To Keep till it falls apart or Sell and Buy soon???

Hello Everyone! I really would appreciate your considered opinion on a number of related issues. I have read earlier correspondence and will try to address suggestions raised in formulating my query.
1. In January I bought a 1.8 Petrol Mazda 6 and to date have just over 80, 000 KM as I have subsequently retired. The following is the nub of the first query.
a) Option A: keep this car for as long as possible and then to buy a new car. ( huge lump sum involved at end date; more maintenance; ongoing high Road Tax and regular NCTs and Running costs)
b) Option B: trade in this car now or in January and buy a new car with lower Road Tax and manufacturers guarantees and higher probability of avoiding repairs.
c) Option C: trade in this car now or in January and buy a second hand car with lower Road Tax and manufacturers guarantees and higher probability of avoiding repairs.


2. Our requirements for a car are:
a) Spacious interior as I am 6-2 and hate to have my head up to the roof and looking and feeling like I’m squashed into something too small for me ( I have that experience each day trying to buckle up my pants against an expanding waistline!!!
b) Reasonable running costs……….we do a lot of short runs in and out of town, with some regular long distance trips.
c) Reasonable road tax.
d) Good reliability and comfort in driving
e) Good luggage space.
As I know nothing about cars I don’t even know what makes or models to start examining. Can you help with this?
Following on from that have you any ballpark figures on what the various options might cost me?
I appreciate any help that you may be able to give. Thank you.
Gene

A friend had the same car last I heard he had about 400,000 km on it with no major problems. The car you have is reliable roomy and not bad on fuel economy and at 80,000 barely even run in.

Don't be blinded by low road tax and fuel saving compared to depreciation of a new car.

I would say run it into the ground.

Great auld bus.

+1 to Frank; keep it.
Budget a fixed amount each month to cover running costs.

Agree with the above, but just to add, when it comes time to replace, do so with a 2-3 year old car that has already suffered the worst of its depreciation.

Dear Frank, Purple and Leo............thanks to each of you for taking the time to consider my question. It is great to have consensus! I'll keep her and hope to see that 400,000 on the dial!!!

I purchased a new car in 2005. The one I liked and wanted. The plan is to run it in to the ground. I am hoping with my low mileage it may even become a classic car. I had intended doing this back in 1990 but kept my then car for circa 14 years and sold it with only 16,000 miles on the clock for peanuts at the time. It was a Honda Civic CRX and the insurance was classed as sports car insurance. I'm sorry I didn't just stick it in the garage at the time.
Lots of Europeans, especially the French allow their cars to fade away.

Thanks SoylentGreen,

Like you my Mazda 6 was/is the the one I liked and wanted.

But I started to doubt my original intention of both of us growing old together........it is very counter culture thinking.

However you and the other respondents have really encouraged me. I'm going to go and wash and polish her up and take her for a spin to celebrate my re-commitment to our relationship!

Wishing you all the best of luck for the future.

Gene

newfarm said:

a) Spacious interior as I am 6-2 and hate to have my head up to the roof and looking and feeling like I’m squashed into something too small for me ( I have that experience each day trying to buckle up my pants against an expanding waistline!!!

Click to expand...

I'm 6'3" and I sat into a VW Golf recently. I was surprised at how roomy it felt. I pushed the seat back to the maximum, as I normally do in every car, but then had to pull it forward a bit to reach the pedals, which is very unusual for me.

Thanks for that RainyDay..........

I'll bear it in mind whenever the need to change arises , but for now I'm going to just hold onto the Mazda for as long as it keeps economically viable to keep it on the road.