The joys of buying second hand.

[Walker570]

I have only ever purchased one car new and that was becaue my car allowance paid off the credit scheme. Every other car I have owned has been a good second hand car with service history and low mileage. The present one I own is an X Type Jaguar estate AWD 2.5 V6  purcjased 7 years ago for £4000 and apart from normal servicing and wear and tear, most expensive being new discs on the front, the car has been a joy to own and to drive. Recently it started to huff and chuff and the engine light came on. Took it to an independant Jag expert who found out that the sensors needed replacment and also a couple of seals in the fuel system. He also put in a new set of plugs. Totally transformed the car back to new. The cost was just short of £900. Now I know those who would run in the corner screaming at this, shouting you should buy a new car BUT break it down. A new car of similar staure would probably cost me in the region of £35000 today and lose maybe 30% of that as soon as I drove it off the forecourt.  My Jag has in 7 years cost me just under £6000 in initial outlay and major repairs. I do not include service repairs, brake pads etc in that.   That is just over £850 a year AND I still have a nice comfy car to ride around in.   REMEMBER that new car probably cost me £10,000 before I got off the forecourt.   That is why I have nver purchased a new car in close to fifty years.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Walker570

[bruno22rf]

I had an X Type sat on my drive for 5 years, less than 50k on the  clock, British Racing Green 3ltr v6 in immaculate condition, when I bought it, it had just undergone a £3k restoration with any marked or rusty fitting replaced- I swear you could lick the underneath and not get dirt on your tongue. The rear brakes would, however, stick and overheat and while it was being repaired (took 4 months) I had to buy another car for daily use. After several hundred pounds spent on calliper rebuilds then replacement the fault was eventually diagnosed by a Jag expert as being caused by braided hoses causing back pressure on the anti lock system, replaced the hoses with standard and car was spot on. Unfortunately the other half refused to go in it as she had lost faith so it sat for years till I put it up for sale earlier this year, could not get £500 for it so it went to a salvage yard who then auctioned it off, someone got a bargain, it still had the original handbook, service record and bill of sale, even the original supplier key ring.

[Walker570]

D####### d###### D################  Why did you not put it on her I would have snapped it up. The rear brake problem is relatively easily cured.  Someone took you for a ...... never mind.  I am fortunate in having two good local gargaes who can sort these things......usually.

[adzyvilla]

Until I earned enough money to afford a decent car, I practiced bangernomics for years. Its amazing what you used to be able to get hold of for under 1k (with a full MOT). I had several that didn't pass a test after 12 months, but one 20 year old VW golf bought for £750 passed every year for 5 years and only cost me a few hundred in servicing costs. I will keep my now 7 year old subaru until it dies having owned it for 3 trouble free years. I'm with Walker570, I'll never buy a new car.

[Charliedog]

Most new cars are selling for equal or more than you paid for them 6 months later due to market shortage, used to be true though and will be again i am sure

[Wilts#Dave]

10 hours ago, Charliedog said:

Most new cars are selling for equal or more than you paid for them 6 months later due to market shortage, used to be true though and will be again i am sure

This ^^^^^

Not sure how long it will last, but new car/van demand is huge and the supply non existent has pushed prices through the roof…..new prices seem to go up every few months too! Annoyingly bad time to be buying a new car. 

[strimmer_13]

On 27/11/2021 at 17:09, adzyvilla said:

Until I earned enough money to afford a decent car, I practiced bangernomics for years. Its amazing what you used to be able to get hold of for under 1k (with a full MOT). I had several that didn't pass a test after 12 months, but one 20 year old VW golf bought for £750 passed every year for 5 years and only cost me a few hundred in servicing costs. I will keep my now 7 year old subaru until it dies having owned it for 3 trouble free years. I'm with Walker570, I'll never buy a new car.

I bought a volvo for £25 with 6months mot. Had 1/4 tank of fuel, and £13 in the ashtray in quids and 50p's. 

I've had some right sheds, and some right bargains. 

[Stephen-H]

i got a W reg (2000) mercedes c220 diesel with the brilliant om605 engine 5 cylinder turbo diesel 12 months mot recent service & some small work carried out for £500 ran it for 3 years before selling it on best car i ever had used run it on waste cooking oil i got from the local pub used to smell of roast potato's on the way to work.

[strimmer_13]

8 hours ago, Stephen-H said:

i got a W reg (2000) mercedes c220 diesel with the brilliant om605 engine 5 cylinder turbo diesel 12 months mot recent service & some small work carried out for £500 ran it for 3 years before selling it on best car i ever had used run it on waste cooking oil i got from the local pub used to smell of roast potato's on the way to work.

Worth doing again. I ran a few older diesels on supermarket veg oil, wish I could now 

Diesel £1.50 ltr

Veg oil from a supermarket £1 ltr

Still stank but still good mpg and a lot cleaner on the fuel filters/lines 👍

 

[Dave-G]

I've only bought new once, when cabbing and exploited the system to cover the deprecation. We currently have two cars, an 03 X-trail and an 02 Civic.

Both are spot on and I'm very pleased that they will not be losing copious amounts of money. I'm also aware their petrol carbon footprint is a lot less than it takes to produce new cars and they are easier and cheaper to DIY service and maintain than much more modern cars.

[Stephen-H]

3 hours ago, strimmer_13 said:

Worth doing again. I ran a few older diesels on supermarket veg oil, wish I could now 

Diesel £1.50 ltr

Veg oil from a supermarket £1 ltr

Still stank but still good mpg and a lot cleaner on the fuel filters/lines 👍

 

100% I often have a look on Ebay for the older Mercs/Peugeots but they are getting few and far between now sadly! Cant beat a bit of crisp & dry motoring 

[Dave-G]

3 minutes ago, Stephen-H said:

100% I often have a look on Ebay for the older Mercs/Peugeots but they are getting few and far between now sadly! Cant beat a bit of crisp & dry motoring 

Galaxy diesels used to run great on heating oil with gear oil to thicken it - before markers were used of course.

[Stephen-H]

10 hours ago, Dave-G said:

Galaxy diesels used to run great on heating oil with gear oil to thicken it - before markers were used of course.

Ye some of those older idi injected diesel would run on any old oil etc I had my merc running on 80% veg 20%misfuel diesel/petrol mix or what ever scraps of diesel or petrol I could drain from other cars (used to work in a breakers yard) it would always start a couple good long pre heats on the glow plugs & it would always fire up fantastic cars the older merc diesel's.

[Mice!]

On 27/11/2021 at 12:22, Walker570 said:

The present one I own is an X Type Jaguar estate AWD 2.5 V6  purcjased 7 years ago for £4000

And I pictured you going everywhere in an old Land rover 😳😳

[Walker570]

l also own as most on here know, a 1989 Land Rover with a slight difference which is my working machine.  Puirchased that 14 years ago for £600.

Probably spent about six grand on it apart from normal wear and tear items and it will still go whereever I wish to go , haul whatever I wish to haul and occasionally frighten the odd  boy racer at the lights.

[team tractor]

I’ve a new Vw T6.1 kombi on order .

my current Vw t6 van was £28,000 + vat and it’s almost 5 years old with 39,000 on the clock . 
it’s had repairs but under warranty and I’ve just been offered £25-26,000 for it 😁 inc vat . 

I can’t fault it really but it’s a tool to me .

 

my last terios lasted 3 years for £700 off here 😂.

On 02/12/2021 at 18:23, Mice! said:

And I pictured you going everywhere in an old Land rover 😳😳

You should hear his landy when he revs it up 😂. Sounds awesome 

[Saltings]

  always bought older good vehicles from auctions or private sales   when we had nothing  a vauxhal viva 5k on the clock  £65   while others bought rotten metros for a  £2500   because of the badge on the bumper       have had new vans and cars  not lease or hp     we bought them    in the past  haggled a deal  or walked away            in recent years  older vehicles i can fix     no electronics that dealers cant fix    as mrs said not scared about carpark  trolly damage              she drives a 53 plate c3 1.4 diesel 50+ to the gallon and  goes like a scalded rat     and loves it       i toe a lot   a shoot vehicle    a work horse    b2500 mazda  230k bullet proof  they start and run  every time  i can service and maintain myself    mrs car 5 yrs ago £700.00   cost us nothing other than tyres and pads       mine  02 bought   2010      as a jolly vehicle   b2500 £ 2100  80 tm on the clock     now 230 tm brake pade and oil nout else       down sized got rid of vans  as  i got crook        toyota previa  from new  as kids growing up didnt need anymore              never bought on a whim or bought a vanity plate     i see a solid vehicle low mileage  well looked after                            finger in the exhaust spit on the soot washes off not burning oil       if greasy soot  walk away            many years ago      a triumph 2500  absolutely mint  plastic covering on everything   6k on the clock  burning oil like nothing i have ever seen   went to tescos once a week scrap                      a vanity plate sat on the drive costs money    no milk in the fridge