Run a car to end of its life
Discussion
littleredrooster said:
I bought a brand-new car almost three years ago which I intend running to the end of its life. It will hopefully last for 15-18 years and 200k miles, by which time I'll be into my eighties and will reconsider what to do next. The MX-5 will have probably gone by then - dissolved, no doubt!
The car? Toyota Prius. Lots of thought before I bought, but will hopefully prove worthwhile. Bullet-proof reliability record going back many years; no cambelt, no clutch, no gearbox, no turbo. 12 year battery warranty, but Toyota have apparently never had to replace a battery under warranty. The thing is actually quite acceptable to drive with the latest 4-link suspension - reminiscent of my Pug 405 with eager turn-in, good grip and plenty of suspension travel which is not oversprung and underdamped as was the case with many other Jap cars.
And best of all, it averages about 70mpg despite enthusiastic driving.
I'll pop back in during 2036 (the year, not just before bedtime tonight...) and let you how it's going.
15 years is nothing for one of those. Genuinely - here's a deal - I will buy it from you in 2036 sir. Would be well up for it. I almost think of it like adopting a puppy, just with a longer gestation period! The car? Toyota Prius. Lots of thought before I bought, but will hopefully prove worthwhile. Bullet-proof reliability record going back many years; no cambelt, no clutch, no gearbox, no turbo. 12 year battery warranty, but Toyota have apparently never had to replace a battery under warranty. The thing is actually quite acceptable to drive with the latest 4-link suspension - reminiscent of my Pug 405 with eager turn-in, good grip and plenty of suspension travel which is not oversprung and underdamped as was the case with many other Jap cars.
And best of all, it averages about 70mpg despite enthusiastic driving.
I'll pop back in during 2036 (the year, not just before bedtime tonight...) and let you how it's going.
Calmchap said:
littleredrooster said:
I bought a brand-new car almost three years ago which I intend running to the end of its life. It will hopefully last for 15-18 years and 200k miles, by which time I'll be into my eighties and will reconsider what to do next. The MX-5 will have probably gone by then - dissolved, no doubt!
The car? Toyota Prius. Lots of thought before I bought, but will hopefully prove worthwhile. Bullet-proof reliability record going back many years; no cambelt, no clutch, no gearbox, no turbo. 12 year battery warranty, but Toyota have apparently never had to replace a battery under warranty. The thing is actually quite acceptable to drive with the latest 4-link suspension - reminiscent of my Pug 405 with eager turn-in, good grip and plenty of suspension travel which is not oversprung and underdamped as was the case with many other Jap cars.
And best of all, it averages about 70mpg despite enthusiastic driving.
I'll pop back in during 2036 (the year, not just before bedtime tonight...) and let you how it's going.
15 years is nothing for one of those. Genuinely - here's a deal - I will buy it from you in 2036 sir. Would be well up for it. I almost think of it like adopting a puppy, just with a longer gestation period! The car? Toyota Prius. Lots of thought before I bought, but will hopefully prove worthwhile. Bullet-proof reliability record going back many years; no cambelt, no clutch, no gearbox, no turbo. 12 year battery warranty, but Toyota have apparently never had to replace a battery under warranty. The thing is actually quite acceptable to drive with the latest 4-link suspension - reminiscent of my Pug 405 with eager turn-in, good grip and plenty of suspension travel which is not oversprung and underdamped as was the case with many other Jap cars.
And best of all, it averages about 70mpg despite enthusiastic driving.
I'll pop back in during 2036 (the year, not just before bedtime tonight...) and let you how it's going.
DonkeyApple said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
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.
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'.
They just weren't prepped particularly well or with any real care or attention and plenty sat around for a while after being made, starting to rust before being painted and used in builds. 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'.
On top of that, because the cars were so affordable many then lived outside and few owners washed the undersides or carried out any care/maintenance under the skin.
Subsequently there is a big difference between one that was kept in a garage and had its underside washed every so often versus one that lived on the street and didn't. And then there were the ones that were already rusting before they were painted and just carried on regardless of what the owners did.
spreadsheet monkey said:
There are definitely certain cars and trucks that are more likely to be bought and kept for life until they're no longer viable to keep on the road.
Defenders and Hiluxes are two of the first that I'd think of. Also maybe Volvo estates, Landcruisers, Merc E or S-classes, and small Jap cars (loads of Micras and Yarises bought by OAPs and kept for a long time)
I have a 27 year old Toyota 4Runner, basically a Hilux SUV, been my daily for 6yrs and I'm up to 235k milesDefenders and Hiluxes are two of the first that I'd think of. Also maybe Volvo estates, Landcruisers, Merc E or S-classes, and small Jap cars (loads of Micras and Yarises bought by OAPs and kept for a long time)
Rust has taken it toll on the bodywork more than chassis but I'll give it a full chassis off restoration with full rust proofing to ensure it lasts for at least another 25yrs of daily running
Can't think of anything newer to replace it with as it such a simple car to maintain, compact in size, comfortable and has no problems keeping up with modern traffic
Still running an 03 Impreza that O bought in 2005. Put just over 105k miles on it in the last 15 years. Its not been perfect, had a new rad, condenser, front u frame and centre diff over the years, plus tyres, brakes, but its never failed to get me home. Cant see myself getting rid until its rusting to bits. My dad managed to get his volvo 245 to 20 years, although with a load of welding in the later years. Looking to beat that.
My parents bought a 2006 Kia Picanto brand new, it's currently sitting at around 110k.
Had virtually zero money spent on it, although it's now requiring little bits doing more frequently. Not quite as orange as it once was either.
It certainly hasn't got heaps of life left in it but it's now surplus to requirements, so whether it'll find a buyer or get scrapped is any body's guess.
Had virtually zero money spent on it, although it's now requiring little bits doing more frequently. Not quite as orange as it once was either.
It certainly hasn't got heaps of life left in it but it's now surplus to requirements, so whether it'll find a buyer or get scrapped is any body's guess.
iacabu said:
My parents bought a 2006 Kia Picanto brand new, it's currently sitting at around 110k.
Had virtually zero money spent on it, although it's now requiring little bits doing more frequently. Not quite as orange as it once was either.
It certainly hasn't got heaps of life left in it but it's now surplus to requirements, so whether it'll find a buyer or get scrapped is any body's guess.
I have to say I applaud anyone who has done 110k in a Picanto, had one as a courtesy car once, possibly the worst new car I’ve driven.Had virtually zero money spent on it, although it's now requiring little bits doing more frequently. Not quite as orange as it once was either.
It certainly hasn't got heaps of life left in it but it's now surplus to requirements, so whether it'll find a buyer or get scrapped is any body's guess.
When the first kid was due in 2004 my wife sold her Vespa and bought a 4 year old Clio. It was a nice spec for the time - leather, ac, sunroof, leccie heated mirrors and came with the 1.6 16v.
Over the following 16 years it served really well as the family's city car. For the first 15 years it was pretty faultless apart from the fact years the sunroof cartridge would loosen off and leak which eventually led to the alarm being fried and decommissioned. Other than that and a couple of broken springs it was just routine (and cheap) maintenance.
In 2020 the a/c compressor went and ad the repair cost was 3 x the value of the car so it stayed broken. Then this year it developed a problem with the throttle body & lambda sensor. And as the old bus was a year too old to be ULEZ compliant it was finally time to scrap it.
I replaced it with a Fiat 500 with similarly high spec (leather, opening sunroof, DAB, integrated TomTom) but simple mechanicals (1.2 FIRE) which will hopefully prove to be a similar proposition.
Over the following 16 years it served really well as the family's city car. For the first 15 years it was pretty faultless apart from the fact years the sunroof cartridge would loosen off and leak which eventually led to the alarm being fried and decommissioned. Other than that and a couple of broken springs it was just routine (and cheap) maintenance.
In 2020 the a/c compressor went and ad the repair cost was 3 x the value of the car so it stayed broken. Then this year it developed a problem with the throttle body & lambda sensor. And as the old bus was a year too old to be ULEZ compliant it was finally time to scrap it.
I replaced it with a Fiat 500 with similarly high spec (leather, opening sunroof, DAB, integrated TomTom) but simple mechanicals (1.2 FIRE) which will hopefully prove to be a similar proposition.
Edited by AC43 on Saturday 20th March 10:00
Just fixed the windscreen washer on my 2001 Volvo V70 2.4 auto. Just the 276,000 miles. Fuse had blown.
It spent a happy ten years as a airport run taxi when I bought it. It already had 137,000 in it then. Since last September when the Private Hire plate expired and I didn't bother to replace it, she's been sat at home as the tip/bins/family hack. I suspect she'll do another few years yet.
It spent a happy ten years as a airport run taxi when I bought it. It already had 137,000 in it then. Since last September when the Private Hire plate expired and I didn't bother to replace it, she's been sat at home as the tip/bins/family hack. I suspect she'll do another few years yet.
AC43 said:
When the first kid was due in 2004 my wife sold her Vespa and bought a 4 year old Clio. It was a nice spec for the time - leather, ac, sunroof, leccie heated mirrors and came with the 1.6 16v.
Over the following 16 years it served really well as the family's city car. For the first 15 years it was pretty faultless apart from the fact years the sunroof cartridge would loosen off and leak which eventually led to the alarm being fried and decommissioned. Other than that and a couple of broken springs it was just routine (and cheap) maintenance.
My wife had one of those! Both rear springs snapped at 4yrs old when the dealer hung the car from a 2 post lift (which they denied caused the lovely shiny breaks). Renault replaced the springs FOC.Over the following 16 years it served really well as the family's city car. For the first 15 years it was pretty faultless apart from the fact years the sunroof cartridge would loosen off and leak which eventually led to the alarm being fried and decommissioned. Other than that and a couple of broken springs it was just routine (and cheap) maintenance.
We sold it at 5yrs at a very big loss compared to its new cost as there was little demand for a small car with a 1.6 engine, and you could buy a new basic Clio then for about £5K.
Shnozz said:
DonkeyApple said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
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.
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'.
They just weren't prepped particularly well or with any real care or attention and plenty sat around for a while after being made, starting to rust before being painted and used in builds. 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'.
On top of that, because the cars were so affordable many then lived outside and few owners washed the undersides or carried out any care/maintenance under the skin.
Subsequently there is a big difference between one that was kept in a garage and had its underside washed every so often versus one that lived on the street and didn't. And then there were the ones that were already rusting before they were painted and just carried on regardless of what the owners did.
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