Moral dilemma - selling a wedding present

Janepig

Person_one wrote: »

I admit though, I would expect a decent brand new car to last more than 5 years (mine is 7 years old and still flying through its MOT every year). Maybe your parents are surprised that its reached the end of its life so soon?

I was thinking this - I've never had a brand new car and they've always lasted over five years without having to spend thousands in repairs. I had a second hand Corsa for over ten years and that never needed much doing to it. The car I drive now I have had for five years next month and it was three years old when I got it - not looking to get rid of of it any time soon, I love it!

I can't see how it's going to be on its last legs if it's only five years old. Unless the OP's ragged it.

Jx

victory

I agree with person one after 5 years why would it need such expensive repair costs?

GobbledyGook

I wouldn't expect a 5 year old car to need thousands of pounds of work?

What kind of car is it and are you sure you can trust the place quoting you thousands?

Actually I wouldn't expect a car needing thousands worth of work to be running!

barbiedoll

Yes, I was thinking this. The only things on cars that potentially cost "£1000s" are engines, gearboxes and suspension problems.

Having said that, some of the newer cars do have expensive electronic components, and auto gearboxes can be expensive to fix.

A lease car from your workplace will be a major financial commitment though. Unless you get a very small and cheap car (like me!) it will cost upwards of a couple of hundred a month to pay for and to keep filled with fuel. And I don't know about your workplace but mine is a 3 year deal so you need to be sure that you will be able to afford to keep it for that long.

I wouldn't worry about the wedding present dilemma though, if your parents had bought you a bed or a TV instead, I'm sure they wouldn't expect you to keep using it if it was broken!

maman

GobbledyGook wrote: »

I wouldn't expect a 5 year old car to need thousands of pounds of work?

What kind of car is it and are you sure you can trust the place quoting you thousands?

Actually I wouldn't expect a car needing thousands worth of work to be running!

I've had my car from new and it's soon to seven years old and running fine. I'm curious what's happened to yours.


What I would say is that it must be still worth a bit in part ex. Your parents have got you started by buying you this 'deposit'. Why don't you use it to buy another decent car and show them how responsible you can be. Preferably a smallish, reliable car that will last you for lots more years. That way the legacy of your parents gift lives on.

jetplane

What is wrong with your car that will cost this much? Have you been advised, quoted or is someone saying its probably going to cost thousands?

In my experience cars are usually around 7 years old when you start noticing that they are costing you more but not thousands, not when you've driven them from new and had it serviced etc.

Do your parents think you're selling it for the money or because you want an upgrade?

pollypenny

Agree with most of the above. A 'new' car should still be in reasonable state after five years, with normal maintenance and servicing, unless it's something like a little micra that has been razed up and down the motorway everyday.

If you have found a good deal on a new one, and get a good price on this one, it may be time to trade in. Otherwise, I can understand your parents attitude.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all the replies, it needs a new DPF, and timing belt change is due. At the main dealer this will be between £3000 to £4500 depending on how many DPF sensors also need replacing. The trade-in value of the car is £4500, and I couldn't in clear-conscience sell it privately.

Getting it changed at an independent will cost £1200, but this will be a non-OEM DPF, and a couple of independent mazda specialists I've called have refused to take this job, saying it's a minefield and should only be done at the main dealer. Others have even offered to remove the DPF and remap the ECU, which is now illegal - and unethical - the DPF is there to keep our air clean.

The question can really be distilled down to: "what % of the resale value of a car is it worth spending on maintenance?"

My problem with selling it is what to get in it's place? A 2nd hand car of similar age with possibly other problems I don't know about? A new car and pay as much if not more in depreciation? Go for bangernomics? The real money-saving expert answer of course is not to have a car, I wish I had that option!

honeypop

I have been in similar situations in the past with various cars of mine and my husbands, and now I take the stance that I will pay up to what the car is worth for repairs if that will mean nothing else needs doing to it.

Eg: If my car was worth £2000 to sell, with the problems, then I would have £2000 to buy a different car with, and be buying something that I didn't know the history of (apart from the things you CAN find out) and may have hidden things wrong with it that then needed paying for. OR...I could pay that £2000 to fix my car and I still have a car that I know was looked after well and has nothing else wrong with it.

Might not work for everyone, but with the amount of cars we've been through over the years, this is what I go by now.

Edit: We only tend to have cars aged 2001-2005. Clearly I wouldn't apply this to very new or expensive cars.

maman

£4 500 is a good deposit figure. If it's depreciation that's worrying you then buy something that's not quite brand new. Over the years I've had a couple of cars that have been ex-demonstration and that sort of thing. I'd talk to the dealer and see what they can offer.


I'm guessing that your parents wanted to get you started with a decent car and help you out financially at the same time. If you just sell this one and pay out on a lease (for a car I assume you'll never own) then it seems you're more or less back to square one.


I remember my SIL when he and DD first got together. He was constantly buying old but flash cars that were constantly going wrong and seemed to be money pits. Then he bought a Clio on 0% finance. I think he liked having a new car but wasn't that happy it was quite small. But it served it's purpose, it was reliable and fairly cheap to run. When he'd paid for it he traded it up.


It's about getting on the ladder. IMO your parents have done that for you and you need to move forward.