Driving an older gen car.

JJJJNR

Right.. tl:Dr

Should i keep my current car (older than 10 years) fix up the paint do some small services and keep it going using free spares.

As many of the older posters here know. I've had a Seat altea for over ten years it's the 2.0tdi. I've been very lucky with the car and to this day it's been flawless. I tried to sell it recently and got a ridiculous amount of offers around 500 euros for it.. so I've decided to hold on to it. (Again) .. anyway what really stuck me to the car was, a friend has two similar cars which I can get parts from (same chassis, same engine) and have already got loads of free parts off him.

So in theory I could be in this car for a long time to come.. the thing is I feel like I should bite the bullet and trade up, but my gut feeling is drive the current car and make use of the free or price of a coffee spare parts.

The car needs the paint cleaned up, as lacquar peel is starting and it's going to need a new timing belt at the end of the year. I got a quote for 400 euro to fully repair the paint and the timing belt is another 400 then the tax.

I only do 5k miles a year and the car is mainly used for ferrying me and the dog to local mtb trails and I still think it looks decent and with the parts is as good as new engine wise.

punisher5112

Keep it.

No point going up unless you buy petrol at those miles.

Its uneconomical what your using but as its older gen as you state it will run just service it when it needs to be.

s15r330

Get rid, at 5k a year you are paying pre 08 2litre tax and you shouldn't have a diesel at all for such low mileage.

A small petrol hatchback or an ev would suit you better

Alanstrainor

It sounds like a keeper to me. Even the costs looming for the timing belt and paint seem cheap to me. And the paint could be left longer if you could live with it. Given the small mileage, the bomb proof reliability you seem to be getting out of it and being able to get cheap parts it seems a no brainer to just hold on to it. A lot would say, just drive it into the ground... but I say, keep the servicing on schedule, treat it right and it could last you a long time yet!

Obviously if you're itching for a change then that is a different story, but by the sounds of what you've said keeping it would be the logical decision for now!

Kenny Logins

I wouldn't bother with the paint. If the car serves you well, who cares if it's a bit scruffy?

JJJJNR

Kenny Logins wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with the paint. If the car serves you well, who cares if it's a bit scruffy?

I get that, I heard clear nail varnish can stop the lacquer peel maybe I should try a diy fix for that.

FR85

I recently traded in an Altea again with the 2 TDI and I miss it to bits. Car never did a thing wrong, nice and responsive to drive and I have been tempted to buy it back!

Keep it and drive it is my vote. The are a solid and very under-rated car!

Kenny Logins

JJJJNR wrote: »

I get that, I heard clear nail varnish can stop the lacquer peel maybe I should try a diy fix for that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbSIjsUeWZQ

E30i

We have a 1.9 2008 with 250k klms on it and I intend to keep it and just keep driving it. It is simply worth more to us than anyone else. New Tyres, timing Belt and Water Pump and a service and nct'd till October 2019. Apart from Window Regulators which are a pain it has never let us down. Usual servicing items and a clutch/DMF at 180k and it still pulls like a train with hardly a rattle.

Has the 'dreaded 'BXE' engine code though so who knows but I'm happy to keep driving it.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Forget about spending money on paint work, it’s not necessary unless there is corrosion and who really cares what a 10yr old car looks like. Keep the car serviced and drive it till it dies, it’s sctually worth more to you than anyone else. You’ve most likely had more than your money’s worth out of it at this stage and so long as it keeps going it’s cheap motoring.

StereoSound

Even on an old car I would tip up the Marks to make it look respectable. Otherwise people will think your driving around in a crap heap and won't give a toss if their car door hits yours in the car park etc.

H3llR4iser

I'd say it's more in the "want" rather than "need" category; As is, keep it unless you quite clearly want a new car.

Sure enough, it's a rather "standard" kind of car as in it's an MPV, as opposed to something a bit more unique like, say, a petrol convertible; But while you don't have the "I want to keep the car because it's unique/rare/difficult to replace like for like" angle, it hardly makes any sense to justify the expense of a new car if, as I seem to get, you're neither into cars ("mainly used for ferrying me and the dog to local mtb trail") nor actually want to change it.

Yeah, the tax is high, but at only 5k Km/year it'd be hard to justify going out and spending a few thousands on a newer car - which, unless you go brand new and have a warranty, will also need a few additional quids spent to fix niggles.

Until you are priced out of the car by the insurers, that is - which are the main drivers for the fact you hardly ever see cars older than 11-12 years around Ireland.

StereoSound wrote: »

Even on an old car I would tip up the Marks to make it look respectable. Otherwise people will think your driving around in a crap heap and won't give a toss if their car door hits yours in the car park etc.

I would second that wholeheartedly, although TBH I'm starting to give up - my 159 looks brand new even being a 2006, yet I constantly find new dings and "door hit marks" on the sides. My neighbour's kids (apartment block) managed, somehow, to even dent in the rear door handle by smashing their mom's car rear door into mine on a daily basis (mommy is also as bad at parking as it gets).

"Funny" thing is, although I know it's them (their black Passat has Alfa Ruby Red marks all along the edge of the rear farside door...), I can't say anything unless I catch them in the act

Kenny Logins

StereoSound wrote: »

Even on an old car I would tip up the Marks to make it look respectable. Otherwise people will think your driving around in a crap heap and won't give a toss if their car door hits yours in the car park etc.

A lot of people won't park next to a scruffy car, in fear of having their own damaged.

StereoSound

Kenny Logins wrote: »

A lot of people won't park next to a scruffy car, in fear of having their own damaged.

That's true, One type of vehicle I always avoid parking next to are those **** heap early 2000's people carriers yokes... You know the ones full of scrapes and dents with bald tires and blown exhausts, usually no tax or NCT on them.

When a car is looking nice you'll be more inclined to keep it .

Kenny Logins

StereoSound wrote: »

That's true, One type of vehicle I always avoid parking next to are those **** heap early 2000's people carriers yokes... You know the ones full of scrapes and dents with bald tires and blown exhausts, usually no tax or NCT on them.

...or people carriers in general.

H3llR4iser

Kenny Logins wrote: »

...or people carriers in general.

People carriers = kids = doors swung open without a care in the world; It's an unfortunate reality :P

elperello

There may be a revision of motor tax rates in the pipeline next year so if you hold on you can wait and see where the cards land.

Only reason I'd suggest a change is reliability. And as you and others have said, it's very reliable, then keep it for the time being.
But, consider putting the equivalent amount of a car loan away (whatever amount that might be) every month to start saving for the time when you'll need to trade it in for something else.

mikeecho

OP

In your heart, and wallet, you know what the answer is.



If you're still confűssed. .. add a poll.

JC01

s15r330 wrote: »

Get rid, at 5k a year you are paying pre 08 2litre tax and you shouldn't have a diesel at all for such low mileage.

A small petrol hatchback or an ev would suit you better

That's very odd logic, OP is clearly after cheap motoring, why would he spend ~10k to buy a newish car that's only going to depreciate like a brick and save him maybe 1k a year?