Views on some cars...

[pkrplyr]

Hi
Looking for your views..
I have an E60 530D, it's starting to annoy me having spent over 1.5k this year on pads,discs, belts, a tensioner, water pump oil service and looks like the power steering pump will need to be replaced shortly (probably another £500).

Worse still, I'm getting a delay in acceleration when I put my foot down on the motorway, not sure what the problem is but sure it will cost money to fix...

I do a 100 mile round trip once a week along with other short journeys,golf club, tennis club and nursery runs...

I have decided to get a 4x4 in the future but will need to buy a house first so that will have to wait till next year.
In the meantime I am looking to px it plus maybe a couple of grand.( I guess it's worth about 3.5-4k)
I do have a fuel card, but it's a smallish company so I don't want to take to the p..

I'm thinking of the following cars
Subaru legacy
Honda legend
Volvo S80
Lexus GS

Any views on these and any other suggestions?
I generally like something a bit different( yeah I know I drive a 5 series at the moment)

Cheers

[Cotty]

After doing that work will it continue to cost to keep it. If that was yearly I would think about another car but if its done and will serve for a few more year why change?

Also is that a dealer or an independent? Dealers is likely to find things to change, an independent is more likely to look at something and think "that has a few thousand more mile in it yet". Just my own experience.

Edited by Cotty on Monday 24th March 21:07

[Ozzie Osmond]

It's very difficult to save money by buying a new car. Unfortunately.

[pkrplyr]

Cotty said:

After doing that work will it continue to cost to keep it. If that was yearly I would think about another car but if its done and will serve for a few more year why change?

I'm concerned that I'm going to spend even more on it, there is at least another £500 to spend on it this year that I know about..
If I replace it, it would only be for a year tops...

[okie592]

pkrplyr said:

I'm concerned that I'm going to spend even more on it, there is at least another £500 to spend on it this year that I know about..
If I replace it, it would only be for a year tops...

You might buy one of those cars and it could easily have more than £500 worth of problems, plus the costs to change such as insurance change over, personalised plate costs etc.

All cars need maintaince, the only way you ever get a car that doesn't cost you anything to maintane is a company one

[pkrplyr]

Also is that a dealer or an independent? Dealers is likely to find things to change, an independent is more likely to look at something and think "that has a few thousand more mile in it yet". Just my own experience.

Edited by Cotty on Monday 24th March 21:07

[/quote]

Your right, the independent said the rattling noise when idling is coming from the power steering pump, and would be ok for a few k more miles...

[Cotty]

pkrplyr said:

I'm concerned that I'm going to spend even more on it, there is at least another £500 to spend on it this year that I know about..
If I replace it, it would only be for a year tops...

and how much is it going to cost to change? more or less than £500?

[topless360]

I had no idea E60's were so cheap

As above, if in the next Service/MOT it comes back as all clear for everything else, you may as well keep it and get another 10k or so miles out of it. My reasoning is that when you buy another car you don't know what might be wrong with it, whereas with your own car you know it's flaws already.

Even when buying a 'mint' and inspected car, things appear after a while that you didn't notice at first. I would rather have a car I knew inside out than not.

[pkrplyr]

Cotty said:

and how much is it going to cost to change? more or less than £500?

I know what you're saying, i am leaning toward the GS though, I reckon I can get a good example for around 6k..

[Willy Nilly]

pkrplyr said:

Hi
Looking for your views..
I have an E60 530D, it's starting to annoy me having spent over 1.5k this year on pads,discs, belts, a tensioner, water pump oil service and looks like the power steering pump will need to be replaced shortly (probably another £500).

Worse still, I'm getting a delay in acceleration when I put my foot down on the motorway, not sure what the problem is but sure it will cost money to fix...

That'll be the German reliability then. You should have bought my old Civic, I'd have let you have it for 500 quid. A new set of CV joints and she'd have been as good as gold.

[pkrplyr]

topless360 said:

I had no idea E60's were so cheap

As above, if in the next Service/MOT it comes back as all clear for everything else, you may as well keep it and get another 10k or so miles out of it. My reasoning is that when you buy another car you don't know what might be wrong with it, whereas with your own car you know it's flaws already.

Even when buying a 'mint' and inspected car, things appear after a while that you didn't notice at first. I would rather have a car I knew inside out than not.

You make a good point.
It's a 2004 with 109k on the clock, and it's fully loaded.
Being honest I expected more in the way of reliably from it, I have enjoyed owning/ driving it for the most part( don't get me started on the cost of changing the run flats)

[pkrplyr]

Willy Nilly said:

That'll be the German reliability then. You should have bought my old Civic, I'd have let you have it for 500 quid. A new set of CV joints and she'd have been as good as gold.

What do you make of the Honda Legend?
I like the fact they are quite rare in the uk

[Pesty]

pkrplyr said:

What do you make of the Honda Legend?
I like the fact they are quite rare in the uk

I've owned 4 Hondas all been faultless.

The legend had a rep for being reliable anyway. If I wanted barge a legend would be on the list.

[sleep envy]

pkrplyr said:

Lexus

'im tink 'im drivin' lexass

[sparks_E39]

Running costs seem normal for a 5 Series that's getting on a bit tbh. I'd expect any of them to cost £1500ish a year to maintain. My blog details pretty standard costs that have totalled over £1000 in 9 months.

[Jim AK]

Had same situation with my V70 last year. Spent fortune in 3 months (discs, pads, timing belt & ignition barrel) knowing it was to be changed later in the year.

I'm assuming you are using an indie to repair it. I personally hate BMW group products with a passion but I think if it was me I would get garage to go through it to,see what they expect to fail in the next year then use the proposed money to change to rectify it, provided you are certain you will be changing it next year.

At the end of the day as other replies say you have no idea what you would be buying into even with a supposedly reliable rice burner. You have spent a lot so get the benefit.

Having said that, if going for replacement, I'd go for the Honda!!

[pkrplyr]

sleep envy said:

'im tink 'im drivin' lexass

Haha
Does the Lexus get your vote?

[sleep envy]

To be honest, whilst none of them are my bag, I'd go with the Lexus too.

Saying that, and I know you've kinda been there before, I'd look at this first

Beer soon? You still in MH?

[Legacywr]

The Subaru legacy is a fantastic car!

[Ali_T]

Legacywr said:

The Subaru legacy is a fantastic car!

This, as long as it isn't the current model, which is an over weight, over sized pile of crap. The previous model was a true gem of a car, though.