Car quandry

[grhm]

Get shot of it quick - this is just the start. We had a Renault Megraine a few years back - high spec but just more to go wrong.
I think we were lucky to just about give it away in the end. What a heap!

We had an 02 plate Megane - air-con and electric windowss played up, then something when wrong with the sensors/computer. It then refused to start warm - you could get somewhere but couldn't stop for less that a hour or two otherwise the damn thing would start again. The garage said "The car keeps changing it mind as to which sensor it thinks is duff - we could replace each sensor in turn until either the problem goes away or you run out of money - your call"

We've no got a Skoda - manual windows, no central locking, nothing fancy to go wrong..

 

[tyred]

The trouble is the only second hand car of reasonable condition/age/size you will get for around 2k is a Renault Laguna. It is a 50/50 shot when you buy Renault as to whether it will be a workhorse or a lemon, its why they are so cheap.

Even an older VW Passat or Audi A4 TDI would be a vastly superior car. They hold their value for a reason and will happily take several hundred thousand miles in their stride. I honestly believe the 1.9TDI VW unit was the finest enginer ever fitted to any car. Seriously long lasting, huge amount of torque, MPG figures which will put a Toyota Prius to shame and very easy to chip if you fancy more power or even better economy. I would have one without question if it wasn't for the stupid amount of road tax I would have to pay on a large engined car in Ireland.

 

[Wigsie]

Even an older VW Passat or Audi A4 TDI would be a vastly superior car. They hold their value for a reason and will happily take several hundred thousand miles in their stride. I honestly believe the 1.9TDI VW unit was the finest enginer ever fitted to any car. Seriously long lasting, huge amount of torque, MPG figures which will put a Toyota Prius to shame and very easy to chip if you fancy more power or even better economy. I would have one without question if it wasn't for the stupid amount of road tax I would have to pay on a large engined car in Ireland.

Will give you that, had a golf 1.9TDI for a year and loved it. The trouble is he would have to sell his 04 plate Laguna as is and would probably get £1500 max for it... Thats £2,500 to spend on a new car an Audi or VW in that price bracket will be seriously old or have over 150k on the clock itself which will open a whole new can of worms.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Hmmmmm....now i am confussed.....some well reasoned arguments there both for and against.

I have now found a guy that can fix the windows issue in my area for £130
The Radiator fitted is £160
The tyre £45
The Compressor.....im not even going to think about
The service £105


So im now looking at £440 to get the majority of the problems sorted.
ive halved the original cost but im still wondering what else is going to go wrong.
My wife has just reminded me that the tax is due at the end of this month and MOT expires on June 5th

 

[Wigsie]

So im now looking at £440 to get the majority of the problems sorted.
ive halved the original cost but im still wondering what else is going to go wrong.
My wife has just reminded me that the tax is due at the end of this month and MOT expires on June 5th

That is the problem i found with certain cars usually older ones.. mainly the fact that ok, its £440 now, tax and MOT next month will be another £150 - £200 at best maybe a few months of pain free driving then the exhaust/manifold goes and its another £200 sooner or later its over £1,000 again.

What size/spec car would you look for? Do you need a big hatch back? There are plenty more options if you move away from large fmily hatchback sized motors.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

yes, we need a family car really. The wife has one of those little city cars for running around the shops and back and forward to work so we need a workhorse for moving the two kids back and forward to grandparents and uncles/aunts houses 100 miles away and the occasional camping trip so big boot is another must.

 

[Wigsie]

ok a Mitsubishi L200 4Life. 2.5 diesel, crew cab, massive boots, a real work horse, simple engines and no real fancy electrics to go wrong. They were extremely popular as a fashion accessory but because of the recent change in percetion with environmental issue's they are cheap as chips and will do 200,000 without breaking a sweat with most not being driven over much more than the curb outside their kids school or across a field at a boot fair.

Tree hugging hippies may frown at you if you live in a town centre though.

 

[Wigsie]

e.g.
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...cleYearOfManufacture=2002&vehicleRegLetter=52

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Get rid of the car and buy a new bike. Surprised no-one has mentioned it before...







<< sorry! >>

 

[tyred]

ok a Mitsubishi L200 4Life. 2.5 diesel, crew cab, massive boots, a real work horse, simple engines and no real fancy electrics to go wrong. They were extremely popular as a fashion accessory but because of the recent change in percetion with environmental issue's they are cheap as chips and will do 200,000 without breaking a sweat with most not being driven over much more than the curb outside their kids school or across a field at a boot fair.

Tree hugging hippies may frown at you if you live in a town centre though.

Fine but thirsty and horrible to drive.

I would still go down the VAG route, no matter how many miles but if you want something cheaper, Mondeos are usually good value for money. I don't know anything about the newer model but the 90's model was a very good car by anyone's standards and Ford parts are probably the cheapest you'll get anywhere, thus keeping running costs low. I presume the new model was an improvement but it's not always the case.

 

[Wigsie]

Fine but thirsty and horrible to drive.

I would still go down the VAG route, no matter how many miles but if you want something cheaper, Mondeos are usually good value for money. I don't know anything about the newer model but the 90's model was a very good car by anyone's standards and Ford parts are probably the cheapest you'll get anywhere, thus keeping running costs low. I presume the new model was an improvement but it's not always the case.

Ever tried to do a 3/5 point turn in the road in one? !
They do have many plus points but yes they do take a bit of getting used to when it comes to driving the bug*ers. But with second hand cars you can't have it all. A 2000/2001 ish Mondeo may be worth a look, Ford's are dull but generally reliable and easy to fix.

 

[Mr Pig]

Both good cars I think. Mine is the last of the previous generation 6 so can't really comment much about the new one. My mate has a new Mondeo, the thing is vast inside. Especially the back, good if you have kids. It's actually bigger inside than a 5 series BMW!

Both cars are supposed to be sharp handling and should be well built but if it was my money I'd buy the Mazda. I think it'll probably just have the edge on build quality and should hold its value better. Fleets buy Mondeos as they get good deals on them and only need them to last three years. People spending their own money buy Mazdas etc so there are less off them used and they're usually better looked after.

Mitsubishi L200

I wouldn't buy a Mitsubishi if I was going to keep it for many years. Many of the parts on them are very expensive. They simply are not sold in enough volume for aftermarket parts suppliers to drive parts prices down. Too many wear items can only be bought from the dealers, who shaft you!

 

[Night Train]

If you are going to get rid then you could do a lot worse then a Skoda.

I've been running a Skoda Octavia 1.9Tdi from new since 2001. It has 140,000 miles on the clock, I change the timing belt early at 50,000 miles and the only fault has been the aircon has stopped working at 100,000 miles just after the timing belt was last done.
It has four electric windows, electric sunroof, 6 CD changer and all the usual nice electric toys and safety stuff for a top of the range vehicle.

The only electrical snag has been the driver's door window. Once in a while when I send it up it will stop part way and open again as something has triggered the safety return. Can't be bothered fixing it as I rarely use the windows.

 

[bonj2]

Used cars are more trouble than they're worth. Cut your losses.
Now it's the aircon pump, window motors and radiator, next month it might be the starter motor, then it might be the wishbones, then the rear leaf springs, then it fails its MOT, then you go out one morning and it's got an electrical problem, etc etc....
You might be spending more on the repairs than you would on repayments on a new car.
French cars epecially are all shite. Peugeots not quite as bad as renault and citroen, but they're all pretty shite. Buy either german, japanese or ford.

Could you not also consider sharing a car with the wife / cycling instead...


Alternatively, enter 'banger' running mode - sell the laguna, and simply by ANY car no matter how old or shoot, but simply on the strength of having a long MOT. You can then just run it for 10 or 11 months and try to ignore any problems it develops, knowing that you won't be forced to spend anything on motoring for 10 or 11 months, at which point you can just dispose of it and get another one with long MOT.

 

[tyred]

Used cars are more trouble than they're worth. Cut your losses.
Now it's the aircon pump, window motors and radiator, next month it might be the starter motor, then it might be the wishbones, then the rear leaf springs, then it fails its MOT, then you go out one morning and it's got an electrical problem, etc etc....
You might be spending more on the repairs than you would on repayments on a new car.
French cars epecially are all shite. Peugeots not quite as bad as renault and citroen, but they're all pretty shite. Buy either german, japanese or ford.

One thing I will say. Bad as a Renault Laguna actually is, the rear leaf springs won't break on it...

Alternatively, enter 'banger' running mode - sell the laguna, and simply by ANY car no matter how old or shoot, but simply on the strength of having a long MOT. You can then just run it for 10 or 11 months and try to ignore any problems it develops, knowing that you won't be forced to spend anything on motoring for 10 or 11 months, at which point you can just dispose of it and get another one with long MOT.

That's the best way to go motoring. Buy an old Audi 80 (1987 -1994). Very cheap now and if you buy a good one in the first place, you will probably never need another car. Much the same applies to the Merc 190 or pre 2002 C Class but are more likely to rust than the galvanised Audi. The E36 BMW 3 series wasn't quite as durable and they are tight for rear leg room. Early 90s VW Passats or the Jetta/Vento are also excellent cheap buys which should suit your needs. The Germans really did built quality cars back then.