At what point do you get rid of a car?

So my criteria has been when it hits the scrappy for MOT/unrepairable failure or getting unreliable.

But with current car we are now looking at a car worth £1k, but with service this week, sticking turbo vanes fault, timing belt due, front suspension arms (again), rear wheel bearings and tyres, and clutch being 140k in….

For the first time ever it may be time to dump it…

It depends what you plan to replace it with and how much that will cost.
If you can go new or nearly new, then all well and good, otherwise it may be a case of better the devil you know…

I ditched my Golf at 120k when the rear diff (Haldex) was on the way out and it needed new Gearbox seals. Multiple £k bill on a 12 year old car is pretty much the end of it….

We have hung on to our Saab 900S for possibly longer than was viable – 18 years old, 12 of those with us. was 115k on the clock IIRC.

Wake-up call was the MOT the other week, just before we went on holiday (!), failed on a list of stuff – lot of steering issues – which had never been picked up before in previous MOTs (different garage). Also was a list of advisories which is obviously work in 6 months time… All looked pretty worrying and more worrying was that visible – and noticeable – items were there for years — e.g. “your steering column moves about 1″ or more” — “yes, it’s been doing that for years” — “that’s a fail for us… “oh”.

They charged the MOT fail fee, refused to contemplate “fixing it up” any more, and I suspect this was really the right decision. It could have been sorted but loads of labour and that’s the killer.

We could have sold it any time in last year, in fact had put in new clutch, shocks, battery and such like, as well as other work — but in retrospect hung on too long really.

Not sure that answers question matt — we were less bothered about car value (WBAG.com was £50…) than it was known to us, and drove well (well, OK) but the times it was off the road was getting more and more..

Had rationalised it as a ‘new’ car was say £10k, depreciation at 20% would give you £2k/year to play with on maintenance, but I’ve changed our mind on that.

It was on way to the scrappies for £80, at last moment found a mechanic that might take it on as a project, for the same amount.

That’s quite a lot of work. The question is really, after you get it done will it be a £2000 car, or will it still just be a £1000 car? IE in your mind is the price dragged down by the service needs. But probably still a £1000 car in most cases…

It also depends on the replacement plan… How much you want to spend and how likely it is that your budget buys you a troublefree car.

Depending on the car some of it might be relatively straightforward to do… Turbo vanes on a mondeo frinstance is a buttload of work but it’s mostly straightforward, if it just wants cleaning and servicing. Basically costs a gasket kit, the rest is all labour. Etc etc. But ymmv.

I just got rid of a car as it needed similar work. Have a look at what you can buy 2nd hand locally. It surprised me how many good cars there under £1k if you are not brand/model loyal and purchase based on condition only.

When I put enough cash away for the next one…

The Golf was knackered and needed to go went to the scrap yard under it’s own steam, the A4 was leaking steering fluid, electric and water into the footwells when the scrap yard collected it.

The van went due to emmigrating so put it on ebay for sell now prices (it went in under 5 mins)

I kept my last car for 7 1/2 years ,bought at 4 months old off dealer, demo car . I had 7 1/2 years of trouble free motoring over 94,ooo miles (98,000 on clock ) only ever had tyres and wipers. went through MOT and garage took me round car , shocks not leaking but worn bushes and shocks looked corroded, brakes worn disks and pads (never had any pads) wheel bearing had started to groan . So this was the point the car was gonna start bleeding money so we got rid while it still had some value in it . Bite the bullet and cut your losses ? Unlesss its got great sentimental value and your gonna keep it for ever ??

Hmmmm. Difficult one this.

I just had the ‘should I have got rid of it’ moment with my Ibiza.

240k miles on the clock and it needed:
major service
Cambelt
Air-con sorting

Didn’t need to do the air-con but when you commute 80 miles/day it’s worth having it working. Figured better the devil you know, so spent £900 on it.

2 weeks later, intercooler pipe fails on the way home. Breakdown manages to repair it, but says I should get it looked at. I planned to, once I got a busy couple of weeks out of the way.

Went in for an MOT few days later (~£54) and fails on rear discs, pads and sticking caliper, which was pointed out at the service, but they said it ‘might’ get through the MOT and I was planning on doing this myself once I got past these busy ‘couple of weeks’….

New pads/discs and caliper – £215. Picked car up next day and few miles down the road the intercooler pipe fails again – so back to garage and leave it there for them to get the pipe replaced, rather than just re-connecting it back up again. They only charged me for the part not the fitting, but that was still £115!!

And it’s just been re-taxed for £130.

So, apart from the intercooler pipe (and arguably the air-con) it was all stuff that needed doing and would have to be done to any car. But it just seems to have all crept up at once! Was seriously miffed about it for a couple of days, but it was mostly covered by my car maintenance ‘fund’, so that was a help!

Only worry now is if the clutch goes – it’s still on the original….

OP – perhaps add up realistic costs for all the repairs and see how much that comes to? How much would you have to spend on a car that you can be sure won’t need a similar amount of work doing soon and take it from there….?

I am about to bid farewell to my trusted 406hdi after 14 years & 250k km, its been a top car but all the trim is falling off & the paint has been burnt off in the sun.

There’s a scrappage scheme here in Spain so I got 1ke off a new car. I reckon the old car has another year or 2 but the clutch is well worn (1ke), air con hasn’t worked for 5 years & I don’t want to break down when I really need it (like going to airport).

I think its like leaving a party…best to leave early when the goings good. Also, I offered my car for 1ke to loads of people & no-one wanted it, seems only I know its a good one, so if I spent 1500e on it I would have no chance of getting any of that back.

Had similar recently with my passat. but ended up keeping it and will be looking to buy a new car next summer. Work done cost me about £6/700 but some of that was tyres, service, aircon recharge and having 2 wheels reconditioned. It’s got 180k* on the clock and is basically worth nothing but still runs really well and will be taking us to spain/pyrenees next week. Just wasn’t the right time to be looking for a new car so that fun can wait till next year.

*I kind of want to get it 200k!!

ads678 – Member

*I kind of want to get it 200k!!

This is part of my problem…..
300k miles is in sight, although over 2 years away realistically. And that seems like a worthwhile target.

Also, the cars I have earmarked for replacing it – Leon estate of Civic estate are still too new for me to be able to afford, so I need to wait a couple of years until they are more in my budget range!

depends.

if it hasnt let me down or sound/look like its imminently going to , engine – gearbox or corrosion.

everything else is a cheap fix compared to the monthly repayment on a newer car – which will likely be more expensive to repair – DPF / DMF/Turbo.

a couple of week after i buy a new car is have the timing belt / waterpump and all tensioners changed at my tame garage.unless it fails the 2 week driving test – strange costly noises , failing to start , quirking steering etc etc.

stuck a clutch in 4 months ago – 350 quid and after a trip to alpe dhuez and back im about to renew the aux belt and idlers/tensioners at 94k. as well as a full filters and fluids service – all in thats costing 130 quid.

but it sounds to me like in light of some service items you want a newer car – ps drive slower over speed bumps – your lower arms will thank you for it.

ps drive slower over speed bumps – your lower arms will thank you for it.

Sadly, it us just the cost of driving round the highlands bumpy roads, last 6 years of a narrow, singletrack, pothole strewn ‘road’ for 8 miles commute….

I was just interested in others takes on it. So far this car has needed a fair bit doing over the years, but we have not questioned doing so. It is 10 years and 145k…
Now, with the car looking tatty and tired, and worth not a lot, the last thing we can afford is it to be unreliable – we need it for work. As well as going into limp mode, it just is developing ;old car’ noises – the clutch makes all sorts of noises when you depress etc.
At the moment I have three weeks until kids back in school when we could tart this one up a smidge, get rid and look around for replacement.
Cost is an issue, but the need for a reliable car is more important.

buy a car more suited to it then.

french cars are much more suited to the bumpy roads than anything ive had from vw or ford – both liked to eat suspension bushes and control arms.

my peugeots taken it all in its stride and rides better over the bumpts to boot

based on my apparent insistance of living at the end of dirt tracks…..

At what point do you get rid of a car?

I’ll let you know tomorrow when my bangernomics Focus goes in for its MOT. I’m not confident. Engines fine. Other stuff? Erm……. not so fine.

My 407 has gone in for its service/mot today, I’m not looking forward to the outcome, after last years suspension advisories, and it’s current abs fault (which it’s going to fail on the first time) 🙁

if its not reliable – get rid.

but reliable to me – is probably not reliable to you…

probably better sticking it on ebay with an honest description than trading it in though. folks go mad for VAG badge.

Got this dilemma myself currently.

Leon Cupra, 2012 but with only 68k on the clock.

Original exhaust and discs/pads 😆

It’s a lovely car to drive and the engine is good for many more miles but the door seals have become tired I guess and in winter time it’s condensation and ice on the inside. This is annoying 🙂

When something major breaks, ~200k (Honda)

Update: It needs two new abs sensors, and the brake ECU *might* also be dead 🙁 🙁

time to visit EBLAG for a breakers doing ECUS 😀

Time to get my copy of bastarding diagbox working so I can do it myself too!

where did you get diagbox and how much ?

Ive now got two dw8 engined french van wagons so lexia might be a good purchase in my future.

I’ve got a few copies from when I picked up a reader off of ebay, I’ve not got any of them working due to the *ahem* copy protection *ahem* stopping the software from working, which is a royal pain in the arse, as I begrudge paying someone £50 to plug in a box, and I also only have their word that the sensors are dead, as I’m pretty sure they will have just gone with what diabox told them, rather than actually checking the offending items. Aaaaandd breathe.

What’s now the ‘normal’ life expectancy of a bog standard petrol engined car these days?

Missus’ fiesta is at 90k and the only fault is an electric window switch and the door speekers are ‘intermittent’. My Focus is at 80k and the only fault is the same door speekers are ‘intermittent’.

Always said we’d sell them at 100k before stuff started going wrong, but so far there’s not even been an inkling of any problems, and in the meantime we’re saving the finance* cost of another 3yo/30k car.

*well, she is, I’d pay cash, but we’re both realistic that if/when we sell car’s they’ll be worthless so it’s not so much a calculation of depreciation, more like any money spent is lost.

http://lifehacker.com/should-i-repair-or-just-replace-my-old-car-484335393

It is amazing what you can pick up for bugger all money.

For example, my bimmer cost me £5k with 120k on the clock. Its had probably a further £2k spent on it with servicing, knackered shocks, springs (rear springs corroded) topmounts, bushes, little bits of rust sorted, tyres, parts due to being run off the road and odds and sods. Its in good condition, had preventative maintenance but also had mega money spent on it in a year and a half. I suspect its the mileage that things just start giving up but I intend to keep it so Id rather spend on it now than later.

My girlfriends car is a £600 mk2 Clio. For a whole year it had nothing. No tyres, service, even a clean! At MOT it needed new steering column, all 4 brakes overhauled with new pads, discs, drums and some piping, 2 new tyres, 3 wheel bearings, new handbrake cable and a new shock. It wasent cheap. Thankfully her dad is retired and pretty handy with a wrench and Haynes manual so did it all with some new parts, some from a scrappy so it cost her a few hundred instead of the cost of the car. Its since had 3 coil packs very quickly and now needs o2 sensors so may be time to say enough is enough.

I always put it down to how much the car is worth; if its worth £1000 and you are spending the same on the car, go and buy something else. Theres plenty of serviceable cars out there for under £1000 if you arnt picky. If you are attached to it spend the money, but the car wont be worth any more on the basis you have spent lots on it in servicing costs.

I got rid of my Fiesta whilst it was still worth something I could put towards my new car. I now have a nice new (well, 2012) Golf which saves me so much on fuel in comparison that my monthly loan repayments are pretty insignificant, my monthly outgoings are about the same 🙂 the fiesta was at about 97k and had a few things up with it – seat catch releases nackered, remote boot release nackered and starter motor kept getting stuck. All relatively cheap to fix but I just fancied a new car. Do miss the looks of the Fiesta though, my Golf is really bog standard in comparison – some decent alloys will sort that though 🙂

How ever its very easy to buy a lemon for 1k….. When test driving for a short period.

How ever i know my motor inside out compatitively. Id rather spend the 1k on my car ….. How ever 1k would be a very significant amount of work on my car by my tame garage 🙂

Been the king of Bangernomics for 20 years now – never spent more than £1k on a car

Current car is a 97 A4 estate running on LPG – £700 from a cycling buddy

Done 36,000 miles in 30 months – and its never let me down and its just hit 170,000

Probably spend £200 to £300 a year on it

When it has a bad fault at the MOT and will cost over £500 to repair i’ll replace it

I always keep an eye out for friends getting rid of cars – they’ll be honest about it and you’ll know how that have treated them – then have their arm off

Then, if you’ve got a few months MOT on your current banger, get it sold for £500

The lads at work take the piss – all 13 of them who report to me have much newer cars – but i take pleasure in the fact that i can have lots of shiney bikes without the burden of a £300 per month finance agreement 🙂

Got rid of the last car because the list of things that needed doing were building up and I wasn’t interested enough in the car to want to fix it. Sold it before it got too bad and got something older, simpler and far cheaper that I’m not so precious about because I ‘could’ve bought a bike for that’ and don’t mind bombing around fields and forest tracks.
The second car is for something nice.

I have a Mk3 Mondeo. I’ve had the itch for a new car for years, looked at plenty of others and bought none. The problem is the Mondeo has been ultra reliable, great to drive and cheap to maintain. I do all my own work on the car so I know it is still in good shape.
The other cars I’ve looked at have not been, based on price, 6 and 7 times better than my Mondeo. In fact very few had been twice as good and they where more than 9 times the value of my car. Any car I bought now would lose around £2-3k in value within 6 months of me buying it. Spending the same money as I would lose on a newer car on the Mondeo will keep it running for many more years. The money I save in not changing buys me motorbikes, holidays and other luxuries that more satisfying than a car I get to drive a few hours a day in heavy traffic.
From that point of view it is only terminal rust or seized engine that would make the car beyond repair. When that day comes choosing a replacement is going to be hard work.

Cars are a lot like bikes, everything’s fixable it’s just about if you like the car enough to do it and how much does driving around in an old car bother you.

I just bought a 2001 fiesta for my son, £200 for the car, £65 for a battery, brake pads, oil and filters. It’s got aircon, Central locking and decent radio. There’s nothing on that you can’t replace for a couple of hundred quid.

It’ll run until someones too bored of it not to fix it.

This is the point I would bail out.

A final update, it needed 3x abs sensors and has cost me £681.31, including a service and mot. Which was slightly less painful than I was expecting.

I think its the labour costs – whatever they may be – that divides things.

Used to take the saab to nice man in Edinburgh and though he was keen, his prices were Edinburgh prices. Looking back, bills for labour & parts were high £100s / year.. not bad, not good, and list of items in last year was getting quite high already Garage here may not know the cars as well, but costs are lower and damn sight more convenient..

I think its the labour costs – whatever they may be – that divides things.

^This.
I just replaced discs/pads myself, but most other things are beyond me (see my ‘Help, I just tried to kill my rear suspension thread this winter…). Many of you are clearly mechanics, with tools and space to do the work. I am rank amateur, with a bit of confidence…
Going to garages just massively increases running costs.
I am maybe catching up with the ‘real world’, having looked at a couple of cars today, and realising how much most people are spending on cars theses days. 🙁
Heart says van, head says Galaxy, bank says errr, no.

Its not just how much they cost …..its how much modern car parts cost – and it seems the more modern the car the harder it is to diy and how much more needs removing to do simple jobs,

Im no car mechanic , but a logical brain and hands that work in conjunction with my brain are a good start.

Good news sobriety.

I bought a lexia/diagbox off ebay for 70 quid. Will find out if its any good when i get my van back…. The mrs is away in it.

I agree with the modern car thing, needing to do more and have more tools, plus mega expensive parts, to fix what would have been simple a few years back.