Depressed about car ownership

[SCP440]

Interestingly I was asked to find a starter car for a friends daughter, she is not bothered what she has as long as it under 1500cc. She would like something with A/C if possible and the budget is a £grand.

I thought it would be easy and how wrong was I? I have looked at 6 cars so far and all bar one was total junk and the one that wasn't stunk of cigarettes like it had been driven by a chain smoker all its life.

I am going to look at a Fiesta tomorrow am, it slightly over budget but I am hoping to negotiate it down. I cant believe a 15 year old Fiesta can still be £1200. My son bought one 4 years ago that was about the same age and he paid £500.

[coolguy]

Originally Posted by SCP440

Interestingly I was asked to find a starter car for a friends daughter, she is not bothered what she has as long as it under 1500cc. She would like something with A/C if possible and the budget is a £grand.

I thought it would be easy and how wrong was I? I have looked at 6 cars so far and all bar one was total junk and the one that wasn't stunk of cigarettes like it had been driven by a chain smoker all its life.

I am going to look at a Fiesta tomorrow am, it slightly over budget but I am hoping to negotiate it down. I cant believe a 15 year old Fiesta can still be £1200. My son bought one 4 years ago that was about the same age and he paid £500.

I reiterate my post (no.37) Nothing anywhere near half decent under £1000.

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by exforces

You can’t even get a Fiat Tipo on monthly lease for that!

Why would you want one If the car means enough to you why count the cost.

[PMAN01]

Well, I don’t want a Tipo. I was illustrating that you can’t get a decent car on lease that anywhere matches or comes near the comfort level of our cars. I’m keeping our Rover for as long as poss. Luckily my new best friend (!) Lee is not a zillion miles away to help out with issues. He’s given me confidence to carry on. I’ll admit it was touch and go for a while as the stalling issue was dragging on.

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by exforces

Well, I don’t want a Tipo. I was illustrating that you can’t get a decent car on lease that anywhere matches or comes near the comfort level of our cars.

I know that's what you meant, I have no desire to drive a eurobox. Few years ago my 1.8 had been off the road for almost a year, had access to other cars. I wanted to recommission it, went to the garage where I'd bought it (almost next door) and spoke to them. Their advice was 1.8s were dodgy (wasn't dodgy when I bought it from them ), get it back on the road then trade it in for one of the French/Italian shopping trolleys on their forecourt . . . . never been back there! Spoke to my mechanic mate, his recommissioning advice was get a new battery, check the fluid levels and turn the key! Few days later it was road legal again.

[PMAN01]

I wonder how many 75’s have been scrapped due to mis-diagnosis by garages and owners not knowing any better? A bit frightening really to think!

[SCP440]

Originally Posted by exforces

I wonder how many 75’s have been scrapped due to mis-diagnosis by garages and owners not knowing any better? A bit frightening really to think!

Its not only 75's, I hear endless tales of owners being told there car is knackered because of wrong or poor diagnosis and it is often just a faulty sensor, electrical connection or as in one case low oil level

A mate had a Mercedes auto in his workshop that had been written off by the local main dealer because it would not change out of 1 or R and the owner was told a new or replacement gearbox would be more than the car was worth. My mate thought about it and even though the sensor said the fluid level was correct he would check it manually. it was about 2 litres short of fluid even though there was no obvious leaks so he added the fluid and it worked perfectly. When he removed the level sensor it was clogged up with gunge and once cleaned worked perfectly.

Another one was a Renault that came in with an engine management light on, it said it was the airflow sensor so this was replaced. The light was reset and the light came back on again on the test drive, this time it said it was a misfire on a couple of cylinders. Apparently when the alternator is faulty it puts spikes into the electrical system that the ECU detects as faults.

We are told this is progress.

Part of the problem mechanics these days dont use there brains, if the box they plug in tells them something they do it and when that does not fix it they dont know what to do.

[Avulon]

Originally Posted by YorksMG2013

Guys, I have a bit of a dilemma, which I'm sure other members are having similar thoughts/issues around.

I have an 04 plate ZT190 SE which has been my daily, away for the winter months, for quite a few years.
I am/was hoping to put her back on the road this month, but when I tot up the costs involved in that:

- VED £340
- Insurance c.£200
- MOT c.£50
- Service ?? (a couple of hundred as she also needs engine mounts replaced)
- Needs rear sills replaced (have components which I bought from Tom Hobbs last year)

I am wondering whether this is just too much to spend on a daily car?
I am looking at bills which equal (or exceed) the value of the car as she is now.
We do, however need something bigger and more flexible on the road than our Mini (which has been doing daily service recently)
What my lady doesn't realise is that to sell the car for £700-£800 it will have to be roadworthy (which means having to spend the £700-£800 to get it ready to sell)
On this basis I should just give it away! :-(

Any comments/thoughts?

Andrew

There's only a few limited reasons for selling your current car.

1. You don't want/need a car anymore.
2. You've bought something you like better (or are about to)
3. You can actually buy a better car for less than it'll cost to repair/maintain your current one.

Note on point 3. The replacement must cost less than you current one! otherwise drive it until point 3 is reached. I recently scrapped off my CDTi Engine still lovely at 195k, but 3rd year of tinworm repairs needed. and all the rear suspension, and front arms in need. And at that time not up to repairing all myself. Also point 1 applied, We don't need 2 cars. Still got the 1.8t tourer. Might look to replace soon as too many electrical issues starting to pop-up - I'll have a stab at sorting them first though.

Originally Posted by YorksMG2013

Re-appeared. Thanks for all the comments.
I do love my ZT but £800 to put her back on the road.....
Will see how I can generate some extra cash and take it from there

Andrew

You'll not get anything any more reliable or any less in need of work sooner rather than later for less than the £800 you know is needed on your current car. Also as already said it's getting to be a rare beast so value is possibly on the rise.

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by SCP440

Interestingly I was asked to find a starter car for a friends daughter, she is not bothered what she has as long as it under 1500cc. She would like something with A/C if possible and the budget is a £grand.

I thought it would be easy and how wrong was I? I have looked at 6 cars so far and all bar one was total junk and the one that wasn't stunk of cigarettes like it had been driven by a chain smoker all its life.

I am going to look at a Fiesta tomorrow am, it slightly over budget but I am hoping to negotiate it down. I cant believe a 15 year old Fiesta can still be £1200. My son bought one 4 years ago that was about the same age and he paid £500.

Funnily enough the first lock down generated a higher demand for s/h vehicles and thus prices rose. It was said at the time that this was due to the "public transport" commuter obtaining them as it was considered safer then the PT.

I guess the situation has not changed much since as owners have held onto their present vehicle due to various reasons. This has caused s/h shortage.

Kev
Kev

[PMAN01]

I should add that my rough figure of £100 pm ownership over the last 11yrs includes the initial purchase price of £6k