Sell It or Run it Into the Ground?
Discussion
My 2004 Skoda Fabia VRS is now at 160k miles. Since buying it at 40k miles it has always been very well maintained. The car is running well, but at this age there may be risk of needing a £1k clutch and DMF replacement sometime in the next year. Its had: new turbo, intercooler pipework and aircon compressor at around 120k miles, at over £1500, so it owes me some more miles. It has not been a 'cheap' car to maintain, but at an easy 50-55mpg it is cheap to fuel considering a 30k pa commute (95% motorway, very easy on the car).
For the past six months I've been considering replacing it (with a £9k, 40k miles, 2009+, 50mpg+ car), mainly because I'd like a different car, but also to avoid another big bill and a further reduction in its trade-in value.
Options are:
1. Trade in the VRS now (say £2k?), at 160k miles against the newer car mentioned above
2. Keep the VRS for at least another year, risking the £1k clutch job, then sell it at >200k miles, by which time I asusme it will be worth very little, even if it is still going strong.
Although not essential, I would like to keep the money in the bank for 1 more year for various reasons.
Anyone got any advice or other things to consider?
For the past six months I've been considering replacing it (with a £9k, 40k miles, 2009+, 50mpg+ car), mainly because I'd like a different car, but also to avoid another big bill and a further reduction in its trade-in value.
Options are:
1. Trade in the VRS now (say £2k?), at 160k miles against the newer car mentioned above
2. Keep the VRS for at least another year, risking the £1k clutch job, then sell it at >200k miles, by which time I asusme it will be worth very little, even if it is still going strong.
Although not essential, I would like to keep the money in the bank for 1 more year for various reasons.
Anyone got any advice or other things to consider?
£1k for a clutch and flywheel??? I just done mine last week on my GT TDi 150 with Sachs items and It cost me less than £400
Granted my mate did it for me, however even paying garage labour rates you will still be no more than 6-700
I'd keep it if I were you, after the clutch and flywheel there is very little else to go wrong
Granted my mate did it for me, however even paying garage labour rates you will still be no more than 6-700
I'd keep it if I were you, after the clutch and flywheel there is very little else to go wrong
I've got the same dilemma with my 2003 Mazda 6 diesel. Its been a great reliable car, but is now at 140k and the clutch parts alone come in at >£500 (same problem with expensive DMF) and its overdue a cambelt as well - so I'm looking it at a grand bill to keep a car probably worth not a huge amount more....but its been a great reliable car and I almost feel like I owe it the chance of a few more years of life!
t out of it and buy some sticky rubber.iamrcb said:
My 2004 Skoda Fabia VRS is now at 160k miles. Since buying it at 40k miles it has always been very well maintained. The car is running well, but at this age there may be risk of needing a £1k clutch and DMF replacement sometime in the next year. Its had: new turbo, intercooler pipework and aircon compressor at around 120k miles, at over £1500, so it owes me some more miles. It has not been a 'cheap' car to maintain, but at an easy 50-55mpg it is cheap to fuel considering a 30k pa commute (95% motorway, very easy on the car).
For the past six months I've been considering replacing it (with a £9k, 40k miles, 2009+, 50mpg+ car), mainly because I'd like a different car, but also to avoid another big bill and a further reduction in its trade-in value.
Options are:
1. Trade in the VRS now (say £2k?), at 160k miles against the newer car mentioned above
2. Keep the VRS for at least another year, risking the £1k clutch job, then sell it at >200k miles, by which time I asusme it will be worth very little, even if it is still going strong.
Although not essential, I would like to keep the money in the bank for 1 more year for various reasons.
Anyone got any advice or other things to consider?
Do bear in mind that - the new car is costing 9 k - so even with a 1 grand repair on the fabia - and even with 2 grand trade in - you are still 7 k better off keeping the Fabia.For the past six months I've been considering replacing it (with a £9k, 40k miles, 2009+, 50mpg+ car), mainly because I'd like a different car, but also to avoid another big bill and a further reduction in its trade-in value.
Options are:
1. Trade in the VRS now (say £2k?), at 160k miles against the newer car mentioned above
2. Keep the VRS for at least another year, risking the £1k clutch job, then sell it at >200k miles, by which time I asusme it will be worth very little, even if it is still going strong.
Although not essential, I would like to keep the money in the bank for 1 more year for various reasons.
Anyone got any advice or other things to consider?
The other thing to bear in mind is that modern diesels can be very troublesome - so trading in the Skoda doesn't gurantee you freedom from new repair bills.
Id keep the Skoda tbh - if all thats potentially wrong with it is that it may need a new DMF.
Sir Fergie
You're getting to the stage where the value of the car vs having dealer work done on it is pointless. I'm pretty sure you can get a new clutch and flywheel for around £500'ish which will still be done right. Having had a Mondeo diesel that had a DMF failure, I know the feeling about wanting to get it out of the way, in my case it as early on enough that there werent any conversions, or many places that could get pattern part versions so I stumped up the dealer rates. Which was about 1/2 the value of the car at the time. If I was there again, with more options I'd save and get it sorted. Better the devil you know and that
Sir Fergie said:
Do bear in mind that - the new car is costing 9 k - so even with a 1 grand repair on the fabia - and even with 2 grand trade in - you are still 7 k better off keeping the Fabia.
The other thing to bear in mind is that modern diesels can be very troublesome - so trading in the Skoda doesn't gurantee you freedom from new repair bills.
Id keep the Skoda tbh - if all thats potentially wrong with it is that it may need a new DMF.
Sir Fergie
I've tried to avoid 2006-2008 diesels, mainly due to DPF and super expensive injector issues. They seemed to get even more complex from 2006 onwards. I would hope that this sort of thing is on its way out as these systems have been in service for a while now. I want a PD130 TDi in an MX5!The other thing to bear in mind is that modern diesels can be very troublesome - so trading in the Skoda doesn't gurantee you freedom from new repair bills.
Id keep the Skoda tbh - if all thats potentially wrong with it is that it may need a new DMF.
Sir Fergie
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