Letting go of a really good car - even though it's a shed.
Discussion
With a heavy heart I'm now in the position of having to let arguably the best car I've had (reliability wise) go to either the scrappy or to the Bay. My T reg, 107k escort with awfully bad bodywork rust issues is now confined to second place as I've been passed on a 2004 Mazda with associated battle damage because the wife had it for 5 years. She's now got a new car so I'm under orders to dispose of the "shedscort".
I paid £500 for the 1.6 finesse in 2010, in 40,000 miles apart from services & associated items and belts, it's needed a wheel bearing and a CV boot. Never once failed to start, has got me through rain, snow, ice and fog every day to work and back, and even an ad hoc Ipswich to Manchester trip when the Omega threw a tantrum and filled the header tank with oil. Picked up the MIL and SIL, 70 kg's of luggage and cruised at 70 (ahem) all the way home.
The air con cooled my brow in the summer months, the squeaky suspension kept me company throgh the twisty B roads , and the peculiar odour from the previous keeper kept me wondering what on earth it had been used to transport in the past, serving me equally well as a workhorse to and from the local tip.
It even recently passed an MOT, albeit needing a spot of welding here and there, so it has 10 months on it.
Sadly though,I know that this is a case when I'll be looking back in a few months time wishing I'd never got rid, but I don't have the space, the money or indeed a valid reason to keep it on, but it just kind of breaks my heart that I'm consigning a damn reliable car that's been good to me to the scrapheap. To me it's like chucking out a perfectly good pair of jeans or a jacket because it's old, out of fashion and has a couple of holes, and in all truth I'm not all that keen on the replacement.
I added up the costs from last year:
Servicing £100
Insurance £179
Tax £225
MOT £130
Fuel £1100
1 years motoring for £1734. Not bad shedding eh?.
I paid £500 for the 1.6 finesse in 2010, in 40,000 miles apart from services & associated items and belts, it's needed a wheel bearing and a CV boot. Never once failed to start, has got me through rain, snow, ice and fog every day to work and back, and even an ad hoc Ipswich to Manchester trip when the Omega threw a tantrum and filled the header tank with oil. Picked up the MIL and SIL, 70 kg's of luggage and cruised at 70 (ahem) all the way home.
The air con cooled my brow in the summer months, the squeaky suspension kept me company throgh the twisty B roads , and the peculiar odour from the previous keeper kept me wondering what on earth it had been used to transport in the past, serving me equally well as a workhorse to and from the local tip.
It even recently passed an MOT, albeit needing a spot of welding here and there, so it has 10 months on it.
Sadly though,I know that this is a case when I'll be looking back in a few months time wishing I'd never got rid, but I don't have the space, the money or indeed a valid reason to keep it on, but it just kind of breaks my heart that I'm consigning a damn reliable car that's been good to me to the scrapheap. To me it's like chucking out a perfectly good pair of jeans or a jacket because it's old, out of fashion and has a couple of holes, and in all truth I'm not all that keen on the replacement.
I added up the costs from last year:
Servicing £100
Insurance £179
Tax £225
MOT £130
Fuel £1100
1 years motoring for £1734. Not bad shedding eh?.
I've even considered giving it away to someone who I know will appreciate it and look after it for the remainder of its life. £75 from the scrappy or £150 if I'm lucky on Ebay is handy, I'm not emotional over it, but just don't like seeing perfectly good pieces of useable kit going to waste for no good reason when someone else can benefit.As long as someone isn't too bothered about driving around in a rusty 15 year old car, that is.
Actually, it's an ideal shed for the winter if someone wants to keep their P&J safe from the elements. That's probably the angle I'll write the Ebay ad in.
Oddly I have given this more consideration than I did when I scrapped that peice of crap Omega which was only 11 years old.
Actually, it's an ideal shed for the winter if someone wants to keep their P&J safe from the elements. That's probably the angle I'll write the Ebay ad in.
Oddly I have given this more consideration than I did when I scrapped that peice of crap Omega which was only 11 years old.
In reply, yep I could flog the Mazda and keep the Shed, but the sensible option is to ditch the Shed with 107K 10 months ticket for some dollar and keep the 2004 Mazda with 47k less on the clock , 12 months ticket and a reasonable reliability record, a better interior , less rust, slightly better economy and with more life left in it. I'm not particularly keen on the Mazda anymore than I'm overstruck with the new CX5 she's purchased.
My main point is that I think it's a pity to scrap a perfectly good car (which I'll probably end up doing) because it is simply that, old nd tired but still with 10 months motoring in it. Old but not obsolete as Arnie said.
My main point is that I think it's a pity to scrap a perfectly good car (which I'll probably end up doing) because it is simply that, old nd tired but still with 10 months motoring in it. Old but not obsolete as Arnie said.
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