After last years MOT fiasco www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=56...6, I was resigned to very probably scrapping the Volvo when tax, insurance, and test ran out simultaneously at the end of this month.
However it seems that the tester has mellowed this past 12 months as he has failed it only on a lower ball joint and rear silencer, both fair cops. I have priced the bits up at about £75 and they are easy DIY fixes. I have got a t?inernet price for comprehensive insurance of £104, so including the VED and allowing a few pounds for a can of supermarket oil & a filter, my fixed overheads are likely to be less than £9 per week. (obviously at 23 years old depreciation is nil, market value is only a little over scrap value)
Is it possible to run a car (legally) any cheaper than this?
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Its cheap motoring sure enough, but the car still needs a full service not just oil and a filter change.
:o)
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but the car still needs a full service not just oil and a filter change. :o)
Doesn't the MOT count as a service, after all the tester added a sachet of screen wash during the test
;-) .......probably to make amends for last year!
Apologies for the poor link BTW, the actual title was:
Should the garage proprietor also do the MOT's?
posted on the 16th Oct 2007
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>>but the car still needs a full service not just oil and a filter change
What exactly? Plugs out, cleaned up regapped. Errr....
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What exactly? Plugs out cleaned up regapped. Errr....
Don't forget to trawel the scrapyard for a replacement air filter, brake pads, wiper blades and part worn tyres. No point putting new on a car of this vintage :)
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I've been running on part-worn tyres for years. So have you if you have ever bought a second-hand car and not changed the tyres.
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So have you if you have ever bought a second-hand car and not changed the tyres.
You will never convince me part worn remoulds on a ten+ year old scrapper are the same as the part warn OEM tyres on a low mileage twelve month old used car.
Back on topic the thing with the OP's car is if he does the work and replaces parts like wiper blades, brake pads etc... when the car needs them and checks the car over on a regular basis then there is no reason a simple oil and filter change won't suffice. I would throw an airfilter in just for good measure though.
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You will never convince me part worn remoulds on a ten+ year old scrapper are the same as the part warn OEM tyres on a low mileage twelve month old used car.
I shouldn't dream of trying. However, part worn branded tyres are at least as good as the tyres on a 3-year old car. In fact, they're probably better. Part worns are checked for bulges, defects and leaks and balanced; when did you last check yours?
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>>when did you last check yours?
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About five minutes ago. Weekly check when I get in on Friday night as the car is used by my wife and two nippers. The bike tyres are checked twice per day as part of my pre ride check. Been a bit of a tyre afternoon as I've just been looking online for a set of winter wheels and tyres for the O2O swap.
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You will never convince me part worn remoulds on a ten+ year old scrapper are the same as the part warn OEM tyres on a low mileage twelve month old used car.
They might not have been on for very long. They might be good tyres. You just have to look at things carefully, as normal.
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I think in the spirit of the OP:
Kia Pride £50 (that's what the scrapyard would give him).
New exhaust (cat back) about £100.
New disc pads £20.
New rear wheel bearing (LH thread on RH side, my fault) £12.
Passed MOT, so I gave it an oil and filter change, cam belt and tensioner and an air filter (it didn't have one).
Checked spark plugs (these look new!)
One new wiper blade for next MOT - passed.
Does this count?
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Just to reassure those backroomers who are now trying to avoid all dodgy looking 740 estates, the car is in fact fairly well looked after, it's just that as I now do a very low annual mileage the normal checks & service replacements would only be required every two or three years [conversely oil changes are more important]
Front discs & pads, front flexys, rear shoes, inner & outer track rod ends, plus all tyres & rims have been replaced in the last 6K miles [all new items, apart from the rims :)]
I suppose I really ought to dispose of the car, but the enormous load capacity & towbar are incredibly useful, for example I used it this year to do an entire house move [contents, not the building ;-) ]
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