Car D.I.Y.

[Tom B]

I agree with the comments about EV. There are a lot of people who just have a pathological dislike for them. Most of their Issues turn out to be bon issues. A mate has one and it's just like any other family car. He charges it once a week instead of filling it. He drives to family in Kent from Manchester a couple of times a year no issues.

I'd have one tomorrow, but the costs don't stack up for me. When you take in the whole life cost (not including battery replacement should it be needed) ICE worked out cheaper for me to about £2.20 a litre. That was when electric prices were about 12p KWH. So it'll be greater now and greater again when EVs pay VEL.

I simply don't do enough miles to make it worthwhile the capital costs of acquisition of a car and it's subsequent depreciation is a greater cost.

£488 is pretty much my fuel bill for a year!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

£488 is pretty much my fuel bill for a year!

I honestly cannot comprehend spending that amount of money a month on a car especially one that you don't actually own, but then again I don't understand what drives a lot of people to do what they do, £1200 for a phone, I really don't get it.

But I do think car prices have accelerated exponentially compared with wages, in 2014 I bought a Rav4 with 93K on for £6,750, it was 7 years old, we've added another 53K on it in 8 years, if I now want to buy another 7 year old Rav4, if I can find one with less mileage than our currently have they are wanting £16-17K that's getting on nearly tripled in price, I know my salary hasn't increased anywhere near that in the last 8 years.

 

[Tom B]

I honestly cannot comprehend spending that amount of money a month on a car especially one that you don't actually own, but then again I don't understand what drives a lot of people to do what they do, £1200 for a phone, I really don't get it.

But I do think car prices have accelerated exponentially compared with wages, in 2014 I bought a Rav4 with 93K on for £6,750, it was 7 years old, we've added another 53K on it in 8 years, if I now want to buy another 7 year old Rav4, if I can find one with less mileage than our currently have they are wanting £16-17K that's getting on nearly tripled in price, I know my salary hasn't increased anywhere near that in the last 8 years.

Are you me?

On the flip side Mrs B bought a second hand honda Jizz 6 years ago from the main stealers, I could sell it today for 95% of what we paid.

I suppose cars live longer these days, I've just bought a 110k 8year old i40 for £4.5k, 25 years ago, certainly 35years ago cars that age were fit for the bin. I'm a sucker for high mileage cars.

We're getting off topic but PCPs to me seem like the worst value ever to acquire the use of a car. Unless you value the new car reg on your drive. I've convinced several colleagues to ditch PCPs .

 

[CXRAndy]

Unless you value the new car reg on your drive

That's it in a nutshell.

 

[fossyant]

I agree with the comments about EV. There are a lot of people who just have a pathological dislike for them. Most of their Issues turn out to be bon issues. A mate has one and it's just like any other family car. He charges it once a week instead of filling it. He drives to family in Kent from Manchester a couple of times a year no issues.

I'd have one tomorrow, but the costs don't stack up for me. When you take in the whole life cost (not including battery replacement should it be needed) ICE worked out cheaper for me to about £2.20 a litre. That was when electric prices were about 12p KWH. So it'll be greater now and greater again when EVs pay VEL.

I simply don't do enough miles to make it worthwhile the capital costs of acquisition of a car and it's subsequent depreciation is a greater cost.

£488 is pretty much my fuel bill for a year!

I've said to my wife for over 10 years I might as well as get rid of my car (and it was 10 then) but it's the bike hauler, then ended up being used when I broke my spine for 5 years commutes, but it's back to not moving - took it out yesterday for about 30 miles to do some shopping just to give it a run as it hadn't moved in two weeks.

No point spending £500 a month (being economical here) for an EV, when maintenance and fuel on mine (excluding EV leccy) is less than £1,000 or £1,500 a year for an old car.

Neither of us do enough miles to justify the switch to EV, an I cycle to work. My car is used for 'hauling'.

I do wish I'd stumped up and got a first gen Zoe on a battery rental second hand when they were sub £8k. I was tempted, but the range wasn't enough to pop to the caravan and back (lack of chargers at the time, and still an issue).

 

[Tom B]

That's it in a nutshell.

Two new cars on the drive and bugger all in the fridge.

I was conscripted (well my day was donated to the food bank by my employer) a few years ago. Amazed me how many of the people collecting their big free Christmas food parcel (Christmas on Jesus) came in a) a car and b) a car under 5yrs old.


Anyways were digressing

@fossyant likewise, mine is essentially a holiday hauler. The only reason I got this car was to fit in the new bigger tent and extra child. It does about 40% of its miles in three weeks in July. I can usually make a tank of the last of summer diesel last from mid October to the end of Feb when we usually go away and it does 300miles in a week.

 

[Hicky]

Go on any new build estate and you often see the cars costing the same as the mortgage….to me it’s insane economics.

 

[cosmicbike]

I did the new car thing once, but having worked hard saved hard paid cash. Sold 2 years on at great loss and never did it again. I won't include my motorhome in that which was also new, but sensible given the tiny used vs new variation.

Anyway, on topic, the £720 Volvo 240 estate (which was bought as my daily to afford the motorhome) needs new trailing arm bushes, since the old shells have rusted out. Apparently a pig of a job, I have the bits and once I get some time I'll get them done, might tighten up the boat like ride a bit, not really😄

 

[Gunk]

But I do think car prices have accelerated exponentially compared with wages, in 2014 I bought a Rav4 with 93K on for £6,750, it was 7 years old, we've added another 53K on it in 8 years, if I now want to buy another 7 year old Rav4, if I can find one with less mileage than our currently have they are wanting £16-17K that's getting on nearly tripled in price, I know my salary hasn't increased anywhere near that in the last 8 years.

Over the last few years they have shot up but, you tend to get a lot more standard kit. We bought Mrs Gunks Golf GTD new in 2015 and with a few extra bits and bobs (DSG gearbox was an extra back then and is standard now) it was around £30,000 on the road. 7 years later an identical specced Mk8 GTD would be £36,000, so not a huge increase.

 

[fossyant]

Used prices are crazy at the moment too due to chip shortages for new cars.

 

[Jameshow]

I did the new car thing once, but having worked hard saved hard paid cash. Sold 2 years on at great loss and never did it again. I won't include my motorhome in that which was also new, but sensible given the tiny used vs new variation.

Anyway, on topic, the £720 Volvo 240 estate (which was bought as my daily to afford the motorhome) needs new trailing arm bushes, since the old shells have rusted out. Apparently a pig of a job, I have the bits and once I get some time I'll get them done, might tighten up the boat like ride a bit, not really😄

That was a bargain!

 

[Gunk]

Used prices are crazy at the moment too due to chip shortages for new cars.

A couple of our friends have just cancelled new orders and bought used instead

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Used prices are crazy at the moment too due to chip shortages for new cars.

Woman up the road bought a brand new Ford Puma, almost immediately she realised she didn't like it, when back to the dealer who gave her £2K more for it than she'd paid as they couldn't get hold of them & had a large waiting list.

 

[fossyant]

Woman up the road bought a brand new Ford Puma, almost immediately she realised she didn't like it, when back to the dealer who gave her £2K more for it than she'd paid as they couldn't get hold of them & had a large waiting list.

My sister 'sold' her PCP 2 year old Seat SUV for the bigger one, and got more for it used, than she 'paid' new (not real money with PCP)

 

[fossyant]

Back on car DIY, slight oil top up on the Aygo, and I adjusted the passenger side headlamp aim slightly (bought better bulbs for it recently - made a significant difference to the brightness output - Halfords Advanced). The airbag light came on a few weeks ago after some road debris hit the underside of the car. Cleaned the connectors for the seats and front passenger airbag, and ran the reset/test pocedure (certain key turns) and all has been fine since.

Worth knowing the reset procedures as this can be an expensive dealer visit. If there is a fault the light won't go out, but a connector issue (common), if fixed will mean the light goes out after the car checks.