Do I get rid or hold on to it? Help me make a rational decision please.

[DXP55]

My Focus has just had it's 3 yr service - When went to pick it up they said we have some good news - it's hundred pounds cheaper than we quoted - it doesn't have the 5 ltr of DPF liquid on this one - so they gave me a bill for £400 - great saving - I hope my belt's will only come to £290- 4 tyres just cost me £108 each. -- They are 225-45-18's and best I could get Dunlop Maxx RT - I never scrimp on tyres.

Dave

 

[kefkef]

I'm a bit like mame up above. My suggestion, don't do it! it's a downward spiral that sucks the life out of your driving pleasure.

I went from a 172 Cup to a 1.5dCi Clio (with only a Vectra in between as a company car for a while). I still think back to how much fun I had hooning around in the Cup and how I enjoyed it (personified by the 6 points I had on my licence), but the DCi has been fairly bullet proof and no more points since. In the 9 years I have had it I've done 100k miles (first few years I only did around 5k miles per year), it's not the greatest of luxury (but then again neither was the Cup) but it gets me from A to B and gives me cost neutral motoring as I do a fair few business miles in it at work (usually get about £2-300 per month back from work business mileage).

I'm still waiting for a 'usual big diesel bill' which people talk about. Over the 9 years I don't recall any big bills, this year threw up a few hundred quid for the nearside suspension springs front and rear to be replaced (the wife drove it up a big rock kerb one day) but other than that nothing major I wouldn't expect to have had done on any other car through a 9yr lifespan.

My main issue now though, and this is where the downward spiral comes in.

I'd like a new car, been looking at Jag XF's (the other senior managers/directors love to take the mickey out of me when I turn up to meetings in my little clio), but I just think about how little the Clio currently costs me to run, approx £170 (£260'ish if I spread the purchase cost across the years) per month in Ins/Tax/Diesel/Portion of service & bills. When I work out the cost of a new car plus running it I just think about what I could do with all that extra money such as holidays etc. that I just end up not bothering. I used to love my cars and driving too!

 

[Gaygle]

My Focus has just had it's 3 yr service - When went to pick it up they said we have some good news - it's hundred pounds cheaper than we quoted - it doesn't have the 5 ltr of DPF liquid on this one - so they gave me a bill for £400 - great saving - I hope my belt's will only come to £290- 4 tyres just cost me £108 each. -- They are 225-45-18's and best I could get Dunlop Maxx RT - I never scrimp on tyres.

Dave

What on earth did they do to your car to justify £400 on a service? Was it a Ford main dealer? I think a major service on mine including 6 hi-power spark plugs, air filter, oil/filter, microfilter and "vehicle check" only came to around £500 at BMW.

 

[Kristoph]

The big bills are really only the belts. Have you got some time till the cambelt is due?

Otherwise its just a Renault Clio. So drive it into the ground - commute and enjoy it where you can.

I've spent a silly amount of money on mine but it's worth it

All the belts / dephaser and pump were done at 60,000 - so I've got some time yet before the cambelt is due - about 36k/2 and a bit years.

To be fair to the car, it's not cost me a huge amount, and the bits that have cost me have been through wear and tear and oversight (sticking rear calliper and cracked disc spring to mind).

I've not long been in a new job with room for earning growth, and some pay changes are hitting over the next few months - so fingers crossed I won't have a thread like this again.

We've all been there. I ended up with a 200,000 mile Volvo

please tell me you drove the Volvo to 200,000 and didn't buy one in a moment of despair?

 

[mjt]

please tell me you drove the Volvo to 200,000 and didn't buy one in a moment of despair?

I bought it on 185k and sold it a few months later to my flatmate. We flogged it with over 200k and still going strong! S90 3.0i

Great motor, just not what I needed. Ended up buying my Z3 Coupe within weeks of getting it

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Ah the good old cambelt service on the 182. I've had a 172 so know your pain get on cliosport and someone might be able to do it.., if it makes you feel any better my cambelt on the Impreza cost me £200 all in