To ask what you'd think of as an old car/old banger...

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

I was talking to the security guard at work when a flash brand new Audi drove past. After talking about cars for a bit the security guard said something along the lines of II'll stick to my old banger'. I agreed and said my car was pretty long in the tooth too, P-Reg (1996) but still started every time, passed its MoT etc.

Thing is, his ''old banger' was an 09 reg. AIBU to think that this isn't even remotely old given the improvement in build quality and reliability of cars? I wouldn't think of any car on the new style plates as being particularly old.

if it's running on petrol/diesel, it's an old banger. Soonest they are off the road, the better for all of us.

What's your car powered by I failed your own self righteousness?

I wouldn't consider either of those old bangers.

To me a around 20yo none collectable that you pick up for £200 drive until it dies then get £30 scrap for it is a real old banger

My close friend has a flash Audi that's an 09 reg (helpful)

That's too funny OP. The self righteousness comment, is the comment of the day

Everyones perception of a "banger" isn't going to be the same, but no, I wouldn't consider an 09 plate to be one.

Other factors apart from the age would be deciding points for me though, the condition and model, for example.

Anything 10 years plus is old to me - I drive a 13 year old car with 220k + mileage, buts it's been very well maintained and is far from an old banger!
When I start looking to change it I will go for 4-6 years old and hope to keep it quite a while

It's not about the age but the condition. So an 09 that's gone round the clock, covered in bumps and scratches and things like the electric windows no longer working could be an old banger, but a 30 year old car in immaculate condition wouldn't be.

Blimey, is that what people think? I've got an 05. It's the newest swankiest car I've ever had, it would never have occurred to me that people might think I was driving an old banger!

LikeDylanInTheMovies

Pop over to the so called 3rd world to see the effect of people running 'old bangers' on children's health.

www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/jul/10/no-escape-nairobi-air-pollution-sparks-africa-health-warning

I believe the sooner we stop creating motive power by burning fossil fuel in inefficient engines in each vehicle is stupid and will only lead to more suffering.

Of course, others might see this as self righteousness.

I drive a 2003 Ford Fiesta - ok, there are a few little scratches and scrapes on her, and her plastic trim is a bit faded, but she runs well and has only cost me just over £200 in repairs in 4 years - some people at work who have cars on finance agreements delight in calling her an "old banger" though

In recent years I've driven ten year old Saabs or BMWs. 100,000 on the clock but well maintained and plenty of life left in them. I take my time choosing, and it means that I get a luxury car with a great spec which I could never have afforded new. I suppose some might consider them old bangers, but I'm driving great cars at an affordable price.

We joking refer to our 10 plate Ford Focus as 'the banger'. This is only because we recently moved to a new build estate where all the neighbours have brand new cars and we like to joke that we've lowered the tone of the neighbourhood.

I'd be mortally offended if anyone described my 06 plate as an old banger.

Is never refer to someone else's car as a banger. Just ours (and not in public).

'03 car. Absolutely trashed but has only 45,000 on the clock. It was bought by us brand new and used as a second car/ runaround and is shamefully scratched/ dented outside & broken/ dirty inside.

For me it's more about the condition than age. An old banger to me is one that's clearly not maintained... if anyone called my 2004 Citroen an old banger I'd be deeply offended.

So what powers your internet , sweetybumps? Fairy dust?

My 12 year old car does nearly 40 mpg. Main thing is to use it as little as possible. Reusing older cars means fewer resources used.

DH drives a VW Corrado G60 (1992 I think) which I consider an old car but not an old banger. He spends a bloody fortune and a lot of time on it though. Old banger suggests a car not road worthy to me, so an old car the would fail an MOT.

My definition would depend on the Make. A ten year old Saab/VW etc, differs from a Fiat/Kia.

We tend to use the term "shed", here in Liverpool.

Anything 5 years or more older than the car I have at any given time.
My cars still seem 'new' to me for years

My dad has a 13 yo Mercedes that he is rather attached to. He gets offended whenever I mention he should probably replace it and says that he will drive that car til he has to physically push it off the road. I still wouldn't call it an old banger though, as unfortunately it's still in near perfect condition - in fact, a lot better than some younger cars!

Ifailed whilst we should do everything we can to save the planet and kids everywhere, there are no quick and easy answers are there? In a UK context, most of the evidence I've seen is that people like me driving a 16 year old car that is properly maintained are actually doing less overall damage than if I scrapped it and bought a new electric one - but it's a complex equation