Shite times

[CortinaDave]

It is rubbish. Early last year you were looking at 85p per litre of unleaded which was bad enough.. now its £1.10 - thats a BIG difference.There are ways around it.. lpg conversions on petrol cars.. veg oil for diesel but its not ideal.I do a shedload of miles for work so my shite tends not to last more than about a year meaning i dont save a great deal after paying for an lpg conversion.. and even gas is rising in price quicky- 37p /litre last jan.. now 55 on average.Cost of living is on the up - the current mortgage crisis means my monthly payments are going up from £272 to nearly £400.. fuel is skyrocketing... and payrise this year was 2 %Crap!

[Mash]

I think a lot of problems stem from people getting into debt just to “keep up with the Jones’sâ€Â, so to speak. Although I notice prices of fuel and food going up, it isn’t affecting me in a major way; only as a normal rise in the cost of living. That said, I am due for a pay rise so this should help offset that somewhat.The big difference is that I don’t owe anything on cars, furniture, TVs and so on; I do without as far as I can until I can afford it and that’s something I’ve been brought up to do – my parents are the same. OK, I have a small credit card balance but I keep on top of it. I set aside my outgoings each month, and what’s left, I allow myself to spend. Food is more important than a telly the size of a window to me. A lot of people out there don’t have the discipline it seems.Granted, I’m lucky not to have a huge mortgage as I beat the house price rise 5 years ago. This artificial increase has caused a lot of financial problems for people certainly, and means that more of a chunk of a couple’s income goes on paying for the house. Even then though, I had to move to a village on the outskirts of the city to get a nice area cheaply. My choice, and though I could use public transport, I can’t be arsed so I have no place to complain about my fuel bill.As for fuel prices, I still maintain that petrol is relatively no more expensive than it was 40 years ago. Because we use our cars more now, we buy fuel more often so it seems a large proportion of our spending.I have no interest in raising kids. Though there is a sense of foreboding of the future at present with world events and climate change, there’s always been something to fear over the last hundred years. I’m more concerned about society here in general and how my kids would integrate with the scum that prevails nowadays because I’d want to bring them up as I have been, which may be a little old-fashioned nowadays, I fear. A friend of mine is an ASBO enforcement officer and I despair of the people he has to deal with. Is it their fault? The government’s? The education system? Their parents’?No idea. I’m living for today, enjoying my hobbies and driving my old cars as long as I am allowed to and can afford it.

[retrogeezer]

the current mortgage crisis means my monthly payments are going up from £272 to nearly £400

How??? Are you on a very low rate fixed deal that will expire?

[retrogeezer]

Blame womens lib.

I didn't mean it that way - I just meant only one parent needed to work full time.

[mouseflakes]

I have no interest in raising kids.

Neither have I. Both mine will attest to that.

[CortinaDave]

Yep... 4.49 percent going up to 6. something by the looks of it

[Timewaster]

Yep... 4.49 percent going up to 6. something by the looks of it

Surely this was inevitable anyway? The low introductory fixed rate would have come to an end anyway - and the base rate is probably lower now than when you took the mortgage.I dont see how the "credit crunch" is responsible, unless you were hoping to chop your mortgage in for another cheap introductory rate.I'm not having a go, just curious.

[Guest]

I'm quite satisfied with my money situation to be honest, I earn a pretty modest wage, but can afford to run a fleet of shitey motors.I can very comfortably live within my means, I just use my money sensibly - no holidays, rarely go out, etc. If I really want something, I just have to ease off spending on anything else and save up for a bit. Can't afford my own house, but it's not something I'm too fussed about having. Though I'm getting older now, my folks will inevitably boot me out sooner or later. In which case I'll probably go live in the back of a grotty old Hiace "Power Van". In a field. On bricks.Though if it's got a TV I can watch "Cops" on and somewhere to keep my beer, I probably wouldn't be too fussed. If that makes me a peasant, so be it.

[nigel bickle]

Despite having eye-watering levels of (mortgage) debt, thankfully the vast majority is paid by others- renting the properties. This slum -currently being turned into a 'renter' has a largish loan -buts its manageable- at present. Just have to move lodgers in if it gets out of hand.Having said that -I'm having trouble re-negotiating to a sensible level when the present rates come to an end -and I'm 'in the business'.Sufficient fat -I think - to ride it out -but it might get choppy. Dont think we've seen the worst yet -the finance industry seems to be in total meltdown...Lawkes...

[CortinaDave]

Yep.. the plan was to chop it in for another cheapie once the 2 year fixed rate ran out.... the base rate was the same as it is now when i took it out... but there were a hell of a lot of good offers then.. none of the banks now are offering good rates since they dont have any money either Could be a lot worse though - in 1989 the base rate hit 14.88 % jeez!Mate of mine managed to lock a fixed rate of 4.99% percent for five years in 2006! bugger!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Only mortgage i've got is on my tumbledown farm in france... Sadly the exchange rate has gone to bollox meaning its gone up by about 20% in 6 months! bastards. Also means buying old sheds off garlic bay is more expensive

[retrogeezer]

I've been on a fixed rate of 5.75 for the last 4 years - took out a 5 year one when it looked like rates were on the up, then they bloody well came down. There was a £900 admin fee too.So the base rate is about the same at the moment, I just have to keep everything crossed that they don't go up in the next year and that some offers are around by then.

[AXrescuer]

Thats all very well dissing the Broon crew, but whats the alternative? I don't see one.

Indeed. Which flavour of capitalism would you like, sir - red, yellow or blue?

It makes no odds who gets in at the next election now. The government have set a level of taxation which raises so much revenue that a new bunch just wouldn't be able to afford not to tax the bollox off us. Maybe if we pulled out of Iraq and Afghanistan there wouldn't be so much money needed for the war coffers!

[mr-reno-139]

some very interesting discussion going on here and to think i only used to visit for the entertainment value who shall we elect as an MP (i'll vote Mash)being self employed fixing cars (you know the ones )at the bottom end of the market things have definitly taken a turn for the worse most new young drivers arent vaguely interested in older cars unless its a saxo / clio / etc got 17 in alloys and loud music cambelts , servicing , checking levels etc -- never heard of it i blame the mobile phone industry for introducing free phones on 18/24 month contracts - sign here its only £40 a month !!next year its out of date, whos going to repair it ?kids of today cant see the need for older cars, image is everything mind you when everybodys really skint and cant afford the finance for new/nearly new cars, all the easy to maintain cars we know and love will have been weighed in off my soapbox now

[seth]

some very interesting discussion going on here and to think i only used to visit for the entertainment value

Have to say that when threads get into social stuff like this one this forum is far better than any other I visit. I guess autoshiters are just reasonably chilled out people?I had been wondering whether this credit crunch thingy was going to affect new car finance deals. I figure all the "borrowed money" must come from the same sources?

[outlaw118]

I'm going to chuck my twopenneth in at this point, and agree with Seth on his last post."Pantsdown car Finance" or whoever they maybe will eventually be affected by the so called "credit crunch". As they are normally owned by a "respectable" company somewhere along the line, either a bank or similar, so the effects will seep through. However, it's places like this, in my opinion, are exacerbating the problem.In my line of work, I constantly see people with "better" cars than me; it appears that Mark one Zafiras and facelift Mondeos are the chav-chariot of choice at the moment. The finance is so easy to come by (or HAS been) and the "politically correct" debt counsellors at local councils and the CAB will defend these people to the hilt for their RIGHT to have a car/big TV/satellite telly, they will advise that the payment of other previously deemed "priority" bills is now not required in preference to "BIG*TVS*ARE*US". So, the utilities don't get paid, the rent/mortgage doesn't get paid, so the money just disappears, lenders get jittery, it all goes tits up.We all should remember, someone somewhere is making money out of all this, it's just not us.Bastards.Anyway, I'm off for a fag. (If the wife asks, these cigs are yours, I'm just looking after them for you....)

[Ross_K]

I had been wondering whether this credit crunch thingy was going to affect new car finance deals. I figure all the "borrowed money" must come from the same sources?

My uncle is in the car repossession business, and business is very good for him. :DThe majority of people are clueless about finance - whether its a mortgage or car finance you're talking about.If someone with more (borrowed) money than sense can't do the sums on a finance agreement I can't say I feel sorry for 'em.What the f*ck happended to living within your means?

[maximalist]

I have been driving my scooter to work for several years now, 11 kms to work, time with scooter 15-17 mins, with car under ideal conditions 13 mins, then I must find a space to park the car.

Cost with scooter fuel 0.3-0.4 L petrol parking nil, congestion charge nil.

Cost with car 0.7 -0.8 L , parking 1 £, congestion charge 1.5 £.

I drove from april 2007 until january 2008, then public transport february and march, a monthly ticket cost about 60 £ in Stockholm, time with public transport is about 40-45 mins. I only take the car to work when im working saturday and sunday.

[retrogeezer]

facelift Mondeos are the chav-chariot of choice at the moment

Hey, there is no need to get personal!!!

 

[bigstraight6]

Don't you feel really sorry for the struggling families with 2001 onwards Renner Espace/Fraud Galaxy/VW Shazza type vehicles that more than likely still have 'em on the tick could well be victim of the new phenomenom known as 'vehicle negetive equity' when the new sneaked in under the radar vehicle excise duties bite

[bones96]

yeah wtf all that about then i dont understand it at all ?????

[Ross_K]

yeah wtf all that about then i dont understand it at all ?????

From what I've read, high CO2 cars made after 2001 will be charged £440 a year for road tax come 2010

[retrogeezer]

and next week, retrospective speeding tickets come into force. If a speed limit has been lowered in the last year but you were caught speeding from 01-07 you will get a ticket.

[pompei]

The first Mrs P (just like the current model) used to insist on having a new car every 2 to 3 years. At one stage she went to p/ex her Punto to discover that it was worth less than she owed on it.The solution is easy if you know about it (and the finance people don't want you to know!) and that is to hand the car back. It's hidden in the small print. If you have paid so many installments, you can simply return it and walk away.She did that, bought another car on credit, and f*** knows what happened then as I managed to escape

[pompei]

I also think that this "credit crunch" malarkey is being milked by the financial institutions to an extent. Whilst it is clear that the borrowing regime is being tightened up, that's not necessarily a bad thing (although it cost me my job last November ) The Bank of England is pouring money into these institutions which in turn are refusing to pass on the benefits to the public. Some are also taking the p*ss: Beloved has a shedload of credit card debt, so I've applied for a loan to clear them. One "best buy" lender offered me a loan at a staggering 19.9%, whereas the second I tried offered 8% I have little sympathy for these institutions when times get tough ...Puts soapbox away

[Spottedlaurel]

Damn, I hate that phrase “credit crunchâ€Â. They even use it on Radio 4.

[STUNO]

Same is happening here ! dodgy finance co.s are falling over and car repo's are rising fast. And used car dealers are becoming fewer by the day, saw a newly empty yard yesterday, that is about 4 gone from here recently.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

and next week, retrospective speeding tickets come into force. If a speed limit has been lowered in the last year but you were caught speeding from 01-07 you will get a ticket.

How does that work then? any more info?I'm reading that as a local authority changing the speed limit from 40 to 30, then fining all drivers who've recently driven through at 35.... Cant be right surely?

[Ross_K]

If you were doing 35 in a 40, surely you would have been obeying the law in effect at the time?Any half decent solicitor should be able to get a charge like that laughed out of court.I took retrogeezers post to be tongue in cheek, but who knows - something like that happening wouldn't surprise me.

[retrogeezer]

Yep, it was tongue in cheek - sorry.