Help from car enthusiast needed....

vernell

Hi

Im hoping someone out there can help us. We heard today that our peaugeot 307 is on its last legs as the DPF Filter needs changing (£380), the alternator is on its way out (£180), the suspension is dodgy and it has done 133000 so the mechanic said that he would recommened not to pay out to get all the work done as it probably wont last that long anyway.

The problem is we still owe £1600 on it (I finish paying in August for it) and so we now think we would be safer to part-x it now before it dies. However....We are also saving for a wedding and so things are very tight.

What do you think is best to do as we are going to have to pay for the new car on an interest free credit card to be able to pay a small monthly payment each month until the other car is paid off. Should we buy a second hand car and if so, does anyone know of a really sturdy one which will do lots of miles as we do on average 350 miles a week.

Or, should we go for a brand new car and struggle for the next 8 months but be gaurenteed that it would last 3 years?

Thanks

catflea

350 miles a week is nothing! I did that for the best part of three years in an N reg fiesta that I got for free! (blummin ex girlfriend... :rotfl:)

What kind of budget are you looking at for the new car? Lets be sensible here and say that you are intending to pay off the 0% card before the term runs out - work out what you can afford each month and times that by the intrest free period (lets say 10 months for arguments sake) say you can afford £200 a month, look for a car thats 2k or under - that way the finance hasn't cost you anything and you dont kave to keep making payments forever and a day. I've no idea if that matches your situation though....

My personal opinion is never to buy new - HUGE waste of money.

I'd personally be looking at focus's/Astras etc :cool:

goldspanners

DPF here.

Alternator here.

if your handy with a few spanners you could more than likely do the alternator yourself,but remember to disconnect the battery first.

get the DPF fitted by someone if you are not comfortable doing this.

whats wrong with the suspension? if its just a few bushes then get them changed,if shockers then you should be able to pick them up for around £50 each from a motor factors,aswell as the above items ive linked to,check and see if they are cheaper at a motor factors.

jonathon

goldspanners wrote: »

DPF here.

Alternator here.

if your handy with a few spanners you could more than likely do the alternator yourself,but remember to disconnect the battery first.

get the DPF fitted by someone if you are not comfortable doing this.

whats wrong with the suspension? if its just a few bushes then get them changed,if shockers then you should be able to pick them up for around £50 each from a motor factors,aswell as the above items ive linked to,check and see if they are cheaper at a motor factors.

was just about to post the same you beat me to it:beer:

harveybobbles

We take the DPF off and steam clean them, put them back up, top up the elloys fluid and reset the lights.

Inactive

Buy a car, put off the wedding.:D

Wig

Scrap yard parts? You'll def get an alternator for about £15, dunno about the DPF but I don't see why not.

Depending what's wrong with the suspension, the scrap yard could help there aswell.

dannymccann

vernell wrote: »

Hi
it has done 133000 so the mechanic said that he would recommened not to pay out to get all the work done as it probably wont last that long anyway.

Most expensive part of a car is the engine to overhaul / replace. Going by your description its a few service items that this guy is trying to rip you off with. If there is nothing wrong with the engine/gearbox then there is no reason to get rid of the car. Try an independent garage, there is no need to go to main stealers (if thats where you are).

An example - Nationwide Autocentres waned £250 to do a pair of front discs and pads and a brake pipe, the independent literally round the corner wanted £130

AdrianHi

If the total of repairs is including suspension is in the region of £700 and when a vehicle gets top that age expenses like this tend to be the trend rather than isolated events then you are spending about the same each year in repairs as you would in depreciation on a 1 year old equivalent car.
The 1 year old car will save you a bit in fuel and tax too most likely.
Your mileage is also high enough for the car to be needing attention probably every other month even if some visits are just for the annual MOT and tyres etc. I find when cars that get to this stage with my 18K miles a year driving impracticle to live with.

If you want to do DIY repairs I''m sure it could be economically viable to keep going for a while but you will not be saving much money doing it, you will just be avoiding the cash flow challenge obtaining a newer car presents until later. That might suit your circumstances though.

tomstickland

DPF + alternator + suspension at 133K.
If it was mine I'd fix it up.

Scuttsy

Just to go on a slight tangent is the £1,600 you owe on a hire purchase agreement or personal loan. If you have paid off over 50% of the total amount that is owing on a hire purchase agreement you are legally allowed to terminate the agreement and hand the car back to the finance company with nothing more owing.

So long as the car appears Ok it will just be sent to auction by the finance company s this may be a good way out of the car.