Run a car to end of its life
Discussion
I bought my wife an older V50 diesel as her first tentative step into estate ownership when motherhood loomed... it was on 180k then and £1500. That was three years ago now and over the past two years I've used it as a tool. It's now on 231k and generally doesn't put a foot wrong. It's relatively worthless and just too good at what it does so I'd be happy to run it until it fails spectacularly... but even then, I've become do attached to it, I'd be tempted to go full retard and spend way more than it's worth to keep it going. Makes little sense but it's just one of very very few cars that I've owned where I've not felt inclined to change it after a year or so....
2003 Boxster S.
Bought 4 years ago on 75k miles. Now on 125k.
Over last 18 months done dampers, clutch, RMS, IMS, some paint, radiators, power steering and serviced regularly and properly throughout. Was thinking of selling it. But it’s fab. Although I still wish I had my winner red Integrale Evo. But someone decided to write it off for me!
Bought 4 years ago on 75k miles. Now on 125k.
Over last 18 months done dampers, clutch, RMS, IMS, some paint, radiators, power steering and serviced regularly and properly throughout. Was thinking of selling it. But it’s fab. Although I still wish I had my winner red Integrale Evo. But someone decided to write it off for me!
Before they got into leases my dad and grandma (kind of) did this - Dad had a 4.2TDI Q7 that was new in 2006, ran it for 10 years/120k miles before he had an unfortunate combination of all 4 tyres needing replacement, major service, and some other consumable part needing replacing all at once - had been absolutely faultless until then but the dealer offered him an extremely generous PCP on a new-shape Q7 so it just made sense.
Grandma had a 2004 4.2FSI A6 saloon in the US, I think that did about 140-150k miles before a bunch of stuff needed doing at once - except in her case it was worth more than the car (5.5k of servicing and consumables vs a 5k trade in), again they gave her a good PCP and her 88-year-old self had an SQ5 for the next 3 years
Grandma had a 2004 4.2FSI A6 saloon in the US, I think that did about 140-150k miles before a bunch of stuff needed doing at once - except in her case it was worth more than the car (5.5k of servicing and consumables vs a 5k trade in), again they gave her a good PCP and her 88-year-old self had an SQ5 for the next 3 years
I had a Chevette from brand new and kept it 10 years /120k miles until the rust almost got too bad for me to sell it on. I had more problems with it in its first year than the rest put together.
Current car cost me £1k three years ago - still worth that but I have noticed that spares are now less commonly available on ebay - motor factors have cleared old stock already - so that might be an issue to keep it going.
Another issue is higher road tax on older/dirtier cars which makes it more attractive to update rather than keep soldiering on. I'd be happy with a well maintained 80's/90's diesel car with a simple engine that would run on biofuel but annual tax charges work against this.
Current car cost me £1k three years ago - still worth that but I have noticed that spares are now less commonly available on ebay - motor factors have cleared old stock already - so that might be an issue to keep it going.
Another issue is higher road tax on older/dirtier cars which makes it more attractive to update rather than keep soldiering on. I'd be happy with a well maintained 80's/90's diesel car with a simple engine that would run on biofuel but annual tax charges work against this.
I bought my 2005 E46 M3 at just over a year old, 15yrs ago and plan to keep it as long as I can. I only do 4k miles between MOTs these days (pre-pandemic) so it is only showing 85k miles. It needs a main service and a new front wing due to the dreaded rust but otherwise in fine fettle. It’s a good job really as I paid close to £40k for it when I was single and without a kid. If I had to replace it I’d be looking at the £4k end of the market, I think!
I’d actually really like a non-rusty E46 330 Sport Touring as a family wagon, always on the lookout for one that’s not shot!
I’d actually really like a non-rusty E46 330 Sport Touring as a family wagon, always on the lookout for one that’s not shot!
colin86 said:
Was thinking today does anyone buy a new/nearly new car and run it till the end of its life ?
My second cousin does this. They are very wealthy. As in, 7 floor townhouse in Kensington Gate. He’s a hedge fund bloke. Previous car was an entry level E Class estate, bought new in late 1990’s and run into the ground, replaced with a Disco Sport. It’s interesting to me as they could afford any car they wanted and replace it every few months with another brand new one without making any dent on their money, but they don’t.
Bought a Focus ST170 new in 2003 and will keep in until in dies / we move back from NZ.
NSX Type S is also a long term car - bought from an NSX specialist in Suzuka Japan , seen only in (admittedly hundreds of HD photos) without a test drive
- deal negotiated via an English speaking intermediary - yet the car will will probably outlast me, being aluminium. If I live long enough, then this car is a candidate for full EV conversion somewhere down the line...
NSX Type S is also a long term car - bought from an NSX specialist in Suzuka Japan , seen only in (admittedly hundreds of HD photos) without a test drive
- deal negotiated via an English speaking intermediary - yet the car will will probably outlast me, being aluminium. If I live long enough, then this car is a candidate for full EV conversion somewhere down the line...
Edited by dobly on Saturday 6th March 09:21
jakesmith said:
My second cousin does this. They are very wealthy. As in, 7 floor townhouse in Kensington Gate. He’s a hedge fund bloke.
Previous car was an entry level E Class estate, bought new in late 1990’s and run into the ground, replaced with a Disco Sport. It’s interesting to me as they could afford any car they wanted and replace it every few months with another brand new one without making any dent on their money, but they don’t.
A friend of mine is similar. Probably worth around £50 million, but bought a new Honda Accord in around 1988, then kept it until 2016 when he decided to give up driving. Previous car was an entry level E Class estate, bought new in late 1990’s and run into the ground, replaced with a Disco Sport. It’s interesting to me as they could afford any car they wanted and replace it every few months with another brand new one without making any dent on their money, but they don’t.
I bought an ex showroom demonstrator 2 litre 916 Alfa GTV with 2,000 miles on the clock. It was serviced properly. Apart from lacking a sump guard (!!) it was only consumables I had to buy until I did something extremely stupid after about 12 years and 136,000 miles. It was a decent car. I have a 3 litre now which is a much more interesting car though. I expect I shall hang on to that one for decades too.
Cheers
BobG
Cheers
BobG
We bought a Discovery 3 new, one of the last of the 'Tonka Toy' style 09 plate, I managed to get £10k. off the price. It was the wife's car at the time and she quickly ran up the miles until the kids grew up and she decided she wanted something smaller. So we now run the Disco as a second car, we lease a Golf GTD.
The Disco has now only done 84k miles. I do all the maintenance myself, spares are not that expensive, it is so useful as a tow vehicle and for carrying stuff, with the seats down it is cavernous inside. I do try and keep it in good nick and plan to run it until something catastrophic means it's uneconomical to repair. Who needs the new Defender at £75k. when you've got an old Disco 3?
What better vehicle to go and get your TVR chassis galvanised......;)
The Disco has now only done 84k miles. I do all the maintenance myself, spares are not that expensive, it is so useful as a tow vehicle and for carrying stuff, with the seats down it is cavernous inside. I do try and keep it in good nick and plan to run it until something catastrophic means it's uneconomical to repair. Who needs the new Defender at £75k. when you've got an old Disco 3?
What better vehicle to go and get your TVR chassis galvanised......;)
Pete Mac said:
We bought a Discovery 3 new, one of the last of the 'Tonka Toy' style 09 plate, I managed to get £10k. off the price. It was the wife's car at the time and she quickly ran up the miles until the kids grew up and she decided she wanted something smaller. So we now run the Disco as a second car, we lease a Golf GTD.
The Disco has now only done 84k miles. I do all the maintenance myself, spares are not that expensive, it is so useful as a tow vehicle and for carrying stuff, with the seats down it is cavernous inside. I do try and keep it in good nick and plan to run it until something catastrophic means it's uneconomical to repair. Who needs the new Defender at £75k. when you've got an old Disco 3?
What better vehicle to go and get your TVR chassis galvanised......;)
Genuine question, but what did TVR do (Or possibly not do) to their chassis, that they seem to rust so easily. I have always liked TVR`s and in particular the way the chassis is built, but they do seem to corrode rather too quickly. The Disco has now only done 84k miles. I do all the maintenance myself, spares are not that expensive, it is so useful as a tow vehicle and for carrying stuff, with the seats down it is cavernous inside. I do try and keep it in good nick and plan to run it until something catastrophic means it's uneconomical to repair. Who needs the new Defender at £75k. when you've got an old Disco 3?
What better vehicle to go and get your TVR chassis galvanised......;)
At the place I get some of my MOTs done, there is a superb looking TVR sitting on top of a container, and when I asked about it, the garage owner said `nice car but totally rust f*cked chassis'.
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