Unable to keep a vehicle longer than a year...

JonB · Afraid of Mileage Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Karma :

I bought my Citroen C1 last May when the price of fuel was beyond ridiculous. I loved the idea of 64MPG and £35 tax, as a car to have on virtually no income this was a plus point. It's quite pokey for a 3 cylinder 998cc engine and puts out about 67BHP.

I still like it, however I am looking towards life after uni (with rose tinted lenses, I may add) and the prospect of having a half decent job and a double income with (again rose tinted lenses) my other half stepping straight into a Physio job.

I am craving at the moment a 1.6l petrol hatchback to (get this) keep for longer than a year, however I seem to not have the ability to keep any of my vehicles longer than this. I had my 106 for 3 months, my Fiesta for 9 months and i've had my current car only 9 months as well. Rolling Eyes

I'm looking to buy in about October time and I find myself on the autotrader site everyday looking at possible cars. Focuses, Golfs and even really shit cars like Astra's. Laughing

It's quite strange as I managed to keep my bike for 2 years and probably would have kept it a little while longer.

Is it just me, or does anybody else try with all of their might to find a pathetically justifiable reason for a new car? My current pathetic excuses are: -

It's a 3-door.
It's slow.
It's red.
It is starting to rattle. Laughing

Luckily, there is a reason not to sell the car and it is the fact I am still paying for it until September, it does do 64MPG, which when petrol was at £1.20 a litre was good, now it's 82.9p it's just plain ridiculous. I also cannot see petrol prices being this low in a years time, so there are some issues that are stopping me at least.

Is there anybody else as stupid as me out there?
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Skudd · Super Spammer Joined: 01 Oct 2006 Karma :

I'm one of those people who buys new and then keeps hold of their vehicles for 6-7 years. Then buy new again.
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EddyJones · Crazy Courier Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Karma :

As a good 1.6 petrol hatchback, look at a fiesta Zetec s

Or pop onto zsoc.com

Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

I'm sure I've said this before, but:

Mmm, 1.6 hatchback, nice, don't see many of those around.

If you keep looking at other stuff you'll end up buying one before you can afford it, then complain every time you fill it up. To be honest I'm always wondering how a student can afford such a new car in the first place, I thought you were all meant to be poor.

I did used to change cars every 6 months or so at your age, but I was working and bought cheap cars. They tended to be a bit knackered after 6 months, so it was a decision between selling it while it was still worth reasonable money (sometimes at a profit) or keep it another year and watch it become worthless.

For the most part I wasn't dicking around with hatchbacks either, this was my large saloon phase.

JonB · Afraid of Mileage Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Karma :

Cigaro · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Karma :

I'd keep the Citroen. Just think how smug you'll feel in a few years when everyone's having to sell their children to put petrol in their cars.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Graham88 · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 May 2006 Karma :

I have been driving 2 years, and had 3 cars, now about to have a 4th.

Had bikes for 3 years, probably only riding for about 1 and a half of them, and had 3 bikes.

I know where you're coming from, I also get bored easily Smile

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Get a car you really want. Don't get something as it will be sensible, or you will hate it and get rid of it. Throwing away several thousand pounds depreciation on some little econobox which is about as much fun as a dish washer seems to be a quick route to wanting another car.

One of the few bikes I have sold was the Divvy. Did the job, just was nothing that invoked any interest in me.

All the best

Keith
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JonB · Afraid of Mileage Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Karma :

Keith, you've hit the nail on the head. I've been coming to that conclusion for some time now.

Problem is I want something that to be honest is just not achieveable, something that is fun, comfortable and won't break the bank to run. I also do not want to touch a diesel. Laughing

If I could find a car that: -

Has under 60k on the clock, preferably well below this.
Is comfortable enough to cruise at 80MPH on the M'way.
Gets on average at least 35MPG
Has loads of extras - Quite like the idea of cruise control, not sure it's too gimmicky though.
Also, I need it to look nice, not only on the outside, but also on the inside. I am a fan of brilliant interiors. Probably a Ford's main weakpoint IMO, very tacky and uninspiring.

I would be eternally happy (I think) If I could find a car with these credentials for between £3,000 and £5,000. Smile

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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

You should be able to easily find something for that. Alfa 147 1.6 petrol should be easy to find for that. £3k is easily enough for that any one of dozen of other cars

Not sure about toys. Personally I don't really like cruise control. When cruising on long distances the last thing I want is to lose one more thing to do.

All the best

Keith
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Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

What go you use the car for?

JonB · Afraid of Mileage Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Karma :

At the moment the car is just for shits and giggles, and obviously transportation. Though I suspect it will become more of a commuting tool once I get a job.

Keith, the 147 is gorgeous. I'd never thought about an Alfa, for obvious reasons, but reading around suggests the 147 bucks the trends. Thumbs Up

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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

binge · Emo Kiddy Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Karma :

Got a 1.6 Petrol Mk5 Golf. And I love it. Thumbs Up

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

EddyJones · Crazy Courier Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Karma :

Looked at Clio Sports 172? These can average 30+MPG
Obviously fun to drive etc, the only thing that can let you down maybe the interior

Villers · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Karma :

The only car Ive kept for two years or more was a brand new 1.0 Seat Arosa that cost me 6k new and I sold it for £4200 or something. The one Ive got now is about 4 years old, I bought it for 7.5k and now its worth less than 4 only 18 months on. I also hate it.

Cars are one of them things Ive resigned myself to never being happy with. They generally lose you lots of money and let you down at the worst of times. I'm not nostalgic about cars and I no longer care if a cars 'different' or fast. A 1.6 hatchback seems like a good prospect to me, and how on earth it matters that theres lots of them around when all someone wants is a car is beyond me. Laughing

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neatbik · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Karma :

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D O G · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Karma :

Cars (certainly modern cars) are pretty dull IMO, there are none which really appeal.

They insulate you so much from the act of driving, that the driving just becomes an inconveniance which you have to conmplete whilst in your car listening to music/playing with the sat nav.

What you need is something shit.

Bangers are cool, get something for a few hundred quid with an MOT and have fun. It will have character, but yet still get you about.

How much have you lost in depreciation in your 9 months?

Dischord · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 May 2005 Karma :

Honda Civic VTi is a good little car but you pay the price with insurance!

160hp 1.6 vtec
good on fuel
reliable
cheap to buy

https://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4972/picture006hd4.jpg

Don't see too many of the EK type Civics about either and most tend to be the crappy 1.4s. I've gone through 5 cars in 3 years, I think some people just can't stick with cars lol
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