When is it time to say "goodbye"?

[bluevenetian]

At what point do you think "enough is enough, this car has got
to go!"
Is it based on a potential big repair bill?, or is it just
yet another small annoying fault that breaks the camel's back.
Maybe its simply a case of "I fancy another car"?
Do you reckon people get overly sentimental about their cars
-- keeping a faithful slugger going when strict economics would
suggest it ought to head quietly to the great car park in the
sky?
Or does anyone feel they are basically forced to pump money
into their car, the "better the devil I know" argument. (I'm in the later
group btw )

 

[mattc]

Funny, just answered your question here i think.

Mine is a keeper and will get whatever she needs as I want to keep THAT CAR and THAT COLOUR.

It may not stop me getting another car though too

 

[imadoofus]

Ah, the eternal question...

A car with big bills looming will always be worth less, assuming the buyer has enough nous to know what they're looking at.

Once the bills are paid, it's tempting to keep the car to recoup your 'losses'.

I believe that you should look at it from the standpoint that maintenance is a fact of life, and in order to maintain a car's value, you have to maintain the car. If that means a big bill soon before you sell, then so be it. Without that, it might not sell at all. A car that needs work will always be worth less than a car that's had the work done (known head gasket problems, wiring looms and so on with various Mercedes, for example).

I do get a bit sentimental about certain cars, but realism dictates that I can't keep them all. A car that's not used often can cost more to maintain, after all.

I don't tend to change for the sake of it, but there are plenty that do.

Where is Maff, BTW?

 

[Ade B]

I bought mine with a view to long term ownership and have pumped more cash than its probably worth into it over two years - the 2nd year has been about 10% of the cost of the first year so far

When it all works, I can't think of any reason to get a different car. When bits of it don't work, it depends how cash is in the kitty for repairs. Mine has only 'needed' a CHG, a driver's window motor and an AC wiring tweak since I've had it. All other stuff has been ongoing service type maintenance.

With a 124, there is always a potential big repair bill on the horizon they're not new cars anymore, it just depends on how much you can do yourself and how much you want to keep the car in top condition.

For me the decision usually comes down to how much would it cost to replace a car with a known history and with what. And so far I have always decided to keep the CE.

Ade

 

[Ratz]

Having been stung with a car that the owner had put thicker oil in to cover the rumbling bottom end I would never sell a car without repairing or informing of a major bill looming.

As for when to sell, I usually convince myself it's a practical financial decision - but it's usually just I fancy something new/different.

 

[Frank O' Phile]

At what point do you think "enough is enough, this car has got to go!" Is it based on a potential big repair bill?,

Isuzu Trooper. Saab 9000

or is it just yet another small annoying fault that breaks the camel's back.

Citroen Xantia. Another Saab 9000

Maybe its simply a case of "I fancy another car"?

2 x Audi Coupe. Previous W124 when I found the current one.

Do you reckon people get overly sentimental about their cars -- keeping a faithful slugger going when strict economics would suggest it ought to head quietly to the great car park in the
sky?

Probably will with this one. Sometimes you dont get a say in the matter, but I somehow change my car every year, probably out of boredom. Even now while looking for a 2nd car for Mrs O' I'm looking at cars I want to have, but she wants a Tigra.

Cars seem to come and go, but my big bike, I've had for 12 years and dont plan to change ever.

 

[kth286]

It's often a case of:

spend on current car which is a know quantity OR

buy another car which may have a double whammy of, unknown quantity AND extra depreciation of usually a higher purchase price compared to value of current car.

So, I always favour spend on current car. BUT I choose long term cars which I have researched previously and intend to keep.

 

[Leemc2008]

Citroen Saxo.. bought for £1500.. spent £1000 on engine conversion, £1000 on wheels and suspension.. £300 custom exhaust system.. £300 seats + harnesses.. a further £1000ish on brakes, driveshafts, all suspension components, fuel tank to complete conversion, torsion bars and rear axle..

Hmm.. and I've still got it.. no MOT because it cant pass the emmisions at the moment..

 

[vibesg]

Mercs are built to be driven cherished and enjoyed. When you stop relishing the thought of getting in the driver's seat for another drive thats the time for it to go..hopefully to make room for a replacement Mercedes

 

[gina2201]

I change every time I get bored, or fancy a new one....

 

[andy_cyp]

I change every time I get bored, or fancy a new one....

You talking about cars Gina ????

 

[PXW]

For me the key is realiability rather than finance. I don't (yet!) have the luxury of running a car just as a toy, so both family cars have to work hard. The day running repairs get to the stage where I'm not sure it's going to start in the morning is the day I sell. For example, my last sale was a Saab 9-5 that I'd run for about 4 years - started breaking down, and a dealer inspection showed upcoming repairs of possibly up to £3000 (car only worth about £2500). In that state, I chose not to sell privately - it would be unfair, and if I listed all the problems it would never sell anyway. I didn't trade it in either - just sold it for cash to a local Saab specialist, caveat emptor, on the basis that it's his job to know what's likely to go wrong on a 9-5 of that age (note, not concealing anything).

Then bought the merc, which has been great over 12 months and 22k miles. How long to keep this one? depends on the mileage I run in it, but properly maintained I hope to keep it for five years, running to a total of about 115k or thereabouts, before it too gets to the stage of being an unreliable runner. If it goes for longer, then that's fine by me

 

[scumbag]

I got rid of the SLK due to is magnitism to the dealers for fixing. Not what I expected of a Mercedes, so it went after a year.

The 2 cars I had both had to go to free up the finances for the move I made, but the Baleno is still running people about. I would not have fancied the 300 mile trip here in it tho. So this car I currently have had to be economical, cheap, fit in more that 2 people and be able to do everything needed of a car that I really don't car about as it sits outside.

Shortly it will sit right by the sea too.

However, I wa thinking its time to move it on while the value in it was better than I thought, but having checked recently, I am now thinking I may still keeping up until the plate is worth more than the car. My sense of humour thinks that would be amusing.

Having just bought another hom, I think its best I don't buy another car until the piggy bank starts to move upwards again.


My own view on changing is this, if you are looking, its time to change. Otherwise why look?

 

[bluevenetian]

In February I paid 2k for my 95 e280 estate and have just shelled out nearly 3k on new wiring loom, cracked cylnder head, new engine/gear box mounts and a few other bits and bobs. The car will also need the rear diff fixed within a year or so at £600 odd.
I could have sold it for a few hundred quid after the faults were identified (I would'nt have felt comfortable trying to shift it to a buyer without telling them of the problems), instead, after much deliberation, I opted to plough the money in.
It may well turn out to have been the wrong decision, but the thought of losing most of the purchase cost after just a few months ownership was hard to bear.
At the moment I feel like some washed up Las Vegas gambler, desperately betting to recoup earlier losses on the blackjack tables...I guess only time and ladyluck will tell!

 

[gina2201]

You talking about cars Gina ????

Ha ha, make up your own mind!

ETA: Yes I was as it happens!

 

[jamesk]

Interesting thread. I guess better the devil you know if the expenses are not borne out of reliability issues. Case in point is my E34 540, which is now 13 years old and affectionately known as the boneshaker by the good lady wife. To be fair it has had a good life but I spent £500 on it only yesterday for a service and new engine/geabox mounts plus a track rod and alignment. The difference in ride is amazing and the sight of the old (oil damped) engine mounts in pieces makes me see why! Apparently the engine was effectively resting on the sub-frame which explains all sorts of noises and steering knocks!

The car in this climate is probably worth less than £1000 even with a full history and only 80k on the clock so £500 seems a hell of a lot of money to pay, BUT the old girl is bombproof in terms of reliability and I cannot afford a "new" car so the flip side is that £500 for peace of mind and reliabiltiy is a bargain. Isn't it??

 

[mattc]

The car in this climate is probably worth less than £1000 even with a full history and only 80k on the clock so £500 seems a hell of a lot of money to pay, BUT the old girl is bombproof in terms of reliability and I cannot afford a "new" car so the flip side is that £500 for peace of mind and reliabiltiy is a bargain. Isn't it??

Keep it - you know whats been done and whats not. As others have said buying an Newer second hand car does not mean you will not get stung with some big bills does it.

 

[kusanku]

I read somewhere once that two years is the optimum amount of time to keep a car, in terms of depreciation, bills and amount of use. The same article said that most people keep a car for a year longer than this.

I have no idea where I read this, or how acurate the calculations were. If I like a car, I tend to keep it 4-5 years, and clock up sufficient mileages that the cars are virtually worthless when I do sell (e.g. 123 and 210). Other cars, I have kept only a few months, e.g. Honda Civic (but only because it was a manual; great little runaround otherwise), Peugeot 205 and Ford Cortina because things went wrong almost on a weekly basis, and C220cdi because it had loads of annoying trim rattles, started rusting everywhere, and everyone commented that it was not as nice as my 123 had been .

The longest I have kept a car is 6 years: a dreadful Vauxhall Cavalier, which cost me a fortune in the first year of ownership. After that year, I vowed to get rid of it the moment anything else went wrong. Five years and 100k miles later it was still running fine with nothing other than routine servicing, until it got smashed up by vandals when I left it parked in town overnight, rather than driving home after three pints

 

[Carrotchomper]

I've always had a fairly short-term attitude to car ownership, mainly because I enjoy driving a range of different cars. Since most of them are "prestige" this generally coincides with upcoming major services.

I know this isn't probably the healthiest method of car ownership, it is rather "swings and roundabouts" since the depreciation hit (Exacerbated by upcoming service, needing tyres etc.) generally isn't far off what the service would cost. If I was intending to keep the car for 5 years it would be different, but generally I reckon on keeping them for 1/2.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

A friend of mine sells before he has to spend money on anything other than fuel. So he changes if tax, service, MOT, tyres, etc are due!!

I was talking to a guy at work who's known for changing his car. He said in April he was working out business mileage in readiness for his tax return, and noticed he'd change his car SEVEN times in 14 months!! Six of them were brand new!!