Stick or Twist - Audi A4 estate
Discussion
I love my car BUT...is it time for something else?
Currently driving an Audi A4 S line estate, 150k miles on the clock. Have just spent £600+ on its service. It's a good running car, comfortable, roomy, good fun to drive, 4WD, and not 'precious'. Everything I want in a car.
In favour of keeping it:
- It's worth £2k and unlikely to depreciate much. Any other car I buy will probably depreciate
- I like it! I love how it drives, I love and use the space regularly (plants, allotment gubbins, camping, dressing/feeding the child in the pouring rain etc). I've been spoilt and am not ready for a small car
- It's 4WD and I need 4WD/AWD where I live
In favour of replacing it:
- Ongoing costs; maintenance (the last bill was a bit eye-watering even though it was all routine stuff), petrol
- Hybrid options getting more affordable and more eco-friendly option
- Reliability? Hopefully not an issue with this sort of car despite it's age/mileage, and in general it's been very reliable so if I replaced it I'd have high expectations where reliability is concerned
I suppose I am not yet convinced that
a) I can get a similarly good car for a similar amount of money, or
b) the savings on ongoing costs outweigh the extra outlay of replacing it and associated depreciation. I might spend an extra £2k to get a decent replacement car, but it might take me years to reap that back in savings...
What would you do? Am I right in thinking this isn't as simply as it seems? If you replaced it, what would you consider as a good replacement option given my needs/wants? Budget up to 5k at a push...
Currently driving an Audi A4 S line estate, 150k miles on the clock. Have just spent £600+ on its service. It's a good running car, comfortable, roomy, good fun to drive, 4WD, and not 'precious'. Everything I want in a car.
In favour of keeping it:
- It's worth £2k and unlikely to depreciate much. Any other car I buy will probably depreciate
- I like it! I love how it drives, I love and use the space regularly (plants, allotment gubbins, camping, dressing/feeding the child in the pouring rain etc). I've been spoilt and am not ready for a small car
- It's 4WD and I need 4WD/AWD where I live
In favour of replacing it:
- Ongoing costs; maintenance (the last bill was a bit eye-watering even though it was all routine stuff), petrol
- Hybrid options getting more affordable and more eco-friendly option
- Reliability? Hopefully not an issue with this sort of car despite it's age/mileage, and in general it's been very reliable so if I replaced it I'd have high expectations where reliability is concerned
I suppose I am not yet convinced that
a) I can get a similarly good car for a similar amount of money, or
b) the savings on ongoing costs outweigh the extra outlay of replacing it and associated depreciation. I might spend an extra £2k to get a decent replacement car, but it might take me years to reap that back in savings...
What would you do? Am I right in thinking this isn't as simply as it seems? If you replaced it, what would you consider as a good replacement option given my needs/wants? Budget up to 5k at a push...
I made this mistake OP. My 106000m 07 plate CRV last March. I serviced it flushed the diff and fitted a new quality batter within the previous 4 months. Then had monroe shocks and spring fitted on the front. But a stupid rush of blood to the head saw me selling it for £2500 last March and leasing a Q5
You are not going to get a drastic upgrade for £5k.
Considering you have just spent £600 on servicing, I would keep the car.
If you had maybe £10k+ to spend and list of additional things you wanted in a new car then it might be worth but upgrading for the sake of it seems pointless in your situation, purely in my opinion of course.
On another note, £600 seems a lot on servicing?
I could get a major service, brake fluid change and MOT and still get enough change for a few beers at BMW on ours so what on earth cost you £600 for servicing?
Considering you have just spent £600 on servicing, I would keep the car.
If you had maybe £10k+ to spend and list of additional things you wanted in a new car then it might be worth but upgrading for the sake of it seems pointless in your situation, purely in my opinion of course.
On another note, £600 seems a lot on servicing?
I could get a major service, brake fluid change and MOT and still get enough change for a few beers at BMW on ours so what on earth cost you £600 for servicing?
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