What car would last longest with no servicing

[mikey P 500]

As per title my brother never ever services his cars (not my advice but he doesn't live locally, and never gets around to it) it will have the minimum work done to make legal for MOT but have no extra love or care ever. His 1.6 petrol megane convertible now has a cracked engine block but he took it from 40k to 110k miles without even an oil change other than top ups when oil light came on, and water when was over heating apparently. (both his 2 previous cars had similar neglect, so don't think he will change. He is looking to again spend up to about 2k. He wants a convertible and will run it into the ground over next 5 years or so. Is he better going newer and lower mile French car or older German brand for longest lasting.

[kiethton]

Convertible is the issue with the new folding roofs costing a lot to fix if they go wrong.

I’d actually say:

MX5 if ok with 2 seats

Older Vauxhall’s Astra (unless a H is ok being used as a coupe when the roof breaks)

PT cruiser

Micra C+C

1.8 or 2.0 Saab 9-3

[Whatsmyname]

A friend had a mk3 astra (iirc 1.4i) took that from 20k - 115k with no servicing at all the camshaft failed and ruined the cylinder head.

[mikey P 500]

Yeah the electric roof broke on the megane for a while somehow he got Renault to go 50/50 on repair even when car was 8 year old. Also drove it broken for some time. I agree would be better to avoid electric roofs but wouldn't be a deal breaker, 2 seats would be OK for him but he would rather 4. I would hate to see anything nice get wasted (I quite like mx5s so would pain me to see one go through a slow death under his owner ship), but suspect the engines might take the lack of servicing OK for a while, anything with a cambelt will be ran until it snaps so another factor maybe.
I assume petrol better than diesel, astra might be worth a look to, had forgotten about them.

[myvision]

I bought a mk3 mondeo 2.0tdci ghia 54 plate at six months old with 10k miles on it I ran it to 110k in two years without doing anything except brakes/tyres etc when it needed them.

I fully intended to service it I just never had time/got round to it it never let me down though.
When I sold it it sounded the same as the day I bought it.

[kieranblenk]

Not very stylish but the Mitsubishi Colt CZC may work, but it is a hardtop folding roof. I'm sure a Saab 9-3 would be tough and hardy enough for your brother.


Also slightly left field and not a full convertible but a Suzuki Jimny soft top will run forever and ever. Before I met my partner our Swift hadn't had a service for nearly 50k bar an oil change mid way through and was still running as sweet as a nut (fair to say I was astounded as I'm meticulous about servicing and it's been serviced regularly since), so the Jimny should be similarly hardy.

[Croutons]

myvision said:

I bought a mk3 mondeo 2.0tdci ghia 54 plate at six months old with 10k miles on it I ran it to 110k in two years without doing anything except brakes/tyres etc when it needed them.

I fully intended to service it I just never had time/got round to it it never let me down though.
When I sold it it sounded the same as the day I bought it.

They do a convertible Mondeo?

[SkodaIan]

"Servicing" of most cars these days, even at a main dealer is little more than changing the oil and having a quick look underneath with a torch. So, no routine servicing but doing just enough to get it through the MOT will only really mean missed oil changes and perhaps a missed brake fluid change or two (which would eventually cause a MOT failure anyway if never done).

Cars with timing chains and turbos will be most prone to engine damage because of old oil, so anything with a N/A petrol engine and timing belt should meet his needs....

At the very simple end of the engine spectrum, my lawnmower is now approaching its 15th birthday and has had no maintenance other than washing the petrol out of the sponge in the air filter with washing up liquid every 5 years or so. The engine oil now looks like tar, but the mower runs just as well as it did when I bought it new. One of these days I might get around to replacing the oil but I think I've already had my £150 worth I spent on the mower. I do maintain my cars properly though. They cost rather more, and braking down on the motorway with 2 kids in the car is rather worse than having slightly long grass for a few days until I have change to get to B&Q to buy a new mower!

[anonymous-user]

Croutons said:

myvision said:

I bought a mk3 mondeo 2.0tdci ghia 54 plate at six months old with 10k miles on it I ran it to 110k in two years without doing anything except brakes/tyres etc when it needed them.

I fully intended to service it I just never had time/got round to it it never let me down though.
When I sold it it sounded the same as the day I bought it.

They do a convertible Mondeo?

I did think that myself

[Mr Tidy]

I think trains and buses might be a better idea!