Are you hanging onto your car longer than usual?

Are you hanging onto your car longer than usual?

Author
Discussion

yakka

Original Poster:

72 posts

112 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
The press recently seems to be full of dire predictions for the car industry because people just aren't updating their cars so often.

I'm in just that position with a workhorse car, that although 8 years old with 112k on the clock is absolutely fine. Normally I would be thinking of changing but I don't desire any of the newer stuff with faffy driving aids, big touchscreens, titchy engines, poor steering feel, endless complexity and a huge purchase price. Needs vs wants?

Consequently I have asked the trusty garage I use to give the old bus a thorough service and I intending adding at least another 100 - 150 k to it. It does 50 plus mpg, £35 tax and is worth buttons as a trade.

By that time, about 7 years, I reckon EVs will be sorted with solid state batteries and light enough to be interesting.

Pica-Pica

14,531 posts

92 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
yakka said:
The press recently seems to be full of dire predictions for the car industry because people just aren't updating their cars so often.

I'm in just that position with a workhorse car, that although 8 years old with 112k on the clock is absolutely fine. Normally I would be thinking of changing but I don't desire any of the newer stuff with faffy driving aids, big touchscreens, titchy engines, poor steering feel, endless complexity and a huge purchase price. Needs vs wants?

Consequently I have asked the trusty garage I use to give the old bus a thorough service and I intending adding at least another 100 - 150 k to it. It does 50 plus mpg, £35 tax and is worth buttons as a trade.

By that time, about 7 years, I reckon EVs will be sorted with solid state batteries and light enough to be interesting.
Agree. My 8 year old 335d seems as new. It should last another 7 to 10 years easily.
If I want an EV, I won’t save money. If I want an EV to save the planet, that won’t work, someone else will still be running the 335d.

STe_rsv4

807 posts

106 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
I'm hanging on to mine (2012 3.0d jag XF) partially as whatever cars i previously did desire in the last few years are now out of reach due to inflated prices. That and the fact I cant justify changing as although its got 123k on, it drives well, returns 40-50mpg, goes like stink when needed and does me for 90% of daily requirements.
I don't normally change cars that frequently anyway, but the older I get, the less inclined I feel the need to change just because "new"


kambites

68,495 posts

229 months

Thursday 28th November
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Sort of a bit of both for me.

I've had my daily driver for 17 years and will quite possibly have it for another 17 because nothing newer appeals.

My wife's car is a 9 month old EV which we intend to keep for at least 10 years or so, hopefully 15+.

toon10

6,491 posts

165 months

Thursday 28th November
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I think the cost of living coupled with mental new car prices has a lot to do with people keeping cars longer than they normally would. I plan on keeping mine longer than normal but that's more to do with how I use the car these days. I used to have nicer cars and do more miles, but I also used to finance them. Last year I decided to sell an expensive campervan and buy my 340i outright. It's an older model, 2018 and has 50k miles on it but it spends a lot of time parked up on my drive as I work from home, so I don't really need anything else. Insurance is cheap and paid off for the year as is my tax so all it costs me is £155 a month on 97ron fuel. I can't justify adding hundreds of pounds extra per month to finance a new car.


toasty

7,805 posts

228 months

Thursday 28th November
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Yes - this is partly due to lack of use since COVID and working from home.

Expense of getting something 'better' than I already have is eye-watering.

Nanny state gubbins on new cars dissuades me from ever getting one manufactuered post 2023.

Evercross

6,368 posts

72 months

Thursday 28th November
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Yes!

The longest I kept a car before this one was 5 years and I am now into my 8th year of ownership of it.

As above, covid layover and relatively low mileage is influencing the decision, plus it would cost me half again over what I paid for it to get something I would consider as good.

Johnson897210

73 posts

1 month

Thursday 28th November
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Yes! I used to change regularly but current prices are just insane!

This ZEV mandate crap isn't helping either by artificially restricting ICE supply. Thankfully with the recent political changes in the US and U turn on net zero bks we should see this filter across the pond in due course.

Pistom

5,624 posts

167 months

Thursday 28th November
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Yes - changing cars regularly is really for car enthusiasts who get bored quickly.

They're just a means of getting somewhere. Why change something when it's working fine.

My fridge freezer is 20 years old now. No plans to change that either.

MesoForm

9,183 posts

283 months

Thursday 28th November
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We are for both of our cars - bought my Disco Sport end of 2019 on PCP intending to swap it in end of 2023, then thought "it hasn't done that many miles, may as well keep it another year", now it's another year and now the plan is to swap it in end of 2025.
Wife has similar thoughts for her A5 cabriolet bought in Spring 2021, but it doesn't help that Audi no longer make any convertibles and there aren't that many 4 seater convertibles on the market.

sortedcossie

722 posts

136 months

Thursday 28th November
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I tend to keep mine long term anyway, just sold one after 8 years. Generally takes me ages to find what I want so I hang onto them.

Had current daily 3.5 years now, no intention of selling. my other half has had hers a month, that'll be a keeper for 6 or 7 years too.

Got a classic that I've had 18 years too.

blueg33

38,728 posts

232 months

Thursday 28th November
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My Alfa is now just over 50k miles and 4 years old. Toying with selling it as my commute is much longer now and electric would be cheaper to fill up. I was expecting to keep it for just 2 years from new

Heaveho

5,654 posts

182 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
I keep cars for a long time now. Experience has taught me what's worth having as a long term prospect, and that older quality vehicles are easier to maintain than modern stuff. I'd like to add to what I have ( currently idly considering a Lexus IS-F and a Yaris GR, stuff I know about and trust ), but I'd only part with something I already own under duress. Better the devil you know.

Bone Rat

371 posts

171 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
Yes, absolutely am.

We used to change 3 to 4 yearly when younger in the Nova to Mondeo years (80s to 90s). This became longer as we became older. The last TT was 12 years old and 120k, it was only the need for an auto the pushed me to change. Now got a 2018 M240i with 50k, I see no need to change it, it has the B58 engine and dials not a digital/screen display like the newer version. Has only the stop-start, which is turned off and the basic BMW AV. That's enough, I don't need streaming stuff and an internet hub in the car.

We also have a Supra GR which is very similar but 2 years younger, this has the lane departure stuff, we find it intrusive and unpleasant, fortunately it is the generation just before the current extra compulsory warnings and hand holding/nagging. This latest 'feature' is the final straw that has pushed us to say 'that's it, it'll see us out, we don't need that stuff'.

We don't do PCP or loans so we are not locked into the finance treadmill, so there is no external pressure to change. I'd certainly expect to put a further 10 years on each.

PS - it would be nice if there were some more interesting designs rather than the generic almost compulsory boxy SUV

TommoAE86

2,759 posts

135 months

Thursday 28th November
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Mine is about to become the longest I've owned a car at 6yrs, it's an 18yr old Toyota and I have no reason to get rid as it's exceeded all my expectations and still continues to be great. My only decision now is what path I'd like to take for car ownership going forwards and when I switch to EV.

Pica-Pica

14,531 posts

92 months

Thursday 28th November
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19 years is my record, a straight six BMW E36. I usually buy new and keep for 10+ years. Just like computers and phones, you don’t appreciate it if you upgrade every 2 or 3 years.

KobayashiMaru86

1,343 posts

218 months

Thursday 28th November
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I always tend to hold onto cars for too long. My last car was an Octavia vRS and had that over 8 years, only getting rid as some big bills were coming such as fuel pump and injectors. Traded it in for the GR86 which I don't see me selling any time soon but for daily use I inherited my parents Suzuki Swift. It's 16yrs old, done 50k, mechanically good, bodywork so so but I'll run that all over winter and beyond. Last MOT was straightforward so I'll try and keep it for as long as I can. Actually quite refreshing running an old shed again. The 86 I'm always worried where I leave it. Bikes are similar. I'll run my 765RS as long as I can. Had from new and is 5 years old and ridden quite a lot too. There's nothing I can see replacing it so it stays. I do want a commuting bike and keep that for nicer days.

SierraWhiskey

399 posts

201 months

Thursday 28th November
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Yes, had my 335D for coming up four years, which is the longest I've ever kept a car (other than our classic that we've had for 19 years). I have no desire to replace it. My wife is the same, she's had her Audi A1 for coming up five years and has no desire to change it.

I really don't want an EV, I'm waiting for synthetic fuels to be developed further so we can continue driving ICE cars with no emissions and end the environmental fallacy of electric vehicles

Richard-390a0

2,594 posts

99 months

Thursday 28th November
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Yep I'm similar, nothing much newer appeals & what is being added to cars now doesn't interest me / improve the vehicle IMHO. ABS, PAS, E/W, A/C, Sat Nav, Fuel Injection, Airbags, Xenons etc etc are all improvements I have & think are great to have. I have no interest in giant touchpads, self parking, laser lights etc. The same with smart phones really there's just no giant leaps forwards to benefit in paying to update to the latest product.

Gericho

608 posts

11 months

Thursday 28th November
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Planning on keeping my 22 year old car for another 20 years. The only thing that will stop me is corrosion.