Joining the MG Affinity scheme?

[rgledhill]

Hello all,
Forgive my complete ignorance here... I can see that the deals on the MG Affinity scheme are rather remarkable. I was wondering if anyone has found a legitimate and fair reason to use the scheme, even if I don't directly qualify - for instance can I join the MG Owners Club, even though I don't own an MG (presumably not!)?
If the answer is "No, that's abusing a privilege" then so be it
The reason I ask is that I suspect www.new-car-discount.com has some "arrangement" with a dealer who is registering people for discounts on the scheme somehow...

 

[salty]

I would think you can join the MG owners club. And not have an MG. I'd be very suprised if you couldn't. I joined this forum without an MG, for nearly a year. And it certainly helped make my decision.
It's about 55 quid to join that forum, but that's nowt, to the 1000s you can save on Affinity.

 

[Sloucher]

Indeed. I joined the MG Car Club just recently, and after 3 months will qualify for the Affinity discount even though, in my own mind, I find it difficult to equate owning a Chinese car badged as an MG with other members who own "real" MGs such as Midgets, MGBs etc.
Having said that, many members of the MGCC probably no longer own, or have ever owned, an MG but still maintain an interest and/or loyalty to the brand.

 

[tsedge]

Just bear in mind Affinity is great for a cash buyer but if you are buying on PCP the Affinity price is offset by higher rates. So check the details of the deal carefully.

 

[rgledhill]

Thank you all. I would most likely join the MG Owners Club (I've always been active on owners' forums) if I bought an IM5 anyway, so I'd just be doing things in reverse order! Given the 0% offers on credit cards, I'd be buying cash (effectively).

 

[Sloucher]

Just bear in mind Affinity is great for a cash buyer but if you are buying on PCP the Affinity price is offset by higher rates. So check the details of the deal carefully.

True that PCP will be more expensive way for customers than a cash buy or personal loan buy. Because the HP payments would be too low with the deposit I'd be using, I couldn't get an HP quote.
A bank loan would have horrendous monthly figures!

However, assuming you will be returning the car on termination of the agreement, so far as I can establish, the MG finance rate (6.9%) arranged through Santander, is exactly the same rate offered by Lloyds (with whom I had my MG4 agreement previously) for a similarly termed agreement. The Affinity arrangement has made no difference to the figures and rates I've been quoted

The balloon payment is higher with MG finance, but the monthly repayments are less.

Btw, for comparison, Lloyds personal loan rate is 6.4%.

 

[Alb]

It's a curious list of affiliations. I wonder whether Stuart ever considered having this club added?

 

[rgledhill]

Worth noting that if you have a decent credit score, you can get a 0% card with 3.5% balance transfer fee for a 0% period of about 3 years. I've just done this as the total cost is less than my mortgage rate, and I have an offset mortgage, so it's just gone straight in the offset savings account!