New car time or fettle the shed I've already got?
Discussion
I've got a (slightly ratty) '97 x300 Jag XJ that I've had for about a year and a half. It's my first car (good, sensible choice right?) It's served me very well, I don't do big mileage and the car is more of a 'for fun' / odd Euro tour thing than necessary daily transport.
The other day the interior door handle stopped working (I think the cable has broken). It looks like a common problem and a relatively easy fix but it'll need doing to get it through it's next MOT (which is not due till August).
My quandary is, do I sink some cash into fixing it / getting the old girl a proper service (and try to get a few more years out of it) or should I just sell up as spares / repair and move on. The car is in good shape overall and has never let me down but it's not perfect. The alloys are rather ratty and the aerial does not go down all the way. It also has little scrapes on the corners of the bumpers (not me!) and the drivers seat bolster has a small hole in it. It's on 130k (I bought it on 124K and paid a grand for it).
It's a lovely old thing though and it's amazing at eating up autobahn miles but around town in London with the turning circle of a supertanker and it's 5m+ length is a bit of a pain!
I'm just concerned that sinking money into what is already not a perfect example of a low value car might just be binning money that could be better spent elsewhere. When I bought it the intention was always to 'shed' it but I've developed a bit of an attachment to the old girl!
If I swap it I was thinking of either
Another Barge
1) Another x300 or x308 Jag - probably something in better shape with lower miles - probably would cost £1500-2500
2) Comedy massive old Volvo estate - If I'm going to drive something 5m long it might as well be big enough to carry something right?
3) Old Merc, w123 or w124 prob - some of these look lovely but how are they to live with
4) Saab 900 or early 9-3
Something even less practical but more fun
5) Late model original mini - good for town, not good for motorway!
6) MGB Roadster or GT - I had a go in a mates one and loved it, would be much more money.
7) Triumph Spitfire
8) Dolly Sprint
Or a more modern (less legit) version of the above
9) MK2 MX5
10) MG TF
11) Early Audi TT
Whaddya recon?!
The other day the interior door handle stopped working (I think the cable has broken). It looks like a common problem and a relatively easy fix but it'll need doing to get it through it's next MOT (which is not due till August).
My quandary is, do I sink some cash into fixing it / getting the old girl a proper service (and try to get a few more years out of it) or should I just sell up as spares / repair and move on. The car is in good shape overall and has never let me down but it's not perfect. The alloys are rather ratty and the aerial does not go down all the way. It also has little scrapes on the corners of the bumpers (not me!) and the drivers seat bolster has a small hole in it. It's on 130k (I bought it on 124K and paid a grand for it).
It's a lovely old thing though and it's amazing at eating up autobahn miles but around town in London with the turning circle of a supertanker and it's 5m+ length is a bit of a pain!
I'm just concerned that sinking money into what is already not a perfect example of a low value car might just be binning money that could be better spent elsewhere. When I bought it the intention was always to 'shed' it but I've developed a bit of an attachment to the old girl!
If I swap it I was thinking of either
Another Barge
1) Another x300 or x308 Jag - probably something in better shape with lower miles - probably would cost £1500-2500
2) Comedy massive old Volvo estate - If I'm going to drive something 5m long it might as well be big enough to carry something right?
3) Old Merc, w123 or w124 prob - some of these look lovely but how are they to live with
4) Saab 900 or early 9-3
Something even less practical but more fun
5) Late model original mini - good for town, not good for motorway!
6) MGB Roadster or GT - I had a go in a mates one and loved it, would be much more money.
7) Triumph Spitfire
8) Dolly Sprint
Or a more modern (less legit) version of the above
9) MK2 MX5
10) MG TF
11) Early Audi TT
Whaddya recon?!
Seasoned shedder here, nice choice of first car!
My advice - do it, but do it NOW. Things like this are only minor jobs, but if you leave them say 6 months you inevitably have a long list of stuff to do. You then lose heart, sell up, and lose cash.
Keep on top of stuff and learn the spanners at the same time. There's far less to lose if you go wrong on an old car, so just get stuck in without the fear.
My advice - do it, but do it NOW. Things like this are only minor jobs, but if you leave them say 6 months you inevitably have a long list of stuff to do. You then lose heart, sell up, and lose cash.
Keep on top of stuff and learn the spanners at the same time. There's far less to lose if you go wrong on an old car, so just get stuck in without the fear.
You'd sell a car as "spares or repairs" because of a broken interior handle and some curbed wheels - that's very over the top!
If those are the worst problems on a 17 year old car then to me it is a KEEPER!
grab a Haynes manual, sign up to a Jag forum and sort it out. I reckon with a bit of work you have a very good example!!
If those are the worst problems on a 17 year old car then to me it is a KEEPER!
grab a Haynes manual, sign up to a Jag forum and sort it out. I reckon with a bit of work you have a very good example!!
I bought one of these for the Balmy to Barcelona Banger rally - was a great car - prone to a bit of overheating going up the alpine passes, but it stayed the course - grew very attached to it - and was very sad to let it go to a breaker's in Barcelona.... repair the little bits that need it and enjoy!
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