maintainance: how much do u spend? v really spent?

[rutter123]

i have kept pretty much every reciept for the last 5 yrs on parts ive got for the tzdt my every day driver, personally i dont think i spend that much.. but add the reciepts up!!!!
a couple of hundred quid a year i thought, not the case.
in 5 yrs, 10 tyres, pads and discs all round twice, 2 clutches, lots of plumbing, rear arms, all front susp components, startre motor, 10 spheres, 2 timing belts, water pump, 10 oil/filter changes, belts, engine mounts, radiator, speedlines, battery, alternator, headlamps, 15 litre of lhm,. the list goes on pipes,clamps, pads, bulbs, more pipes, wipers, bits and bobs, etc etc
anyway to cut a long story short final figure £2300 plus. shocking.

[Tim Leech]

Still cheaper than depreciation!

[Paul296]

But that's only 460 quid a year - running a BX is cheap - not free! I wonder what the average spend per capita, per year is on alcohol? More than 460 quid I would have thought?

[MULLEY]

Think how much you spent on fuel over those 5 years, now that is expensive. It does add up unfortunately, however, like Paul has mentioned, buy a new car & in the 1st 3 years you've lost 50% of the purchase price, now that is expensive compared to less than £500 a year on a BX.

[citsncycles]

As others have said, that price seems pretty good over 5 years - I know people who have spent that in a single year on a Xzara!

[mds141]

Including purchase price and some cosmetic refurbishment, the valver probably owes me £3600, spread over the near three years that I've owned it.

[Tinkley]

Last Athena bought in May/June 09. Initially 5 new spheres and change LHM. In the following 4 years and 39k miles, new wishbone bushes, new Octopus, new steering ball joint, new battery, front brake flexys, carb refurb kit and front brake pads until June 13. Then new clutch and release bearing, LHM, front suspension returns and drop links. Other than usual oil and filter and carb cleaner it hasn't needed any more!. The main cost has been the labour for changing the Octopus, wishbone bushes and steering ball joint (don't even get me started on that one), but now I have access to a hoist and 35mm socket the cost has dramatically dropped. I reckon I saved well over 1k taking out 2 engines, changing clutch and refitting. Parts and fluids for the changes this year were about £180 so thats what I have spent + 2 new Michelins last year.
Generally its been about 200-300 pa plus fluids/filters which I reckon is pretty good. The car cost £300 in 09 so I think it has been good value.

[Thread Bear]

Even though I am spending out on GRX I would still hope to get it in trim for all up £1,100. I think that is slightly under its market value. Not by any foresight on my part but because the Pug 405 refused to die. So I bought the car at the prices 5 years ago and have had a little uplift. From here I would like to think I am budgeting £400 on it a year for 5 years. It would then probably need some more investment on things like rear suspension bearings etc. Hopefully that will give it another 5 years at the then current value equivalent to £400 now. That is cheap motoring. If the car marks inflation in its capital value then its a winner.

The 1600 Auto is already over budget by £150 thanks to the van failing, so buying in transportation. It is probably a weaker value classic than the TZD Estate and will cost more money to use in real terms because of it and the worse buying terms I created. I bought it to play with, though. A slightly different calculation.

[Dollywobbler]

I'm pretty sure that I once worked out that The Green Tiger had cost me 17p a mile, including fuel, insurance, purchase price and maintenance needed. That work included a Hydraflush and rear arm bearing replacement over a period of about 8000 miles.

Sadly, the TZD has not been so good, costing me about £1000 since purchase.

[citsncycles]

When it comes to Citroens at least, buying most models seems to be a lottery! The reliability and running costs of anything over a few years old really depends on previous mileage and servicing, plus the use you plan to give it. I tend to work my cars hard, so budget for an expensive first year while I'm replacing components that have stood up well to whatever use the previous owner gave it.

With newer cars, it seems to be a lottery - I've known 2 and 3 year old cars give nothing but trouble, while others are 100% reliable. Even the reliable ones will be costing in some cases thousands a year in depreciation though!