Second hand cars - What point to get rid...?

[anonymous-user]

[redacted]

[philmots]

Personally after spending quite a bit on repairs i'd like to get some value out of them so i'd be running it for at least another 6 months. If it's ok from then i'd look at keeping it longer... unless i really fancy a change.

[rottie102]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I seriously have been through all the possible failures with my cars and still NEVER even crossed my mind to buy a NEW car.

I always think that for 10k I could be sitting either in a new Peugeot 20something OR if I'll go second hand I can have a top of the range V8 BMW AND something fun and sporty for the weekend. No brainer for me really.

If you like consistency in payments just put the amount you would spend for your new car repayments in a saving account every month and you will have something to fix the older car with or/and just get this AA warranty to cover it.

And just for the record - a 2.0 Mondeo is not a PROPER waftmobile. It's nowhere near the pleasure of wafting you would get in let's say 7-series or an A8

[Six Fiend]

When my 1993 540i was going to cost about £3k very soon, and was worth £1k (I bought for £1800 and had spent £1800 on it too!) I sold and bought a used X-type which has cost nothing but fuel since August. Did better homework on the Jag and appear ot have got a good one.

The brakes and things on your Mondeo are not likely to go again - I'd get more use out of it. My BMW needed some major surgery!

[Ozzie Osmond]

Keep it at least another 12 months IMO.

[spaceship]

As you said, you've taxed and MOT'd it again for another year. Plus you've done a good few things to it so your starting to know it's history and these are things which won't need done again for a while.

I'd keep it. Would only get rid if something major chucks it and it's going to cost silly money to repair.

A guy in my work has a Primera which he spent a fortune on replacing brakes, dampers, etc. It recently stretched its timing chain and that cost an arm and a leg to sort so he mentioned that he was going to get rid but he was told the same thing - he's replaced that much, he might as well hang on to it.
In saying that - it's now leaking power steering fluid.

[thinfourth2]

Known history or unknown history?

You know your cars history you don't know your next cars history

[Welshbeef]

You have done your brakes dines your aircon done your belts looking at sunroof?? Plus 12 months MOT and tax fuel pump.

What else could go wrong?
Injectors
turbo
clutch
radiator
airflow meter
ecu
exhaust
etc etc

what's the likylihood they will go wrong? Who knows. Clutch you should be able to tell how much life it has.




Do you like the car is it purely a to b motoring that your interested in.
You have done a lot of work to it so you should run it some more as you have made the choice to make those repairs previously so suck it for another year.

Really brakes are every three years in very general so you could choose to run it for another 2-3 flogging it with needing belts and brakes needing sorting OR decide at that point keep it longer for yourself and choose to either not to do that work as in run it till something brakes or is unroadworthy or get them changed.

[u13rr1]

Firstly, if you got the car by trading in your old car, even with cash your way, you did not get a good deal IMHO. Trading in is for mugs. Secondly, you've spent a lot of money fixing issues which shouldn't crop up again and what you've spent wont be realised come resale time. Thirdly, get a cheaper mechanic - for the work that's been done it looks expensive on the face of it. Fourthly, and most importantly, you begrudge spending less than a few hundred quid a month in repairs, but you've happily burned through hundreds and hundreds per month more in depreciation and finance interest on new cars?

[ALawson]

I am in a similar place with my Honda Accord Type-R, I have owned it from 15 months old and 20k miles and it has now on 167k. The following things need doing-

EGR valve and VTEC solenoid removing and cleaning;
New Tyres at the front soonish;
Rear pads and disks;
Rear and possibly front dampeners;
Investigate a slight power steering fluid leak;

and the following things should be done-

Refurb alloy wheels;
Refurb rebumper which has a crack in it;
Respray rear quarter panel as there is some original paint damage;
Replace drivers door which has a little rust on it;

I have had the car for so long it had a new clutch 15k miles ago £500, new belts water pump and tensioners etc £300 and apart from that is running fine.

While I think I should get the work done to it to get it back into its prime and do another 100k miles in it I fancy either spending 5-10 on a second hand honda, toyota etc. I just think that any merc, bmw at this price is a potential money pit. Its either that or get a brand new vRS.

[sdmurray]

It is still cheaper than a new car and you know what has been done on it. We never buy new as we feel it is a waste of money. There's the depreciation as you drive it off the forecourt (usually quite substantial and way over what you just paid out over a year of motoring) and you still don't know if it is going to fall apart in the next few months. The only satisfaction you have is that the dealer would fix it for free (and loan you a horrible temp car whilst you have the hassle and no new car!)

With a second hand car you spend less initially, you get a much better specification on the car than you could ever dream of when new and you can probably buy a car you never thought you could afford. Just ensure it has a history (AND YOU GO THROUGH IT!) This is when we started on Jaguars and most recently got an Aston Martin (all of which cost less second hand than the decent level of rep-mobile would have).

Yes, there will be bills occassionally but you have to factor this into the purchase price. If your budget is £10k then buy an excellent second hand car for £8k but keep the extra £2k aside for the maintenance in years ahead. Trust me, it doesn't feel bad that way.

[Welshbeef]

Good going on that type r.
I fear I'd never keep a daily runner that long unless it's say a classic car.

You list some costs there which need doing can I ask are you still OEM original from new exhaust? Also how is the drivers seat steering wheel gear knob and rubbar pedals. For me those need changing at some point.

I recently bought the wife a car with 155k miles not a scratch or bump anywhere interior frankly as new apart from shiner steering wheel and pedal runners seem new. It came with full MOT belts just done dampers have been changed 15k ago clutch seems fine one owner and maindealer servicing from new some lol 17 stamps pulls lovely 4 brand new coil packs and 10 years old for £1.3k. Stunning negotiation and a bloody good car anyway all that will need doing is oil service 10 months time and filters then in 22 months brake fluid and oil change and aircon regas bi annualservice then in 46 months belts. I'm assuming that with the 5-6k a year miles she will not wear the new discs and pads out anytime within the next 4-5years.
So were planning on keeping it for the LONG term and unlike the volvo which we did zero maintence to this will be serviced on the button. She likes it's looks it's ideal for what she needs a car for and with 180hp it's nippy enough for her moving from a 65hp Volvo.

For me my 330d I have to keep it for another 34 months at which point I can give it back part x it as per select pcp. It's GFV is a silly low £4k and given I'm getting it serviced on the button and getting everything done when it needs doing it will be as new condition abliet with 110k miles. Thing is if I did keep it for 46 month as in buy it the car allowence would pay for it outright easily in it's last 12 months. Then i'd start making money out of it. However would I still want it would I be bored would I want a newer more efficient version of it with the new idrive would I want a faster model 335d ?? Hard to say now looking that far into the future.

I think reason for changing a car should be if it becomes unrelible ie if mine kept breaking down on my commute to work it wouldn't be acceptable as I get a car allowence and regular breakdown just doesn't work and the expectation would be buy a newer car.
Or if say you need more space or you need a more efficient car a 4x4 or a faster version. But to change for change sake is an expensive thing to do.

[dowahdiddyman]

I too had that dilemma. i`ve had a `53` Hyundai coupe since it was 6 months old and for six years it cost me nowt but this year needed new discs,pads, new exhaust section and was due new cam belt. Altogether it has cost me £800 so thought about time to rid, but I know what`s been done to it so basically am keeping it because 1, I know the car and 2, why should somebody else benfit from my expense.

[dtmpower]

Why did you spend out on getting air con fixed etc on an old mondeo ? First rule of bangernomics ?

When my wife's Tigra sunroof broke, I just disconnected the switch once the roof was back in place (hammer) then job done. Leave it broken or £400 down the drain.

Fair enough if the fault causes MOT failure or impending inability to drive to work.It's just not worth the labour to fix non essentials unless you do it yourself.

Even a fuel pump could be a simple job - £400 would almost write it off.

[6potdave]

On the flip side of that if you advertise it now it has a full 12 months MOT so will sell easier.

[Waugh-terfall]

I'll be interested to see where this goes as I'm also in a similar position...

April 09 - Buy December 2002 Megane - 52,000mi
since then I've covered 11,500mi
replaced:
2x Front tyres
MOT (failed)
2x 12 months rfl
4x Brake Discs
4x Brake Pads
Cambelt + tensioners
Water Pump
Body Control Module (after a complete melt-down)
Alternator Belt
OSF CV Gaitor
fixed a hole in the exhaust
Replaced 'RenaultCard' - keyless-go card thing
Glovebox lid
Foglight surround
Gearknob
Light bulbs
Many, many spade terminals to fix a connection that keeps breaking

It's coming up for another MOT, which I bet it'll fail and I'm sure the clutch is on its very last legs...

I've spent around £2150 on it, getting close to what it must be worth...

Also bashed a bank with it in the snow and I've got to get the bumper fixed (should be a DIY jobbie)

I want to swap it in September for a mk2.5 MX-5 but it'll have just had MORE RFL and it'll have had all that money spent on it just about a year ago by then... But at least it'll all have been done (maybe not the clutch) it'll have 6 months+ MOT and a whole years tax, so it might be easier to shift. Tough old decision.

Edited by Waugh-terfall on Sunday 16th January 13:25

[aw51 121565]

And that is the ethos of Bangernomics. Not "pure" Bangernomics that says "needs money spending? Get shut!" but the Bangernomics that most Bangernomics fans practice - we all spend a bit of money to make the car more habitable, but it's still a damn sight cheaper than keeping up with the Joneses....

You've definitely sussed the dark art of Bangernomics, you just seem to need reassurance to keep the Mondeo for the time being (6 months? 12 months? Longer?) .

Keeping the Mondeo and benefitting from what you've spent is the way forward from here - as is putting an equivalent sum to regular PCP payments for a new one in a savings account and being able to afford a very good holiday next Christmas (I bet!).

I've kept two old bangers (309SR and MG Maestro 1600) on the road despite very trying financial circumstances in the last two years - but I've been lucky to have two 'essentially good' and reliable cars that pass their MoTs every year and require minimal expenditure apart from fuel/insurance/road tax inbetween .

[icepop]

Keep it another 12 months, no brainer really, to get the value of the last year back out of it, if it then passes the MOT again, maybe for a little cost, new pads for example, keep it going a couple of months, then if finances permit maybe chop it in, 10 months MOT. But you've got to get your outlay back if possible. Good luck.

[vit4]

aw51 121565 said:

And that is the ethos of Bangernomics. Not "pure" Bangernomics that says "needs money spending? Get shut!" but the Bangernomics that most Bangernomics fans practice - we all spend a bit of money to make the car more habitable, but it's still a damn sight cheaper than keeping up with the Joneses....

You've definitely sussed the dark art of Bangernomics, you just seem to need reassurance to keep the Mondeo for the time being (6 months? 12 months? Longer?) .

Keeping the Mondeo and benefitting from what you've spent is the way forward from here - as is putting an equivalent sum to regular PCP payments for a new one in a savings account and being able to afford a very good holiday next Christmas (I bet!).

I've kept two old bangers (309SR and MG Maestro 1600) on the road despite very trying financial circumstances in the last two years - but I've been lucky to have two 'essentially good' and reliable cars that pass their MoTs every year and require minimal expenditure apart from fuel/insurance/road tax inbetween .

This, even down to the last sentence (just change the type of cars!) represents my view entirely. Good advice, very good.

[WeirdNeville]

Take a good look at what you've done and what routine maintenence will need to be done in the next 12 months.

Clutches (and dual mass flywheels?!) could be due, any rust getting bad, or anything else that will cost you should be factored in, plus say £500 for contingency. If that works out at less than financing something new, keep the car. It is almost bound to work out less than depreciation + interest on finance.

A £3k mondeo is far, far from a 'disposable' bangernomics shed, IMO and shouldhave plenty of life left in it. I appreciate your concerns about needing a reliable car, but there's no reason a middle aged saloon should be any less reliable than a new car, so long as you maintain it.

The point I get rid of my cars is when I lose faith in them (or get bored/find somethign else I want more). This has only really happened with my first self owned car, an Audi 80 Tdi. We (me and the mrs) bought it for £2.5k and although it was leggy, it represented a huge investment to us and therefore we felt obliged to maintain it and keep it to get our moneys worth. That car handed out £500 bills like a traffic warden dishes out tickets. It had a couple of faults that were never resolved, and even straighforwards stuff on it broke and cost hundreds to put right. In the end we got rid after 2 years when it developed an ABS fault that was £800 in parts alone. We should have sold a year earlier, as soon as it became apparent that it was a dog. As soon as a car becomes a misery, I want rid. I sold it totally honestly on eBay with 12 months MOT for £1,000.

Nowadays I'm much more practical about my cars. I can fix many things myself which makes the cost of maintenance bearable. The current 1997 328i (£700 worth) I have budgeted £100 a month running costs - be that tax, insurance saving or in a month where no bills are due I'll spend it on parts to improve or maintain the car. This is NOT bangernomics in it's truest form, but it's still a nice car, I use it to transport my loved ones and it's 190bhp. That means I need to keep It in an acceptable state of repair for safety and peace of mind. It's well worth £100 a month to me.
For example, this month it was suspension arms and brakes - parts bought cheaply and fitted myself. The brakes in particular would have been perhaps £400-£500 at an independant garage. I got the parts for £150 and had a nice Sunday afternoon fitting them. That's what makes affordable, fun motoring for me.