The ups and downs of Bangernomics
Discussion
So the old Avensis went in yesterday for the MOT. Bought her 2 years ago for £900 to keep me on the road through the financial intricacies of divorce.
Last year she cost me £120 to get through as needed a new caliper on the back. Other than that, in 2 years have bought nothing but consumables (she tends to drink a bit of oil although she doesn't appear to leak it or burn it)
The sheer trepidation of not knowing, the worry of seeing what they need and deciding if it is worth investing in it when you consider the value, the nail biting terror of the phone ringing when you have asked them to let you know before they carry out any remedial work
And the complete swing in emotion as the conversation unfolds. Failed on emissions and handbrake - I was pretty sure it needed a new cable. Turned out to be the handbrake levers stuck on and a very small leak in the exhaust.
Total bill for another 12 months ticket - £80 including the cost of the test
Now let's hope for another year of cheap motoring whilst the debts get paid off and the savings increase
Last year she cost me £120 to get through as needed a new caliper on the back. Other than that, in 2 years have bought nothing but consumables (she tends to drink a bit of oil although she doesn't appear to leak it or burn it)
The sheer trepidation of not knowing, the worry of seeing what they need and deciding if it is worth investing in it when you consider the value, the nail biting terror of the phone ringing when you have asked them to let you know before they carry out any remedial work
And the complete swing in emotion as the conversation unfolds. Failed on emissions and handbrake - I was pretty sure it needed a new cable. Turned out to be the handbrake levers stuck on and a very small leak in the exhaust.
Total bill for another 12 months ticket - £80 including the cost of the test
Now let's hope for another year of cheap motoring whilst the debts get paid off and the savings increase
thatdude said:
It must be evaporating overnight when the temp drops
Evaporating oil in cold conditions.. interesting concept. better start using a different form of lubricant over night More like any oil dropping into the combustion chamber is getting burnt up in the cat and there isn't enough to make it visible.
Condition of the plugs will generally indicate whats going on.
Edited by m4tti on Wednesday 24th September 13:35
thatdude said:
trickywoo said:
ShawCrossShark said:
(she tends to drink a bit of oil although she doesn't appear to leak it or burn it)
Like I say, just pretty chuffed that she made it through as have never been let down - did Newquay and back last year quite happily and Tenby and back this so not a problem on a run either
ShawCrossShark said:
So the old Avensis went in yesterday for the MOT. Bought her 2 years ago for £900 to keep me on the road through the financial intricacies of divorce.
Last year she cost me £120 to get through as needed a new caliper on the back. Other than that, in 2 years have bought nothing but consumables (she tends to drink a bit of oil although she doesn't appear to leak it or burn it)
The sheer trepidation of not knowing, the worry of seeing what they need and deciding if it is worth investing in it when you consider the value, the nail biting terror of the phone ringing when you have asked them to let you know before they carry out any remedial work
And the complete swing in emotion as the conversation unfolds. Failed on emissions and handbrake - I was pretty sure it needed a new cable. Turned out to be the handbrake levers stuck on and a very small leak in the exhaust.
Total bill for another 12 months ticket - £80 including the cost of the test
Now let's hope for another year of cheap motoring whilst the debts get paid off and the savings increase
Mine was 2 weeks ago, and they rang me at 10am. Always a bad sign. You know it's bad when the guy at the garage goes "ummm yeah...."Last year she cost me £120 to get through as needed a new caliper on the back. Other than that, in 2 years have bought nothing but consumables (she tends to drink a bit of oil although she doesn't appear to leak it or burn it)
The sheer trepidation of not knowing, the worry of seeing what they need and deciding if it is worth investing in it when you consider the value, the nail biting terror of the phone ringing when you have asked them to let you know before they carry out any remedial work
And the complete swing in emotion as the conversation unfolds. Failed on emissions and handbrake - I was pretty sure it needed a new cable. Turned out to be the handbrake levers stuck on and a very small leak in the exhaust.
Total bill for another 12 months ticket - £80 including the cost of the test
Now let's hope for another year of cheap motoring whilst the debts get paid off and the savings increase
a colleague at work is very last minute with things- mind on higher and better things shall we say than planning and running cars.
his 2001 passat has just cost £1100 to get through the MOT- because he left it to the last day to test it and then just needed it doing to be able to use it.
rather than plan for buying another car.
the garage also advised on a further £1000 at least to actual do all the service items required.
money isn't even the issue here for him...... he must be on 65k and his wife is a GP- so she'll be on 6 figures.
lovely chap though, but no petrol in his veins.
his 2001 passat has just cost £1100 to get through the MOT- because he left it to the last day to test it and then just needed it doing to be able to use it.
rather than plan for buying another car.
the garage also advised on a further £1000 at least to actual do all the service items required.
money isn't even the issue here for him...... he must be on 65k and his wife is a GP- so she'll be on 6 figures.
lovely chap though, but no petrol in his veins.
ShawCrossShark said:
Soshe tends to drink a bit of oil although she doesn't appear to leak it or burn it
My grandparents have an Avensis (04 plate for reference) and theirs had a recall to rectify that fault. Neither of them knew what had been done but it seems to have worked so it may be worth contacting a Toyota stealerTooMany2cvs said:
Another year of driving an Avensis. My condolences.
A bit lacking in soul and very "white goods " I agree, but as I said above it was a cheap fix to keep mobile whilst a lot of other issues were being dealt with. If I hadn't let the ex waste so much money on the wedding I might not still be paying for it now and have something decent ShawCrossShark said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Another year of driving an Avensis. My condolences.
A bit lacking in soul and very "white goods " I agree, but as I said above it was a cheap fix to keep mobile whilst a lot of other issues were being dealt with. If I hadn't let the ex waste so much money on the wedding I might not still be paying for it now and have something decent motco said:
On odd occasion I have been known to take a car in for work and go home on the bus. Every time it happens, as I stand by the roadside waiting, the overwhelming feeling that any car, no matter how small, how old, how shamefully naff - absolutely ANY car is better than public transport!
Agreed people who use public transport smell of fear, poverty and mcdonalds.ShawCrossShark said:
No visible leaks anywhere that I park and no visible plumes of smoke at any time. Not saying that she doesn't burn it, just that it is not obvious (and I have been told that the VVTI engines do tend to use a fair amount of oil in general)
Like I say, just pretty chuffed that she made it through as have never been let down - did Newquay and back last year quite happily and Tenby and back this so not a problem on a run either
The 1.4/1.6/1.8 VVTi engines were well known for using oil (about 1L every 1000 miles) and it is noticeable more if you are doing mainly high speed motorway miles as opposed to pottering about locally.Like I say, just pretty chuffed that she made it through as have never been let down - did Newquay and back last year quite happily and Tenby and back this so not a problem on a run either
ShawCrossShark said:
Triumph Man said:
Mine was 2 weeks ago, and they rang me at 10am. Always a bad sign. You know it's bad when the guy at the garage goes "ummm yeah...."
What was the outcome? Was it an ok then, or a bin it and buy another snotter?I do however have a shimmy-less E34!!!!
Pug 205 1.1 is the everyday shed around here. Now closing on 160k, after ~30k in the five years we've had it.
Four tyres and a headlight when we got it. Since then: two more tyres, a lower arm, a clutch, a rebuilt rear subframe, a back box, brake pads and shoes all round and an alternator, together with a few services. It's about due a cambelt. Massively overspent, really, given the £100 we paid for it... But it's bloody good fun to hoof about... With that kind of proper maintenance, it'll last damn near forever.
Four tyres and a headlight when we got it. Since then: two more tyres, a lower arm, a clutch, a rebuilt rear subframe, a back box, brake pads and shoes all round and an alternator, together with a few services. It's about due a cambelt. Massively overspent, really, given the £100 we paid for it... But it's bloody good fun to hoof about... With that kind of proper maintenance, it'll last damn near forever.
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