Opinions wanted - Keep old banger or buy newer car

[Deleted User]

Currently got a 2002 Fiat Punto which is falling to bits. 95000 miles now and cost £600 to get through last MOT.

Now it turns out the ECU is on its way out. Still OK at the mo, but it'll be over £500 to replace. At the moment, only prob is the cooling fan gets stuck on sometimes.

Wife uses it for small business and its got advertising on but it doesnt look great on such a scruffy car.

Currently insurance is cheapish but could be cheaper and car tax is normal price (not low).

We were thinking of selling it maybe getting £1K for it and getting a newer Matiz for £4/5K. Cheaper insurance, cheaper car tax but it would cost about £100 month in loan/finance.

Any comments on what would be cheaper in the long run? I'm just concerned the punto is starting to be a bit of a money pit.... :-(

flyingscotno1

If the car is starting to become unreliable I'd be tempted to cut my losses too but I'm not sure a Matiz at £4K is the best option- I'd probably suggest something else- depending how new you want it.

In the end it is up to you- if the Punto is starting to develop faults constantly cutting losses would seem sensible if you can afford something better.

EdGasket

ECU's do not go 'on their way out'; they either work or they don't. Who says it's 'on its way out' and with what evidence?
Personally I've always run old cars and maintain them myself which saves a fortune and makes them reliable. If you have to pay for repairs then an older car is not always the most economic but I wouldn't call a 2002 car a 'banger'; it's way newer than anything I have owned in my entire life (54 years) !

Kilty_2

Lease something like a Hyundai i10 for very little and put it through the business.

skiddlydiddly

No need to buy a new ecu, one from a scrapyard will do for what the car is worth.If you have an old banger my advice would be to run it into the ground and get your moneys worth.Obviously keeping road worthy goes without saying.

If you really want a new car, was talking to a mate who is a car salesman today and he told me with the scrappage scheme they can do some entry level cars(Suzuki something or other) for £5.5k new.

Kilty_2

skiddlydiddly wrote: »

If you really want a new car, was talking to a mate who is a car salesman today and he told me with the scrappage scheme they can do some entry level cars(Suzuki something or other) for £5.5k new.

Can get a Fiat Panda 1.1 for £5995 from Arnold Clark without scrappage.

Leasing makes more financial sense for a business though.

jd82

Just collected my brand new Panda today and it is a lovely city car. They are much much more reliable than Puntos and look different so would stand out - good for business.

I would find out what is wrong with your Punto first, it won't be the ECU it may be a sensor or something. The engines are solid (providing it has been properly serviced) so 95k is not a problem, they don't rust either so again 95k is not an issue.

On a Punto that age I would be concerned about if the power steering will pack up.

Forget the Suzuki Alto, it makes the Panda look like a BMW in terms of build qualility. Not only is the Panda a better car it is cheaper.

The i10 is also worth looking at, as is a used C1/Aygo etc.

Forget the Matiz, you will just wish you had kept your Puntu, HJ wreckens the Matiz is only good for three years.

Jennie-1987

Quick related query, if the car is a good runner with good mileage but 12 years old dented/scratched/unaesthetically pleasing that it couldnt be sold on, is there an alternative to it being scrapped? I think its worth more than zero but noone would choose it over something with more miles and a no dents.

Its up for MOT and Tax end of this month so im taking some recent inheritance and hopefully buying a new used car so it has to go soonish as well.

Kilty_2

Jennie-1987 wrote: »

Quick related query, if the car is a good runner with good mileage but 12 years old dented/scratched/unaesthetically pleasing that it couldnt be sold on, is there an alternative to it being scrapped? I think its worth more than zero but noone would choose it over something with more miles and a no dents.

Its up for MOT and Tax end of this month so im taking some recent inheritance and hopefully buying a new used car so it has to go soonish as well.

Can you get it through a MOT without spending much more than the £54 on it?

ANY car with 12 months MOT will sell for £400+ providing it's a runner. At this end of the market the fact it runs and is road legal is paramount. Someone looking for a "drive to the station" car etc doesn't care about aesthetics.

Plus, a car with no MOT will sell too providing it's not a complete shed.

Jennie-1987

Kilty wrote: »

Can you get it through a MOT without spending much more than the £54 on it?

ANY car with 12 months MOT will sell for £400+ providing it's a runner. At this end of the market the fact it runs and is road legal is paramount. Someone looking for a "drive to the station" car etc doesn't care about aesthetics.

Plus, a car with no MOT will sell too providing it's not a complete shed.

Itll cost more than that for the MOT plus £70 for tax and its go no trim on the drivers side, dented in the door and front side bonnet from going into an Audi, theres a hole below the lock on the passenger side from a break-in and scratches all alongside the driver side from a brickwall. (these can be explained so i dont sound massively accident-prone btw).

So itll be at least a £150/£200 outlay for an 'ugly' car that wont have a cd player and needs to be gone asap...

Kilty_2

You don't need to tax it - just MOT it. (what kind of car is it?)

Lot of people would buy it now with enough MOT left to get home in it though - so it might be worth just selling before it expires.