How much to save for second hand car?

noclaf

Mercdriver said:

Mazda still use a torque converter auto box

Thanks, exactly what I was hoping to hear!

forgotmyname

£2000 for something tidy and reliable, or  £3000 for something nice with lots of gadgets.  Buy at 5 years old and keep for
3 to 5 years where it should owe you very little.

Works for me.

bigadaj

forgotmyname said:

£2000 for something tidy and reliable, or  £3000 for something nice with lots of gadgets.  Buy at 5 years old and keep for
3 to 5 years where it should owe you very little.

Works for me.

What are you buying at that price and that age?

Mercdriver

bigadaj said:

forgotmyname said:

£2000 for something tidy and reliable, or  £3000 for something nice with lots of gadgets.  Buy at 5 years old and keep for
3 to 5 years where it should owe you very little.

Works for me.

What are you buying at that price and that age?

A bicycle...

forgotmyname

Mondeo's of course.      2009 bought an almost 5 year old Mondeo diesel estate for £2350.  Being  an estate even
I thought that was cheap.  130k on the clock. But i took it to 172 and the next owner did 60k in just 2 years.

Nov 2018 bought a 63 plate (Jan 2014) Mondeo Estate Diesel. (late facelift MK4 not MK5)  £3150.  With a full
service and cambelt/pump change into the deal.  156k on the clock though.

Both bought from dealers. Ebay 1st one and Autotrader 2nd one.

bigadaj

forgotmyname said:

Mondeo's of course.      2009 bought an almost 5 year old Mondeo diesel estate for £2350.  Being  an estate even
I thought that was cheap.  130k on the clock. But i took it to 172 and the next owner did 60k in just 2 years.

Nov 2018 bought a 63 plate (Jan 2014) Mondeo Estate Diesel. (late facelift MK4 not MK5)  £3150.  With a full
service and cambelt/pump change into the deal.  156k on the clock though.

Both bought from dealers. Ebay 1st one and Autotrader 2nd one.

Interesting, a search currently on autotrader in that price range and mileage shows a number at the 6 to 7 years age range, so a little older than you have indicated but may be a function of the time since you purchased. Obviously a risk that any big repairs could be uneconomic but just scrap the vehicle then I guess, should get at least a couple of years out of them on average i suppose.

forgotmyname

I get more than a couple of years because im a low mileage user.  Under 6000 per year and this year its going to be super low.

Car has not moved since the lockdown.  Other years as little as 4000 miles with 2000 of those in a few weeks whilst on
holiday.

High mileage works for me. And yeah I do watch ebay/autotrader a lot when thinking of changing cars.  I can be patient
and sit waiting for the bargains to popup. My current car was way below book price, didnt mention things like the
factory fitted towbar which i spotted in some of the pictures.

Paid £3k insured for £4k and even then the insurer said are you sure book price was close to £6k.  And its tidy not
a rough and ready hack vehicle. Dual climate, satnav etc etc.


You need to keep looking for these bargains and be ready to swoop in.  Whilst viewing this car (got there before they actually opened)
someone else pulled up to view it. One my my tips for buying a used car. No risk of them warming it up or tinkering with it.

I sell it when its 10 years old the mileage wont look so bad and a list of oil changes yearly or sub 6000 miles so its a good buy
for the next guy that wants something cheap.  The Petrol car I exchanged in 2009 with over 150k on the clock was still going
9 years later.  MOTs showed they covered less mileage that I do.

noclaf

forgotmyname said:

I get more than a couple of years because im a low mileage user.  Under 6000 per year and this year its going to be super low.

Car has not moved since the lockdown.  Other years as little as 4000 miles with 2000 of those in a few weeks whilst on
holiday.

High mileage works for me. And yeah I do watch ebay/autotrader a lot when thinking of changing cars.  I can be patient
and sit waiting for the bargains to popup. My current car was way below book price, didnt mention things like the
factory fitted towbar which i spotted in some of the pictures.

Paid £3k insured for £4k and even then the insurer said are you sure book price was close to £6k.  And its tidy not
a rough and ready hack vehicle. Dual climate, satnav etc etc.


You need to keep looking for these bargains and be ready to swoop in.  Whilst viewing this car (got there before they actually opened)
someone else pulled up to view it. One my my tips for buying a used car. No risk of them warming it up or tinkering with it.

I sell it when its 10 years old the mileage wont look so bad and a list of oil changes yearly or sub 6000 miles so its a good buy
for the next guy that wants something cheap.  The Petrol car I exchanged in 2009 with over 150k on the clock was still going
9 years later.  MOTs showed they covered less mileage that I do.

I've averaged 4k per yr for the last 15 yrs and followed a similar logic having only owned 2 cars.
First car £3700 - cheap petrol, I lost a chunk in px/but it had a lot of issues and checking the MOT history glad I got rid!
Second car - £4800 Ford Focus full dealer history with around 35k on clock.10 years later still going strong and flying through the MOT's. If any big issues crop up I will move it on but not bothered as it's done the job so far and for so long.
I missed out on more
 interesting cars but when doing 4k per year hard to justify anything nicer.

forgotmyname

[noclaf]  You must be rich or like wasting money  £3700 or £4800... Wow what a waste  ...

Someone needs to waste money on new or newer cars though.  2009 £2300 car cost £18k new, losing nearly 16k in 5 years.

noclaf

forgotmyname said:

[noclaf]  You must be rich or like wasting money  £3700 or £4800... Wow what a waste  ...

Someone needs to waste money on new or newer cars though.  2009 £2300 car cost £18k new, losing nearly 16k in 5 years.

Lol indeed lavish excesses
Agree on your second points I don't judge anyone who wants to pay full whack brand new PCP or Cash..if someone else will take the hit then as you say more available later down the line!