At what age do you consider it an old car?

[Blue 8]

I'll explain why I asked this question.

A friend of the family was round the other evening and I noticed there car a new 4 series ( lovely car) I asked why they got rid of there other car ( which was 2 years old) and they're reply shocked me.

I was told because it was getting on a bit,,,, two years old and coincided " getting on " a bit.

They went on to say you can't really trust a car once they start ageing so they change them in every two/three years.

I explained any car of any age can and will break down which they agreed, but also said yes but at 3 years old they in their opinion more likely to be unreliable plus they just "getting on"

I personally wouldn't buy a car any car on finance but that's just me if I can't afford to buy it out right I don't buy, but the amount of money there cars cost them monthly in a one year I could run and maintain mine indefinitely.

But each to their own, but to say once it's two year old it's "old" and truly believe that really shocked me.

[T5R92011]

Originally Posted by Blue 8

I'll explain why I asked this question.

A friend of the family was round the other evening and I noticed there car a new 4 series ( lovely car) I asked why they got rid of there other car ( which was 2 years old) and they're reply shocked me.

I was told because it was getting on a bit,,,, two years old and coincided " getting on " a bit.

They went on to say you can't really trust a car once they start ageing so they change them in every two/three years.

I explained any car of any age can and will break down which they agreed, but also said yes but at 3 years old they in their opinion more likely to be unreliable plus they just "getting on"

I personally wouldn't buy a car any car on finance but that's just me if I can't afford to buy it out right I don't buy, but the amount of money there cars cost them monthly in a one year I could run and maintain mine indefinitely.

But each to their own, but to say once it's two year old it's "old" and truly believe that really shocked me.

Total madness... I guess some people are so mechanically unaware that they take this attitude as a (very expensive) safety net.

Brand new cars are a pain in the arse and always need warranty work. If you ask me, buying at 3 years old is THE best time to buy as all warranty work has been completed and the car should be worn in.

Unless extremely wealthy, I would never pay more than £10k (at an absolute push) for a new car.

I once paid £8,000 for a 1 year old Fiat Grande Punto with 10k miles, and that car was worse in terms of reliablity than the £500 Renault Laguna (with 115,000 miles) that I used for as a part ex.

[brickman]

Most folk on this particular forum will be swaying to the opinion that a car over 5 years is absolutely fine, older is better etc. And I'm very much of the same opinion.

I've had a few new cars (work cars) and nearly new that I've personally bought, and seeing most of your remaining monthly income (after house/fees) dissappearing out on a car thats depreciating by around £12 a day is painful.

The new cars I've had have never broken down, but all have had annoying rattles, squeaks and electrical gremlins that have each seen me spend many a day driving to a dealer and then argueing that yes, infact this new £28k A3 does have a rattle and I would like them fix it, no I will not live with a car that vibrates and rattles at 55-80mph as this is the speeds it is mostly driven at.

To me I don't see the point in paying out the arse for a car with supposedly the back up of it being a new car that this whole dealer network/manufacturer will back to 3-5 years with absolute confidence, then when you do try to get them re-mediate an issue its made into such a stressful process that you would rather just live with it, then trade it in and buy/lease yet another new car in the hope that the next one will be better.

[stephend]

Originally Posted by Blue 8

A friend of the family was round the other evening and I noticed there car a new 4 series ( lovely car) I asked why they got rid of there other car ( which was 2 years old) and they're reply shocked me.

I was told because it was getting on a bit,,,, two years old and coincided " getting on " a bit.

They went on to say you can't really trust a car once they start ageing so they change them in every two/three years.

An extreme example of this came from the parents of a friend of mine. They had a Peugeot, owned from new, serviced meticulously and in first-rate condition. At some point, they decided to replace it with a new car, and my friend thought the Peugeot would be coming his way. Oh no: the mother decreed that the old car was so old it was "a death trap" and must be disposed of. The irony was that my friend's car - in which he was transporting his wife and two young kids around - really was barely roadworthy, with tyres on the limit, pads down to the metal etc. But that was lack of maintenance - and you could equally have a 3-year old car with those same problems...

[owyn]

I think the car choice says a lot, a 4 series is essentially a 3 series for cocks.

There's a lot to be said for leasing a car, it's a very cheap way of doing it, if you just accept motoring will cost about 250 quid a month then you can commit to that and always have a new car to drive.

Saying a 2 year old car is old is madness though. I've not even got my seat in the right place after 2 years.

Maybe if the car was carrying rubble at 120mph 24 hrs a day then it may be getting a bit worn!

[Blue 8]

Originally Posted by owyn

I think the car choice says a lot, a 4 series is essentially a 3 series for cocks.

In your opinion of course.
The couple in question are an elderly couple, money isn't an issue for them, both having there own business's or rather had.

They never stick to the same manufacturer or rarely but to call them cocks simply because of their car choice is not really a strangers place to call imho.

[DaveNP]

Back in the early 80's a friends dad was the national fleet manager for a well known food brand, in those days a lot of firms still owned their reps cars but the change to leasing was coming in. He observed that conventional wisdom was to replace cars on the fleet at 3 years old as that was when they started to have lots of bills for things like exhausts, brakes, steering, suspension etc and it made sense to offload them before the bills came in. When we were talking about it they were in the process of changing over to leasing the cars so a number of the company owned cars had to be kept on past their 3 year life until the lease deal came into place, those 3 and a bit year old cars gave him the most trouble. That was 35 years ago, they were reps cars and cars have changed a lot since then, but if your friends are from an older generation perhaps they still operate by the wisdom of that time.
Personally 10 years is probably what I'd call old, even my wife's Nissan Almera made it to 12 years old, although what kind of use and abuse the car has had also comes in to it, I had a seriously neglected 10 year old 850 that was an old heap.

[Blue 8]

Originally Posted by DaveNP

Back in the early 80's a friends dad was the national fleet manager for a well known food brand, in those days a lot of firms still owned their reps cars but the change to leasing was coming in. He observed that conventional wisdom was to replace cars on the fleet at 3 years old as that was when they started to have lots of bills for things like exhausts, brakes, steering, suspension etc and it made sense to offload them before the bills came in. When we were talking about it they were in the process of changing over to leasing the cars so a number of the company owned cars had to be kept on past their 3 year life until the lease deal came into place, those 3 and a bit year old cars gave him the most trouble. That was 35 years ago, they were reps cars and cars have changed a lot since then, but if your friends are from an older generation perhaps they still operate by the wisdom of that time.
Personally 10 years is probably what I'd call old, even my wife's Nissan Almera made it to 12 years old, although what kind of use and abuse the car has had also comes in to it, I had a seriously neglected 10 year old 850 that was an old heap.

Very true.

3 years is their limit they would not own one older than that, serviceable items did come up in the conversation and both said they wouldn't want that hassle, having to worry about tyre's / brakes ect wearing out would worry them, to them that indicates the car is getting a liability lol.

[dme123]

Originally Posted by Blue 8

I'll explain why I asked this question.

A friend of the family was round the other evening and I noticed there car a new 4 series ( lovely car) I asked why they got rid of there other car ( which was 2 years old) and they're reply shocked me.

I was told because it was getting on a bit,,,, two years old and coincided " getting on " a bit.

They went on to say you can't really trust a car once they start ageing so they change them in every two/three years.

I explained any car of any age can and will break down which they agreed, but also said yes but at 3 years old they in their opinion more likely to be unreliable plus they just "getting on"

I personally wouldn't buy a car any car on finance but that's just me if I can't afford to buy it out right I don't buy, but the amount of money there cars cost them monthly in a one year I could run and maintain mine indefinitely.

But each to their own, but to say once it's two year old it's "old" and truly believe that really shocked me.

Next time this comes up agree with him completely, praise his wisdom and foresight and then offer to take some of these old sheds off his hands. We need people like him to keep us supplied with 3 year old cars that cost 40% as much as a new one, they are just the sort of fool that our house of cards economy is dependent on.

[Blue 8]

Originally Posted by dme123

Next time this comes up agree with him completely, praise his wisdom and foresight and then offer to take some of these old sheds off his hands. We need people like him to keep us supplied with 3 year old cars that cost 40% as much as a new one, they are just the sort of fool that our house of cards economy is dependent on.

Not once did I or he describe any vehicle as being an " old shed " and neither are fools.

My point of the thread wasn't / isn't to name call or judge it was merely me being shocked and what many class as old or a liability, some of there concern as pointed out by another member is valid once you see it from a different perspective.