What used car to buy?

Retired_Mortgage_Adviser

That's what I thought as well. It's never given her a single problem the past many winters and moving a couple of hundred miles up north means winters that are colder by a few degrees at most, it's hardly like she's moved to Siberia.

bigisi wrote: »

I'm inclined to say there's an issue though as it should be ok even in the coldest of our winters.

chelseablue

Retired_Mortgage_Adviser wrote: »

That's what I thought as well. It's never given her a single problem the past many winters and moving a couple of hundred miles up north means winters that are colder by a few degrees at most, it's hardly like she's moved to Siberia.

Yes, I think whoever said that must be mistaken

Friends of mine moved from the South East up to Preston a couple of years ago, taking their cars with them and they've been fine. Both cars over 10 years old

noclaf

My old focus has been solid and reliable in general however in winter when the temp drops I do tend to get some hesitancy on start up but only once in 10 years has it left me stranded and needing a jump start. But this is maybe one of the higher risks with running an older car. I.also had Halfords change my battery but it hasn't resolved that hesitancy on start up. Maybe this issue happens to afflict certain cars more than others e.g: Colts, Focuses etc

An comment on another similar thread mentions lack of use and short journeys with low annual mileage being a bad thing..I agree somewhat with the increased wear and tear but also disagree about it putting me off buying an old car with low miles. I think the complexity of newer cars and cost cutting in certain areas is lowering reliability. My car has had over 10 years of less than 5k per year and 90% are stop start short journeys and it gets driven pretty hard, I don't hang about. The car went through its last MOT with no advisory's. When this car eventually dies it will likely be replaced with another older car as in my experience so far they just seem to be more durable and when things go wrong, cheaper to fix. My only requirement of my next car is that it feels more heavier/solid from a safety perspective. I think my current car would end up as a.pancake in the event of a collision or at least I would!

mollycat

noclaf wrote: »

An comment on another similar thread mentions lack of use and short journeys with low annual mileage being a bad thing..I agree somewhat with the increased wear and tear but also disagree about it putting me off buying an old car with low miles. I think the complexity of newer cars and cost cutting in certain areas is lowering reliability.

Hi noclaf, afternoon

Just to clarify, in case it's my post you are referring to

I buy old cars, low mileage is fine up to a point
!!

Excessive low mileage, (like the example OP in the other thread gave, 29K in 15 years), will nearly always have caused detriment to the vehicle in some way. If that detriment is something you can live with, or repair fair doos.

The double whammy is when you go to look at that type of car and the owner thinks it is worth far more than an average mileage example.

At our end of the pool, age/mileage/care/history/reason for sale/existing mot/corrosion/impending bills are all factors that need assessing and balancing......well looked after old beauties are rare, but they're out there!

noclaf

mollycat wrote: »

Hi noclaf, afternoon

The double whammy is when you go to look at that type of car and the owner thinks it is worth far more than an average mileage example.

Well spotted that you linked my comment to your comment on a different thread

And I totally agree on the pricing for low miler old cars...some of it is unrealistic! On a slightly different note which older cars have been your winners and losers...relatively speaking from a reliability/maintenance perspective?
I figure this is a beneficial question for the OP so not trying to hijack the the thread 😄

Retired_Mortgage_Adviser

Yes, definitely on topic! I would love to know too.

noclaf wrote: »

And I totally agree on the pricing for low miler old cars...some of it is unrealistic! On a slightly different note which older cars have been your winners and losers...relatively speaking from a reliability/maintenance perspective?
I figure this is a beneficial question for the OP so not trying to hijack the the thread 😄

mollycat

noclaf wrote: »

Well spotted that you linked my comment to your comment on a different thread

And I totally agree on the pricing for low miler old cars...some of it is unrealistic! On a slightly different note which older cars have been your winners and losers...relatively speaking from a reliability/maintenance perspective?
I figure this is a beneficial question for the OP so not trying to hijack the the thread ��

No sweat!!

My anecdotal experience of cheap car buying over 35 ish years....

Never bought an out and out lemon but some have been better buys than others.

Individual vehicles can buck the accepted trend/wisdom...had Fiat Uno that was bombproof, had x3 VAG cars (B5 Passat, A3, Polo) that were reliability wise a bit ofa disappointment, (also had an Audi 80 that was superb).

Some stereotypes bear out; never bought a bad Japanese/Korean car, (Starlet, x2 Micras, Rav4, CRV, Avensis, even a Proton was surprisingly robust), electrical problems with French cars, (old style Megane, Peugeot 308), damp starting problems with older Fords, (84 Sierra, 92 Orion), when "starting the car" was actually a "thing" that needed considered and planned for accordingly!

Other memorables were, 84 Metro, (dad set it on fire when welding it!), 83 3 Series, (wish I'd never sold it, nicest car I,ve had), and my first car a 80 Volvo 343.

As the oldest car I,ve ever owned was an 05 plate Audi, (current car 03 plate CRV), none of these ramblings will help the OP.....

But you did ask!

Edit.....sorry my brain is obviously rotting from the inside out! It's probably only been 28ish years I've been driving, not 35!

noclaf

Thanks Mollycat.
To the OP, the usual suspects win here: older Jap/Korean and ideally manual petrol if lower mileage but lot of the older VAG diesels seem to eat up galactic miles with ease...on the basis of maintenance and service being done when required.

Richard53

I've heard a few people say that they had the first battery on a car last for 8-10 years, but the replacement only lasted 2-3 years. The obvious interpretation is that an older car is harder on the battery, but I can't think of any technical reason why that should be so. More logical to suppose that the manufacturers fit top quality batteries at the factory (buying thousands at a time, they can afford to), and many owners buy replacement batteries on price alone. A good car battery can cost £100 - if the replacement costs £29.99, you've got to ask why it's so cheap. Just a thought.