Time to trade up, advice needed please??

skerry

Just wanted to pick a few brains on here if I could.

My tax is up for renewal on my 2006 focus Zetec connection which has about 145k kms on the clock. Had planned on renewing for the year as I hate giving them the extra cash they charge for administration charges (even though you renew yourself online). But I'm wondering if now might be a good time to sell the car and trade up a couple of years before it loses too much value and am hoping to come to decision so I can know whether to tax for the year of just 3 months.

Car runs perfectly and has recently had a new clutch and a full service 6 months ago. I commute from Ennis to Limerick every day (~70 km round trip) and was wondering if a diesel might keep costs down or is it worth it for the mileage I do.

Would be looking for a similar car size wise (5 door hatch preferably). Hoping if I go ahead to sell car privately and maybe trade up a couple of years.

So in a nutshell, a. would it be a good time to trade up before car loses value as mileage rises, b. would a diesel be worth looking into, and c. if so, any suggestions on what might be a good option to go for.

Any advice appreciated.

166man

I'd stick to the Focus.

Max Power1

If you fancy a trade up then go for it

Just dont do it expecting to save money - car ownership is a loss maker all round - it is a matter of mitigating the losses where possible (for some) rather than trying to save.

coolisin

Have to agree with max power here.

Your not saving money by spending thousands.

However if you have money to spend sell privately and trade up in years if you want.

70km a day so around 20km a year give or take is on the border of the diesel petrol debate IMO.

If your bored why not, you'll get someone happy to buy your car when it has a new clutch and other wear and tear items done. If you have receipts and service history this will all help.

Best of luck OP.

skerry

Max Power1 wrote: »

If you fancy a trade up then go for it

Just dont do it expecting to save money - car ownership is a loss maker all round - it is a matter of mitigating the losses where possible (for some) rather than trying to save.

I know I'll have to add cash to the money I got if I sold the Focus. I just don't want it to get to a case that I leave it until the mileage gets too high and I get feck all back on the Focus and end up having to add more cash if I want to trade up. Figured now would be a good time to ask advice here as tax is up and don't want to renew for the year if I end up deciding I want to sell it in 3 months.

coolisin

skerry wrote: »

I know I'll have to add cash to the money I got if I sold the Focus. I just don't want it to get to a case that I leave it until the mileage gets too high and I get feck all back on the Focus and end up having to add more cash if I want to trade up. Figured now would be a good time to ask advice here as tax is up and don't want to renew for the year if I end up deciding I want to sell it in 3 months.

Car coming with a years tax will sell a little easier also!

skerry

coolisin wrote: »

Have to agree with max power here.

Your not saving money by spending thousands.

However if you have money to spend sell privately and trade up in years if you want.

70km a day so around 20km a year give or take is on the border of the diesel petrol debate IMO.

If your bored why not, you'll get someone happy to buy your car when it has a new clutch and other wear and tear items done. If you have receipts and service history this will all help.

Best of luck OP.

Thanks for that. Not that I'm bored and looking to throw a lot of cash at a new car, just trying to mitigate loss on trade in as mentioned by Max Power above.

Car has full service history one previous owner and I have receipts for any work done so I reckon it would be reasonably attractive to potential buyers. The missus has a car too so I'm not in the situation I was when I first bought where I needed a car immediately, could wait a few weeks after selling to see if something good popped up.

The idea of going car shopping in the near future isn't very appealing TBH but if it was the right time to trade up and get a reasonable return on the Focus to put towards a new motor I'd get over it and get on with the hunt.

bazz26

skerry wrote: »

I know I'll have to add cash to the money I got if I sold the Focus. I just don't want it to get to a case that I leave it until the mileage gets too high and I get feck all back on the Focus and end up having to add more cash if I want to trade up. Figured now would be a good time to ask advice here as tax is up and don't want to renew for the year if I end up deciding I want to sell it in 3 months.

But you will be back in that situation in 2 years time with a new car though. Depreciation is a fact of life when it comes to cars but a lot of people get caught up with the "I have to change while it is worth something" theory. Your just spending more money to try and keep ahead of the depreciation curve so the cycle will continue with the next car in a few years time.

Max Power1

bazz26 wrote: »

But you will be back in that situation in 2 years time with a new car though. Depreciation is a fact of life when it comes to cars but a lot of people get caught up with the "I have to change while it is worth something" theory. Your just spending more money to try and keep ahead of the depreciation curve so the cycle will continue with the next car in a few years time.

It's like being submerged in an ocean

Whether you are 1 km deep or 10km you are going to drown anyway. So you might aswell enjoy the more interesting stuff you will see at the deeper depth.

skerry

So I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't really?

So would the general consensus be to not worry too much about the depreciation of my Focus and stick with it if it's still serving me well?

Max Power1

skerry wrote: »

So I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't really?

So would the general consensus be to not worry too much about the depreciation of my Focus and stick with it if it's still serving me well?

Yes, unless you wanted to change up for reasons other than saving money. Like buying a nicer car, more power, nicer interior, more spec etc.

skerry

Max Power1 wrote: »

Yes, unless you wanted to change up for reasons other than saving money. Like buying a nicer car, more power, nicer interior, more spec etc.

The main thing I would be looking for if I did trade in would be to save on fuel costs. Putting 60-80 Euro into it a week depending on how much weekend driving I do, would be nice to get something more economical.

discombobulate

skerry wrote: »

The main thing I would be looking for if I did trade in would be to save on fuel costs. Putting 60-80 Euro into it a week depending on how much weekend driving I do, would be nice to get something more economical.

The economy part would be overwritten by the cost to change too. You might save say 15 per week - 750 for the year. Cost to change might might be say 2k+ Meaning it'd take 3 years to start making a saving. A newer car will also have a greater rate of depreciation so you'll lose more there than keeping your own.

Only real way of possibly saving money would be to sell your own and buy another more economical car in the same price bracket.

Saving money by trading up don't really go together.

Max Power1

Max Power1 wrote: »

It's like being submerged in an ocean

Whether you are 1 km deep or 10km you are going to drown anyway.

God max, that's very "deep" ! hahaha:P

Skerry, if you're looking to cut costs, keep the Focus and convert to LPG or get another petrol with a bit of poke and convert that,

That's of course you can get lpg there ?

But it would work out cheaper than most diesel cars but without the fear of modern diesel related failures.

And you'll have a much smoother engine. Loads of 2nd hand petrols for good money the diesels will usually have up to twice the mileage for more than the petrol.

166man

Deleted User wrote: »

Skerry, if you're looking to cut costs, keep the Focus and convert to LPG or get another petrol with a bit of poke and convert that,

That's of course you can get lpg there ?

But it would work out cheaper than most diesel cars but without the fear of modern diesel related failures.

And you'll have a much smoother engine. Loads of 2nd hand petrols for good money the diesels will usually have up to twice the mileage for more than the petrol.

Modern diesels are much smoother...

Also why the fear of higher mileage? Certainly wouldn't put me off, a good friend bought a Alfa 156 the other day with nearly 140k miles and the thing drove like it had 40k on it with absolutely no over-exaggeration intended.

Miles on a diesel are more than likely a good thing...;)

L-M

No, high mileage is never a good thing.

Too low mileage with very little SH on diesel I would condiser a bad thing.

Unless you were buying something with low mileage only to allow the mileage/depreciation to happen again, id stick with the Focus.

166man

Limerick man wrote: »

No, high mileage is never a good thing.

Too low mileage with very little SH on diesel I would condiser a bad thing.

Unless you were buying something with low mileage only to allow the mileage/depreciation to happen again, id stick with the Focus.

Can't tell if you're sarcastic...:o

Didn't your Golf TDI have north of 240k miles?

166man

166man wrote: »

Modern diesels are much smoother...

Also why the fear of higher mileage? Certainly wouldn't put me off, a good friend bought a Alfa 156 the other day with nearly 140k miles and the thing drove like it had 40k on it with absolutely no over-exaggeration intended.

Miles on a diesel are more than likely a good thing...;)

I've driven modern diesels and still prefer the petrol.

I wouldn't pay more money for a car with nearly twice the mileage. I don't want the risk of DPF DMF failure essentially wiping out any fuel savings.

I don't think I could go back to diesel now after 350,000 miles and maybe a lot more.

166man

Deleted User wrote: »

I've driven modern diesels and still prefer the petrol.

Me too. But modern diesels are much more refined than you make them out to be.

Also any comment on the high mileage point?

166man

166man wrote: »

Me too. But modern diesels are much more refined than you make them out to be.

Also any comment on the high mileage point?

I know they are smoother, because the older diesels were Horrible yokes so anything would seem better.

166man

Deleted User wrote: »

I've driven modern diesels and still prefer the petrol.

I wouldn't pay more money for a car with nearly twice the mileage. I don't want the risk of DPF DMF failure essentially wiping out any fuel savings.

I don't think I could go back to diesel now after 350,000 miles and maybe a lot more.

I'd pay more money for a 100k miler than a 60k miler if the 100k had the DMF done.

DPF failure is another thing massively overrated on this forum too.

I like some diesels and becoming more of an old fashioned diesel fan, no DMF,DPF or anything like that and they can be tuned with the turn of a screwdriver. Couple that with savage mpg from some of them (D-Turbo) and the fact that they run on anything and they're all very tempting.

Deleted User wrote: »

I know they are smoother, because the older diesels were Horrible yokes so anything would seem better.

Horrible in what way, noisy and maybe slightly lumpy power delivery but they're reliable and efficient and that's something I'd pay money for.

166man

166man wrote: »

Horrible in what way, noisy and maybe slightly lumpy power delivery but they're reliable and efficient and that's something I'd pay money for.

I was impressed with the Diesel 170PS in my brothers 2012 A6 Multitronic, it was smooth enough and quiet enough but that's mainly because of all the insulation you get in a 50K car. You would still know it's a diesel.

That same engine in a Golf wouldn't be near as quiet or smooth.

It had lots of torque, but the engine really matches the multitronic and the multitronics these are programmed like dsg so they don't hold high revs one would think it's a dsg but it's remarkably smooth. His old A4 and A6 were not programmed that way, maybe they are now ?

So yes if I had that A6 I would be impressed but I was less impressed with the economy not even using half the horses. Big car I know and maybe it would do better in the Golf.

I would be worried about it's reliability, the multitronics are pretty sound these days and give very little trouble but the dpf and dmf are real things to be worried about.

In the end I think I'd prefer a 30 mpg vtec Honda or GTI Golf on LPG which would most likely be cheaper to run than the diesel versions.

Or maybe the A6 with a decent petrol, in the end in real life there isn't that much of a gap between most petrols and diesels, I think these days you got to be doing 20k + a year to justify the diesel.

skerry

Thanks for all the replies and info folks. Looks like I'll be hanging onto the Focus for another year or so anyway judging by opinions on here. Just need to tax the feckin thing now so gonna do the year cos it grates me to give them the extra they charge for paying in installments.

Clutch is only done and recently serviced so gonna hang on for another bit unless I come across a surprise pile of cash, which I won't.