When do you replace a car?
Discussion
My 10 year old 206 is starting to need more care & attention - just spent £100 replacing a creaking wishbone, the aircon now needs a recharge or fixing, the inside radio display may be on its way out, and so on. Put simply it's starting to cost money. So am I wondering if I should replace it and if it can be financially sensible to do so.
The case against replacement is that it's done most of its depreciation (now worth about £1,600), does circa 36-38 mpg which isn't bad as I don't do loads of miles, everything else is pretty cheap like servicing (every 2 years/20k miles), brakes, tyres (which barely seem to wear out), and so on.
So from a financial point of view am I right in thinking I should stick with the car I have rather than upgrade? It's a perfectly good car by most accounts. I would love to have something newer, lower mileage and more expensive feeling, but this would cost more money to buy and run even if it was the most thrifty of ultra reliable three cylinder diesels - because of the depreciation that a more expensive car would suffer. How do other members decide when to replace your everyday car?
P.S. I have a 'toy' for fun days.
The case against replacement is that it's done most of its depreciation (now worth about £1,600), does circa 36-38 mpg which isn't bad as I don't do loads of miles, everything else is pretty cheap like servicing (every 2 years/20k miles), brakes, tyres (which barely seem to wear out), and so on.
So from a financial point of view am I right in thinking I should stick with the car I have rather than upgrade? It's a perfectly good car by most accounts. I would love to have something newer, lower mileage and more expensive feeling, but this would cost more money to buy and run even if it was the most thrifty of ultra reliable three cylinder diesels - because of the depreciation that a more expensive car would suffer. How do other members decide when to replace your everyday car?
P.S. I have a 'toy' for fun days.
It's really down to whether you want to change it. Once your car has problems that need fixing, you're just passing it on to someone else to fix. If no-one fixes it, it will end up in the crusher. Chances aree the car you buy will have similar problems the last owner couldn't be bothered fixing so you have the additional cost and will probably still have jobs to do or at the very least they are jobs waiting to happen.
Certainly at the bottom end of the market it's better to stick with what you know. Provided you drive gently and keep it serviced it should continue to provide good service. I would probably consider ditching it if the engine or gearbox went, just because it is such an expensive fix.
If you were to keep it what jobs will need doing in the next three years as in known jobs add up the cost to do them then in theory if you bought a car which was the value of yours plus what you would have spent on the future repairs on a car that's already had that done and newer then buy the newer car.
Who cares what happens to the car when you pass it on from what you say it's a 206 not a special model classic etc so it will be used until it's not worth repairing then scrapped recycled and made into something else that's useful again. It's hardly a lotus Carlton is it?
Who cares what happens to the car when you pass it on from what you say it's a 206 not a special model classic etc so it will be used until it's not worth repairing then scrapped recycled and made into something else that's useful again. It's hardly a lotus Carlton is it?
I will get rid of my car either when I get borred of it or I have enought cash to get the car ive wanted for ages.
Got rid of my 1st car that I had for 3 years as it was my 21st b'day soon and I wanted a change and to treat myself. So, Focus 1.6 Zetec to Focus 1.8 Collection for me.
I then changed as I was doing enought mileage to get a diesel, ST TDCi bought.
Got a new job closer to home (7.5 miles a day), ST TDCi out, Focus ST in.
Next car change, I dont know when. Depends on life (work, morgage etc...) Big long list of possible cars (Laguna Seca Blue M3 cabrio, Green Focus RS)
Got rid of my 1st car that I had for 3 years as it was my 21st b'day soon and I wanted a change and to treat myself. So, Focus 1.6 Zetec to Focus 1.8 Collection for me.
I then changed as I was doing enought mileage to get a diesel, ST TDCi bought.
Got a new job closer to home (7.5 miles a day), ST TDCi out, Focus ST in.
Next car change, I dont know when. Depends on life (work, morgage etc...) Big long list of possible cars (Laguna Seca Blue M3 cabrio, Green Focus RS)
Edited by thebigmacmoomin on Tuesday 22 June 17:50
Personally I would keep it until its dead / dying.
As its not really worth very much and you have already said that you have a fun car then just run it into the ground. A foray into bangernomics.
Also don't fix stuff that you can live without, no point spending unnecessary money on it if you know what I mean. Just keep it running. Air con is cheep to do, I think kwik s
t do it for like £20.
Keep your money for the fun car.
As its not really worth very much and you have already said that you have a fun car then just run it into the ground. A foray into bangernomics.
Also don't fix stuff that you can live without, no point spending unnecessary money on it if you know what I mean. Just keep it running. Air con is cheep to do, I think kwik s
t do it for like £20.Keep your money for the fun car.
Never!
In all seriousness, with olderish cars I would've thought best to stick with what you know. Hence why I ended up with the car I've got, needed a few hundreds quid work doing but it's been in the family from new, so I know that it's been looked after and it isn't hiding anything. With anything else for the same money it would've been a complete gamble really.
In all seriousness, with olderish cars I would've thought best to stick with what you know. Hence why I ended up with the car I've got, needed a few hundreds quid work doing but it's been in the family from new, so I know that it's been looked after and it isn't hiding anything. With anything else for the same money it would've been a complete gamble really.
thebigmacmoomin said:
I will get rid of my car either when I get borred of it or I have enought cash to get the car ive wanted for ages.
Got rid of my 1st car that I had for 3 years as it was my 21st b'day soon and I wanted a change and to treat myself. So, Focus 1.6 Zetec to Focus 1.8 Collection for me.
I then changed as I was doing enought mileage to get a diesel, ST TDCi bought.
Got a new job closer to home (7.5 miles a day), ST TDCi out, Focus ST in.
Next car change, I dont know when. Depends on life (work, morgage etc...) Big long list of possible cars (Laguna Seca Blue M3 cabrio, Green Focus RS)
Interesting you changed cars so much - I always assumed that you tended to make a significant loss by changing cars (especially if you trade in your car), was that the case for you?Got rid of my 1st car that I had for 3 years as it was my 21st b'day soon and I wanted a change and to treat myself. So, Focus 1.6 Zetec to Focus 1.8 Collection for me.
I then changed as I was doing enought mileage to get a diesel, ST TDCi bought.
Got a new job closer to home (7.5 miles a day), ST TDCi out, Focus ST in.
Next car change, I dont know when. Depends on life (work, morgage etc...) Big long list of possible cars (Laguna Seca Blue M3 cabrio, Green Focus RS)
Edited by thebigmacmoomin on Tuesday 22 June 17:50
Sherman's rule sounds quite good
Whenever I got bored too. Changed my 1.0l after 4 years as I got some cash for my 21st. Had the next car for a year, which I enjoyed, but the need for speed got to me so I sold my Cabrio and went and bought an MX5. have spent a fair bit on it getting it up to spec, but as long as I can sell it for at least 2k when I come to sell it I'll be happy! It's creeping towards the 100k mark now, so thinking I might start looking again. Only had it since Feb...
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