I'm getting a bit too attached to my shed
Discussion
I bought an £800 168K mile LS400 originally intending it to be a stop-gap until I found something new to buy (I'd changed jobs and lost my company car so needed something immediately).
This was a year ago. Since then I've enjoyed wafting around in utter comfort and haven't even started looking for something new. I've had a few suspension bits replaced, but it's going to be due a timing belt in the next year or so, plus I'd like to replace the engine and transmission mounts and get some crappy paint sorted.
Total cost for this is looking at about £1k and the head says that I should start looking for something new. However, it's such an utterly relaxing place to be, even in the worst of traffic, that I'm seriously considering stumping up more than it's worth to keep it running and make it look nice.
Anyone else have a similar dilemma?
This was a year ago. Since then I've enjoyed wafting around in utter comfort and haven't even started looking for something new. I've had a few suspension bits replaced, but it's going to be due a timing belt in the next year or so, plus I'd like to replace the engine and transmission mounts and get some crappy paint sorted.
Total cost for this is looking at about £1k and the head says that I should start looking for something new. However, it's such an utterly relaxing place to be, even in the worst of traffic, that I'm seriously considering stumping up more than it's worth to keep it running and make it look nice.
Anyone else have a similar dilemma?
Think of it this way, cars cost money if not on maintenance then on depreciation. Or both, generally.
Depreciation should not really apply in your case, so it's just the maintenance. It's a Toyo... Lexus, so should be reliable and not spring any major surprises, so I would keep it, and deal with the devil I know.
Depreciation should not really apply in your case, so it's just the maintenance. It's a Toyo... Lexus, so should be reliable and not spring any major surprises, so I would keep it, and deal with the devil I know.
996TT02 said:
Depreciation should not really apply in your case, so it's just the maintenance. It's a Toyo... Lexus, so should be reliable and not spring any major surprises, so I would keep it, and deal with the devil I know.
Agree with this. When it comes to sheds, you can waste loads of time/petrol viewing loads of cars and end up with worse problems than your old one had. Market price v repair cost isn't the be all and end all.
Might be an idea to get it up on a ramp and give everything a once over before splashing cash on it though. I doubt there will be much to worry about on an LS400.
I got my ZT in January 2013 for £770 (impulse eBay auction purchase), and whilst it has a few issues and is extremely far from perfect, it's really grown on me. It's not worth spending major money on getting it up to scratch as it's generally a rather tired example and any major mechanical failure will write it off. It has a couple of funny noises when the engine is cold, but once it's warmed up, it cruises along rather nicely and sounds great IMO.
Currently driving around in a Golf Cabriolet which I actually like despite the fact
-it's vastly underpowered,
-looks like it'd fail an MOT (it passed last month),
-wallows on corners,
-leaks so I have to put newspaper on the seats after it's been raining,
-cost me £500 to pass the MOT,
-has a leaking radiator so every drive is a Top Gear Special (I really ought to get it fixed but a bottle of water is cheaper),
-clonks on corners and speed humps.
Now that summer's coming, it's gonna be even more enjoyable to be in. It's so easy to flip the roof down from the driver's seat. 5 seconds max. Unclip both handles and throw it behind me. (Bit more troubles after a shoulders session in the Gime, though.)
-it's vastly underpowered,
-looks like it'd fail an MOT (it passed last month),
-wallows on corners,
-leaks so I have to put newspaper on the seats after it's been raining,
-cost me £500 to pass the MOT,
-has a leaking radiator so every drive is a Top Gear Special (I really ought to get it fixed but a bottle of water is cheaper),
-clonks on corners and speed humps.
Now that summer's coming, it's gonna be even more enjoyable to be in. It's so easy to flip the roof down from the driver's seat. 5 seconds max. Unclip both handles and throw it behind me. (Bit more troubles after a shoulders session in the Gime, though.)
You could try and look at it another way.
If you bought a new Lexus you would be splashing out about 30 grand.
Plus to keep it in main dealer warranty would mean main dealer servicing costs so for a couple of service items such as tyres and brakes and a full service would see you in the region of that amount of money plus you don't have to worry about monthly payments and depreciation .
And once you've spent out a grand on the old girl you will have a mint condition car which you know.
I've done the same thing myself with my stopgap £281 Audi and I just can't replace it as it's been the most reliable car I've owned and that was now 4 years ago the only downside things haven't improved a great deal financially either since then. Lol
If you bought a new Lexus you would be splashing out about 30 grand.
Plus to keep it in main dealer warranty would mean main dealer servicing costs so for a couple of service items such as tyres and brakes and a full service would see you in the region of that amount of money plus you don't have to worry about monthly payments and depreciation .
And once you've spent out a grand on the old girl you will have a mint condition car which you know.
I've done the same thing myself with my stopgap £281 Audi and I just can't replace it as it's been the most reliable car I've owned and that was now 4 years ago the only downside things haven't improved a great deal financially either since then. Lol
oilslick said:
I bought an £800 168K mile LS400 originally intending it to be a stop-gap until I found something new to buy (I'd changed jobs and lost my company car so needed something immediately).
This was a year ago. Since then I've enjoyed wafting around in utter comfort and haven't even started looking for something new. I've had a few suspension bits replaced, but it's going to be due a timing belt in the next year or so, plus I'd like to replace the engine and transmission mounts and get some crappy paint sorted.
Total cost for this is looking at about £1k and the head says that I should start looking for something new. However, it's such an utterly relaxing place to be, even in the worst of traffic, that I'm seriously considering stumping up more than it's worth to keep it running and make it look nice.
Anyone else have a similar dilemma?
I wouldnt go spending two fortunes on it at any one particular time, in case something terminal goes and your £1000 is flushed down the loo. For every spend i'd be making i'd be weighing up if i'm going to get the value of that spend out of it, without likelihood the car will fail in the meantime.This was a year ago. Since then I've enjoyed wafting around in utter comfort and haven't even started looking for something new. I've had a few suspension bits replaced, but it's going to be due a timing belt in the next year or so, plus I'd like to replace the engine and transmission mounts and get some crappy paint sorted.
Total cost for this is looking at about £1k and the head says that I should start looking for something new. However, it's such an utterly relaxing place to be, even in the worst of traffic, that I'm seriously considering stumping up more than it's worth to keep it running and make it look nice.
Anyone else have a similar dilemma?
I'd a Fiat Marea last year that i'd taken as a trade in, spent a few pounds on and ended up using it as my daily runner. Washed and hoovered out weekly, oil and water levels checked then another 500 miles piled on. Was due a timing belt and a service but before i got the work done i had my mechanic check it over - turned out the floor pan was terminally rotten, so i just drove on and scrapped it. I'd have been fairly miffed if i'd laid out on the timing belt and service only for it to have been put off the road due to a big welding bill.
I wouldnt be getting the paintwork done - its an £800 car, and having it all mint isnt going to change that.
I've got exactly the same problem.
I bought a 1996 Primera SRi for £400 last year, and I like it so much I want to fix the things that are wrong, but I know that this isn't what I should do. The engine is great, it's quickish and economical, and the car handles well (I think it's the same as the GT with 20bhp less).
A bit of a suspension refresh and some welding of the sills and it would pass its MOT in September and be even better, but should I get rid?
I bought a 1996 Primera SRi for £400 last year, and I like it so much I want to fix the things that are wrong, but I know that this isn't what I should do. The engine is great, it's quickish and economical, and the car handles well (I think it's the same as the GT with 20bhp less).
A bit of a suspension refresh and some welding of the sills and it would pass its MOT in September and be even better, but should I get rid?
I've got a £500 LS400 sat on the drive, it's such a good car and mechanically it's very strong and well looked after.
I will have to put new tyres on it soon especially since I keep spinning the rears up for fun. Other than that I might refurb the wheels and I have replaced the boot seal. Nothing else needs doing, there is some tatty body work but at 500 quid it can stay tatty.
I will have to put new tyres on it soon especially since I keep spinning the rears up for fun. Other than that I might refurb the wheels and I have replaced the boot seal. Nothing else needs doing, there is some tatty body work but at 500 quid it can stay tatty.
I think they're quite a few people on PH who do this.
I agree with the advice to have a look at the car on a ramp before you spend too much on it. If rust is local and insignificant, then go ahead and sort out the problems.
If you like the Lexus LS though, I can't help but feel buying a really good one may be the solution. It could be quite a bit cheaper than the repairs on your current car - an excellent old Lexus is still not an expensive car.
I agree with the advice to have a look at the car on a ramp before you spend too much on it. If rust is local and insignificant, then go ahead and sort out the problems.
If you like the Lexus LS though, I can't help but feel buying a really good one may be the solution. It could be quite a bit cheaper than the repairs on your current car - an excellent old Lexus is still not an expensive car.
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