Thought i'd lay this to bed now... 
  
I applied for a loan at 9%, and they came back offering me 14%   
  
Screw that.  I'll keep the car, and continue with the original payments.  I'll find a way of making it work. 
  
I've been trying to work out how people of a similar age to me can buy their cars outright, while leading normal lives. 
  
My story is: 
  
1.Went to Uni, 19-23.  I had 3 cars during that time, all lightly modded (so lots of money wasted on wheels). 
2. Left Uni and got the Job im in now.  After 2 months, i bought a £10k bmw - £5k cash/£5k loan. 
3. Very soon after that, left home and started renting with the missus.  Paying £600pcm in rent. 
4. Having had the bmw for 11 months, i traded it in for the zed, losing £4k in the process (i.e. most of my capital.  Therefore had to get a loan to pay for the rest of the car. 
5. 2.5 years on, i've paid off over half of the loan now. 
  
During that time, i have not saved a penny.  Looking back i've had a pretty stupid lifestyle... too many meals out, had a separate drift car last year etc etc.  I've probably been wasting £300 a month since i've been in work.  I guess i could have saved that money during that time, but you only live once and my life would have been boring as sh!t.   
  
So what am i doing wrong?