Why buy a bland car with your €15,000, when with a little research and thought you could have a motor that you really love, says Paddy Comyn
If you take a look at the cars that are popular in Ireland, you can quickly see that we are a sensible bunch. We covet the likes of the Ford Focus, Toyota Avensis, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf for such pragmatic reasons as value, quality, residual value and reliability.
According to Ronan Sheridan of AIB, the average finance on a car is about €16,500 over 36 months, and with that we go for family saloons and hatchbacks, and the occasional SUV.
But what would happen if you decided that you didn't want to drive the same car as your neighbour, your colleague or your bank manager and decide to throw caution to the wind?
Call it a mid-life crisis or a moment of clarity, deciding to opt for something slightly more interesting for your €15,000 to €17,000 could put the spark back into your plugs.
A look through classified ads any weekday makes interesting reading, and proves that if you are prepared to be a little brave, then you could liven up your driveway overnight.
A quick perusal a few weeks ago threw up some interesting cars that show you don't have to be a corporate tycoon to drive a luxury car.
First up was a 1999 Audi A8 2.8-litre saloon. The A8 is one of the most cool luxury cars you can buy - with a body made from alumnium it is lightweight and superb to drive. This one has a full list of creature comforts including air conditioning and leather upholstery. The asking price for this car was a mere €15,950. It had covered 80,000 and has a full service history.
The BMW 7-Series can also be had for a family car price. We found a 1999 735i with black leather upholstery, xenon lights and crucially, a full BMW service history for €16,750.
If you wanted to own a piece of motoring history, the Classic Cars Ireland website was offering a 1988 BMW M3 E30 in black on its website. With 150,000km on the clock, this is a clean and crucially unmolested example of the first M3. This stunning car will cost you €14,500.
However, if you really want to make an impact at the office, what about a 1968 Porsche 912 Coupé offered on the same site in bright orange for €15,500. Mind that car well, and you could potentially sell it on for a profit. Plus there are insurance benefits with buying a classic car as old as this; tax and insurance discounts for classics come with certain stipulations - such as in certain instances annual mileage.
Admittedly there were downsides with these two cars: both were in Holland, and while the E30 M3 only ever came in left-hand drive, the Porsche is also a left-hooker. On a more positive note, this particular website offers to import the cars and even put Irish plates on them as part of the service.
Closer to home, we found a 2001 Saab 9-3 Convertible 2.0-litre LPT version with automatic transmission, 76,000 on the clock, a full service history and a full leather interior. The asking price was €16,995 through a private sale. This is an incredibly popular convertible that is solidly built and very handsome indeed.
Staying with convertibles, the Mazda MX-5 is a brilliant used buy and a whole heap of fun to drive. About €14,500 will get you a 2001 model with a mere 32,000 miles on the clock.
There are few cars that will bring as broad a grin to your face, will be as easy to run and that will be straightforward to sell on again.
If you need space, then the large Volvo Estate, the V70 is hard to look beyond. We spotted a 2000 2.0-litre turbocharged example with 60,000 miles on the clock for €17,500 offered in a dealership in Limerick.
There are few better ways of transporting your family, your dogs and all that comes with them.
Even buyers with a house full of children need not despair that they must only buy small with their money.
How about a Renault Espace? This vast and seriously well-appointed 7-seater costs nearly €50,000 new, but you can have a 2000 version that has covered a mere 40,700 miles, has a multitude of airbags, air conditioning and a full service history for just €15,950.
Alternatively, if you are really light with your right foot, or happen to own a petrol station, then you could always choose a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8, loaded with equipment, with 85,000 miles on the clock and a snip at €17,950.
We do, of course, have to rein in your enthusiasm with some words of caution.
Buying interesting can seem cheap on the surface, but the obvious costs such as higher tax and insurance as well as fuel costs, can be added to with more hidden costs such as servicing and repairs which can be like putting a drain right from your bank account to your local garage.
For most of us, it will be easier to play it safe, but the next time you are sitting in traffic in your family saloon, green with envy as you watch that luxury barge waft past remember that just like the National Lottery, it too, could be you.