How often do you change your car?

[snorri]

Yeahbut, our new fridge so much better than the old one. Much colder. Much whiter. Wished we’d changed it earlier, it’s changed our lives.

Amazing, just how old was your old fridge?

 

[Levo-Lon]

I always used to buy cars around 5 years old and run them for about 7 years, mainly Japanese cars. I get a company car now every couple of years, that are German. I think I was expecting more its been a real anti-climax. I find them really overrated, I'm going ask for a Focus ST next time, I'm sure it will be more fun, and it's not my problem if it breaks.

It's borderline the tax paid on a company car whether it's viable or not. I'm getting too old to be lying around on the drive now. The complexity and unnecessary gadgets on modern cars, also swayed me towards the company car, as I would imagine you'd need to sell a kidney if it develops a fault. Like the thread on here with the guy with that Ford Kuga, and it's pile of sh**e gearbox..

If I change jobs, I'll certainly revert back to what I used to do. Cars are a bit boring now. It's all about the gadgets and crap now, instead of what it drives like and practicability. Totally lost on me, I've no interest at all in that, just safety, decent stereo, aircon, reliability, running costs..

It probably won't break tho

Mate has had lots of trouble withhis A4 dark estate. And its on its second dmf in 80k
Not bad as he does 80 miles a day on the A1 to work

 

[Drago]

Ah, DMFs. Another reason to get a slush auto, if you can find one.

 

[Profpointy]

After a series of company cars chopped in after 3 or 4 years my mileage reduced so I took the money instead and bought a 10 year old / 70,000 mile Saab as a stop-gap for a princely £2k 10 years land another 80,000 miles I still have it. Hopefully I can get the same again from it.

 

[Proto]

Amazing, just how old was your old fridge?

Not very old, couple of years, but when the salesman showed us that not all freezer compartments are the same we knew it was time to upgrade. The new one brings the freezing point in line with the latest EU standards, much safer, something to do with adjusting for altitude. Also the internal LED light is much more energy efficient than the old one, and will save the cost of the fridge over 5 years. We’d have been mad not to buy it.

 

[Proto]

After a series of company cars chopped in after 3 or 4 years my mileage reduced so I took the money instead and bought a 10 year old / 70,000 mile Saab as a stop-gap for a princely £2k 10 years land another 80,000 miles I still have it. Hopefully I can get the same again from it.

Me too, currently driving 2008 9-5 diesel estate. Had it 8 years and put 85000 miles on it. Very keen to keep it alive. Might regret saying this but apart from an oxygen sensor on the cat converter, nothing has gone wrong. Service and MOT costs me approx £350 a year. Depreciation over that period not quite so clever, possibly £1000pa.

 

[Profpointy]

Me too, currently driving 2008 9-5 diesel estate. Had it 8 years and put 85000 miles on it. Very keen to keep it alive. Might regret saying this but apart from an oxygen sensor on the cat converter, nothing has gone wrong. Service and MOT costs me approx £350 a year. Depreciation over that period not quite so clever, possibly £1000pa.

Mine's probably lost half its value. Mind you the first 3 owners probably lost £30k whereas I've only lost a grand. That said, I did have to have a £2k engine rebuild after an unlucky oil pipe failure. Even the garage suggested it wasn't worth it but I reasoned that the £2k would in effect get me a perfectly sound car with a new engine, rather than be a part payment on an unknown car. It makes no difference to me that the car is only now worth a grand - £2 k is gone regardless. I don't really believe in selling cars and I intend to keep it till it's scrapped - this is, in some ways more "green" than a newer more economic car

 

[MarkF]

I don't really believe in selling cars and I intend to keep it till it's scrapped - this is, in some ways more "green" than a newer more economic car

It's mot time for the 2002 Focus, it'll pass as always, I think the mot & service is more than the car is worth! It's valueless in todays market yet every single thing on the car works as a well as it ever did.

 

[snorri]

It's mot time for the 2002 Focus, it'll pass as always,

Yeah, it's never been a problem since they started the online MoTs .

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

+ a comfy seat.

That was the best thing about an E-Class Merc Estate I had. The seat was phenomenal, that is all I miss about it. The seat in my Golf GTD is pants. I had to buy a lumbar support off Amazon.

 

[Dave7]

Mine's probably lost half its value. Mind you the first 3 owners probably lost £30k whereas I've only lost a grand. That said, I did have to have a £2k engine rebuild after an unlucky oil pipe failure. Even the garage suggested it wasn't worth it but I reasoned that the £2k would in effect get me a perfectly sound car with a new engine, rather than be a part payment on an unknown car. It makes no difference to me that the car is only now worth a grand - £2 k is gone regardless. I don't really believe in selling cars and I intend to keep it till it's scrapped - this is, in some ways more "green" than a newer more economic car

My auto diesel Rover 75 had 100K on the clock when a fault occured that would have set me back about the value of the car so I decided to get shut.
I have regretted it ever since and wished I had done the same as you have by throwing some money at it.

 

[Drago]

Aye, that 2 grand repair is maybe 6 or 8 months repayments on a new car, so in the long run you're still quids in.

 

[Electric_Andy]

when the ashtray is full

 

[Profpointy]

My auto diesel Rover 75 had 100K on the clock when a fault occured that would have set me back about the value of the car so I decided to get shut.
I have regretted it ever since and wished I had done the same as you have by throwing some money at it.

It is a tricky decision sometimes. If things are starting to go wrong, you can end up throwing good money after bad - and I have done this in the past arguably. But in the Saab's case the failure was an unlucky pipe leak, rather than wearing out, and the rest of the car was solid so I felt it a good bet.
Particularly tricky is a succession of small things going wrong, each one worth fixing but the totality adds up. My £2k engine rebuild was more than a year ago, so I consider it has paid back a I'm now in the black. Every month / year it continues to run is "free" so to speak.

That said there are a few non urgent things I'd like to have done - air con problem, faulty window and maybe some suspension work. Neither are vital, but it'll improve the driving experience and I'm prepared to spend the money to get it back to the luxury car level it once was.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I'd sit on a wooden pew listening to oom-pa music if it meant minimal environmental impact and tiny runnings costs.

@Drago

Wooden seats??
It'd be more of an Orchestra, or Silver Band, with this
Maybe Elgar, as wasn't he from the Malverns area?
Those seats are utterly gorgeous

YES, I want one too!!!
https://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/mmc/researchanddev/lifecar.html
https://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/announcement/lifecar/


'Ultra Capacitors' for acceleration, charged by regenerative hub-motors
Fuel cell for cruising
800kg weight, so not much power needed!!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBTVp1WocSs


And, yes, I know it's from 10 years (or so) ago, but still highly desirable
As is the technology