Wish I could keep a car long enough without getting bored of it!Over the last seven years my name has graced the V5 of eleven motors, most kept for six months and around 10-12,000 miles, although the longest was 18 months and 31,000 miles. Having said that I plan on keeping my current Accord a good few years, and getting back to bangers eventually for "high days and holidays"!
Regardless of this I always take a new purchase straight to my friendly local mechanic and request a full service, cambelt change (if I have no proof of a previous one), change of gearbox and brake fluid etc, and instruct him to go through the car with a fine-tooth comb and fix anything wrong. This usually results in a bill for £300-£400 but buys a lot of peace of mind and over all those cars (probably talking about 120k miles over the lot) I've never had anything major go wrong - except when I bought a Rover 214 from a friend "dirt cheap", and the cambelt went after 20 miles.
Of course, changing cars so frequently means that the running costs are disproportionately high as a result of the above, but as I say, peace of mind, and it's nice to know that the next owner shouldn't have many problems for a while, either...
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Two Land Rover lwb. station wagons one bought six months old in 1975 sold in 1988 cost £2200 sold for £900 the other bought new 1988 sold 2002 cost £14000 sold for £5300 certainly didnt cost much in depreciation. Sold the second Land Rover on the first day of advertising (free advert), on the internet, to a man who lived in Germany.
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I used to change every 3-4 years (long succession of Renaults). Then I bought a Xantia - liked it a lot and spent the first few years expecting it to go wrong. It didn't...and the longer I kept it, the more I came to rely on it. Eventually kept it 9 years / 105,000 miles.I traded it in for the C5 and got £1350 for it. All in all, I got really enjoyable driving out of it, great reliability and my money's worth!
Now I'm just at the stage of waiting for the C5 to prove troublesome. It's just coming up to 25,000 - no problems whatsoever. Looks like another 9 year stint coming up!
I reckon if you get a car that you're comfortable with, which suits your lifestyle and which is reliable - hold onto it, even if you get the odd bill. Those bills are nothing in comparison to the hit you get with depreciation.
Graeme
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Mrs Vansboy's had her (new)Mx5 Montana since April now, this is to stay for 3 yers, in theory. have to see if she gets fed up with it before the, doesn't look like she will.
Never bought new in the past, our last 'own' car, Xj6 sovereign, '90 G reg, bought at 4 years old kept too long, 6 years.Started costing £$£$.
My Meastro van is 311,000 miles '93, had it at 3 years old. My previous posts for a large estate,to replace it, maybe 406 V6, looked quite promising, from your comments.This will be an ex fleet motor, so 3 years, to keep 18months or so.
VB
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My wife and all of my friends will tell you that I change cars more frequently than some folk change underpants. Thing is, I buy a car, saying loudly "I'll keep this one for at least 5 years", then 10-18 months later the opportunity to acquire something better/different/more economical/quicker/whatever comes along, and having effectively no self-control at all I go for it. What this must have cost me over the last few years in terms of depreciation, I do not care to think. But hey, you're only young and silly once.
Having said that, while they're mine they do get looked after - straight up to the garage to have even the slightest thing fixed, serviced on the nail, oil, tyres and so on checked scrupulously, and thoroughly Autoglymmed far more often than is necessary (mind you, have found that this pays dividends come trade-in time).
Would like to think that those who have my cars after me get a good deal; certainly, the next owner of the ex-rental Fiat Stilo that I had for 3 months earlier this year to see if they are as bad as everyone says (answer: no, but don't for goodness' sake buy an example that is a retired hire car) will be getting a car that is now in considerably better nick than it was when I got it, given that I caused to be sorted out (at the manufacturer and dealer's expense) all the various things on it that the hire car company's customers had broken, damaged or stolen. Had to get rid of the poor thing as the fuel consumption (1.6 petrol, 37 mpg) on a daily commute of 60 miles in total was becoming less and less funny, especially when you consider that the diesel that preceded it and the diesel that replaced it both did over 50 mpg on the same journey.
Anyway, digression aside, current motor will jolly well have to stay around for a bit as it's on 0% finance over three years and Mrs B will have a sense of humour failure if I get rid of it!
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...To destruction!
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I keep mine for 3years/150,000 miles typically.....
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Depends if I've taken that little blue tablet or not!
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"Rude, crude and socially unacceptable"
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