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Bangernomics revisited

I run an 07 1.8 focus, 68k on the clock. It replaced a mk1 that I had from new and kept till 220k, the mk2 is nowhere near as good a car.
You'll have that for a while. My 1.8 Mondeo engine was faultless to 150k, after that it started to use a drop of oil and the economy dropped from 40 to 37-38.
 
How old is Vicky the Volvo? If 15 years plus, £1000 on repairs is too much. You could be naughty and neglect the cambelt. It's a big bill, £300-400 minimum, and it won't fail overnight. If you are doing low miles and it's only just due, maybe you feel lucky for a year or 10k miles. If it breaks, the thing is scrap, but it's worth £500 with a fresh MoT and £150 with none. Maybe you could roll the dice on the belt and just do the MoT essentials. If that's under 300, I'd be taking a punt on it.

It’s 15! Steering arms were advisory last MOT, but there’sa vibration that starts at 60 and having had new discs and pads, wheels balanced, two wheels replaced (one got trashed by a pothole, one calliper replaced and the other cleaned and checked,
that seems to be the obvious cause I would have thought as does the garage. It also needs some engine mounts replacing, and the aux belt and maybe a pulley as it’s very noisy, and if that goes, the cambelt will too. I do about 20,000 miles a year normally, last year ofc changed that pattern. It’s tough call because it’s solid as a rock, but a clutch and the cambelt would be too much. Shock absorbers likewise. I’m going to wait and see what my man says. They’re very good.
 
Sorry, I reckon that you are done. Unless you are attached to that particular car, it's over. Clutches last 120-150k if not abused, if yours is the original then factor that in too.
 
My Volvosaurus is the best car I have ever had. 1989 340 GL 1.4. Owned it for about 15 years, on close to 200,000 Miles. Engine, transmission is all original. A few oil filter's, a set of plugs, a new end box and a distributor cap have been fitted.
 
I suppose I'm lucky in that I do all my own repairs. The only time our cars went into the garage for repair was when I was working away from home or doing eighty hour weeks. If it's nice tomorrow I might just go to the workshop and give my 1986 Skoda Rapid a wash and polish and take her out for a quick blast:) She's only been out once since the start of the pandemic :(
 
Up to about 15 years and 150k miles, if it's a good one, yes. After that, no. 10 year old cars on 90-100k are so cheap that they are a better bet.

our W169 Mercedes A class passed it’s 15th birthday in december. We have owned it from new and it is approaching 100k miles. I am thinking back and apart from the usual maintenance like brakes, tyres and routine serving, the only items we have had to replace are the alternator and a couple of springs. In January during the cold snap here, starting her up was getting a little tricky so we replaced the original battery which had a 2004 date stamp!

Front suspension bushes are a little creaky too, they could probably do with replacing.

Once my wife is driving to work regularly again,we will look to get a new car but this car will go for another few more years yet, it drives and runs perfectly. Anyone want to take it off our hands? :)
 
My newest car is 26 so I'm well over that
Yes, you can do it, especially if your annual mileage is modest.
I didn't say that you couldn't, just that the bills generally exceed the cost of replacing the thing with another sub £1000 car once you exceed 15 years/150k miles. This isn't a sample size of 1 either, I have run a number of cars into the ground in the last 10 years, or sold them just before they died. They all get maintenance, but they don't go for ever.
 
I generally have a nice motor but until I start driving regularly I cannot see the point of changing my current 4 & half year old 5 series.
 
My previous car - a Smart ForFour (Mitsubishi Colt with a posh frock and a Merc diesel engine) did 140,000 pretty much hassle free miles (apart from a siezed rear caliper that was a pain to fix) and was the cheapest car Iv'e ever had, cost of ownership wise. I changed it out for a 58 plate Ford Kuga (with the 2 litre diesel) which had 160k on it when I got it for a steal. Now at 190k and going strong, with only a few routine fixed and usual maintenance. I sympathise however with the dilemma of pouring more money into a car you've already invested in, I would love to know just when to call it regarding 'enough is enough'!
 
As well as the Volvosaurus, I still have my Mini (reg Jan 1st 1962), so over 59 years old. I bought the car second hand in 1967. Upgraded the engine to a 1275 and the brakes too, decades ago.
 
I run an 07 1.8 focus, 68k on the clock. It replaced a mk1 that I had from new and kept till 220k, the mk2 is nowhere near as good a car.
I bought a 1 year old Focus 1.6 Zetec in Dec 2008, with 10k on it (£8k). Utterly reliable (just a steering pump, plus consumables in 12 years or so). Now has 167k on. Just 4 tyres for an MOT in January. 50 mile daily commute. Owes me nothing now, might have to think about another cambelt some time. It's nothing special, but keeps going. Can't see the 1.0 EcoBoost getting anywhere near that.
 
I have a 2005 auto Focus and agree with opinions on it here. Shocking fuel economy around town; lumpy transmission. The upsides are that I paid almost nothing for it with low mileage (it belonged to a family member), it’s comfortable, and that apart from the awful transmission it’s really nice to drive on the open road.

I’ve read the transmission can shit itself around 150,000 km. Anyone here know anything about this? Fortunately that’s 50,000 km away! Thinking of replacing it with something like a Corolla, manual preferably.
 
Have decided Vicky Volvo is a goner. A brake calliper has gone as well. So one of those, inner steering arms, two engine mounts, cambelt/water pump/auxiliary belt, and a service is just too much to spend. Have booked an EV from the aforementioned on.to planning on giving it a go. Supposed to be arriving on the 15th April but I’m not convinced. If it doesn’t work out I’ve got the Easter Break to find something, need the Volvo to do about 300 more miles then I’ll try and find it a worthy home.
 
Have decided Vicky Volvo is a goner. A brake calliper has gone as well. So one of those, inner steering arms, two engine mounts, cambelt/water pump/auxiliary belt, and a service is just too much to spend. Have booked an EV from the aforementioned on.to planning on giving it a go. Supposed to be arriving on the 15th April but I’m not convinced. If it doesn’t work out I’ve got the Easter Break to find something, need the Volvo to do about 300 more miles then I’ll try and find it a worthy home.
Shame, but I think this is the wisest choice. When they all stack up at once it's time to say goodbye. In many ways this makes it easier, because you don't get the nightmare scenaio of spending a few hundred on the MoT only to find it handing you an engine bill a month later and you either have to walk away having wasted money or risk throwing good money after bad.
 


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