How I got caught in the car finance trap

[@glengarryglenross7127]

You can be rich and own a supercar but you'd be even richer if you didn't. But life is also for living and none of us know how long we'll be here

[@connect4558]

Exactly, each to their own, you can’t enjoy the money in your grave!

[@piggypiggypig1746]

My much younger brother, 37 bought his dream car earlier this year, a used Golf R which he financed with an £18k deposit, a huge commitment considering he had a young family to support but he worked incredibly hard for them. He was upgrading the exhaust system the evening before he passed suddenly from a stroke. While of course, we're all grieving, it brings us a great sense of peace knowing that he always found the time to do exactly what he loved to do. Cars were his passion. RIP J

[@connect4558]

@@piggypiggypig1746 Sorry for your loss🙏

[@FailedSociety321]

Perfect advertisement for what not to do 😂

[@waynephilbert]

Paying interest on depreciating liabilities, even as beautiful as that Aston Martin would not sit well with me.

[@MrSlpierce]

I understand that, but some would argue (not me) that rather than buying the car outright, why not get finance at say 5% and invest the cash you would have spent and get a better return on it.

[@rockinghorses]

@@MrSlpiercegood luck getting 5%!!!! And let’s be real, most people buying on finance can’t afford the car, they don’t have any other cash.

[@waynephilbert]

@@MrSlpierce quite true. And if it's possible to get a return higher than the cost of the loan it makes sense. Unfortunately that's not always possible. I love performance cars but I think at some point the PCP becomes a poor choice. That's just me though.

[@scholesiefirsttime]

@@waynephilbertAgree Wayne - there’s a reason why most people who ‘own’ these cars are more elderly in years! It takes that long to be able to afford one!

[@MrSlpierce]

@@rockinghorses I'm no Gordon Gheko (80's reference) but I don't think 5% is that hard to achieve, the average annual rate of return over the past 10 years on stocks and ISA's alone which are pretty low risk is 9.64% not for me personally as I'm pretty risk averse, but I wouldn't say it's a hugely bad financial decision to put you cash into that rather than use it on the car.

[@gaara4667]

If you have to do calculations while in the dealership to see if you can afford a car, you CANT. Leave.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

@@gaara4667 You are exactly right, if you have to get the calculator out that’s a sign it’s unaffordable. Sadly that was me when I was younger and naive. I’m much more sensible now in my thirties when I choose/budget each car.

[@rs22296]

But he could. He bought the car and never went broke.

[@davidjohansson1416]

If you can’t pay for a car with cash you are broke and should not buy it. Only exception is if you are financing 1000$ used toyota because you need transport to work and can’t afford 1000$ out of pocket. But you should pay that down as quickly as possible.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

@@davidjohansson1416 I’m happy being broke :) I have my dream supercar, my wife was able to quit her job teaching and I have a nice house with a lovely little family.

[@davidjohansson1416]

@@ABAUTOAMG I would be stressing too much, financial suicide in my eyes. But whatever floats your boat.

[@rpgvag]

Financing a new car every 2-3 years. Sounds like a waste of money to me

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Depends on what you enjoy. If a car is just for a trip from a to b I agree. But if you love cars and they make you happy and inspire you to work hard then it’s worth it :)

[@CB-ft8zw]

@@rpgvag Everything can be a waste of money. Don't get a wife, eat in restaurant or go to the Bahamas when you can be single and go on a camping trip to the local woods and eat sandwiches.

[@rpgvag]

@CB-ft8zw At least all the other activities you just mentioned can all easily be done with cash. If you're not struggling financially you don't have to finance these activities but most people finance their cars. Imagine always having a car payment, never taking a break from it, always paying interest on new cars that are going down in value. I like cars too and I happened to have financed my car which is not ideal but I'm planning to drive this car for a long time so my plan is to have a few years without any car payment. At least the guy in the video uses those financed cars to make KZbin content which justifies it more in his case but I think it's a bad advice for most people out there

[@CB-ft8zw]

@@rpgvag What would cost more. Having a wife and potentially children or having a sports car? Imagine always having a child that you need to be responsible for, for 18 years. People have children and struggle to maintain them and rely on the government. With a car you can return it halfway through the term if it became too expensive.

[@jacklee7104]

If you're struggling financially it probably doesn't make sense to finance a car in the first place, but often these sort of choices ARE the reason people struggle.

[@Anderson-j3r1s]

As someone that works in this industry here are a few tips. 1. Put in a high down-payment, at least 30% 😅2. Do NOT take a balloon. 3. Pay off as much as you can as fast as you can. 4. Don't finance what you can't comfortably afford monthly. 5. Never finance a brand new car.

[@bwdrives]

I financed a 987.2 Boxster S at 21 but hated the fact I was paying thousands in interest on it so paid it off after the first year. I still have it now and decided to keep spending the same each month as I was on the finance but instead top up an investment account which will enable me to buy my next car outright too

[@revenanke3132]

I took a shot every time you said "work hard"

[@ABAUTOAMG]

You must be very drunk and then! 😅 cos those are the magic words to success :)

[@RS20O0]

I'm so old school that when I start saving up for my next car I don't even know what the car will be as it hasn't been launched yet! Started saving in 2012 for my current M2 comp, which replaced my E46 M3 that I started saving for in 1997. Also still running my first car, a 1969 Mk1 Escort bought in 1993. Never financed a penny, don't think I could sleep at night in the world of financing everything.

[@RS20O0]

@@CandyMan2001 100% agree on that point, like borrowing interest free on credit cards and putting the money into a high interest bond for a year while paying minimum payment on the cards each month. Not as viable now as it used to be.

[@peterleatherland5850]

This is the way. Be patient and save up, buy a great (second hand) car. Start saving again, sell your car for not much less than you bought it for and combine that with your savings to get your next one. This is the ladder to be on not the PCP debt de-escalator!

[@ISAK.M]

I still have the car I bought at 17, im 22 in 1 week and 3 days. My dad has always told me to not buy things I cant afford and never take a loan or finance a car. ONLY buy cars with money u actually have. Luckily my dream car rn, the 2005 SAAB 9-5 Aero in blue isnt a very expensive car so im chilling u know.

[@rockinghorses]

Good approach man!! Hope you get that Saab!

[@jami7772]

Sage advice from your Dad !!

[@bobjarvis1787]

Top Dad😊 My dad told me if you haven’t the money you can’t have it. Never had a loan on a car. Never will.

[@bluebrakes]

Your dad speaks wise words. Coming from someone has financed cars in the past at your age, I wish I hadn’t on reflection. I could have bought a house much sooner.

[@stephenhawkingsfootballboo6603]

Then there’s billionaires who finance there whole life who’d call your dad an idiot.

[@silverandgoldportugal]

I only financed 1 car in my life (the last one of 5). I had the money invested to pay it off but did not. So, i did 50% up front and financed the rest in 3 years. After 1 year, i liquidated some of my investements and payed it off. I still have the last car going to 6 years. I always keep my cars 10+ years. Thank you for sharing your experience. Really nice cars! subbed you.

[@albundy5992]

A good rule of thumb is to KNOW what you can afford, and then stick to something which is 20% below that to have a margin of comfort. Never stretch yourself, or you could easily end up in hot water and lose it all.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Absolutely agree! I made this mistake when I was much younger with my first car on finance. Now later in life I’ve learned to not spend above your means and the 20% rule is a good way to look at it.

[@andreiarama8745]

If everyone does that car sales drop by 80% or you will only see cheap cars on the streets

[@albundy5992]

@@andreiarama8745 🤪

[@S2000Y]

Wow - so correct me if I'm wrong but you have spent about £80k on car finance to date, now spend >£1k per month on a car that is depreciating at £1k per month and that you don't even own ? It's a rabbit hole for 99% of people unless you have enough money/business acumen/finance knowledge to play the game properly. PS I retired 10 years early helped by the fact I never financed any cars.

[@jami7772]

Nice one !! agree with your sentiments. Hopefully the car tax and insurance is not on monthly payments either. It's a con IMO but each to their own.

[@KenFingerlove]

In two years time he'll have spent over £100k on cars, and doesn't own one. £12k a year renting a car. Kids today are mental.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

@@KenFingerlove While you make some good points here the thing that has been important to me is that the cars have inspired me to work harder and make more money than I would of if I did not have them. My situation is also a bit unique too. I have monetised my cars by creating this KZbin channel. The content I create here on KZbin with the cars often makes more money than the cars cost.

[@wetleyrocks3092]

@@KenFingerlove I think he owned the Celica (after repaying a loan for 3 years?), but very quickly moved to PCP and has never owned a car since. So in 2026 he'll have spent £100K+ just for his 'memory bank'... That's almost a 'do-up' house that would've easily flipped £20K in 3-6 months from a bit of weekend work And the Celica would've remained reliable (drop the oil every other year etc) I'm pretty sure that a property portfolio is a greater motivator to work hard than renting progressively more expensive cars

[@ABAUTOAMG]

@@wetleyrocks3092 I hear what you are saying but I honestly don’t think I could be as passionate and excited about properly. You have to keep in mind that I’ve monetised these cars and have turned them into a business here on KZbin by sharing my passion and hobby. After lots of hard work the cars are making enough money to pay for themselves while I get to live my dream making videos with them, which is something I’m really passionate about. If the KZbin channel continues to grow it could make more money too and open up more opportunities so it’s worth the risk of investing more into exciting cars to keep it growing. I appreciate this is quite a rare scenario though but there’s no reason why others can’t do the same.

[@mo8259]

Great video! My first car was a Corsa £220, from then on I kept my car budget at around £200 on HP, next was: Zafira, Astra, B Class, 420D M Sport X Drive which is my current car, £244. This is over 23 years!

[@harpo7226]

Drive a shite car until you get your house payed off, then start saving for a good car. Only buy it when you have the funds, then start saving for your next car.

[@nealc9230]

@harpo7226 by then I'd only be interested in Zimmer frames !!!

[@mijr9075]

Maybe somewhere in stoke thats possible but not in most of the UK

[@stephenhawkingsfootballboo6603]

Ok boomer. If house prices were the same as they were 30 years ago I’d own about 15 of them without a mortgage.

[@bouwah85]

Interesting, I subbed. Originally I wanted to buy with cash on a huracan or a 488, but I have waited and invested my cash into a property instead. 2 years late but Now it’s producing enough on “return on my investment” to finance my dream supercar, so finance is the way for me 👍

[@connect4558]

Well done you👍

[@Wild_Hors3s]

I feel like I’m following in your footsteps - good inspiration, bro! Also, thanks for your recommendation of CBS Automotive. I got my BlackVue dashcam fitted there after watching your video of your T700 fitting. I was initially going for that setup but changed to the BlackVue at the last minute. I was really impressed! I told them I heard about them from you - ha ha, I even saw your picture on the wall. Anyway, I left a review online and mentioned you. Hope you don’t mind. Keep up the good work, bro!

[@Bigmaac]

Buying a new car on finance is the worst way to buy a car. Interest payments and deprecation alone will put you in the red. The most sensible is to buy a car you can afford outright, ideally with a decent warranty. Telling people to finance and work hard is a fairly irresponsible message given that it's objectively the worst way to purchase a car. People could be using the spare income to clear the mortgage quicker or save/ invest not get mugged off on finance.

[@TJ-eo2qf]

So what do you drive and how do you pay for it?

[@Bigmaac]

@TJ-eo2qf saved up and bought it outright so can either run it into the ground or sell it on down the line. Even taking out a bank loan would be on better terms than most car finance.

[@SH-ly1uy]

THIS!

[@GavB]

Completely agree with this. The justification of '..but I get to monetise the cars via KZbin videos..' doesn't apply to most people. Financing cars to '..motivate yourself to work harder..' is also all kinds of upside-down. I've never PCP'd a car, however I have taken advantage of ridiculously cheap lease deals before. When those dried up post-Covid, I bought my next car outright - an '18-plate Audi S5 coupe with two years' Approved Used warranty. It's mine, I own it, I can sell it if I need to and whilst the used market has slumped a bit in the last year, the value of it has slid a bit too - but that's ok because the value of any car I wanted to change to has also come down as well. That being said, I love driving the S5, it makes great noises and is more than quick enough 99% of the time. It's staying with me for some time yet!

[@bluebrakes]

I bought a BMW m135i with cash savings. I bought it for £24k. It was just under 2 years old. It came with manufacturers warranty and service plan. I let someone else pay most of the depreciation. If you keep cars for longer (4years+) and buy used it is much easier to squirrel money away and pay cash for the next one.

[@Will-ho1su]

Motivation is great and I’m motivated by cars too. Over the last few years the interest rates have been low. Recently, that’s changed, it’s just not worth it any more.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Hi Will, it’s very depressing how the rates went up :( especially mortgages! Things are looking much brighter on the car side though. Lots of great low apr offers are popping up I’ve noticed. Eg there’s a deal on a new lotus Emira in the UK at the moment on 0% apr finance. So hopefully things will continue to improve.

[@Will-ho1su]

@@ABAUTOAMG There’s a definite improvement in the last 6 months for sure.👍

[@connect4558]

@@ABAUTOAMGWho wants a depreciating Emira🤔

[@iaing9028]

The amount of cash this guy has spent on cars is crazy, the Aston on £1k per month for 3 years is £36k plus the deposit, adding that amount to mortgage payments or buying 2nd properties to rent out would put him in a much better financial position. My brother & his wife had 11 brand new cars over 20 years, 4 which were company cars, the financial mess they are in after splitting up is phenomenal, they could each have had an extra £100k instead of both of them now with huge mortgages at 50 years old!

[@jamies7398]

A great point that many won’t understand, it’s funny that some people can’t see cars as more than something to get you around, usually I find its because of jealousy.

[@dubsdolby9437]

That's the problem with buying liabilities rather than assets. At a young age, you really need to be buying assets that produce income that pays for these liabilities, then hey bingo 🎉 uve made it 😊

[@LawrenceTimme]

Bought my first car in cash from washing cars on a weekend, bought my second car in cash from my apprenticeship, bought my 3rd car outright once i finished my apprenticeship. 4 years later i bought my TVR T350C outright. Never bought a car on finance. Only thing ive borrowed for is my house. Saving up and buying the cars and driving them knowing that it was my car while everyone else is driving round in a car owner by the bank which they had to give back was extremely motivating for me. Just before i bought my house i was able to sell my TVR which i owned outright and put most of that money into my deposit and some into improvements and repairs for the house. I cant imagine what would happen if you were on these monthly payments and needed the cash to put down on a house or something. Youd just have no money forever. Rented house, rented car, rented life.

[@DJBlakeyUk]

@@LawrenceTimme Love that. I would truly feel empty driving round in a car I couldn’t afford that I could only just make the rent for.

[@brazen9572]

I done the exact same thing, with that mind set. Worked really hard bought my dream car at age 20 (Jaguar F Type) £460 pm finance. Then worked even harder cracking through 60 hour weeks doubling my standard income. Ended up paying the rest off 18 months later. Amazing car portfolio 👌

[@MiroslavMarinov-tk5uf]

This is a great video of what not to do with your money!

[@LawrenceTimme]

Agree

[@bluedot255]

Adam how do you look younger now at 36 then you did at 22 😭

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Haha you are too kind! 😅

[@DJBlakeyUk]

Have you ever added up all of the payments and calculated what it would all be worth now if you’d have invested it into an index fund with a 7% return? You could probably own a couple of Astons outright by now. All it would have required is living within your means and some patience. It really is worth remembering that you can’t afford an Aston. You can just about afford to rent (lease) one though. I find it really strange that people take out enormous loans to drive cars they can’t afford, yet of course they would never ever take out a loan to sit in first class on a plane. They’re the same thing. Live within your means

[@LawrenceTimme]

Easily 😂😂

[@Renirode]

nice! I also got a Toyota Celica T23 for my first car ... 20 years later its still in my collection :-))

[@Idk910]

I moved to the UK from the US in 2021. I was instantly approved based on my income with no previous credit on a 900 GBP a month Audi RSQ3 last year.

[@jonathanmcstay]

I mean horses for courses but I’ve always insisted on large deposits, I’ve used pcp for flexibility and even earnt a lot reinvesting the money back. I also have a rule at £400 pcm. Just bought my 911 outright- won’t pay interest

[@CJ0175]

I think it would help if you included any deposits/negative equity you had to front at each stage.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Hey CJ, that’s a good point. Generally i go low on the deposit around 1-2k apart from the Aston Martin which I want to run through in more detail in another video. Every car I’ve owned has been in positive equity when I sold them. Usually around 2-3 years into a 4 year deal. This is partly because I take really good care of them so I try to get the maximum value I can. If there’s anything else you want to know I’m happy to share here in the comments.

[@beanykey]

Earning a bit more equals spending a bit more. A sure fire way to never build any personal wealth. Genius.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Depends how you define wealth. I am aware many people such as yourself may have done better and have made much smarter choices than me and probably own a much nicer house and lots of cars but I’m very happy and thankful with what I have. My wife was able to quit her job that she no longer enjoyed. We have a house we love for our little family and I have my dream car while also saving a good amount of money a month to invest further into our future. I am still ambitious to work my way up and keep going too. The cars are a great drive and motivation for me still :)

[@SeaJayBelfast]

What I can't understand about car financing is the deposit. People chuck £x thousand down and know they'll never get it back.

[@jacklee7104]

Great video, I've never had finance but would consider around 30% to get something more than run of the mill. Also I usually buy at the lower end of the depreciation curve so don't loose money when it comes to selling (I'm a tightvarse Yorkshireman) but for some it can make sense, a few years ago a workmate leased a new MG6 & what he paid over three years was LESS than the car would have depreciated over that time.

[@rodneyemmerich8828]

One only loses money in 2 instances with cars , when you buy them and when you sell them . Why don't you encourage people to save up and buy a car for cash and have no commitment to a finance house . Surely that's a wiser move for the majority of people

[@OldGrandadMashup]

I think a good rule is to keep your car payment behold a % after tax threshold. Experts say 5% but I’m assuming that’s for non car nerds. Assuming you pay for a hobby and a car is that hobby then 10% is more reasonable. My Corvette is less than 10% of my after tax base salary per month.

[@stephenhawkingsfootballboo6603]

Interesting rule. I’m making between 28-36k a month now, so I can afford about 5 of your cars

[@nealc9230]

Ive done a few bank loans but owned the car, then as I got older i saved at least 10k to 15k traded in and paid the difference, working up to buying a new car cash and getting a discount.....

[@lawrencer25]

Interesting comments. You put in the work , why not ? Iam old fashion ( 40 years old ) Been investing in property, shares and bitcoin since i was 18 . Love my job as an Electrical designer and wouid never give up my job . I have never financed a car and something i wouid never do. Iam luckily enough to have my tenants buy and run my cars for me . I like to stay debt free and no mortgages. You cant beat property ( not for new investors now ) . Bitcoin since 2016 , say no more 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️ Good to see people doing well on KZbin. To much work for me . Good luck

[@wheelsandwatches]

While I understand the desire to get the new car on finance I just can’t do it. Personally have a loan and self fund the gap. Then when the loan is over I own the car. I then use that as the basis for the next car and a loan on top. It takes longer out you loose a lot less money.

[@KayezTP]

Iv heard many people aay that. They buy things they really want on finance and it motivates them to put themselves in a position to keep it etc. this is genuinely a thing.

[@Mustynextdoor]

Had to play this at 1.5x jheez

[@peterleatherland5850]

I'd never get a car on PCP, it is a never ending rental scheme. Dealers don't do PCP out of the kindness of their hearts, they do it because it is hugely profitable because most people are too lazy to get a calculator out and work out exactly how much money they are pissing away over the years and having NOTHING to show for it. Just buy a second hand car, you can get something vastly more interesting that has already depreciated. Save up for it, then you own it. Keep saving then and sell it for not much less than you bought it for, get something even better and repeat. A little bit of patience and you will end up with something vastly more exciting at the end, without pissing away money. 10 years ago my friend said I was stupid for buying an S2000 outright while she bought some Kia on PCP. 10 year later I have a car worth more than I bought it for, she has nothing to show except 10 years worth of monthly payments.

[@courtneyblackwood5797]

I always enjoy your vids, but it sounds like you’ve never owned the last few ones, as they were on PCPs. Hope you’ve put in for compensation, pal LOL I bought my used C43 cash and although it’s depreciated by £15k or so in 2.8 months of ownership, I wouldn’t want to have gone on the PCP trail. I drove company cars for 16 years in the past and for private cars, I’ve only ever HP’d or bought cash, so I’m not sold on PCP. In the distant past though, I had to take out two loans to buy a VW Golf. My budget was £5K, when I went t to the dealership, the better spec’d car was £7.5K, so had to bridge the gap with another loan. I nearly wipe me out. The car was hardly driven most months. Wasn’t worth it.

[@MrSlpierce]

I guess it's personal choice, and if you're happy never owning the car then all is good, my latest car is my first PCP, but I did put maximum deposit down and plan on buying the car outright in 3 years, It's a £60k car but only costing me £110 a month, so I'll only be paying about 4k interest over the 3 years, I'm happy with that.

[@courtneyblackwood5797]

@@MrSlpierce very true. I think if I was younger in my 20s, I may consider PCP.

[@andywright1634]

I'd quite like an rs3, ttrs, or an older v8 rs. Could I afford to buy the petrol to drive it as I'd like to to enjoy it? Yes. Am I going to? No. It's not worth that much to me in terms of enjoyment.

[@paulpalmer8235]

Mugs game!!!!!

[@ItsRyan.]

Car tax is a big contributing factor now if you are pushing the limits with the finance payment, and then find out your car tax is luxury band.. Like my C200 a little 1.5l Mild Hybrid is costing me £52.50 per month in car tax alone

[@ItsRyan.]

@@CandyMan2001 Yeah it's not the best, but still nearly 200bhp. It can still shift tbh

[@rockinghorses]

Hmmm, but it’s not what you can afford now, it’s that car finance is going to keep you poor forever. It’s NEVER a good idea, you can only kid yourself otherwise. If you want a car so badly, save up, quantify the work and time, and buy it cash. This video is nonsense, car finance is keeping people poor, full stop.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

While I appreciate the comment and understand your view I’d like to clarify car finance is not keeping me poor and it’s not nonsense for people with the right attitude and is still inspiring me to work hard. I did not go into as much detail in the video because I did not want it to come off the wrong way or feel like any type of flex because that’s not what I am about. I have cars I own out right along side my financed cars. I own a house and comfortably support my family and even with an Aston Martin on finance I have more money left each month than I’ve ever had in my life which is all down to hard work inspired by my car finance journey. I had nothing when I was younger and built it all myself. Like I mentioned in the video car finance can be very bad for some people, but amazing for others. My journey is not for everyone, and I understand that. We only live once in this world so it’s important to go for it and invest in the things you enjoy and more importantly yourself! :)

[@Hm32271]

Absolutely true, by far in most cases something like 98% it's a mugs game and only making car companies and finance houses richer. Maybe it has worked in this instance for this guy or maybe he's justifying it in his own head in this way and avoiding the facts which are you're essentially financing something which depreciates like very little else.

[@connect4558]

@@ABAUTOAMGFair enough if it works for you and you can sleep at night👍

[@pmtilbury6596]

I’ve had a few nice cars (Porsche, BMW, etc) but used bank loans since cheaper than car finance. It’s not worth it the novelty always wears off. I now just drive what I can afford to buy with cash.

[@davidfisher2359]

If you need to borrow money to get it then you can’t afford it, and you don’t own it the finance company does. Wake up.

[@acarguy374]

Depends on interest rates. You can make more most times keeping money in the market when interest rates are low vs taking a chunk out. If you are good enough you can have a solid investment account that makes money while also paying for any “liabilities”……..

[@connect4558]

@@acarguy374Rarely the case and typical car salesman spiel AIMHO!

[@acarguy374]

@@connect4558 I am not a car salesman but quite easily get much more than a 10% return year over year in the market. I have never had these 16% plus car loan rates that fools pay…..then you are just dumb all around. The hostile quips of your comment is quite the standard parrot yapper M.O.

[@LawrenceTimme]

​@@acarguy374that's what everyone says they will do then don't actually do

[@stephenhawkingsfootballboo6603]

Same as a mortgage then. Do you buy your houses outright too?

[@RB-87]

Great video, what is your job?

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Thank you. My full time job I am the head of creative for a design studio. After university I started working for a small company as a junior designer and 14 years later I am still with the same company which we have grown lots over the years. I love my job and I’m really thankful to be apart of a great business I helped grow. It can be tricky and times with deadlines and big projects so I do a lot of overtime and sometimes very long days so the cars have helped keep me motivated over the years. I also run a few small online business and work with local companies helping out with social media marketing etc. I like to keep busy! Family time is really important too though so I try my best to find the right balance.

[@RB-87]

@@ABAUTOAMG Sounds like you're a success story to me, it's nice when hard work pays off. Glad you enjoy your awesome car

[@ABAUTOAMG]

@@RB-87 Thank you

[@andyh6554]

So what’s the deposit and monthly payments on the Aston Martin ?

[@tonyjones7372]

i drive a 13 year old corsa. :(

[@BOSKILLZX]

TTS to C300 is criminal

[@ABAUTOAMG]

I needed the extra size and space at the time and as you saw I regretted it and got the C43 a year later :)

[@jaystwopence]

2 years ago i was looking for a mercedes but i didnt do any research or know much about c, e class etc. I saw a white 66 CLA220D facelift and fell in love with it, got a bank loan to pay for it as that worked out cheaper than finance deals at the time and paid that off a couple months ago now, i intend to keep it for a few years yet. I did find your channel around that time as i started research and the 45S peaked my interest, it was the newer shape cla and top spec engine but now having had more time the dream would be a C63S V8.. maybe one day

[@eugenekovalov9370]

Thank you for sharing your story!

[@ABAUTOAMG]

You are welcome I hope you enjoyed :) It was fun looking back and all the cars and finding the old photos and footage. The photo of me next to the Celica 😅 makes me feel old!

[@Zdenoosss]

Had Toyota celia aswell but 6gen. Was the pretiest car I could ever have as a 18y o teen 😁

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Love it! I remember being so happy with my Celica. Always good memories when I see one on the road or parked up. Maybe I should find one and film a nostalgic drive video 😁

[@stevoone342]

lol 😂I agree with the others, if you’re having to calculate in tight margins it’s not affordable, bar if you are very well off and have capacity to increase your earnings. personally finance is a mine feald. It can work but, interest is a trap. Personally I’ve moved away from financing cars , I’ve put the money I would have spent on finance into savings. And I never buy new cars due to the massive depreciation. I e just purchased a 2017 L405 witch for me is my ideal car and has exceeded my expectations, but also practical and aids in with the business. But every one’s circumstances are different I’m very fortunate to have had a opportunity to own all my assets yes pros and cons but I’m 100% not tide in to any finance t and c s. But each to their own. I get it buying a car especially as a petrol head is a battle of the hart and mind. Bit like I’ve always wanted a l405 for years, but saved and waited for a good opportunity for a good example in the spec I like is in my range. Especially know it’s a buyers market. Key advice for any one is know your budget, for the car then also know you running costs like tax, insurance , fuel, servicing, prepares and other related expenses. And also don’t run yourself tight especially if it effects you quality of life.

[@tonymuir]

Great story Adam, loving my 45, but always looking for better....salesman's dream!!

[@SJ-gv1yj]

First. Hoping to upgrade from a 420i to a M4 by 2027. Hopefully earning more by then.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Love this! Keep up the grind and you will absolutely get your M4. Remember this video and post a comment in 2027 when you are sitting in your M4, that will make my day! Wishing you all the best the best In your journey.

[@SJ-gv1yj]

@@CandyMan2001basic m4 isn’t available in the uk. So I will have to go for the comp or above.

[@Elliot-f8g]

But being honest with yourselves will going from a 420i to a M4 really make any difference with all the bad roads in the UK and speed cameras. You get used to whatever car you have and always want something faster and faster never being truly satisfied

[@SJ-gv1yj]

@@Elliot-f8g That’s an excellent 👍🏻 point actually. UK 🇬🇧 roads are hopelessly rubbish, worse than some developing countries. Shropshire star did an article echoing your sentiment. I already had a list of cons of owning an M4. But your comment encouraged me to write ✍️ pros list as to why I’d want one: 1. A car 🚙 that offer the best over all package for me for a daily and punches well above its weight. 2. At the top end it’s the most value for money compared to super cars. 3. Less depreciation 💰, compared to most cars 4. One of the best daily driving experience and very practical. Each drive is an occasion with so much drama and you don’t get bored of it ever……I think 🤔. 5. Faster than most things on the road, with bonkers 🤪 power on tap, which makes the pick up smoother. 6. Gives you a feeling of abundance when it comes to performance. 7. Noise, better than a 420i, worse compared to M-lites, previous gen, or V8s though 😕. 8. Excellent 👌🏻 overtaking, something the 420i seriously lacks 9. Excellent track/drag car 💨 10. Aesthetics, very eye 👁️ catching 11. Even more compliments than the 420i 12. Street cred and bragging rights ☺️ 13. Uber cool 😎 stories to tell the grand kids 14. Ownership of ///M heritage, feeling like you are a part of history 🤷‍♀️ 15. Praying 🙏 the speed cameras 📸 disappear, one day, when motorist grow some balls. In the mean time most fun roads near me are a 20 min drive anyways. I get that so much of this can be achieved by the M-lites and especially the M2 with more manoeuvrability and performance for our rubbish roads, but if gonna upgrade I may as well go the whole way. They are on the table though. I enjoyed researching and writing this. 😂

[@burningbum]

For 98% of people, buying a performance car on finance is a bad idea. Getting in debt to buy a depreciating asset, is awful economics. My rule of thumb is: don't buy a car that's more than 25% of your annual salary and use cash or a bank loan instead of getting on the PCP/finance hamster wheel.

[@wimgeuens8433]

Great video !

[@mattscars]

I love cars, but, financing a car at those levels would not sit well with me. Id rather buy them when they are depreciated. However, if the payment of £xxxx realy is "nothing" to the payee and all other elements of life finances are sorted i.e retirement funds in excess, house paid for, kids sorted then i see no problem with that sort of expenditure. In my mind in only that scenario can it be the good route.

[@mattscars]

@CandyMan2001 true, I had not factored in any tax savings through salary sacrifice etc. Which is a good thing for those that like to buy them 3 years down the line at c50% depreciated.

[@IdotSingh]

If you need finance you cant afford it. If you can afford to pay thousands a month in finance you can afford to put that money onto savings. Put it in a high interest account or invest it into stocks or something and be patient. I bought a 07 Lexus IS for 2k 7 years ago, saved up, sold the car for £1500 and bought a £17k car outright. Drove a cheap car for 7 years and it was well worth it, i actually miss my old IS still 🤣

[@IdotSingh]

@@CandyMan2001 that's a stupid comparison because a) you need somewhere to live. You can't just buy a cheap house outright like you can a car. If you rent your money goes towards nothing. B) Houses are appreciating assets and cars are the opposite. I can't believe I even had to explain this but then I also can't believe people are stupid enough to get car finance on brand new cars so it adds up

[@IdotSingh]

@@CandyMan2001 you can buy a house in Hull for 2k?

[@robertdon777]

Wording is off "Bought" "Own" etc....Rent may be a better way to describe the cars

[@ABAUTOAMG]

I think you are confused with a lease. I can do whatever I want with my financed cars such as modify them etc. And I can also sell them any time and the money is mine. So once they are worth more than the loan you can profit any equity. Where with a lease it’s similar to renting. You have the car for a fixed period, can’t sell it or do anything to it and it has to be returned at the end of the term. I appreciate though technically anything finance me the bank really owns it, much like my mortgaged house so I’m guessing that’s what you mean but thought I’d clear that up :)

[@robertdon777]

@@ABAUTOAMG I see where you are coming from regarding PCP, I think finance company own the car so be sure to check if you can modify one on PCP too as there are well know youtubers who have had their contracts terminated for doing as such.

[@22alesek]

Bro you looked at 22 like 40 yo

[@ABAUTOAMG]

@@22alesek Yep! :) I learned how to take care of myself after that. Joined the gym and pretty much changed all of my life for the better which is why I look so much healthier now.

[@22alesek]

@@ABAUTOAMG wow congrats bro, i can see that positive change clearly

[@Northwindbreeze]

“You worked really hard”. What does it mean? Where are you working at? An Aston Martin costs more money than “working hard” Very vague statement.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

@@Northwindbreeze Hey, I’m happy to share more here. This video has been popular and many have asked what I do for a living so I’m going to run through in more detail in another video. For here though what hard work has been for me over the past 10 years is really just never stopping the grind and chasing my dream. I started with a full time 9-5 job and worked an average of 50-70 hours overtime a month and in my spare time I ran a small group of online businesses. Today I still work the same amount of overtime and am continuing to try and build more businesses, some which fail, some which succeed. It’s all part of the grind. I enjoy it all though and the cars are a great motivation and reward. So to work really hard would be to find a way to put a lot more into your current job while also starting a good side hustle on the side.

[@Northwindbreeze]

@@ABAUTOAMG this!! If this is (it’s because you stated it) your drive, your passion and coming out of the bed makes your day exciting you’re not wrong!! You deserve it mate!! Looking forward to more videos about it 🙌 cheers for the reply! One thing is for sure, some will think you are mad but much more people will think you’re just a great way to get inspired by, for trying to enjoy good stuff in life.

[@ldavidtw2000]

I have a feeling this guy’s hobby is car. Seriously though, any hobby costs an arm and a leg, you’re fortunate/unfortunate to find Motorsport interesting. It’s fine if you got enough money to support it

[@rockinghorses]

It’s a fair perspective and the only argument that makes some sense, but the money people sink into cars is significant. Hobby or not, owning cars you can’t afford (which is what this is), is making millions of people poor.

[@svensvlinken7583]

​@@rockinghorsesagree and technically doesn't own the car anyway 😬

[@wwilll]

Cars are a depreciating asset, a mugs game, always buy the minimum second hand car do your homework, buy practical, reliable. Do not do what this guy did, he could have bought a house, an appreciating asset with the money and would be so much better off today.

[@ABAUTOAMG]

While I appreciate your comment you are really missing the point here. Perhaps for you a car is a place from a to b so by all means get something that costs as little as possible. But for me it’s a hobby and a passion so why does it have to be an investment? I am a strong believer that everyone should have a hobby that they can invest their time/money into as a relief and reward from hard work. I have perfectly good investments elsewhere for financial gain such as my house, shares and many other things. Does this mean you should never eat out or go on holiday as these would be even worse investments.

[@jeffreynanatakyicollins101]

@@ABAUTOAMGGreat point I am also a car enthusiast and enjoy driving nice cars so I completely can relate to your point

[@airmax90_king93]

I like your shirt where can i buy one from

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Thanks, I actually make all the car shirts myself you see in the vids. I sell them on my shop but I’m currently rebuilding the website. Hopefully will be back up and running soon 👍

[@newtoodrones5568]

Very good advice!!

[@davids.6671]

Looks likes inflation to me 😅

[@glengarryglenross7127]

Sounds broken

[@Jim_Sum]

It's been really motivational to follow you as you've moved up from the C300 Coupe all the way to where you are now. Currently aiming for the CLA45s next year, and the Aston Martin Vantage is a dream car, we've both got similar interests! Do you mind me asking what you did for a living before KZbin out of curiosity?

[@ABAUTOAMG]

Thank you Jim, that’s awesome! The CLA45s is an amazing car, you will love it! Keep working hard and anything is possible. No problem to ask, my full time job I am the head of creative of a design studio. I started off as a junior designer and worked my way up over the years. That’s why I love making videos too because I’ve always loved creative/making things since a child. This is my big main job, i absolutely love it but due to the nature of our business I do work a lot of extra hours and overtime. Sometimes 14-15 hour work days which the cars help motivate me to keep going.

[@Internettoughguy547]

Playback speed 1.25x thanks

[@oldskoolclassic]

If u cant afford it dont buy it or , especially dont finance it ,

[@ABAUTOAMG]

I some people are misunderstood because many people do make the mistake of financing cars they can’t afford but you must know just because someone finances a car does not mean it’s because they can’t afford it. For me personally I’d much rather finance the Aston Martin and keep the 100k cash and invest it or use it to start a business to make far more money than the cost of the car and finance interest. There are also tax benefits to financing some cars too. Ever wondered why some of the most wealthy people finance their cars? Like it or not smart people finance cars too, it’s just the ones that use car finance to outspend themselves that give it a bad name.

[@oldskoolclassic]

@@ABAUTOAMG I bought my 5 cars outright, that I own at the minute and save or invest the rest ,

[@ABAUTOAMG]

I am open minded and see the benefits in both. I have cars I own at the minute that I paid outright and some on finance. The way I acquire them is based on what is the most sensible option at the time based on a number of factors. My situation is a bit unique too because I turned my love of cars into a business. Although my KZbin channel is purely a passion and I don’t do it for the money it has been a great way to own more exciting cars as they effectively started to pay for themselves while also providing a solid investment by contributing to the overall growth of the channel.

[@lenol0315]

used cars only

[@lgx2410]

I say fall down that rabbit hole if you can afford the repayment and love cars - because soon we'll all be driving around in electric Johnny Cabs

[@ABAUTOAMG]

❤️ total recall!

[@LawrenceTimme]

💀💀💀

[@mrrolex1364]

Hmmmm

[@matthewh630]

Finance is the way man. Beat the bank rate by paying it off years early. So that’s how you beat the system. Of course if you can afford it. Then it makes sense. If you can just make the payments then no.