When is it time to say go?
Discussion
Mrs Foolish's first real car (technically her second cause the car I bought her to learn to drive in was an MGF and yes this was very stupid) is a Kia Picanto I bought off a friend who had it from new. It's now on 196k. I just got it an MOT a few days ago, which before that required an ABS sensor changing.
Fine but it's gone for a slightly longer drive than normal today (not *far* but probs 100m round trip) and I'm pretty sure *some* brake is binding but I can't figure out which one as it's too subtle to feel the heat, and also definitely an exhaust blow developed during it and glancing very briefly under it from the other side of the street I think the middle box to back box connector (sorry I'm not great at mechanics) has decided to fall down into a clip. And also the tyre wear it's pretty clear that something is fecked cause it's down to the indicators on the outside of one tyre but about double that in the inside.
So I'm starting to think that it might be time to say goodbye soon. On the other hand, these are all easy to fix things. It's doing its job. I'm very cheap. We have other cars and easy access to even more. And I want it to make 200k.
I'm not looking for advice on what to do about my situation (although random suggestions always fun). But about when you decided it was time to send your pride and joy (or hated repmobile or whatever) to the great car dealership in teh sky...
Fine but it's gone for a slightly longer drive than normal today (not *far* but probs 100m round trip) and I'm pretty sure *some* brake is binding but I can't figure out which one as it's too subtle to feel the heat, and also definitely an exhaust blow developed during it and glancing very briefly under it from the other side of the street I think the middle box to back box connector (sorry I'm not great at mechanics) has decided to fall down into a clip. And also the tyre wear it's pretty clear that something is fecked cause it's down to the indicators on the outside of one tyre but about double that in the inside.
So I'm starting to think that it might be time to say goodbye soon. On the other hand, these are all easy to fix things. It's doing its job. I'm very cheap. We have other cars and easy access to even more. And I want it to make 200k.
I'm not looking for advice on what to do about my situation (although random suggestions always fun). But about when you decided it was time to send your pride and joy (or hated repmobile or whatever) to the great car dealership in teh sky...
As you said none of that is going to bankrupt you. I only get rid when either the cost of repair is prohibitive (hardly ever), or there are far too many things wrong that make it not worthwhile keeping.
Far better to keep the car that you know than forking out on an unknown quantity which may in turn be a heap of trouble.
Far better to keep the car that you know than forking out on an unknown quantity which may in turn be a heap of trouble.
I bought a Rover 623 for £290 and scrapped it when the fuel pump packed up. Whilst a relatively easy job, it was quite tired (as you'd expect for £290!) so I figured this was time for it to go. I didn't want to go down the route of fixing this, something else goes wrong, fixing that, and before you know it I'm £500 into it. I got £140 scrap value for the car, so 11 months' of motoring cost me £150 in "depreciation". Didn't add anything to the car except fuel and a bit of screenwash.
Coincidentally, I also scrapped an MG TF that I'd paid £800 for. This time the alternator had packed up. It had a wide variety of impending issues so, again, I decided not to start spending on it and so off it went. I had that car for about a year, ended up giving it to my mum who ran it for another 18 months, the intention being to scrap it as soon as something terminal happened. I never bothered servicing it whilst we had it, the only things I bought for it were a pair of wipers and a £50 part worn tyre when mum got a puncture.
Coincidentally, I also scrapped an MG TF that I'd paid £800 for. This time the alternator had packed up. It had a wide variety of impending issues so, again, I decided not to start spending on it and so off it went. I had that car for about a year, ended up giving it to my mum who ran it for another 18 months, the intention being to scrap it as soon as something terminal happened. I never bothered servicing it whilst we had it, the only things I bought for it were a pair of wipers and a £50 part worn tyre when mum got a puncture.
When i spent more time repairing my renault campervan than camping in it was when i said never again, 3rd and last french van. It could develop new faults faster than i could fix existing ones.
Old complicated bmws i have had a few like that too.
I liked my vectra sri, but again, you fix everything then more things break, then the timing belt failed way before it was due.
Merc clk neverending rust repairs was my cue.
Everything else I either got bored of,
2 bmws spontaneously combusted, one a fuel leak, one an electrical fire, and had a couple written off from being rear ended.
If i am getting bored of a car a minor fault is a good excuse to the mrs to punt it.
Last 2 main cars have kept for a long time, absolutely loved our mega spec 3.0 tdi stage 2 allroad, literally the best all round car ever, comfy, fast, practical, reliable, cheap to run and with our f
ked roads the balance between ride and handling is perfect, and it was pretty anonymous, not flash.
My cue to get rid was sadly ulez. Still miss that car.
My cue to get rid of our current hybrid cayenne, which is a great all rounder and goes well with double standard boost will be when the ev battery gives me any hint its getting tired. Or we get sick of it being just a smige big for a lot of parking spaces.
Re the kia, if you can diy just fix it, get an infrared thermometer to locate which wheel is binding, you might as well lube up all 4 calipers for the sake of maintainance, and dont forget sometimes old flexi hoses can sometimes cause a bind.
Sometimes a car can surprise you, i had a 60 quid non runner pug 307 cc with the 2.0 16v gti engine, i did a lot of work to the wiring loom and changed the fluids once, with the intention of mincing around for a summer with the roof down until it failed an mot or had an expensive repair. It sailed 5 mots after that and in the time i had it the only fault it ever had was the alternator belt snapped. Only sold it to make way for the camper that turned out to be a neverending headache. Shouldn't have bothered .
Old complicated bmws i have had a few like that too.
I liked my vectra sri, but again, you fix everything then more things break, then the timing belt failed way before it was due.
Merc clk neverending rust repairs was my cue.
Everything else I either got bored of,
2 bmws spontaneously combusted, one a fuel leak, one an electrical fire, and had a couple written off from being rear ended.
If i am getting bored of a car a minor fault is a good excuse to the mrs to punt it.
Last 2 main cars have kept for a long time, absolutely loved our mega spec 3.0 tdi stage 2 allroad, literally the best all round car ever, comfy, fast, practical, reliable, cheap to run and with our f
ked roads the balance between ride and handling is perfect, and it was pretty anonymous, not flash.My cue to get rid was sadly ulez. Still miss that car.
My cue to get rid of our current hybrid cayenne, which is a great all rounder and goes well with double standard boost will be when the ev battery gives me any hint its getting tired. Or we get sick of it being just a smige big for a lot of parking spaces.
Re the kia, if you can diy just fix it, get an infrared thermometer to locate which wheel is binding, you might as well lube up all 4 calipers for the sake of maintainance, and dont forget sometimes old flexi hoses can sometimes cause a bind.
Sometimes a car can surprise you, i had a 60 quid non runner pug 307 cc with the 2.0 16v gti engine, i did a lot of work to the wiring loom and changed the fluids once, with the intention of mincing around for a summer with the roof down until it failed an mot or had an expensive repair. It sailed 5 mots after that and in the time i had it the only fault it ever had was the alternator belt snapped. Only sold it to make way for the camper that turned out to be a neverending headache. Shouldn't have bothered .
Edited by OldGermanHeaps on Sunday 9th June 00:08
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