How old is too old for a daily driver?

[Bezza1969]

hmm, its getting tough, this choosing a new motor on a budget lark! Amongst the cars on my very long shortlist, which is mainly Fords, Vauxhalls and Hondas (either cheap parts or reliable!) I have seen what appears to be a mint Honda Accord Aerodeck for sale, with 61,000 miles on it, for £1400 on Ebay, but its a 1996 car. Is that too old for a daily driver and main family vehicle? Its a 2.2 VTEC auto, so I guess it might be a tad thirsty, but Accords from that era have simply legendary build quality and reliability.. see the Honest John page if you don't believe me, the only known problem with 'em is a sticking electric front window ffs! This car looks to have been regularly valeted and would make a great family hack for our holiday in France next year. Anyone else out there own an older main car if so has it been a good decision?

[Raize]

3 years.

[leafspring]

A 1996 Honda should be fine.

My daily is a 1994 Nissan Sunny 1.4 (manual, 43mpg) and 100% reliable so far (touch wood)

[davepoth]

It's about £1000 too expensive for a car of that make and age. Here's a Mondeo, similar size, 2 litre auto, a few more miles at 80,000, but only £1200 so a bit cheaper. It's also ten years younger.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

-edit-

You could also have a 2006 Subaru Legacy with a 280hp motor, only 70,000 miles and £1450.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

Edited by davepoth on Tuesday 22 October 20:07

[LP670]

Raize said:

3 years.

meanwhile in the real world...

[UpTheIron]

It will probably be fine, as long as you have a few quid for any unforeseen issues.

Not sure of the justification of the "3 years" comment from the poster above me... my daily is 10 years old... and it's a "highly strung" turbo-charged 4 wheel drive car... so plenty to go wrong, yet it's been the most reliable I've ever owned.

My Tuscan doesn't do too badly either, and I'd have no qualms making it my daily driver (in the past it has been... it was more reliable than my 3 year old Audi!)... and it's a) 8 years old and b) a TVR.

[danjama]

Sorted

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

[Mound Dawg]

Until three years ago I was doing 90 miles a day in my 1992 Alfa 75. I only stopped doing this because I inherited my wife's 99 Punto so now I do it in that.

Neither have given any trouble.

[Digby]

The age wouldn't bother me, but the price would!

Years ago I had a saloon version of the car you are talking about and I'm sure it's probably still going now.

Forget that one (I saw it on ebay)..get this one instead and save yourself a few quid..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Civic-Aerodeck-1-6...

[E65Ross]

For 3.5years I ran a 1982 bmw 3 series as my daily driver and covered 30k miles in that time. At the point of sale it was 29 years old.

Let down once - failed water pump.

[Digby]

Actually, get an early Volvo V70 or 740 or summat.They are cracking cars for the money!

[H100S]

Guy at work uses his 42 year old DAF 33 as his daily driver. 12 mile + commute every day. I think he managed it for a whole week once!

[slippery]

I think the 90s were a golden period. Cars were well developed enough to be incredibly durable in many cases, but weren't laden with all the trickery that sends them haywire these days. I think less corners were cut too.

[Morningside]

I was using my 1993 Pajero for a 120 mile round trip about 4 days a week. It never let me down.

[Justin Case]

Anything other than a new Citigo on a 3 year PCP is going to be an unreliable money-pit

[sparks_E39]

Anything you can afford to run daily surely. Mines 11.

[williredale]

My daily is 13 years old. The only problem with the one you're looking at is it seems quite expensive for the age.

[slippery]

I'd drive across Europe without fear of a breakdown in my ten year old Audi tomorrow. The most unreliable cars I've owned (with the exception of a 320d) have been my oldest ones. (TVR not included )

[leafspring]

Re-read the OP... £1400 is far to expensive, my Sunny was only £295 with a years MOT and 6months tax.

[s p a c e m a n]

I have a 15 year old TVR as my one and only car that I rely on to get me to work and stuff every day, in fact I've never owned anything made in this century. Age does not define a car.