Old car or new(ish) car - to stick or to twist?

suiko

hi all

I'm wrestling with this one and can't seem to come to a decision. So interested as to what others might think. Esp as I know next to nothing about cars :-)

I have had a Peugeot 1998 106 for 3 years (80,000 miles). It's been reliable (apart from having to get a new battery, driveshafts and front part of exhaust last year). New tyres two months ago. One owner who pretty much just used it for school runs.

Unfortunately it now needs a new clutch (and cable), for which I've been quoted almost £400. Obviously I've replaced the above, but I know, for example, the cam belt has never been replaced. Gearbox a bit clunky on some changes, but hasn't changed since I got the car.

My question is - is it worth spending this much on this car? I guess I am wondering about the probability of more major expenses in the near future.

The alternative is to buy a small car with a few years and not too much mileage on the clock. At £3000 most of the cars seem to have done as much mileage as mine! For £4000 or so there seem to be lots of Hyundai i10s, Ford Kas, etc around with about 5 or 6 yrs and 20,000 miles or so. If I do go for this, are these likely to be a better deal than a newer car with more mileage (these seem to be more expensive).

cheers

Mark

Strider590

Forget market value, a car is "worth" whatever it would cost to replace.

So if your looking at £3000 motors, then your car is worth £3000.

Also if your looking at something that age for £3000, halve that age and buy a bigger car for the same money, it'll be much more reliable for much longer. Small cars are designed for the consumer market, not for reliability.

AdrianC

You're looking to spend £600 on basic maintenance.
Spend £600 on changing cars, and you'll have a big pile of basic maintenance to do in the future - yet you know it's all been done on the 106.

Spend far more on changing, to save money on maintenance? <scratches head>
Tyres, batteries, cambelts - why would a 5yo <whatever> not need those doing in the near future anyway?

And a 5yo 20k car? Don't walk away - run away. It's never been properly warm, always just little short local runs, so it'll have far more wear than a car with twice the mileage. That sort of market, you'll probably find it's been grandma'd - so bargain for an early clutch replacement from where it's been parked at 5,000rpm and plenty of clutch slip. Probably had the corners straightened a few times, too, from touch-parking.

Joe_Horner

If everything else is good, have the clutch and cambelt done on your current one. Possibly put it in for an MOT (whether or not it needs one) first - it would be a bit upsetting to pay out on the jobs then get a big MOT fail a few months later on something else!

That way you'll be paying out (maybe) £800 total for a car that you trust, that you know runs well, is up to MOT standard, and that you know isn't going to need clutch or cambelt for another 5 years or more. The alternative will cost you an extra £2000+ and come with NONE of those guaranteed!

Incidentally, '90s Pug gearboxes are typically a little "clunky" and it's not anything to worry about - usually caused by wear in the linkage rather than the box itself.

Horizon81

AdrianC wrote: »

And a 5yo 20k car? Don't walk away - run away. It's never been properly warm, always just little short local runs, so it'll have far more wear than a car with twice the mileage. That sort of market, you'll probably find it's been grandma'd - so bargain for an early clutch replacement from where it's been parked at 5,000rpm and plenty of clutch slip. Probably had the corners straightened a few times, too, from touch-parking.

Load of nonsense. The OP's 106 falls into the criteria you're talking about "One owner who pretty much just used it for school runs" and it's served him well.

OP - I would say it's better the devil you know, as long as you can continue to live with the 'organic' nature of a 1998 Pug 106. Splashing 3k on a used supermini could land you with just as many bills - the same things you've shelled out for - batteries, exhausts, tyres etc, which are routine items on all cars.

suiko

Thanks a lot for all the advice :-)

Interesting to see that everyone seems to recommend sticking with the 106. If I get the cam belt done (regardless of wear?), is there anything else important I should look at?

Strider - I really don't want a bigger car, though. At least a significantly bigger one. Which models do you reckon would offer better reliability than the small ones I mention?

Hintza

The devil you know and all that.

One of my principal thoughts would be rust (any welding or mentions of corrosion in MOTs?). If that is not an issue then that would be one step closer to me deciding to keep it.

Horizon81

suiko wrote: »

Thanks a lot for all the advice :-)

Interesting to see that everyone seems to recommend sticking with the 106. If I get the cam belt done (regardless of wear?), is there anything else important I should look at?

On some cars it's worth getting the tensioner/pulleys replaced when you have the cambelt done. There are kits available. I'm not sure if this applies on the 106. Equally, with some cars (Clio) you have to remove the cambelt to get to the water pump so it's worth getting that done when the cambelt is off. Again, I have no idea where it is on a 106. You'd be better off joining a 106 internet forum, where fellow owners can offer more precise advice.

onomatopoeia99

suiko wrote: »

The alternative is to buy a small car with a few years and not too much mileage on the clock. At £3000 most of the cars seem to have done as much mileage as mine! For £4000 or so there seem to be lots of Hyundai i10s, Ford Kas, etc around with about 5 or 6 yrs and 20,000 miles or so. If I do go for this, are these likely to be a better deal than a newer car with more mileage (these seem to be more expensive).

I'd be more scared of a car that had done 4,000 miles / year than one that had done three times that, assuming it had a full service history.

Things like clutches and cambelts are expected items, any car you own will need them eventually (not all cars have cam belts, of course), so buying a newer car does not mean you won't have the cost.

If you get the belt done, get the tensioners and possibly water pump done at the same time. On one car I didn't (first car I'd had without a chain and knew no better) and a tensioner failed, so my 60,000 mile / four year life belt let go after 18,000 miles / two years. Fortunately it was a non-interference engine on that car, so I was able to get a new belt and tensioners and get it going again..

suiko

Thanks again. Will ask about tensioners and water pump.

Corrosion... this is what my last MOT said (it was done by the council, seems to have been pretty srict, as they mentioned indicators going white in colour"!)...

"Advise exhaust system corrosion/condition and heat shield broken"
"Advise some corrosion to front brake discs"
"Advise nearside front chassis damage (minor), some corrosion forming"

Any views?

skivenov

Wire brush and a tin of thick black paint (lidls have some in).

If it ain't rotten, and the rear beams not seized, it does what you want it to, keep it til the wheels fall off.