What would you do?

Zazie

I have an old Micra, very reliable but bodywork starting to rust, 48,000 miles. My husband has a Corsa, about 5 years newer but 116,000 miles. He is planning to buy a new car.
Would it be a better bet to hang on to the Micra and sell the Corsa, or keep the Corsa and get rid of the Micra?

Any thoughts welcome. Thanks.

flashg67

Only my opinion, but we also have 2 cars, and like to have one newer (hopefully more reliable) one for family trips/holidays etc and the old clunker sits there for when it's needed, for tip runs and as long as it's not costing anything, will be run into the ground.
Unless the Micra rust is structural and needs welding for MOT, I'd be tempted to keep it, as it's probably worth more to you than its resale value?

Zazie

Thanks. That was my thougtht too, particularly as the Micra engine has far fewer miles on the clock, but my husband thinks I should take over the newer car. Useful to have a third opinion!

Dan-Dan

Run both into the ground , only spend £££££ when you have to

onomatopoeia99

Mileage is nothing to an engine these days assuming it's correctly service. Rust shouldn't really become a structural problem on anything under about 15 years old, it's not the bad old days of 1970s British Leyland (or worse, Lancia) any more - I just had one of my cars in for an MOT this week, manufactured in 2000, no sign of rust underneath at all yet. Garage has the other car now, on a 51 plate, no rust on that either.

I'm going to go with "it doesn't matter, keep the one you (as the person that will be driving it) want to keep."

Given your username, you should of course sell both cars and take the metro (sorry!)

colino

If you can see the rust on a Micras bodywork, no matter the mileage on the clock, get someone who knows what they are talking about to look at the front crossmember. Give him a dustpan and brush and he can show it to you too.

jozxyqk

My first car was a gen 2 Micra, N plate (~1996). Got it in 2000 and was trouble-free until rust problems in the mid-2000s. Failed MOT, required £~500 to weld up.
One year later, failed MOT again, quoted £~600 to fix.
Traded in for a Yaris.

Long story short: unless you can get mates' rates on welding, once it's failing MOTs, it's a gonner.

HTH.

Zazie

Thanks all. In the end, I am sticking with the Micra. Son's girlfriend is taking the Corsa, so it stays in the family.

Colino, not sure I understand what you meant.