today in the first place.
Watch this space!
@GardenGerty (169530)
• United States
16 Jun 12
Janey, it is his and her money to waste. And who is to say that owning your dream, no matter how impractical, is a waste.
You do not really need to understand him, if it was my husband he would want to fix the Pugeot and buy the Jag!!!
You do not really need to understand him, if it was my husband he would want to fix the Pugeot and buy the Jag!!!@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Jun 12
LOL. I could understand it if the FIL wanted to do that, actually.
