All - Best cars for the long term

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Mon 21 Oct 2019 15:27
All - Best cars for the long term - barney100

I intend to keep my cars for a few years now I'm retired..well almost. I have a 2008. Volvo v 70 and a 2012 250 SLK both of which we've had for 4 plus years. There are posts detailing quite young cars with major problems so what do members consider the best bets for long term ownership?

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Mon 21 Oct 2019 15:44
All - Best cars for the long term - SLO76
Much depends on what your requirements and budget are but typically simple Japanese petrol engined cars are best for longterm reliability. Complex Prestige brands may be durable but it usually requires maintenance from expensive main dealers or genuine specialists which can become prohibitively expensive as the car ages while a simple petrol engined Honda, Mazda or Toyota isn’t usually a problem for anyone to service.

If I wanted to replace your two cars with a strong budget and I was thinking of keeping them until they were done a Toyota Corolla Hybrid estate (though it will again require main dealer or specialist servicing too but is utterly reliable) or Mazda 6 2.0 Skyactiv estate would replace the Volvo and a Mazda MX5 would replace the Merc.

Edited by SLO76 on 21/10/2019 at 16:08

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Mon 21 Oct 2019 16:44
All - Best cars for the long term - madf

Vaialbility of spares - either new or used - after some 10 years is an issue. Low volume models with unique parts can be unobtainable or very expensive (Lexus master cylinders for example I believe on some models are £1k +).

Lots sold usually means more spares..

Rust proofing ? Watch for black painted subframes and rust - some Vauxhalls are notorious for that..

Subarus are notorious for VERY expensive spares - and nddeing lots of them when growing older..(see Owners Forums).

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Mon 21 Oct 2019 16:51
All - Best cars for the long term - Pinstripe

A common car (plenty of spares available at sensible prices) with a simple design/minimal gadgets (less to go wrong) and properly maintained (problems avoided before they occur).

The above is why so many modern 'premium' cars are actually among the least reliable; complex designs loaded with electrical gadgets/conveniences/emissions equipment and neglected by their owners due to the cost of properly maintaining them,

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Mon 21 Oct 2019 20:14
All - Best cars for the long term - John F

1. Aluminium cars. Old Audi A8s seem good VFM. Mine's nearly 14 yrs old and no sign of corrosion. It was sad to see Joe Grundy's Jaguar succumb to the tin worm.....as so many do.

2. English sports cars. Never a problem to get spares for my nearly 40yr old TR7, not that it's needed any recently.

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