If you own a big family car that is definitely not new, and has a good few miles on the clock...

[frogs]

...how often do you expect it to break down? And at what stage are you planning to replace it?

We have a big Volvo estate, about 10 years old, with 90K on the clock. We've had it a few years, and I think have been unlucky with it -- the automatic gearbox went, which was v.v.v. expensive to fix, and the alternator went last week. We had probs with the battery last year as well.

Have I just been really unlucky, or is this par for the course with an oldish car? And at what point to you make the decision to trade it in for a new one (assuming you're not the kind of person who works on the basis of trading in every two years, which I know some people seem to think is the answer)? I can't afford to buy a new one atm anyway, but I want to develop a Strategy.

We have a Mondeo which is 7 years old & had 150,000 miles on the clock. In the ladt 2 years we have spent £1000 each year keeping it on hte road. Next big thing that goes wrong will see it replaced. I think you have to weigh up each time it needs money spending on it whether it is best to cut your losses.

We bought it for £4000 in Dec 05 & have done 80,000 miles in it. I consider that good value.

Thanks, that sounds not dissimilar to our experience, apart from the gearbox failure which was largely down to getting stuck in some boggy ground.

But how do you decide when it's economic to replace it? Obviously if the cost of repairs exceeded the cost of buying the equivalent replacement car it's a no-brainer, but that's pretty unlikely in the real world, surely.

When is it time to cut your losses?

We did have an elderly Saab 9000, and it never went wrong. Sadly it got written off because some numpty drove into the back of us and the insurance company reckoned that it would cost more to replace than it was worth.

I agree is hard to decide when to call it a day

TBH with ours now there are lots of niggly things wrong with it, suspension issue, some weird battery light thing, plus upwards of 150,000 is really pushing it now. I just don't feel I can rely on it now hence the decision to not recusitate..

We won't be buying new - I'll go again with finding a used car as all in all the Mondeo has done us well

That does sound good value, wittyname.

Ours has lower mileage than yours and volvos are meant to be good for 200k miles, so I'm hoping to get a good few more years out of it.

Any other experiences?

Is hard to know when to say no more. mine is a C8 with 135000 miles on the clock, averages between £500-1000/year for servicing/repairs/MOT not inc tyres. I'll definately replace before 240000 miles though as it will need one the very expensive timing belt replacing again(last done at 120000 and cost a grand) and it certainly won't be worth having it done a second time.

If it were mine, I'd replace it 'cos on an automatic there is just too much that can go wrong once it starts. Volvos are meant to be work-horses and my grandfather got 220,000 out of his before the body fell to pieces, not the engine! But his was a stickshift model and from experience when my father had a series of automatics one after the other they always cost £££ to repair.

We tend to work ours til they die. And die our last one did. It was about 11 years old, so not that old in the scale of things, and had had minor things done...... but 2 weeks ago it just conked out on me (scary!) and it was the timing belt. They said it would be about a grand to replace, and as we only paid £1500 for the car it was a no brainer . At the mo we have an even older car (14 yrs or so) that our car man found us, which we paid £250 for, which will last a few months then we can think again (we figured we HAD to have a car cos the school run is not doable on public transport esp with me being 8 months pg, and this option was a lot cheaper than renting a car would be and gives us a bit of space to think). We can't afford to do anything other than old cars, plus neither dh or are v good drivers (spacial awareness issues - ie posts get in our way when parking and so on) so a new car would freak us out even if we could afford it - the responsibility would be too much lol!!!

We've just traded in a 6 year old Audi estate, with 100,000 miles on the clock. That broke down all the time, and was costing silly money to keep on the road.

In the past year or so it needed things done to the steering column, suspension, brake discs, brake pads (twice), 6 new tyres, and lots of electrical things.

We got to the point where it actually needed £4000 worth of work doing to it (brake problems, unidentified loud rattle at low speeds, new window mechanisms, the list goes on and on). We weren't prepared to spend that, as it was worth little more. We were offered £6000 for it and bit their hand off.

DH has a Toyota Corolla estate which is 9 years old (S reg) with about 140k miles atm - we've had it 2½ years and put 80K miles on. It is a diesel so the mileage isn't excessive. It's had to have the cambelt done but other than that & tyres it's just getting a 6-monthly service.

Ours is serviced by a guy who calls himself the diesel doctor & he says you can't go wrong with a Toyota (hastily touches wood)

On the other hand, we also have a 10 year old Ford that we will keep until it dies. That has never had anything go wrong with it at all, although it only has 60,000 miles on the clock.

Sounds like you were unlucky with the Audi, Muffin, but obv. lucky with the Ford. I'm guessing it is just luck in the end.

We need a car that has the option of 7 seats (we have the folding ones in the boot) which narrows the choice down rather a lot. I'm waiting for those Toyota Prius hybrids to come out in an estate version. And then another few years for them to become available 2nd hand [stingy emoticon]

We have an N reg Toyota Corolla (although not the estate). I have to agree with WendyWeber Toyotas are great - they just seem to go on and on. We have only had one thing go wrong and that was to do with the ignition switch.

Only downside is that if something does go its difficult to get parts and they tend to cost quite a lot.

We've always run old cars - DH reckons the most important thing is to make sure they are regularly serviced and maintained.

Sadly, we are probably going to have to change ours shortly as there's not enough room for a 3rd car seat. Would definitely go for another Toyota but don't really want anything as big as a Previa - sorry for the hijack, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated - we have 3 dogs as well as 3 car seats to accommodate - aaargh!

Try here

We've got a 4yo Toyota Corolla Verso (diesel), done about 65k and only had to have the starter motor replaced recently. Apart from that, nothing other than normal wear and tear, wiper blades, brakes etc.

Moosemama - we fit 3 car seats across the back of our verso - two rear facing and one high backed booster at the moment. You could get 3 small dogs in the boot, but no buggies as well.

Thanks Heated and BibiThree will read thread and do some googling - cant remember what a verso is like (preggy brain) .