I have a watch, I'm wearing it now. I've had it for 25 years or so. It still keeps perfect time and looks fine. It's quite a good watch, Swiss in origin and I can't see any reason to replace it. It may well outlast me !
In that time I've had a lot of cars. I've always done a highish mileage and habitually changed the cars every couple of years or even less. Recently though I've been hanging on to them longer. They seem to last better these days. Galvanised bodies, modern oils etc I suppose.
We change our cars for all manner of reasons, maybe we just fancy a change, perhaps we need a different type of vehicle for some new purpose, it could be that we have grown tired of the old one or in reality most often because we just want to and have decided we can afford it.
But....imagine you have your more or less perfect car. It does everthing you want. You like driving it, it's comfortable. It has the right number of seats, the perfect loadspace and so on and so on......
In my case 5 years would still be getting close to the tipping point. Mileage would be such that it would be more than run in so to speak !
However, I gather that the "average" motorist covers about 12,000 miles a year. Given that most cars nowadays can easily cope with a couple of hundred thousand miles without major surgery that would translate into a useful lifespan of 16.7 years.
Leaving boredom etc on one side. How long "could" you keep a car for if it was your daily driver ? Has anyone even come close to the lifespan of my watch ?
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Hi Humph,
I've always had to change cars due to un-economically viable to repair or them being written off (never my fault I might add).
I now I have a fairly decent car, for my standards, and it should last at least 5 years more for my driving conditions. I'm very happy with it and will happily drive it 'til the end of it's days.
Nial
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Well for me a car is only a means of getting from A to B as cheaply as possible. I bought a brand new Clio a year ago and (fingers crossed) will be keeping it for seven years before passing it on to the daughter for her to learn to drive in and become her first car.
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Well we have had a Golf II bought 1984 and sold 1999 and a Golf III bought 1994 and "scrapped" in June. Both cars were daily drivers for myself, wife or children. Other cars came and went but the Golfs stayed and were only let go when MOTs became problematical. With each I went through the phases of delighted with its novelty, please with its practicality, bored with its reliable enduring presence and then intrigued with its longevity. Averaged over 15 years each they were certainly cheap to run.
By the way I also have a Swiss watch, bought 1975 and still no reason to replace it. On the other hand it has only had two services at about £200 each and never needs an MOT.
I think the critical point for cars is the possible boredom that sets in about 4/5 years. Resist that and you can keep the car indefinitely.
alfalfa
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How long I would like to keep a car (till it drops) and how long I actually keep a car are two very different things.
In reality how long I keep a car is governed but a simple formula - about a month longer than I should have!!
FTF
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The majority of cars I've owned have been kept around 5½ years, or when the monthly depreciation is circa £80. Now running two cars in household and hope to average depreciation between the two cars at £40 per month, so estimate will need to keep cars for 5 years to achieve this.
Usually end up changing once repairs make no financial sense and I can afford it.
Edited by Car on 27/08/2009 at 00:47
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Had a watch bought for me in 1995 and it still runs fine - until the battery goes. But the winder bit broke off about 18 months ago so no way of changing/setting the time.
Sounds like some cars I suppose.
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Yet another interesting topic, Humph! I changed cars more frequently when I was a young driver, but now I keep them as long as I can. I had my last car for 9 years and only changed because it was uneconomic to repair. The car before that one lasted 7.5 years before someone crashed into it! Both were Nissans, and I was very happy with them.
I thought that I would treat myself to something a bit more "up-market" so I bought the BMW three years ago. It is a good motor, but it just isn't "me". I knew it from day 1, and it is the only car that I've never bonded with. So it is going to be a little bit difficult to force myself to hang on to it.
However, I'm determined not to get rid of it before 100,000 miles. I do about 18-20 k a year, so this means another 2-3 years of being part of "the dark side".
By this time, I will be close to retirement, and my annual mileage will drop. For my next car, I will try to find a nice low-mileage used car with an automatic box which is very comfortable and quiet. Assuming that I actually find such a car, I'd be happy to run it past 200,000 miles. So it could well outlive me.
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I have the same dilema, I've got my Corsa running perfectly now so it would be silly to sell it, but I will soon out grow it. My plan is to keep it for another year (if it lasts and I don't have an accident) the milleage would be well onto 90k then.
Its a shame because in many ways its perfect its just the handling and gear change is less than perfect.
However its the first car I have owned long enough to a tax disc. I kept my last car for an entire two months.
My dad once had a Lada from 1992 to 1998. He paid £800 for it so lasted a long long time.
One of my mums friends has had an Astra G since 2001 and its now done well over 100k but its perfect for them so they won't change it. Its one of them cars that just dosn't go wrong.
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My last car I had for seven years (Vauxhall Astra) and apart from a wheel bearing on its way out it was fine.
Reason for change was that the government decided over the last few years that the road tax they charged me was not enough.
Also tyres were working out expensive (£70 - £130 per tyre).
Previous to that I had a Mitsubishi Carisma for five Years and was gutted to get rid of it as the brakes were on their way out (master cylinder).
Maybe I am hoping too much but my new car (Kia Rio diesel) I am hoping to keep for seven years.
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I`ve looked after cars as though they would be kept forever since I was 17yrs in the 60`s - but never benefited because I have succumbed to temptation and bought another.
I have had quite a few new cars that were sold on at two years - but there are exceptions.
67 Mini = 9yrs old when it went - kept for 7 yrs - 97,000 miles
91 Maestro Clubman D - 6yrs and 130,000 mikes
1.9D Punto - 7.5 yrs and 56,000 miles (ongoing)
Currently emissions legislation (and manufacturers with their DPF solution) have made it a whole new ballgame however.
The two current (non DPF) diesels we own are not replaceable for the short journey jobs they do. As such, they may well be kept until they go to the scrapyard.
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106 16 years and counting
Yaris 4 years and counting..
As I had company cars - and bangers before that - I never owned a car worth keeping.
Now it's run them till they drop.
As the 106 main body rails had to be welded this year for its MOT I suspect another 10 years for that is feasible.
The Yaris is much better designed with a flat floor so it could do the same.
And lots of spares available for both.
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I don't wear a watch, so that counts me out - don't wear rings, any jewelry in fact, except an Ankh which protects me from 'The Evil Eye'
I bought a brand spanking gnu Citroen BX16 TRS in the 80's - couldn't stand the blimmin thing & outed it within 6 months.
The old Volvo 240 GLT was a good'n - kept it for about 6.5 years, but I also ran other cars at the time - Saab 900 + Pug 306 + BMW 320.
My present car - Almera 1.8SE doesn't excel in any area, except reliability - its neither too big nor small, quite economical, fairly comfortable, drives well, and I've had it for 2.5 years.
If I could get my head to over-rule my heart, I may just keep it till the end of time or 2012 (whichever comes first!)
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I think as long as possible, with the proviso that it has to be mechanically sound and look respectable. We have a 2001 Focus 1.6 Zetec (106,000 miles) which I use most days and still enjoy driving for its go-cart qualities. It feels as fresh as a daisy, but rust is becoming a problem - fortunately Ford's body warranty on the Focus was a very generous 12 years, and we had rear wheel arches and rear doors rectified last year.....and intend to carry on claiming on the warranty where possible. The other car is a new A6 diesel. This will see us into retirement, so hoping that Audi build quality will allow it grow old gracefully (like its owner).
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My next door neighbour bought an A reg Golf GTi in 1984, and sold it in 2008. That's almost as long as your watch ownership, HB.
For the latter part of his ownership it was used by his wife as a second car, school runs and shopping etc. They only sold it when an elderly parent gifted them a very low mileage N reg Cavalier 2.0 which he had owned from new and had just replaced with a 56 reg Vectra, tempted by the very cheap deals on Vectras which were about last year.
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The three I have I plan to keep. None of them are boring so it is kind of easy. One is a proper classic and the others are both old enough to vote. One I have had for 10 years, another 7 and the one I have had the shortest I have had for about 4 or 5 years. The two more recent ones are only 18 years old. The eldest is 41!
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Ive been a terrible one for getting rid of cars - the cars I keep the longest are always the new ones - I bought a Daewoo Matiz back in 1998 and kept it for 2.5 years and my Suzuki Carry also for 2.5 years - the Carry would most likely have lasted till I retired such was its simplicity ( the mechanics were of a design about 10 years old, not todays over complex stuff ).
My current car, the Charade has just tipped 44k having bought it with 25k May last year.
This car cost me £3.2k which is an unusual amount for me to spend since its either new, or banger territory usually, but I broke form.
So far its been a smart buy as it defies the governments attempts to fleece the motorist with 58 mpg and £35 road tax. its also big enough for me to run my valeting business from amazingly and aside from £100 spent sorting out sticky brakes, it really has been a total rock, with not even a moments hesitation about providing me with utterly reliable transport. It has flown through two MOTs without so much as an advisory, so for once, I have the right car, at the right time and it is really looking after me when I need it to, both financially and practically, so.... I can keep it as long as I want really if it continues like this - will it do 200k or more - lets wait and see...
I have waxoyled the back end as this is usually where rust starts and rust is usually what kills jap cars rather than the oily bits.
I dont know how long I will keep it, maybe a very long time as the misses has said that when we need a family sized car, we will get a 3rd motor rather than trade a good car in as mine costs buttons to run, so we would save very little by not having it around - our main idea is to get a Doblo non-turbo diesel for a couple of grand when the time comes as we both love its practicality and bare essentials style.
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I take it that the question is "How long could I keep a car for?" (Rather than "How long could one keep a car for?")
After all, one can keep a car indefinitely. In practice people keep cars until they become fed up with them - through boredom, or unreliability, or irritation, or a gut feeling that it's time to get rid of them before something terrible happens.
I was speaking with a woman the other day who wants her husband to get rid of their 12 year old Audi. She thinks it's an old wreck that needs replacing, but says that her husband hates to get a new car, and likes to hold on to the one he has.
I guess it's all about being in love. If one loves one's car, one will not lust after other models all the time.
Speaking for myself - our Berlingo is now over 7 years old, and I have this strange ambition to keep it for as long as I can drive.
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In 1990 I bought a 1968 Triumph 2000 and have still got it. It was a daily driver for 2.5 years... and in the meantime i've restored it to more than respectable condition and will keep it for good, it now being on a Classic policy. I've had it for 19 years.
In 2002 I bought a 1999 Jag S Type. That is my daily (local) driver and i've kept it in immaculate nick. I will keep that for good as well and will bung it on a Classic policy when it is old enough.
Also in 2002 I bought a 1998 Honda Blackbird m/c. That is immaculate. It's currently Sorned and residing at my brother's garage. I shall keep that for good as well.
I don't see the point in selling something for peanuts that i've spent a fortune on keeping well maintained and in good condition....so I plan to put them in a barn/shed when I retire, along with a modest retirement present (keep changing my mind, but for a long time it was to be a Jag mkX or 420G) so that I can wheel them out at will and do as I wish with them.
my daily driver on retirement will be a 4x4 and we'll keep wifey's car fairly new for long journeys and reliability
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In the past i have always bought cars when they were 2 years old with the intention of keping them 3 years, however after abouth 18 months/2years i would get bored with it and part ex it for another 2 year old one. In April i broke the cycle and bought a new Cee'd, which i keep telling myself i MUST keep for 3 years, but no doubt in about 18 months time i will end up changing it ! I dread to think how much money i have "lost" on cars over the last 30 years !
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I think the biggest decisions come at the point when the car has reached a low market value. As I alluded to in another recent thread the psychological barrier arises when the cost of a repair exceeds or comes close to the potential resale value of the vehicle. More than an understandable dilemma of course.
However, in many cases although it can cause wallet pain at the time it can often still be the financially sensible thing to do provided one has no intention of parting with the vehicle in the foreseeable future.
A more or less reliable car properly cosseted should be able to go on for much longer than most of us give it credit for. I'm not of course suggesting that we should do that just musing really as to how long people think they could get out of a car and indeed who here has got the longest service from their daily driver.
I remember once speaking to a guy who owned a 36 vehicle minicab firm. When I asked him how long he got out of a typical hack he of course related it to mileage rather than age. Interesting though that he, in a very laid back northern Scottish drawl, casually mentioned that the mainstream cars like Fords, Nissans, Skodas etc were generally good for half a million but the Mercs he ran usually went to a million or so before he got around to replacing them !
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I used to keep cars for longer than I do now. I had my BX GTi for 5 years/100,000 miles and enjoyed them all. Whereas after 11 months I'm looking for excuses to swap my Merc E320 Estate for something else (in the name of economies mainly - cheaper capital sum and lower running costs).
Having said that I have had my 2CV for 10 years and our C8 has now been with us for 6 years, but I don't drive these daily - that's the crucial difference.
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>>>I guess it's all about being in love. If one loves one's car, one will not lust after other models all the time<<<
No! not in all cases tyro, I've owned 39 cars & luved every one of them :)
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I've owned a Mk3 Cavalier for 21 years - though not now a daily driver and a previous Mk1 Cavalier was kept for 23 years before it went banger racing. I'll probably keep my 3½ year old Zafira (now I've bought it off the lease company for a tiny sum) until it goes bang.
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37 yrs, 2 months and counting. I bought her when she was a youthful 20 and she's gently moving into old age with SWMBO and me.
Ted
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Doubt if anyone can trump that Ted !
Or can they .......?
;-)
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......and I've had my watch 42 yrs....a Rotary, no battery, just an automatic wind with a date. No bleeps or anything. Just tells the time and date...as it's paid to do !
Ted
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Again, a fine record. My watch is also in VGC. What I have noticed though in recent years is that the little date box has inexplicably shrunk and become blurred........
;-)
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The first owner of my Merc W124 bought it in February 1994 and sold it (via a dealer) to me in December 2007. In that time he managed to cover 68,000km.
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As long as a car was running well, the only thing that would make me change it would be safety (I persuaded SWMBO to swap her 10 yo Corolla, which was running as well as when we bought it) for the Focus. Had it not been for the safety improvement of the Focus over the Corolla, she and I would have been happy for her to keep it another 10 years.
I have a problem replacing something that ain't broke.
Then again, I have an Avensis.
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When I was young I used to change my car as often as I could, just for the sake of a change; once I had something I always wanted something else, almost as if I wanted to try as many different cars as possible. So the length of time I kept a car was dictated purely by financial requirements - how much money I had and how much I needed for my next dream. Turned out I kept things for around two years
Now I can afford things slightly more easily, I could change more often if I felt like it but I'm just not bothered anymore. I'll keep it until boredom sets in and I feel like a change of scenery. Last two cars have been four years and six.
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Then again I have an Avensis.
You'll have a long wait before you need to change, then. :-) Mind you, if you have the 174bhp Diesel, why would you want to change. I test drove one once, and was very impressed.
The only fly in the ointment for me was that no automatic gearbox was available. Shame.
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Again a fine record. My watch is also in VGC. What I have noticed though in recent years is that the little date box has inexplicably shrunk and become blurred........
Wow, Humph......that's happened to mine as well ! Can't understand it.
Ted
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Not many people have mentioned upgrading. I have often replace perfectly good HIFI components because I can afford a better one. E.g my headphones recently bought a pair of Grados, my old ones work fine and are now being used for TV duties but the Grados are a massive improvement.
If I suddenly had £5000 in my bank now I would buy a new car just for the sake of it.
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>>If I suddenly had £5000 in my bank now I would buy a new car just for the sake of it.<<
You will learn eventually, hopefully :-) I did after £30k spent on cars in 12 years ( less than many spend but its alot of money to me and id far rather have the bank balance these days - my dad advised me to develop a burning desire to see the balance rise as on the day I retire, it will seem all worth it ).
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Life it too short. I have spent probablhy over £2.5k on HIFI stuff in the past ten years, and now have a system worth around £1k. I have lost money on experiments and bits I kept for just a fww months. Headphones are my biggest sin.
My point is did you have fun doing it? As longs as you have fun then you're life has been all the richer for it, just stop now like you have done before you end up skint :)
I wasted a fortune on my last car, paid £350 for it, spent £250 on repairs, sold it for two months later for £250. I did about 200 miles in that car. However I could be bitter but I don't it was an experience and I learnt so much about buying cars and looking for things in the process.
With my very first car I learnt to now quiz sellers about oil you can tell a lot about cars from what the seller has to tell you about oil :D
My next car will probably be an Alfa 156 :) And yes it will burn massive amounts of money, and yes I will probably keep it for 6 weeks before a conrod goes into the block just 6 days after spending £300 on a new fusebox but I think unless you've had an Alfa you cannot talk about cars down the pub :p.
I think when you're young your heart will always rule, but after a while you get fed up of it and just let your head do the thinking.
I say all this now, but you never know I may become half of 60 and still driving my by then extremely rusty and battered Corsa.
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By the time you can afford and Alfa 156 it will be a little too old. I had one as a hire car for a month or so once and it was more fun than my car but a little cramped in the rear.
If you put the headphone money in the car savings pot you'll soon have a new car it seems.
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The Grado's werent too expensive (not by audiohpile standards, paid £70) just had a really busy week, the cars been behaving so not had to spend any money on that so just thought I would ne naughty. I won't be changing them to they brake, I just always wanted a pair of Grados.
And yep you're right about the 156 and it will be a damn shame, I could probably buy one for £500 by the time I can afford the insurance but it will probably just break down after two days.
I am just a little too young to be sensible. A university mate went to buy a Mondeo TDI on a 54 plate but then saw this W reg Puma with FSH Ford history, no rust and 1 owner. He ended up buying that on a whim. He knows his Puma will be less reliable and will soon rot but his heart rule the head and he loves the car but as soon as he has a baby I think he will wish he had bought the Mondeo.
I also think I have missed out a lot on cars passing my test so late, because I am reaching the age where my head will start to rule, and I will probably end up keeping my next car for ten years!.
I just love this subject because faced with a car which is reliable but boring I really don't know what I would do, I would like to think I would sell it and exhange it for something more interesting but I have a feeling my head will win.
Edited by Rattle on 28/08/2009 at 00:57
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I'm bored of my Mazda6 2.0d Sport. I'll have had it two years later in October.... I wonder if I can swap it for something more fun that then leads to another new car sooner? Otherwise I've got this until October 2011!
Don't get me wrong it's nice and I like it and it has lots of goodies like electric sunroof, 6-CD changer, Sub-woofer, cruise control, Xenon lights, etc. And I like driving it.
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One of my friends parents has the same car on a 58 reg. I think he likes it but it does feel a bit of an older generation car compared to the Insignia and Mondeo.
I suppose the problem is by 2011 it will be an old design but that dosn't always matter.
I always think there is nothing wrong with spending money on a hobby and if cars are a hobby then the heart is allowed to have some influence :).
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The Mazda6 is nicer imo than the Mondeo Mk III I had before. The problem with the current Mondeo and the Insignia in my opinion is they've got too big. I could have had a Mondeo but this was one of the reasons I didn't.
Next time round I can get a VAG car so that is one reason I am bored. I fancy an Audi A5 or A4. The A4 would cost me about the same per month as the Mazda6! If I got an Octavia vRS DSG diesel I'd be better off.
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"As long as you have fun then your life has been all the richer for it......I wasted a fortune on my last car......sold it for two months later for £250. I did about 200 miles in that car."
I agree with you about having fun, Rattle, but my idea of fun would be doing more than 1,200 miles a year!! But then I don't live in Manchester - maybe the traffic is so bad that you're having more fun listening to your £2.5k hi-fi.
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1200 a year? I've done that in the past two months alone. The reason i drove my old car so little is something just kept going wrong with it every day.
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"W reg Puma with .. no rust"
He didn't look hard enough.. :-)
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I wasted a fortune on my last car - paid £350 for it, spent £250 on repairs, sold it two months later for £250
That sounds like Bangernomics, Rattle. We know you are not specially flush, but the 'loss' of £350 in total is not a fortune, unless you continue to do that every 2 months. The point is that you have learnt from the experience.
Edited by Andrew-T on 29/08/2009 at 19:34
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In 2002 the average lifespan of a car was 13.5 years. tinyurl.com/lx83wb
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This is for all caraholics so you "keep it till it dies merchants LQQK AWAY NOW!
I've known more than a few folk that can 'think outside the box' (lateral thinkers) like Lud ,of whom I am anticipating his thoughts on this thread,
Ole Don would say to me "its not a waste of money Ray, you've enjoyed the car (cars) that you've bought - spent oodles on - then started all over again!
Once upon a time, I bought an ex Police P6 in Zircon blue, had it resprayed old inglisch white, had the V8 engine *totally* rebuilt and ... (well, you know what comes next)
In the final analysis, we sit in our car, looking out of the windscreen - all we see is the top of the dashboard and one windscreen wiper, so - its all in the head really (IMO) like most fings!
I had a Toyota Supra once ... absolutely stunning car, a sort of metallic electric blue, I confess to actually enjoying looking at the critter more than driving it, and used to luv watching my wife drive away in it (heehaw!)
Some folk 'waste' their hard earn't sponduliks on the golden throat charmer, some are gamblers, etc., etc., etc. I 'chose' to throw my money on jamjars - and luved every minute of it :)
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We are all constrained by the flickering transience, but rigidity of personality. As a flute cannot vibrate the air molecules like a bassoon - neither can the the neural synapses of the motoring gigolo hold continence in the passion of austerity, as in those similarly restricted.
Freedom of choice, to do things differently, within the boundaries of contentment is an illusion.
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Oh, if only this forum allowed sigs, that would be in mine!
Edited by Pugugly on 28/08/2009 at 19:03
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I've usually only kept cars for 2-3 years max but I now tend to keep them longer. I bought my Audi A4 new in Sept 2000 and it now has 105k miles on the clock. I bought it as a long-term purchase and it's hard to imagine not having it. It still drives well, looks good, returns 50mpg, no rust, original everything (even the exhaust), everything works, .... you get the picture. SWMBO is the main driver and she loves it.
Every now and then I get the urge to replace it but the amount of money I'd get for it (£2k??) and the amount I'd consider paying for a (new) replacement car (max £10k) prevent me from doing so. The new car just wouldn't be as good. So I'm going to keep it for another year or so and see how it lasts, though I really think that this car could last almost indefinitely with reasonable maintenance costs.
Changing cars frequently is tempting but it usually costs you dearly.
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Pat L, you sum up the financial case for not changing cars frequently very well. The example of your own A4 is a good one.
I've been lucky with cars and kept them for years. I want to keep my current car for a long time as well. However, I must say that the prospect of another winter with rear wheel drive is making me twitchy! A front-wheel drive car, or a 4-wheel drive car is starting to look tempting.
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LDO - we seem to be on the same wavelength car-wise! I've had 2 BMWs and 1 Merc (both second hand) and though they were all excellent cars they could be 'interesting' to drive in winter conditions. Also rust was getting to be a problem in two of them.
So, maybe you ought to consider an Audi to replace your beemer - galvanised bodies and great build quality make them a good long-term purchase. And they're FWD (or 4WD if you want). My other car is a VW Passat which should also last well if I decide to keep it beyound the planned 5 years. My philosophy is to buy a new car with the spec you want and then keep it for a good while. That way you won't be hankering after a replacement which has some toy you haven't got. (I had front fogs and leather on my Passat).
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Yes, I think we agree in a lot of areas.My philosophy is to buy a new car with the spec you want and then keep it for a good while.
Agreed. That is what I've done with my last three cars as well. Though I am tempted by the idea of something like an ex-demonstrator with full spec.
So, maybe you ought to consider an Audi....
Absolutely right. I like all the German brands. The A5 Sportback looks an excellent bet for all of the good reasons that you mention - plus the hatch makes it practical.
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The problem with Audis is they all have this magnet affect which means the car is glued to the car in front.
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But Rattle, I thought that was supposed to be BMWs? :-)
tinyurl.com/c6kbgx
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I am absolutely in love with my Mada RX8, but if the journey is anything longer then 30 minutes I begin to hear the loud engine, the seats get less and less comfortable and I so miss cruise control. its a car I can not wait to PX and yet I will so miss it.
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As a confirmed Pugaholic for about 20 years, I wanted a dark green metallic 306, and found a nice HDi in 2002, which I thought would stay with me. In the end I was seduced by rock-bottom prices last Christmas, and part-ex'd it after 6½ years for a 207 SW - a different beast, a bit more 'practical' and economical but definitely less elegant. No cause for regret yet.
Three years ago I found a 205 GTI with 45K and three owners (the first kept it for 15 years) in very nice nick; but recently the idea of a Positively Last 205 in convertible form took hold. The GTI left for Cockermouth and was replaced by a CTI, also with 45K and perhaps in even better nick. Where next? ...
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The longest time I've owned a car was a "big bumper" 1990 1.6TX VW Jetta which I bought in 1995 - I only changed it in 2003 because the chance of a 1999 Bora came up for what I would have had to pay for the in-between Vento.
I'm still wearing a Seiko automatic day/date gold plated watch bought for just over £17 in the Middle East in 1971 - it's never had to be cleaned internally or require any maintenance and keeps perfect time.
Occasionally I use a Lorus watch (Seiko's value brand) just for a change. I spotted it in a secondhand shop, having seemingly never been worn, for just £7 about three years ago. After I had paid for it, I told the shopkeeper that it would have cost me just over £60 at Argos - he was rather upset...:-)
He was also surprised to learn that Pulsar watches are also a Seiko brand, as are Epson printers.
By the way, those into photography for some time may well remember the Seikosha between-lens leaf shutters. My early reckoning was that any company that could manufacture quality shutters would also prove useful at producing watches.
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"any company that could manufacture quality shutters would also prove useful at producing watches"
A fair point. Always worth looking at what a company makes besides what you are interested in (do Mitsubishi still make planes, I wonder? - their Zero was pretty effective, I seem to recall).
Some photographers are a bit sniffy about Casio cameras, but mine is a delight, and looks and feels like the product of a watchmaker.
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>>Some photographers are a bit sniffy about Casio cameras>>
They are excellent, but I would suspect that they are re-badged products from a specialist manufacturer, probably one in Taiwan.
In fact the BenQ digital cameras of three years ago were virtually idential to Casio Eliim models and were produced in Taiwan, a country that manufactured 67 per cent of the world's digital cameras that year.
There's nothing wrong with re-badged products, it's very common in several fields as no company can manufacture every product it sells; Acer, Medion, Trust and others are amongst such companies, whilst one or two Bush digital PVRs are re-badged Humax models (Humax is a top class Korean brand).
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A very close friend of mine is the sales director for a very large internationally extremely well known but fairly downmarket/basic watch brand.
They have contracts with many other brands to manufacture watches under licence. Mostly the sort of brands who are looking for brand diversification such as the so called designer labels etc.
Believe me, most of these watches which are routinely sold sometimes for hundreds of pounds are nothing more than re-badged basic models worth no more than a few pounds with a fancy case and strap.
The quartz workings of these are sourced for less than $2.00.
But....like much of the fashion industry, the cost is in the marketing and thank goodness for the sake of my friend and indeed the likes of me there are sufficient numbers of people prepared to pay a significant premium for labels.
Apologies to mods / HJ for topic drift BTW. Just thought some might find that interesting as an aside. Feel free to delete if you want.
;-)
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Humph's post is indeed interesting and confirms what I've long suspected about watches.
I have a Seiko - cost about £75 quite a few years ago.
It tells the time and date impeccably, and batteries last several years. I don't need any more information, as you get from these 'chronometers', e.g. what time it was in Kuala Lumpur at midnight GMT last night.
It spends most of its time hidden by my shirt cuff, so what does it matter what it looks like?
Some people are willing to pay over the odds for 'image'. Good luck to them - they boost manufacturers' profits and help to keep the price of the basic model down.
Is it the same with cars? For me, not quite, as some of the extras you can get are useful - some of course aren't. I suppose if I really cared about image I'd have paid £6,000 extra for an Audi A4 with the same mechanicals as my Octavia.
Edited by Avant on 30/08/2009 at 22:45
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I have a close friend who has a Rolex costing well into four figures - he told me it had the same quartz movement as watches a fraction of its price because it performed the task required perfectly.
The real cost of the watch lay elsewhere.
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Pretty close, Humph: we had a BMW 316 for 20 years (from almost new). The bodywork was still immaculate (thanks Autoglym) and the engine fine, and I am sure we could have kept it for longer. But just as your watch begins to look a bit blurry, so the effort of squeezing my feet into the small footwell, and the poverty spec by comparison with eg a modern Mondeo, became not quite good enough.
The faults the car had were the ones it came with. One of them was that the bodyshell was a bit twisted, so closing the passenger door required an extra bit of shove. I find it sweet that my wife still bangs the door shut with colossal energy on our new cars - and stands patiently waiting for me to unlock the passenger door from the inside. In retrospect, although I still greatly miss its looks, I think it is possible to keep a car for too long.
By the way (other thread), the BMW never needed a replacement bulb.
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Since I pased my test over 25 years ago I have owned (or run as company cars) at least 19 cars. However, as I get older I leep the cars for longer. The average from 1996 - 2004 was about 15 months. The next car was held for 23 months (and I only changed because my father wanted the car) and the current car I have had for 33 months and have no great urge to change. Will I keep it till it falls apart? I don't know but I have become a believer in the idea that you will know when the right time to change arrives - it arrives when the next car appears on your horizon without looking for it. It happened to me twice.
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How about 20 years & 700,000 miles as per this months issue of car mechanics. I wonder what the cost per mile for depreciation would work out at ?
tiny.cc/qi0oj
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That is very impressive.
I thought that the collective wisdom of the great & the good in the Back Room was that these cars were rubbish and would not last that long? Obviously not true in at least one case.
I wonder if the owner was a professional mechanic (or at least a very good amateur).
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