Bangernomics

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

I often feel a perverse sense of inverted snobbery in running an 'old' Volvo;

I'll have you know my snobbery is not inverted!

Frankly I use this car because I can get half a ton of scratchy oak planks in the back, a full set of Roman equipment (not at the same time), some anvils and huge wooden stumps, can drive off a two-foot drop with no damage (did that) and ... hopefully ... survive side impacts better than tiny cars.
My use of a 940 estate is absolutely specific and there are ZERO modern cars which have the same characteristics.
Comfort, serviceability, "classlessness" and cheap usable power are bonuses.

[volvo always]

Apart from one new car which was bought by my Grandparents they have always been old cars.

My first car in 2002 was a 1986 740 GLE estate bought for £425. I liked it and drove it for over 5 years and PX it on a new Corolla in 2007 as having running issues. Used to clean out the new webber carb jets and run fine for so long.

After the new corolla didn't need a LHD as leaving France, sold it and made a massive loss back to the supplying dealer!

My Sister in the UK saw a Volvo estate for sale and wasn't sure if it was a 240 or 740! Asking £350 with 9 months MOT.
Me and my Grandmother flew to Birmingham and looked at the car in Sparkbrook and it was a 1989 240GLT Automatic estate. Owned by a disabled couple and partner who drove died. Looked under it, no leaks and thought an't be a bad car, as they are disabled. Started it up and didn't take it on a test drive, let it warm up all seemed good so gave her the full asking price.
Sorted out the Disabled tax at Garrets green DVLA office.
Then went to the car put tax on and insured it. Drove to a local tyre dealer the next day and ended up replacing all 4 tyres as fronts split on inside for £140. Didn't buy premium as had no idea if there were any major problems.
Then drove that afternoon to Portsmouth, it's first major journey of 150 miles and it purred along no problems. Arrived at our house 1 hour 30 minutes from Cherbourg, which was due to complete on the sale soon.

Had the 240 for 10 years and very reliable but bought a 940 for more creature comforts as was using the 240 as a shed and also had a 2006 Lexus IS 220D.
As I had 3 cars at the Marina was told to get rid of one as can only have 2 cars. Decided the 240 had to go as needed work and wasn't getting the TLC it needed, so found a good home to a fellow forum member. The 240 is a great car.
My 940 has been reliable but don't feel as attached to it as I was with my 240. I used both as a workhorse as the load space you just cant beat, being self employed in property Maintenance.

The Lexus I bought for £1,475 and apart from getting the AC working, new condenser and recently I replaced an injector seal in the 12 months of ownership has been very good. covered around 7,000 miles.

I quite like Lexus and fancy a used GS 450 Hybrid.

James

[Welton]

There's a UK obsession with car ownership and 'perceived success' in my view and this leads to car ownership goals and people stretching to finance deals they perhaps can't really afford and even this new "deal" where owners 'contribute' a 'deposit' towards a lease car (how's that a good deal?) thereby 'giving away' approx £2,000.00 up front to lower monthly rentals to make it seem more affordable - bizarre.

I've had my car now for 10 years, it still looks the same, sounds the same and does the same job. I service it myself and keep it very clean. I have firmly bought out of the idea of car snobbery and honestly cannot give a damn about what other people think, in fact I enjoy the feeling of driving a 'free' car around. I would hope that my neighbours have started to think "what does he know that we don't" but sadly I think they will continue to replace their white goods euroboxes every 3 years or whatever and good luck to them. They probably think I'm a loser, suits me as long as they leave me alone

To be honest the last few 'new' cars I've needed to hire have felt and driven in a way I don't like; really light power steering and a sharp 'pointy' feel to the handling and steering. The only gadgets in new cars I can admit to being useful is a reversing camera, the rest of it appears to want to mate with your smartphone.

[john.wigley]

Agree, 'Welton'. I think the obsession with 'new' cars to which you refer began when we introduced the year identifier on number plates back in 1963. The pressure was then (for some) on to buy an obviously 'new' car to replace their now visibly aging one. Remember this was a time when cars changed little in appearance over several years; think original Mini, Morris Minor or Volkswagen Beetle, for example. As you say, 'perceived success' or, as I think of it, an expensive status symbol.

Regards, John.

[BigMonty]

https://ibb.co/5nPTxSQ


A temporary fix for £150.

[Markos01]

I’ve a second car, an 8v 2.0 mk4 Golf GTI which I bought for £950 around 5 years ago. It’s 19 years old and it generally does around 2000 miles a year - although one year I did 12,000 miles in a year in it (now on 123k). It’s needed a new rad, some part-worns and a shock absorber but not much else. Admittedly it’s not got long left and might not pass it’s next MOT next year but it’s been pretty damn amazing!

[S60D5-185]

Just bought a really lovely 2005 Honda Jazz 1.4 5 door for £400.

96k on the clock and it drives like new.

[Christerart]

In Jan 2013 I bought a manual C70 with 68K miles, looked like new inside and out. Paid £1,150, drove it to Sweden several times and when we sold it for the same money a year ago it had 83K miles on it. We sold it because in the last two years we put less than 1,000 miles on it - not good for the car.

2014 I bought a 2000 auto V70 with the 140 petrol engine for £1,050. Put 12K miles on it and sold it in 2016 for the same amount.

I then bought a 2002 carmine red auto V70 with the 170hp petrol engine for £550. Sold it a month later for £1,100 when I found a V70 D5 Auto with 209K miles. Paid £750 for that.

It needed an a/c compressor and charge - got a used one, a couple of new decent tires, fixed a seam in the drivers seat (leather) and did the usual - an oil and filter and transmission change.

Everything else worked and looked great. Drove it 23K miles with no problems whatsoever, sold it for £1,100 a year ago and a week ago the buyer told me he's put another 21K miles on it, engine still purring and it just passed MOT with no advisories.

I do a transmission change (drain and fill) including a bottle of Lubeguard Red every 5K miles (Mannol JWS 3309) and use Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 and a bottle of Liqui Moly Ceratec at the oil changes - not expensive, just paid £19.25 for 5 liters of the Shell, the Lubeguard is £15 and the Ceratec is £18 - and since I consistently get better than 50 mpg I consider that money well spent.

August last year I picked up a like new looking 2005 XC70 for £1,250, spent £425 on a set of Michelin CrossClimate+, did the oil and transmission change and took it on a 1,923 mile trip to Schloss Neuschwanstein, purring all the while.

Still purrs, passed MOT with flying colors - no advisories.

My only worry is it's a diesel and we all know what is going on there.

[psl]

I'm still loving my Picasso, though of 1.6hdi'ness, it ticks all my boxes, seating position, comfort and practicality. Owes me nothing and love the fact I don't care if I scratch or dent it. Great cheap cars and still see so many of them about

[Simmy]

i recently spoke to a man who paid more for one tire than some of the cars iv owned