Gutted :(

thedazman67 · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:33

MrLOL show her this thread its all full of sound advice

Fr0dders · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:33

mjt said:
in the grand scheme of things, the running costs aren't actually that high. surely once she has calmed down, you can explain this to her?
i've spent over double what you've listed incl the clutch fixing a poxy diesel hatchback. motoring isn't cheap :/

there's not really much out there, unless you get something fast and fit 15" steelies

Dangerous Dave said:
Even including the clutch that is 2k for 20k of motoring not really that expensive considering the performance on offer (Although it cost Evo that to run a new RS6 for 30k with a tyre and brake change around 20k) You could get a older car and still have the same costs.

I covered this in the OP

i totally agree that theres nothing outrageous there apart from the fact the clutch only lasted 40k. But it was remapped beyond its original spec and driven as it should so its no surprise really.

iaind · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:34

[TW]Fox;15453248 said:
As much as I hate your car the best thing to do is... get another clutch.

Nothing anything like it is going to be that much cheaper to run. No reasonably decent saloon will be on anything less than 17/18 inch wheels which means you wont be saving money on tyres etc.

Something like a Clio 182 would manage it but of course isnt a saloon or very big (Which is how it manages smaller running costs).

Buy something older like a BMW or an Audi and what you 'save' in... I dunno, what would you save? You'll pay out again in repairs etc.

The problem is, he's not up against a genuine need to save running costs - he's up against woman logic and we all know how that works.

ci_newman · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:34

Dangerous Dave said:
Even including the clutch that is 2k for 20k of motoring not really that expensive considering the performance on offer (Although it cost Evo that to run a new RS6 for 30k with a tyre and brake change around 20k) You could get a older car and still have the same costs.

I would imagine that perhaps doesn't include the 'modifications' cost such as the remap etc.

[TW]Fox · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:35

iaind said:
The problem is, he's not up against a genuine need to save running costs - he's up against woman logic and we all know how that works.

But anything else fails the logic as well. He buys an Audi A4 3.0 Quattro and she'll whinge when its always being fixed or always being filled up or needs £130 tyres again.

The only realistic solution sounds like giving up performance motoring and buying a Mondeo TDCi on 15 inch steelies :confused:

danza · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:35

Is this a sudden thing, or is it ongoing?

I've been in a similar situation with my CTR in that I've had pressure to sell it on, almost every six months infact!

For some reason I can't see sense and let it go. We've spent a small fortune in the 2 1/2 years we've had it. Now there's a problem with the gearbox, and it's looking bad again.

I daren't tally up the 'all-in' running costs, but suffice to say it's the wrong side of £2k.

Anyway - ST220 with change, and not such a high-end brand of tyres? Not particularly cheap to run though I suppose.

Fr0dders · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:37

Joshy said:
Not meaning to sound too rude but...

She is willing to break up with you over a car? Doesn't really sound like a strong relationship...

Maybe instead of looking at diesel mondeos you should concentrate on saving your marriage?

i'm not sure if she would actually split us up and leave our child with only weekend access to me and all that.

But i really need to do something to diffuse the situation. This has been twisted into me willing to destory the family christmas by having a car that needs too much money spending on it.

Shes got in mind running a £500 banger 1.8 mondeo with cracked bumpers and scrapping it when it doesnt pass an MOT, but i really dont want to go back to driving an econo drossbox

[TW]Fox;15453248 said:
Buy something older like a BMW or an Audi and what you 'save' in... I dunno, what would you save? You'll pay out again in repairs etc.

this is it

Buy a BMW and you wont be servicing it for £150 every 12 months. Vauxhall servicing is about as cheap as it gets.

Love to see her face when i tell her how much an audi or bmw costs to service....

Witor · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:38

bad one mate, she's pretty much asking you to swap it for something more mundane. Use this to your advantage ...

iaind · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:38

[TW]Fox;15453285 said:
But anything else fails the logic as well. He buys an Audi A4 3.0 Quattro and she'll whinge when its always being fixed or always being filled up or needs £130 tyres again.

The only realistic solution sounds like giving up performance motoring and buying a Mondeo TDCi on 15 inch steelies

Thats why I thought my suggestion of a 130i was quite cunning. She'll see a few things - "oooh, BMW, nice and grown up"..."nice midsized hatchback, cheap AND practical". Surely it would be on 17s too making tyres a bit cheaper? Will be a bit cheaper at the petrol pump while still giving some good driver appeal

Jez · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:40

Seriously mate, those costs are not bad other than the ones which you have brought upon yourself.

Keep the car, dont thrash it so hard. The Vectra's fixed costs are as low as you are realistically going to get.

[TW]Fox · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:40

A 130i has BMW servicing costs, BMW purchasing costs (He wont get one for what his Vectra is worth) and takes £150 a corner Runflat tyres.

Fr0dders · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:40

[TW]Fox;15453285 said:
The only realistic solution sounds like giving up performance motoring and buying a Mondeo TDCi on 15 inch steelies

this is exactly what she has in mind.

I just dont know if pulling the wool over her eyes and trading it in for something with cheaper tax and slightly smaller wheels but otherwise identical costs would be a good or bad idea.

Makes a token gesture and i get to keep a car that is fun to drive.

shauncr91 · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:42

Your wifes prepared to leave you over £2000, really ?

[TW]Fox · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:43

Looking at your figures you car looks very cheap to run (For what you get). It's probably faster than my car yet your servicing costs and tyre costs are all lower.

Matt82 · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:43

£4k audi s4. over 300bhp, drinks for fun, bomb proof drivetrain

unlucky though fella

MrLOL said:
Trouble is, im struggling to think of something that is going to satisfy her demands as to what she considers cheap

iaind · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:43

[TW]Fox;15453322 said:
A 130i has BMW servicing costs, BMW purchasing costs (He wont get one for what his Vectra is worth) and takes £150 a corner Runflat tyres.

Hmm yeh I forgot about servicing and runflats... have seen a few at circa 10k but they're bottom of the price bracket so probably not the best idea in retrospect.

The other option is to spend 2~3k on a decent boring drossbox that wont cost much to run and some more on a fun "weekend" car for having a blast in. Yes, I know it's never going to work out cheaper running 2 cars, but again - woman logic. That way if anything goes wrong with the weekend car, you can fix it at your leisure.

I know the sensible thing to do is to keep the Vectra, but I understand how relentless and confusing shelogic can be and family has to trump car

Jez · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:44

To be honest this just sounds as if you need to put your foot down and tell her that your money is spent on what you damn well like. I cannot imagine this situation happening irl, i believe there is more to it.

Malt_Vinegar · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:44

She sounds terribly un-reasonable.

I would think perhaps give her a while to calm down, and try to discuss this with her sensibly. Try and show her the options, and how they will not save you much at all.

You know the car you have there is in good nick other than the clutch, and should be good for a long while afterwards. The last thin you want is a car that will break all the time.

RE: Bangernomics, its great if you have another car to back it up or dont need it for work, but on the days when something does not work, and its your only car, you are stuffed.

Fr0dders · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:45

prepared to leave me over ruinning christmas by my selfish desire to have things that are too expensive and leave us with little left in our savings around christmas.

You know women, its not just "over £2000" its been twisted to far more than that. And yes its been running on for a while. I've been fighting it for months, sucessfully pointing out that it costs no more than most other cars

But then the £800 clutch tipped the balance and pushed a button.

[TW]Fox · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:45

Without knowing details which are nothing to do with us then its hard to 'judge' really. If you are missing mortgage payments or not going on holiday or whatever because you keep sinking cash into a Vectra she is spot on. On the other hand if you are flush, doing fine for cash, etc etc then really if you've got a hobby why is she denying you it?