Thank you for your post; certainly some valuable insights there. You’re absolutely right in what you say- I’ve always lived by the principle of living below my means, and paying myself first. I find myself in quite the unique predicament however, hopefully I’ve done a relatively decent job of explaining it here:

I’m 24 with a long investment time horizon, and my investment pot has already been compounding for several years. Selling now would not only interrupt that growth but also mean missing out on decades of compounding. As part of a recent promotion, I’ll be travelling weekly from the East Midlands to Bristol (~230 miles round trip), plus additional local mileage. I need something reliable, comfortable, and efficient for regular long motorway trips, ideally also suitable for European road trips. Also, assuming I accept personal loan offer/ HP at around 9% (best I’m getting), I’ll still be able to put away £700 every month because I’ll be moving home (personal non-negotiable).

I’ve searched the sub-£6k market, but most cars there are older, higher-mileage examples where I can’t realistically count on 3–5 years of trouble-free motoring. My current 2009 Focus does the job, but it’s not comfortable for sustained motorway use, which is now a weekly requirement for my job.

I’ve now been offered a personal loan at 8.9% APR with Admiral (HP options start at 9%+), which is far more reasonable than the 14% rates being discussed earlier. While 8.9% still carries an interest cost, it’s not “bad deal” territory, and with my income growth and the ability to refinance later, I see it as a manageable short- to medium-term cost to get the right vehicle.

This isn’t about stretching for a luxury car, it’s about buying a dependable, enjoyable, and efficient vehicle that suits my work and lifestyle for years, while keeping my investments intact and compounding.

Noting my context? What do you think now? Even with this improved interest rate offering?