Changing Cars

[mack100]

We bought our Kia Sorento 2. 5 XE auto diesel in August 2006. It was first registered December 2004 on a 54 plate and had 5000 miles on the clock and cost £16000.

Out of curiosity we popped into a local Kia dealer today and had a look at a black Sorento 2. 5 auto diesel XT, registered October 2007 on a 57 plate and they were asking £14000.

 

We were quite taken with it and I was offered £5000 for my car, later upped to £5500 and 6 months road tax.

It really got me thinking as to why I was in there. Was my car being a problem? No it wasn't. Was the mileage too high? At 36000 miles I didn't think so.

 

I realised that in 30 months of ownership my Sorento had dropped in value by £10500.

If I bought the XT and had a similar residual then in 5 years I would have lost possibly £21000 in car value. My current feelings are that I should keep my car.

I know that nobody on here can possibly advise me as its my decision, but I'm interested to read your views.

[jaymac]

I passed on my 51 reg megane cabrio to my daughter a couple of months ago with 17000 miles on the clock. I'd had it new when she was just a little girl. Before that I had a Granada ghia for about ten years so I think I must have saved a fortune by hanging on to my cars. OH had company cars till he retired so he feels he should change them every three years.

[RogerL]

I reckon a new vehicle every 10 years is about right.

 

Everyone will tell you how reliable their model is, as well as it's suitability as a towcar - but they'll still change it early!

[matt-the-dj]

if my wife has any say in it, we will never change ours, the only reason we changed to this one is the last one got written off when someone crashed into her.

oh how i wish i could get something built in this century.

ps. im writing this at work so im safe

Edited March 24, 2009 by matt-the-dj

[Fab]

I enjoy having a new car every couple of years, we can afford it as we work hard and have no kids to care for . .. so if we want to then why not????? Same goes for caravans.

 

If you want it and can afford it then go for it . .. after all you can't take it with you!

[Guest Tephi]

I have owned eight cars in the last forty years. The previous two, an Escort estate bought new and Mondeo estate 10 months, were both kept for eight years. The current Toyota Verso, bought new, is just over six years old and coming up to 40,000 miles. I take considerable care in choosing a vehicle and personally cannot see the point of changing every few years.

I took up caravanning for the second time last summer and, as luck would have it, the Verso has a towing limit of 1300kg, which is perfectly adequate for a two berth. It may not be the fastest away from the traffic lights, but I get 55mpg solo and 35 towing. Apart from annual servicing and MoT’s the only ‘extra’ was a new set of tyres recently, it has been completely fault free.

I might add that the last three cars have been diesels – they are so reliable, and my company ‘car’ is a four year old diesel Transit [not white ] about to be replaced this week by another new one.

OK that’s the boring bit over!

[aaman]

For many people it'll be as often as possible. Got to impress everyone with the amount of disposable income available.

For me it's when circumstances change, i. e buy a caravan then obviously the car shows up it's shortcomings so necessitating a change. Otherwise keep it until it drops. Personally I can't be bothered shopping for another car, it takes too long and life's too short.

[Wee Jock]

I change mine every 4 or 5 years as this equates to 200,000 miles. I am not keen on running them past this point in case they breakdown but I have often thought about keeping one for another 2 years.

 

My last car a Seat Alhambra went to a taxi driver with 196,000 showing on the clock. In that time it had a new exhaust and shock absorbers but all the other wear items such as starter motor, battery, clutch were original. The taxi driver put another 100,000 on it before it had an argument with a bus.

 

Last month I was offered a cracking deal on a S Max but although tempted the current Galaxay has only done 160,000 so I reckon she has another year in her.

 

By the way these are not pampered cars but are used to making up time for ferries and having the odd half ton thrown in the back.

[RogerN]

I bought my Kia 3 years ago with the intention of keeping it for as long as I could for towing our caravan. Under the present climate, the drop in the 2nd hand price caused by the government's taxation policy and the fact that it is ideal for the job I want it to do, I have no intention of wasting my money by changing it.

 

Roger

[Guest]

The first time I have kept a car outright for 5 yrs, at nearly 80,000 miles and a new clutch I have to change it. I was looking at a 57/08 plate Mondeo with around 10 ~12000 miles on the clock at around £11000 ~ £12000 when I got lucky in January manage to get a brand new one for £13495.

[Wingco]

I reckon a new vehicle every 10 years is about right.

 

Everyone will tell you how reliable their model is, as well as it's suitability as a towcar - but they'll still change it early!

I'm with Roger on this. Any self respecting 2 litre family car will do 10 years and 200,000miles with a bit of care and attention. What you have to do, however, is get rid of any hang-up about running last year's model.

 

This is how we used to run cars before they became a throw-away 'must-have-the-latest' commodity.

 

I bought my Tucson at under 2 years old for £11,500 so if I run it until it's 10 years old and throw it away it will have cost me £1,437 pa in depreciation, and that's not bad.

[Award1]

I'm with Fab on this one. I work hard and like to change my car fairly regularly, but we are also free to choose what we buy and when.

 

My reasons for changing recently have been a change of circumstance and 2 b####y unreliable cars, a Passat Estate (bought new) which was obviously a Friday afternoon car, and a Mondeo Estate (9 moths old) which no one seemed willing to fix before the warranty ran out last year. I didn't fancy being hit with getting on for £2K of ECU and injector bills.

 

I will keep this one for another couple of years, in which time it will have racked up about 80K, and I will feel I have got my money's worth.

[adrianf]

Ive swapped and changed my cars far too many times over the years and lost loads of money.

My current cat ive had for 17 months and thats good for me.

The only reason i have changed them is i get bored with them but not any more. Simply cant afford it

[Rostrevor]

Our Toyota Carina bought as a tow car was disposed of after 11 years for a smaller car. The reason was that it would have cost more than the car was worth to repair a couple of problems which had cropped up. It would still have run without any failure but it was time to get rid before any serious problems arose.

The Terrano went when it was 11 years old for much the same reasons.

I cannot see the RAV or Yaris going any earlier than the other 2

[stevebrookman]

Hello all,

 

I usually keep a car until it falls apart.

I had a Granada Ghia for ten years and have just replaced the Omega estate that I have had for eight years. Both cars were very reliable inspite of the only regular maintenance being oil changes. I eventually had a persistent water leak on the Omega (I just kept topping it up) so I retired it and bought another Omega. I also have a Range Rover which I've owned for three years and aim to keep until that too falls apart.

 

Lifes too short to keep up with the Jones!

 

Regards Steve

[ian dunning]

I enjoy having a new car every couple of years, we can afford it as we work hard and have no kids to care for . .. so if we want to then why not????? Same goes for caravans.

 

If you want it and can afford it then go for it . .. after all you can't take it with you!

 

Hi Fab,

My thoughts exactly because I've not seen many coffins with pockets and there's no Kudos in being the richest corpse in the cemetary ,

Regards,

Ian.

[RogerL]

Hi Fab,

My thoughts exactly because I've not seen many coffins with pockets and there's no Kudos in being the richest corpse in the cemetary ,

Regards,

Ian.

We all enjoy spending the money we have but I don't understand your logic - changing a car at 6-10 years old, instead of 2-3 years old, saves enough money to spend on other things.

 

I don't see why "the fact that you can" is justification for spending more than you need on a specific item.

[ian dunning]

We all enjoy spending the money we have but I don't understand your logic - changing a car at 6-10 years old, instead of 2-3 years old, saves enough money to spend on other things.

 

I don't see why "the fact that you can" is justification for spending more than you need on a specific item.

 

Hi Roger,

I'm happy to change the car and 'van when I do. I'm aware of the very good arguments for not doing so but I'm happy to pay. My daughters wil be well cared for when we've gone so I'm enjoying life after all I nearly died last year and that tends to focus the mind on having a bit of enjoyment while you can ,

Regards,

Ian.

[RogerL]

Ian - then save some money and buy a sports car as well!

 

Did you never think how nice it would be to drive a nice, balanced, performance car when you were racing your water tank on wheels around?

[ian dunning]

Ian - then save some money and buy a sports car as well!

 

Did you never think how nice it would be to drive a nice, balanced, performance car when you were racing your water tank on wheels around?

 

Hi Roger,

Funny you should mention that as one is on the to buy list after we've had the house built,

Regards,

Ian.

[RogerL]

Hi Roger,

Funny you should mention that as one is on the to buy list after we've had the house built,

Regards,

Ian.

Ian, can I ask what? You don't need to be logical or justified for a purchase like that.

[phil1041]

Hi Roger,

Funny you should mention that as one is on the to buy list after we've had the house built,

Regards,

Ian.

 

 

SWMBO has just finished paying for her 3 yr old Seat Ibiza, i have told her that she would much prefer the driving experience in an MX5 but no joy so far!!

 

I intend to keep trying though.

 

Phil.

[Fab]

We all enjoy spending the money we have but I don't understand your logic - changing a car at 6-10 years old, instead of 2-3 years old, saves enough money to spend on other things.

 

I don't see why "the fact that you can" is justification for spending more than you need on a specific item.

 

I think the bottom line Roger is that we are all different. The thought of keeping the same car for 10 years would bore me to tears for one thing . .. my dad is the same.

 

Our neighbour has had his current car for nearly nine years and has no intention of changing it BUT they have had three new fitted kitchens in the 15 years we have lived next to them compared to our one . .. I can't see the point in that . .. but as I say we are all different.

[The 2 Tops]

At nearly 70 years of age, I bought my first brand new car. It did everything we wanted from it and was, for me, the ideal vehicle. But it had one downfall.

Being a 7-seater, it had no spare wheel; just a tin of gunge and a 12-volt inflator. Last year, when we took it (and our caravan) to France, the C. C. (Red Pennant) advised me that if I required roadside assistance in Europe for a puncture, and had no serviceable spare wheel, a £100 surcharge would apply.

 

From that time, at home as well as abroad, I have carried a full sized spare wheel in the boot. It doesn't look very big on the vehicle, but in the boot it takes up too much space, and severely limits the use of the boot.

 

At 4 years old and only 33,000 miles on the clock, I took the plunge and changed the car. By special order, I bought exactly the same vehicle, EXCEPT this time it is a 5-seater and has a properly stowed full sized spare wheel.

 

The trade-in was low, but it went to a family member and so I passed it on to him at that trade-in figure.

 

People change or keep their cars for all kinds of reasons. Whatever their decisions, it is their hard-earned cash and entirely their own business. I would never offer judgement of another person for changing regularly or keeping for several years. My only criticism of anyone would be for running a vehicle in an unsafe condition.

[ian dunning]

Ian, can I ask what? You don't need to be logical or justified for a purchase like that.

 

Hi Roger,

I really don't know what car I'll choose but I would like it to be a soft top,

Regards,

Ian.