At what point do you call it quits on a car?

[throwaway4372]

At what point do you call it quits on a car?

When I start worrying about it. When I'm spending time thinking about the car when I'd rather be doing something else.
So in your case, I'd be getting rid of it now.

 

[Raymond Lin]

here it is from autodoc inc r-design

you got to learn to shop around. grab that part number search around and see if its cheaper elsewhere. thats what i do.

Thanks, I don't know enough to trust random brand I have never heard of. If the Sachs (never heard of it too until yesterday), then I am not sure I trust myself with these...my immediate concern would place these in the same category as ditchfinders. I am actually very good at shopping around, but as my mind was made up with getting genuine Volvo parts, as opposed to "cheapest part I can get my hands on". I am happy with the price. Since no one can find what I am actually looking for - genuine volvo parts...even if they are merely branded, for less than £150 each.

If I were shopping around for alternatives, sure. Should I have? Perhaps, but I made up my mind to get Volvo parts and that was done. Else I would have asked for alternatives, I know full well asking after the fact is a bit late.

When I start worrying about it. So in your case, I'd be getting rid of it now.

I am actually not lol You guys are more than I do!

 

[Cyber-Mav]

if you think KYB is a random brand then it makes sense for you to stick to the main dealer and pay the prices. unfortunately you have no clue about cars

 

[Raymond Lin]

if you think KYB is a random brand then it makes sense for you to stick to the main dealer and pay the prices. unfortunately you have no clue about cars

I know I have no clue about cars, hence I opted for genuine Volvo Parts! Isn't that obvious?

I am very aware of my limitations and not start shopping for random parts in things I know nothing of, buying tools that I don't know if it fits, getting under a car on a gradient that I am not sure if it is safe, undoing bolts that I don't know if it is the right one. There are a lot of things that you know that you take for granted which is obvious to you, which is critical, that someone like me do not know...and then break something or worse still, put it back wrongly and then the car crash and I accidentally kill somebody...am I being dramatic? perhaps...but I don't know enough about cars to start fiddling with suspensions.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

I know I have no clue about cars, hence I opted for genuine Volvo Parts! Isn't that obvious?

but if your gonna go main dealer then why post on forum for advice on when to call it quits? usually people would ask for where they can get the job done cheaper from.

but to address your main topic of when to call it quits, the goalpost keeps moving further away when you keep spending more on it for repairs. it just gets harder and harder to call it quits when you have sunk so much into it and when its that unreliable all you can hope for is for it to be written off somehow to forcibly be separated from it.

 

[Raymond Lin]

but if your gonna go main dealer then why post on forum for advice on when to call it quits? usually people would ask for where they can get the job done cheaper from.

but to address your main topic of when to call it quits, the goalpost keeps moving further away when you keep spending more on it for repairs. it just gets harder and harder to call it quits when you have sunk so much into it and when its that unreliable all you can hope for is for it to be written off somehow to forcibly be separated from it.

If you read again, I NEVER, once, asked for advice. The question was "at what point do YOU call it quits"

I never asked you "should I call it quits".

It is in the thread title.

I have stuck with "genuine Volvo parts" the entire time, the goal posts never moved, it is people who keep trying to move it to 3rd party parts and alternatives. I never asked for advice, I asked "when do you call it quits".

 

[Cyber-Mav]

well i quit.

 

[Raymond Lin]

well i quit.

It wasn't until 2 days ago I realised tools comes in both metric and imperial! I didn't know they make the same sets with 2 different units of measurements. I am FULLY aware of my limitations, people who thinks "oh this is well known!" are too ignorant, and they don't even know it, at least I know about my own ignorance.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Im out, no wants to be seen to be a Vulva helping a Volvo.

The craziest thing about being active on a multibrand motors forum is not using it to help yourself

 

[Raymond Lin]

Im out, no wants to be seen to be a Vulva helping a Volvo.

The craziest thing about being active on a multibrand motors forum is not using it to help yourself

This thread has turned into a different tangent (as usual on the forum), there are things in life where one should learn, one that you should just leave it to others. We all draw the line differently for different things.

Some people never learn to cook, I think it's easy to make anything.
Some people never learn to fix their own IT problem. I have never needed to call IT support.
Some people never learn to DIY, I know someone even built their own house, everything from drawing the plans to laying the brickwork. (it's not actually that hard)

I chose car being something I won't fix if it require tools, I made that decision couple of decades ago. I just don't want to get a bunch of tools that sits there and never use, and especially when it is under the car, fear of being crushed. it's a never-ending rabbit hole I choose not to go down to. I have this personality where once I start tinkering things, it never stops. Cars is a bottomless pit, if I start getting into it more than I do now, where I draw the line at - keep everything 100% stock and original and that means Volvo Parts. Rather than - replacing parts because it's better, then I will go into "oh perhaps I will try that part, may be that intake is better, or that exhaust is better. This is the kind of personality I have. Once the door opens, I go in deep.

Side note - which goes back to my other point, just because I didn't tell you before, don't assume the worst, because the worst here would be me going very deep and start modding my car and spending thousands if not tens of thousands on it. It is why I got a Mac...the fact that they can't be upgraded is a GOOD thing, it might be more expensive at first, but I don't touch it and just use it. I know about this side of my character, to stop my tinkering...I cut it off at the start. Set a limit, even if the cost at the high at the beginning, it saves me money in the long run.

This is probably more than you want to know. I do this with every hobby I have...it's something in my head that makes me not jump in at all or jump in deep. Case in point - 2 days ago I was looking for a 17mm Hex socket so I can mod my Gaggia espresso machine. Instead of getting 1 single socket that does the job, I end up with a set of Wera costing £150 in my basket! I started with a £64 set and thought...this £81 set has a nicer ratchet spanner...noooo, this £100 set has a Zyklops that replaces both screw driver AND spanner....and no...this £150 is even better value with more bits, this is how my mind works, I know myself enough to know that once I commit, I go in hard.

And no, I stopped myself getting it completely, because a set of Draper for £25 would also do the same job. This is who I am, go in deep....and it is expensive!

So do you now know why I just want genuine Volvo parts? From not wanting to work on my own car and not opening the pandora box of car maintenance/upgrades.

 

[Lopéz]

Ray, although I do a lot of work on my own cars, I totally get where you are coming from. Sometimes you just don't want or care how something functions or how easily you could do it yourself - you just want to pay the money and let somebody else do it, and you are not prepared or interested in shopping around for cheap parts that might/might not be available.

There are so many people in this thread telling you to learn how to do the work yourself, buy tools to do the job, purchase from brands you aren't familiar with, all that stuff - but if you are not inclined to then it's basically useless advice.

For me, the call it quits scenario depends on a lot of factors

• What did I pay for the car
• Do I still really like it
• How long have I had it
• How long, realistically, do I envision keeping it
• Is it showing signs of being untenable in terms of what I am prepared to justify on running costs (eg is it breaking down all the time, is there galloping corrosion coming through all over the place, does the car look unbearably scruffy or minging inside)
• Have I got the itch for something new

I weigh all that up and decide what to do. Sometimes it comes down to almost a whimsical coin toss.

 

[julianhj]

Ray, although I do a lot of work on my own cars, I totally get where you are coming from. Sometimes you just don't want or care how something functions or how easily you could do it yourself - you just want to pay the money and let somebody else do it, and you are not prepared or interested in shopping around for cheap parts that might/might not be available.

There are so many people in this thread telling you to learn how to do the work yourself, buy tools to do the job, purchase from brands you aren't familiar with, all that stuff - but if you are not inclined to then it's basically useless advice.

For me, the call it quits scenario depends on a lot of factors

• What did I pay for the car
• Do I still really like it
• How long have I had it
• How long, realistically, do I envision keeping it
• Is it showing signs of being untenable in terms of what I am prepared to justify on running costs (eg is it breaking down all the time, is there galloping corrosion coming through all over the place, does the car look unbearably scruffy or minging inside)
• Have I got the itch for something new

I weigh all that up and decide what to do. Sometimes it comes down to almost a whimsical coin toss.

This is my approach. When my last car (11 year old Focus) reached a stage where it needed a new ABS pump, the clutch was starting to slip, and a few other bits were on the horizon, combined with a really strong desire for something more interesting, I decided to get rid. The equation will probably be different for everyone, as it's so subjective, and can often be a heart vs head decision in my experience.

 

[Drollic]

Unless you trust the garage near 100%, I think it's quite often a case of if the car actually needs the work doing. This is where you need to be slightly mechanically minded or know someone who is.

 

[jaybee]

I think it depends on a case by case basis. I have an old 2003 Focus as well. I think this will be the last year ours runs.

I got it through the MOT with new rear ARB bushes, exhaust leak repair and all new rear brake shoe kit. Cost me about £70 in cheap parts. The car is worth £200-£300 probably via we buy any car. Any big thing that goes writes it off. But then...I say that... I put a battery on it last year at about £100 because the alternative is you go out and buy another banger which costs time and money and effort in itself. There is something cool about driving a beat up car not having to worry about where you park it etc. But this year, MOT has advised several suspension components/arms with pretty bad rust. I expect this will realistically be the last year, as already the aircon - despite trying - does not seem easily fixable (some electrical issue).

I do quite a lot of DIY car stuff and have a good tool collection built up. I know my limits though. More often these days I weigh up the time/effort/safety of doing work on the drive vs a proper car lift at a garage, and garage usually wins. It's purely out of stubbornness that I refuse to get bent over a lot of the time.

Focus Home repair:
£50 off ebay for entire rear brake shoe kit, including cylinders, all springs and clips
£5 euro car parts exhaust sealer putty
£3 euro car parts for an exhaust clip
£20 euro car parts for 2 x rear ARB bushes/link pins
TOTAL = £78

Garage quote:
To fix exhaust (literally a loose/rusty clamp) and fit new ARB bushes (half hour job for competent mechanic) = £240
To fix brakes = ("we would need to charge minimum 1 hour labour to get them apart and decide what's wrong. If the shoes need all replacing it would be 1 hour labour per side, plus parts cost")
TOTAL = £500+ easily

 

[Akagi]

To answer your original question, it's usually when I am bored of it, and whether I fix it before resale will depend on if it will cost more to fix myself than the difference in resale value in its current condition vs it's fixed condition.

 

[Janesy B]

I know I have no clue about cars, hence I opted for genuine Volvo Parts! Isn't that obvious?

I am very aware of my limitations and not start shopping for random parts in things I know nothing of, buying tools that I don't know if it fits, getting under a car on a gradient that I am not sure if it is safe, undoing bolts that I don't know if it is the right one. There are a lot of things that you know that you take for granted which is obvious to you, which is critical, that someone like me do not know...and then break something or worse still, put it back wrongly and then the car crash and I accidentally kill somebody...am I being dramatic? perhaps...but I don't know enough about cars to start fiddling with suspensions.

Genuine volvo parts are often just made by companies like this anyway, your C30 is mostly ford focus so shouldn't be that expensive to put right. Call around and get some quotes.

If you sell this and buy another car of a similar age you'll run into similar anyway.

 

[Iamzod]

Lejorförs make the springs for Volvo.

You can get OEM C30 T5 springs from GSF for £51 a pop for the fronts & £31 a pop for the rears, you've been done for £477.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Lejorförs make the springs for Volvo.

You can get OEM C30 T5 springs from GSF for £51 a pop for the fronts & £31 a pop for the rears, you've been done for £477.

These?

LESJOFORS Coil Spring - Front | GSF Car Parts

With over 100,000 products stocked by GSF Car Parts, we sell parts from the top brands across the industry. Shop our full catalogue of car parts.

www.gsfcarparts.com

When clicked "Show Parts that Fits"

 

[Iamzod]

These?

LESJOFORS Coil Spring - Front | GSF Car Parts

With over 100,000 products stocked by GSF Car Parts, we sell parts from the top brands across the industry. Shop our full catalogue of car parts.

www.gsfcarparts.com

I'd need your reg to find the prescise part which I don't have, but that's who make them yes. When you buy Volvo springs, that's who made them, they just come in a different packet.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I'd need your reg to find the prescise part which I don't have, but that's who make them yes. When you buy Volvo springs, that's who made them, they just come in a different packet.

Found it, cheers.