Car Maintenance - Is It Just Me?

[Dorset Bob]

I have been reading a number of threads recently, where people decide not to get work done, based on the value of the car.

Like, for example, cambelts cost £500, but the car is only worth £500, so it is not worth getting it done.

I don't get what the value of the car has to do with it.
The bill would be the same, but if it was a £5000 car it would get done wouldn't it?

[klarzy]

its percieved value Bob,
people think that by not spending 500 on a car that is costing them nothing, they are getting a better deal by getting another car to replace it which does not need 500 spending on it.

Although it may cost them 1000 to get the new car. and it would be an unknown qualtity??

better the devil you know and keep it going until it is actually cheaper to buy another car than repalce the MG/R

I just spent 2 grand on a car and another grand on top making sure it is what i want, i expect it to last me 6 years @ 500 a year depereciation on investment... £10 a week, sounds like a bargain to me...

[Yella Fella]

Im at that point now. Likely HGF on the 75 so is it worth fixing? Well the 75 is worth £500'ish and it could take £500'ish to fix or do I buy a £1k car. I'll probably fix it in the knowledge that I know what im fixing my car as opposed to buying someones elses car/problems.

[thomas 75 connie]

Thats exactly what gets me another one is- Im getting myself £500 worth of stereo but im not spending £500 on the cambelts as ill just wait for them to go pop

[stevestrat]

All depends how much you like the car, if it's nothing more than a runabout hack to you you're not going to want to spend the money. If it means more to you than that it'll get money spent on it. Have to admit I love mine and have spent money on it but I'm lucky, the previous owner did a lot of work as well (nearly £4,000 worth of receipts), so much so that his partner called it the "black widow" because all it did was take his money!

[FrazzleTC]

I don't understand it, if the person likes the car. If they don't like the car, and it's just an appliance, I can see why they just run it until it breaks then buy another.
However, if you actually like the car, and want it to give good service, it's well worth spending the money, and getting a job done properly. My 75 isn't worth much, but, if I went out to buy another, the chances are, I'm buying someone else's problem.

Fraser

[dadragon]

This subject really gets me down, I thought the whole idea of this forum was that we all love the 75/ZT?. Why buy one if it's a shed just to run around in then scrap it or strip it, I don't get it?. Buy I cheap battered Ford or Renault etc, they still make those, you wonder how the scrap yards get so full of our cars when they get junked jus because of belts or engine problems?. I am not trying to put anyone down who does this (each to their own) but our cars are getting rarer and rarer and we need to keep them going, I know we need spares from cars that actually need breaking, say after an accident and that's fine ( even that's upsetting!!) but something that's perfectly sound in the body work and structure getting junked because of belts not being changed so they go bang!!, well that's a crime against every decent reader on here, it really is.
I would never, ever buy any Rover or MG and treat it without any kind of respect, it's just not done!!
Regards DaDragon

[d_a_n1979]

Originally Posted by FrazzleTC

I don't understand it, if the person likes the car. If they don't like the car, and it's just an appliance, I can see why they just run it until it breaks then buy another.
However, if you actually like the car, and want it to give good service, it's well worth spending the money, and getting a job done properly. My 75 isn't worth much, but, if I went out to buy another, the chances are, I'm buying someone else's problem.

Fraser

This ^^^

I like my ZT-T; it cost me not a lot in relevance to other 2nd hand cars out there of the same spec

However I'll be spending c£500 on brake discs, pads, braided lines and fluid in the New Year (or just before Christmas if my mechanic has the time) and I'll be getting close to £500 of bodywork done in the New Year also!

I'd say it's a lot to do with pride; I like my car to be clean & shiny and presentable; the body work niggles on it currently (dent in front drivers side wing, both bumpers need re-spraying, bonnet needs re-spraying etc..) do my nut in

I'll also be dropping it on Motobuilds lowering springs and prob will replace the front shocks whilst I'm at it

Then I'll get the exhaust sorted

All in I'll have spent easily more than what I did for the car but it's a passion so I don't mind. I'll certainly get the use out of it all

[whitevanman]

I've just been to visit my friendly local breaker Mr Holland and he has a really nice 1.8 Connie SE in. What looks to be a well looked after car, except the cambelt snapped..

For me it was nice enough to put a lump in it, obviously not to the owner..

[Alan123]

I paid £1100 for mine 5 yrs ago.
I've probily spent close on that in repairs over them five yrs
But it's worth it to me