High mileage vehicles.

Just spent almost a grand getting my 2006 plate Golf Plus fixed. New clutch, full service, suspension front and back repaired. Hoping it will last another ten years at least. It’s only worth about £1200 but has only done 63k miles and so I thought it would be worth the repair.
 
Just spent almost a grand getting my 2006 plate Golf Plus fixed. New clutch, full service, suspension front and back repaired. Hoping it will last another ten years at least. It’s only worth about £1200 but has only done 63k miles and so I thought it would be worth the repair.

Although it won’t feel like it that’s cheap motoring for a year that mate. You could go buy a newer car and lose more than that in depreciation the moment you drive away. If you start getting big repair bills continually it’ll be the time to give it up.
 
Mileage is only part of the story.

Two cars with the same mileage can be completely different.
A high mileage car that has done them in a short space of times will have less heat cycles and been warm most of the miles.
Cold starts and heat cycles is where a lot of the damage/wear takes place. Regular oil changes are essential.

We have a different mentality in the UK. Long before a car reaches the end of it's serviable life, social and environmental pressures sees us replace them.
I think the number plate system doesn't help. Having the latest plate is desirable and for some "essential".

Then there is the weather. Long before an engine was done for, rust would prematurely end a cars life.
Rust has been mostly eradicated in new cars, but the complicated technology now used means an expensive part can see a vehicle off.

I have a immaculate 2005 Renault Trafic 2.5 diesel. About 170K on the clock. Oil serviced every year. (even though Renault says every two)
It was meant to be replaced with a new van every three to five years. Although we have bought other vehicles, this one just never broke down. So we have kept it. (I use it more than the others!)
It has just needed the normal serviceable items. Just lately, it has been having slightly bigger items due to signs they were about to go, like the starter motor/battery. (sluggish starts)
It was also starting to blow black/blueish smoke under hard acceleration. I thought maybe it's time had finally come with it either needing new injectors or a worn engine. I wasn't paying for an engine rebuild at this age.
But no! A quick go on an OBD reader shown the MAS on the air intake was faulty. £75 english pounds and she is like a spring chicken again. I hadn't really noticed the power drop, and just assumed it was all age related.

So with the power restored and not a hint of any smoke, she lives on! (hopefully for another 170K)
 
I once had an old Granada Estate. Lovely car, dirt cheap to buy, but the petrol it burned was significant.
Anyway, I got it with whatever miles it had on the clock - it went to 100,000, then reverted to 000,000. I then managed to get over 100,000 further miles out of it before it reached a point where the repairs were uneconomic and it had to go to scrap.
Happy days!
 
Had my 09 Passat for 10 years, it's at around 186k now, recently had it remapped, it's now running around 210bhp, and drives a lot smoother with the extra power.

Not bad for a diesel, still get 50+mpg if driving sensibly. As always the trick with diesels is regular oil and filter changes.
 
A mate of mine has a Ford Falcon here in Oz, 4 litre 6 cylinder petrol motor that's done over half a million kilometers. 312,000 miles....Still going strong.

Anyway I just saw this bike for sale with more mileage than I've ever seen on 2 wheels.


View attachment 42713

Anybody beat that ?
The Ford Barra engine will just keep going if you look after it .
 
Recently traded in my 19-year-old BMW 530d with just under 200K on the clock. Never broke down, changed a few consumables over time, just started to leak a few fluids and getting a bit too shabby. I'm sure it'll serve someone else well as a runaround for a couple more years. Always keep my cars on a private plate to avoid the need to change every few years.
 
Recently traded in my 19-year-old BMW 530d with just under 200K on the clock. Never broke down, changed a few consumables over time, just started to leak a few fluids and getting a bit too shabby. I'm sure it'll serve someone else well as a runaround for a couple more years. Always keep my cars on a private plate to avoid the need to change every few years.
Serious question and not having a go but....Dont you think that by keeping an old car on a private plate you are telling everyone ' I'm ashamed to have an old car so I'll try and hide the fact with a private plate ' . At that age nowadays it's not far off a modern classic.
 
Serious question and not having a go but....Dont you think that by keeping an old car on a private plate you are telling everyone ' I'm ashamed to have an old car so I'll try and hide the fact with a private plate ' . At that age nowadays it's not far off a modern classic.
Fair point - I had it since new and have always had the plate for years before. Nowadays I don't think people pay much attention to when the plate flips over, especially as it's twice a year.

I certainly wasn't ashamed to have an old car - I took great delight in telling people who said I should upgrade what I was doing with the £500/month I saved on finance/lease/PCP, with little sacrifice of comfort or amenity.

I intend to keep my current 5 series for as long as I can as well.
 
Fair point - I had it since new and have always had the plate for years before. Nowadays I don't think people pay much attention to when the plate flips over, especially as it's twice a year.

I certainly wasn't ashamed to have an old car - I took great delight in telling people who said I should upgrade what I was doing with the £500/month I saved on finance/lease/PCP, with little sacrifice of comfort or amenity.

I intend to keep my current 5 series for as long as I can as well.
Great cars, I had 525 years ago and my dad couldn't understand why the bigger engine, he had a 520...I told him most people drove the 520 like it was a 525 anyway and I got 1mpg more...winner winner
 
Fair point - I had it since new and have always had the plate for years before. Nowadays I don't think people pay much attention to when the plate flips over, especially as it's twice a year.

I certainly wasn't ashamed to have an old car - I took great delight in telling people who said I should upgrade what I was doing with the £500/month I saved on finance/lease/PCP, with little sacrifice of comfort or amenity.

I intend to keep my current 5 series for as long as I can as well.

Thats about a £100k saved in lease fees.
 
I have an Audi A4 59 plate. 145k miles. I've had it for 5 years now and in that time i've done about 50k miles. Served me really well, but the door locks don't work on it and some of the interior trim is broken.

It wouldn't bother me having an older car, but I can't change my music by bluetooth or link my phone up properly. But I can do 60mpg and it's pretty fast. It's supposed to be the 143bhp version, but mechanic reckons it's been remapped at some point.
 
I bought a Toyota Corolla years ago with 9,000 miles on the clock. I had it about ten years and sold it with 190,000 on. Same clutch and exhaust still on it. Most reliable car I ever had.
 
Had my 09 Passat for 10 years, it's at around 186k now, recently had it remapped, it's now running around 210bhp, and drives a lot smoother with the extra power.

Not bad for a diesel, still get 50+mpg if driving sensibly. As always the trick with diesels is regular oil and filter changes.
I've got a merc 3 litre v6 diesel twin turbo.
I had a stage 1 map done, it makes nearly 300hp at the wheels, and wait for it, 700nm of torque, which is what you want for real world driving. It redlines at 4250 rpm so it's hardly stressed.
I get an easy 45mpg on my 33 mile commute (mainly motorway)
Servicing is 200 a year.
Tax is cheap cos its low emissions.
It's 8 years old now but I really don't see the point in changing it, it's done 50k miles and still drives like new.
 

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