Is it ever worth getting rid of a car?

Maccapacca

Maccapacca

Maccapacca

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Don
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Wife has been offered a new job that will entail her travelling 18,000 miles per year, we are wondering if it's worth her getting another more economical car for that sort of mileage.

She has Zafira 55 reg 1.9 CDTi circa 47 mpg combined and was looking at a Golf Bluemotion circa £10k and 50,000 miles returning 62 mpg combined

When I work out ppm for fuel and servicing (0.05 ppm) allowing one large £1k bill a year 2.8 years to break even, with no major breakdown stretches out to 6.8 years to break even

Am I right allowing 5ppm for servicing and and MOT about £900 which should cover one service MOT and a pair of tyres per year, should I be allowing say 10ppm for the Zafira and 5ppm for the Golf?

Zafira is in OK condition, not great 120,000 miles just had a cam belt and waterpump and the only big bill on the horizon is that it has never had a clutch say £600 and maybe a turbo if it ever went £600

I think what I'm getting to is there is no financial sense in changing to a more economical car we may as well just keep the Zafira even if it does blow up
 
You could look at your figures from the opposite angle and sticking with the Zafira will "save" your suggested amounts.

Unless your wife is wanting to change it'd make most financial sense to stick with the Zafira unless you can see some larger bills on the horizon?
 
maccapacca said:
Am I right allowing 5ppm for servicing and and MOT about £900 which should cover one service MOT and a pair of tyres per year, should I be allowing say 10ppm for the Zafira and 5ppm for the Golf?
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Always hard to judge. My car managed to cost me 16ppm in servicing, maintenance and repairs this year but that was probably due to a couple of large bills and my lowest annual mileage in 7 years (11k).

That said, I agree that financially the car you own is normally the cheapest. If you are happy with the car then keep it as is and consider it again when you come to the point that you want to change it.
 
£900 is abut high surely for just servicing, MOT and tyres. £300 on tyres, £200 for a major service (probably lower that) and £50 MOT. However you never know how much it will be to get it through that MOT...
 
Thanks for the replies I think it's answered it, just wondering when enough is enough and time for another car

SeatIbiza said:
£900 is abut high surely for just servicing, MOT and tyres. £300 on tyres, £200 for a major service (probably lower that) and £50 MOT. However you never know how much it will be to get it through that MOT...
Click to expand...

Just based on 10ppm if I reduce it to 5ppm it's even longer to break even

sigma said:
Seems a bit strange to spend £10k in order to save money.
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I'd probably get £4k for the Zafira so the calc is how much to get back then start saving money on £6k

Fuel consumption is less
Tax is less
Insurance will be less
Maintenance should well be less
 
The time to change your car is when you are bored of it.

Any financial reasons are largely bull*** to cover up the fact you are simply bored of it and want something else.
 
Surely you PPM's are too low.

At current prices, approx £1.39 for diesel the PPM for a 60mpg car is approx 10.5p for fuel alone, add in tyres (1 set a year @ 18K miles/year), at least 1 major service a year, an MOT, Tax, Insurance etc etc you are probably up to nearer 20-30ppm depending on varaiable which change from car to car.
 
Vauxhall Zafira (2005-)
5Dr MPV 1.9 CDTi 120 Active (2005/55)
Car valuation adjusted for 120,000 miles
Retail: £3,410
Private Good: £2,390 - Expect to sell it for private(less fees involved)
Private Average: £1,780
Private Poor: £1,200
Part Exchange: £2,150
Trade: £1,859

Volkswagen Golf (2004-09)
5Dr Hatchback 1.9 TDi DPF Bluemotion (2009/09)
Car valuation adjusted for 50,000 miles
Retail: £10,845
Private Good: £8,715 - What you should expect to pay private
Private Average: £7,655
Private Poor: £7,235
Part Exchange: £8,395
Trade: £7,868

After 2 years

Volkswagen Golf (2004-09)
5Dr Hatchback 1.9 TDi DPF Bluemotion (2008/57)
Car valuation adjusted for 86,000 miles
Retail: £7,897
Private Good: £6,017 - Expect to sell it for private(less fees involved)
Private Average: £5,087
Private Poor: £4,497
Part Exchange: £5,677
Trade: £5,254

Run the Zafira for another 2 years, It'll still be worth around half it's current value, about £1200 by then.

OR

Sell it now and buy the Golf, which will lose around £2700 in depreciation alone over the next 2 years.

As long as the Zafira is running ok, it's better the devil you know...and a lot cheaper to keep it.
 
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