New Volkswagen car prices are now eye-watering

[dubber36]

Its just coming to a point in this country where working class people like me cannot afford to buy a brand new motor. If it carrys on like this entry level models are going to cost 18k and generally people who like a new car every 2/3 years but are not that interested about performance etc are going to say sod that ill hang on on to the one ive got. The car market could be changing for ever in this country

I'll go along with that.

There is no real need to buy a new car every 2-3 years. You take a huge hit in depreciation only to get another car that does exactly the same job when there's nothing wrong with the old one. When I spend £25,000 on a new car, I want to keep it at least 5 years and get my monies worth out of it. That way it also gives me more time to save for something a little better next time.

I suppose if people are buying them on the drip, real cost of ownership dosn't really figure. It's the monthly payments, and having some equity to roll into the next car that count. I can't be doing with the constant burden of monthly payments to have to find, so if the prices get too high, I'll just have to wait a bit longer.

[Horney]

Its just coming to a point in this country where working class people like me cannot afford to buy a brand new motor. If it carrys on like this entry level models are going to cost 18k and generally people who like a new car every 2/3 years but are not that interested about performance etc are going to say sod that ill hang on on to the one ive got. The car market could be changing for ever in this country

That's the way things used to be. My Dad only got a new car every 3 years as he was a sales rep and used to kill a car in 3 years. The new car every 3 years was only the preserve of the minted until the cheap credit turned up and everyone was getting a new car on the never never.

I generally have a new car every year, but a car that's new to me, not actually brand new. I love the smell and feeling of a new car (bought one once) and while it was great there is no way unless I won the lottery I would ever buy another brand new car.

Nick

[Ess_Three]

I generally buy new...but keep them at least 4 years (normally) so I deliberate long and hard about what I want, what options i'll pay for, and to some degree if it'll be worth anything at the end of 4 years...and then get the 'perfect' car at the time.
I've not bought a car I've regretted yet.

It's my only real vice...so I'll justify it be being away from home for half my life working...
If it costs £30,000 and I can afford to pay for it, and want it...I'll pay it.
If it costs £40,000 and I can afford to pay for it, and want it...I'll pay it.
Sadly, VW bank on people with exactly that mentality buying their cars...

I can't get hung up on depreciation - if I/we did, we'd all run bangers.
I'll buy the car I want, in the colour I want, with the optiions I want...and if it happens to be £39000 for a 'VW Golf' then so be it.

The prices are stupid for modern cars. Not just VWs.
You can buy an S3 for considerably less than the cost of a Golf R - in the same spec. But I don't want one of those.
You can buy a Focus/Megane in a similar spec to a GTI fow considerably less coin. I don't want either of those either.
So what do we do?
Moan about it, allocate a larger % of the wages than ever before, add far too many options, sit on a waiting list for many months whinging about it...but buy it anyway.

VW are clever. 

[andykram]

You're right Ess Three, VW are clever. But like I said before there is a limit to the "value" of the VW badge.
Just look at the Phaeton. Great car apparently but nobody in their right mind is going to spend £40k or whatever on a VW when there are Jags, Mercs etc. at the same price which have a badge befitting the outlay.
VW are indeed clever but they will eventually start to lose buyers (certainly in this country) where most people spending £25k upwards will opt for a prestige badge. The VW badge just isn't prestigous enough to compete at those levels.

[carl1]

After all my moaning about the prices, dont be surprised if i end up with a new R, i just cant help myself. Which goes along with what Ess three is saying. Im just dreading the missis driving it

[mac7]

Im just dreading the missis driving it

Hide the keys

[gizzywizzy]

Im just dreading the missis driving it
[/quote]

Chauvinist!!!  Some of us gals are bloody good drivers!!

[Radek]

The VW badge just isn't prestigous enough to compete at those levels.

Not yet true, but they try hard to position themselves there. VW are the new Audi (upper market) , Skoda/SEAT the new VW (mass market) and Audi should be very top, luxury brand.

[Hawk29]

Just wondering, am I alone in thinking that I would much prefer to be driving a VW to an Audi nowdays? Having had 5 new Audi's over the last 10 yrs, they are now far too flash for my liking...

[Tailpipe]

Dear GTI fans and friends,

The sense of anger and annoyances at VW's price rises is totally reasonable and understandable. But don't panic. These prices aren't sustainable.

The simple laws of supply and demand mean that the number of people wanting to buy VWs at these prices will shrink dramatically. Buyers will simply look elsewhere. Of course, in the short term, most manufacturers will raise prices not least because of the VAT increase. The aggregate effect will cause buyers everywhere to hesitate and there is a very good chance that the new car market will stall if not collapse completely in the short term. When manufacturers start feeling the pain (March), they will have to reduce prices and a price war will begin. Discounts will abound.

In one sense, most manufacturers know that a price war is looming so are raising prices now so that future discounts are perceived to be greater than they actually are. Whatever, VW will have to lower prices or risk losing market share. And they won't want to do that. Moreover, the economy is still in a very fragile state of recovery, so reduced demand may force the Government to offer a second round of incentives for people to trade in old cars. (After all, if people don't buy new cars, then there'll be no one to pay 125p a gallon for petrol.)

So, the best advice to all of you wanting a GTI and who haven't yet ordered one is DO NOT BUY NOW. WAIT. 

Your patience will be rewarded. Trust me, i read Economics at Cambridge!