Life without car!!

Valencia

My car failed MOT yesterday on several points. I new it would fail on the headlights as even though the bulb had been changed it still was not working, so there is some wiring issue there, but the other things I had no idea about. The suspension has gone, and the mechanic has told me a lot of it is normal wear and tear and its unfortunate that they have all happened at the same time.

The cost to rectify it all and make it passable total over £500 + Vat and considering that the car was bought for £1200 two and a half years go and has already had a new engine replaced at the cost of £1000 (£500 of which I paid - long story), the mechanic has advised me that it would not be worth it to fix the car and I don't want to put that kind of money back into it.

I'm gutted. I've just bought my first house, so money wise I have no more to buy a new one. I can't believe my car has gone from being a car to being a worthless piece of metal. (The scrap people said I would be looking at around £50 for it - I'm sure the tires are more than that!)

I don't know what to do. The original MOT ends on the 10th but I know that it has failed, so my insurance is pretty much void.

Practicality wise, I'm thinking about how I'm going to get around without a car. Fortunately the house move meant I am nearer to work and can walk, but everything else, shopping, visiting family and friends, going into the city seem like such a mission (you can tell its been a long time since I've been on a bus!).

Money wise I'll be saving around £120 a month because there will no insurance and petrol to pay, plus I guess I will get fitter. But it might end up a false economy, what with buses and taxis.

I'm just sad about my car...we've been through a lot. Just going to take a moment...

Am I overreacting?

mummytofour

No your not over reacting, a car means independence to do what you want when you want and I think that you will find that takes a while to get use to.

I have just moved house also and I still have my car but I am walking much more, as the places I need to go to are now within walking distance, this I am enjoying and evn tho I still have my car part of me does feel sad that Im not using it as much as I once was, I am pleased at the cut in fuel bill tho which I am sure you will be also.

Maybe try getting a bike?

Vxx

ultrak3wl

Sadly I'm in same boat. P-reg Vectra I've had for years failed last month on power steering (they never used to test that in the good old days.) £500 to fix but car would only be worth about that to sell with MOT. A friend of a friend is going to see if it can be rescued otherwise its a write-off.

Spendless

awww :grouphug: have a hug. I thought I was going to put in this position. My car 12 years old paid £1000 3 years ago passed yesterday(to my amazement).

Anyway when I thought I was going to have to do without I started thinking about how I would have to change my lifestyle. I live in a village with a train station to the nearest town so that was a bonus. Here train fares are far cheaper than the bus. If I was reliant on bus I know my local bus company offer 'saver' tickets weekly/monthly for 3 days out of 7 etc. You could check on your local ones website.

Grocery shopping online? Get a lift with friend? Shoppers bus on day off?

Depending on how often you visit friends.family a distance away an occassional taxi might work out cheaper than your car was costing.

tomstickland

Spend the money and get it fixed would be my choice. Otherwise, it's probably worth around £600 in spares. All the parts have Ebay value.

aliasojo

Sympathies.

My OH had to borrow my car for work as his was in the garage for a few days. I was crawling the walls by the time I got it back.

There's no perfect answer unfortunately. I often think those who can't drive are lucky in a way as they don't have to worry about stuff like this, lol.

tomstickland

Then again, if I lived within walking/cycling distance from work then I'd live without a car for a while. When I was a student I was perfectly happy without a car. Pity that housing is so expensive near where I work.

BobToo

What kind and age of car is it? If it's a French car ( say that because they suffer from wearin the rear suspension and it costs about £500 to put right with new bits) you should be able to get the back axle replaced with a second hand unit and the headlight sorted for under £200. Ask around for a friendly local backstreet or kerbside garage.

Don't spend £500 to keep an old car on the road unless the rest of it is very good. You'll only have to spend the same again next year. You could probably get a better car with a long MOT for that £500.

ultrak3wl- I don't know what's wrong with your steering but a reconditioned power steering rack for a Vectra shouldn't cost much over £100. I haven't fitted one but it shouldn't be more than four hours at the very most. Beware of garages with high hourly rates, especially on an older car because they will put the apprentice on it. Expensive garages don't necessarily do a better job, their mechanics aren't paid any more.

1012donna

You have my sympathies. I'm kind of in the same boat. My OH is going away for 7 months on a course - starting mid May and we can't really afford to buy a second car so I'm doing without. Fortunately he'll be back every 2nd weekend (hopefully!!) and I have some good friends who'll help me out if I'm stuck. We do have a bus an hour but with a 5 year old, 2 year old and a pushchair its not worth the hassle. Plus they are the minibus type buses that run this route. It also takes 35 minutes to get to town and costs about £5 return whcih I feel is expensive. I just hope the weather is good this summer!!!!

Valencia

tomstickland wrote:

Spend the money and get it fixed would be my choice. Otherwise, it's probably worth around £600 in spares. All the parts have Ebay value.

I am concerned that if I do, it will be that the start of more expensive jobs to come. Its got to that age now.

Your Ebay idea however sounds like a good one, how would I go about this, dismantelling parts etc, selling bits etc?

tomstickland

How old is the car and how many miles? There's no rule that says old cars will always need expensive work.

If you've got the space then Ebay is just a matter of removing all the parts, photographing them, advertising them and posting them. I sold all of the parts from a 1989 BMW 3 series over 2 months and made around £750 from it. Every small part went - switches, knobs, wheels, drive shafs, exhaust system, wiring loom, headlights, grille, bonnet, doors, trim panels, seats, door locks etc etc.