MalcolmR
Lieutenant 
Keeping the world turning.
Posts: 23,620 
|
Post by MalcolmR on Feb 21, 2022 12:00:29 GMT -5
Over on FB, Dan has been discussing his trucks, their mileages and their repair needs.  |
|
MalcolmR
Lieutenant
Keeping the world turning.
Posts: 23,620
|
Post by MalcolmR on Feb 21, 2022 12:03:25 GMT -5
I can’t get my head round this. Nobody I know would dream of keeping a vehicle after those sorts of mileages, never mind spending big bucks to repair them.
There must be a change in mindset as you cross The Atlantic. I know the US is bigger and your towns are further apart and your roads are better and less crowded, (and fuel is so much cheaper) so the mileages you do doesn’t surprise me. When I was working, I was a specialist who was needed all over the country and averaged 30/35,000 miles a year. Those are HUGE mileages for anyone in the UK. I have only ever known two people who did more. But we still change vehicles every three or four years. (In the early days, a new one every two years was the norm when the company paid for them).
In the UK we average 8/10,000 per year. Probably less since Covid.
Twenty or thirty years ago a car with 100k+ miles on it was virtually worthless and would probably go for scrap as soon as something broke. I ran my Toyota for 130,000 miles in just under four years and got rid of it like a hot potato in 2012, afraid that it was about to cost me big bucks.
In about 2000, my VW was scrapped by the lease company when the engine blew after the timing belt snapped. It was a tad over 2 years old and had 75,000 on the clock.
Why the big difference between us?
|
|
MalcolmR
Lieutenant
Keeping the world turning.
Posts: 23,620
|
Post by MalcolmR on Feb 21, 2022 12:21:55 GMT -5
I've just thought. I'm talking cars not trucks. hardly anyone in the UK drives a truck as their personal transport. Only those who need them for their trade, builders perhaps, but usually they would use a panel van. The vast majority of UK cars are saloons. All sizes, all makes, all nationalities. I've just googled up a picture of my nearest big motorway. I reckon this should show you a cross section of British vehicles.  |
|
Jim
Lieutenant
Posts: 2,012
|
Post by Jim on Feb 21, 2022 12:21:55 GMT -5
Cars have gotten so stupidly expensive, people really have no choice but to keep them longer. It's not like wages are keeping up with inflation.
|
|
Jim
Lieutenant
Posts: 2,012
|
Post by Jim on Feb 21, 2022 12:25:04 GMT -5
The vast majority of UK cars are saloons Based off what I've read online, if true the UK is even more strange than the rest of the world. Sedans/Saloons are largely on the way out of favor as the demands CUVs increases. Even the Corolla is now available as a crossover. |
|
MalcolmR
Lieutenant
Keeping the world turning.
Posts: 23,620
|
Post by MalcolmR on Feb 21, 2022 12:59:03 GMT -5
Well, Jim, that pic above was probably taken around 2015/2016. The red car in the middle has a 65 plate which was issued in the back end of 2015. A lot of people in the UK would like an SUV, but they are out of reach for most people. When they start trickling down to the second-hand market, we will begin to see more of them. there's only a couple in that picture.
|
|
Gimpy
Lieutenant
Posts: 5,991
|
Post by Gimpy on Feb 21, 2022 14:28:17 GMT -5
Malcolm,
In the past I've done as you did. 100,000 miles or near it was trading time and I averaged over 25,000 miles per year I considered the 100,000 mark as mostly trouble free and the high cost maintenance items hadn't been required. I've had 4 or 5 cars that went 100,000 miles on the original brakes!
I have a friend who runs just the opposite. He got rid of his Ford Expedition at 440,000 miles when it need al new electronics in the dash. Engine and transmission were original. The service people loved to see him come just to be amazed at the car.
Currently I'm on a case by case process. My 27 year old convertible has 109,000 miles on it and I think it will make 150,000. My real car is a 7 year old small sedan with 60,000 miles on it and at 83, might be my last car.
|
|
graham
Lieutenant
Posts: 3,849
|
Post by graham on Feb 21, 2022 16:17:56 GMT -5
I've just thought. I'm talking cars not trucks. You're also not talking motorbikes.
If a biker finds one they like and enjoy riding, they'll keep it going (almost) no matter the cost.
I know people on the bike forums I use who have done over 200k miles on their preferred steed, which probably has cost more to fix up and keep running than it ever would to buy a new bike, but it makes them happy and I'd agree 
|
|
Rob
Lieutenant
Posts: 1,799
|
Post by Rob on Feb 21, 2022 16:38:46 GMT -5
I believe that if you take special care of your car, it can last forever.
I wish I still had the cars from my past, especially the Buicks. Never mind that I don't have a driver's license anymore.
|
|
Stan
Smartass 
Posts: 1,480
|
Post by Stan on Feb 21, 2022 16:49:15 GMT -5
Cars and trucks are appliances, to me. I put 160k on my Tacoma, then traded it for the GMC when I got laid off. Didn't want to enter retirement with a 160k vehicle. I get 150k regularly; but I keep vehicles until I think they'll cost me more to maintain than replace.
Motorcycles are different, I ride it for fun, rather than transportation. If it stops being fun, I'll get rid of it.
|
|
Jim
Lieutenant
Posts: 2,012
|
Post by Jim on Feb 21, 2022 17:06:36 GMT -5
Go ahead and tell Dan if he wants to make the drive up here I have a transmission he can have for that S10, just needs to yank it out of the truck. He can also have the 4.3L V6. I'm scrapping it soon.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jeannette on Feb 22, 2022 7:28:31 GMT -5
I have 3 vehicles and all have over 100k miles ( '03 Silverado, '09 Lexus SUV, '14 Jeep Latitude). When I sold the Explorer it had 150k and a new transmission. I think the only one I sold that had less that 100k miles was the Chrysler 200, it had about 77k but was having electrical issues.
I'm not one to switch every couple of years and I won't buy a brand new car. I feel you lose to much value doing that.
|
|
MalcolmR
Lieutenant
Keeping the world turning.
Posts: 23,620
|
Post by MalcolmR on Feb 22, 2022 9:08:02 GMT -5
The only brand new cars I got were when we were given company cars. Otherwise I bought ex-showroom demonstrators, 6 months old with 3 or 4,000 on the clock. They were usually very well specced up, too.
|
|
mank
Lieutenant
Posts: 7,163
|
Post by mank on Feb 23, 2022 10:25:24 GMT -5
I own two vehicles a 2013 Chrysler 300 C AWD with the 5.7 liter Hemi engine. It only has 32,000 miles on it. It is my wife's car and she basically only drives it to work 8 miles round trip on weekdays. Before that she had a 2007 Chrysler 300 C but it was not AWD. We traded in her 2007 on the 2013. We did that because I felt one of our vehicles should be AWD. At that time in 2013 I was driving a 2010 Honda Insight. The Insight is a hybrid, got great gas mileage, but was terrible in the snow. In Pittsburgh we are known for our hills, look up Canton avenue. In May of 2021 I bought a Kia Telluride EX model, great vehicle. I sold my Insight myself for $2200, dealer only offered my $1000. At the time it had 176,000 miles on it. I keep my cars for a long time.
|
|
|
|
Post by brandon on Feb 26, 2022 10:34:55 GMT -5
I like to get cars new and then run them until they are too expensive to fix. Every car I have owned has had 150k+ miles on it. My current on has 215k+ and I expect to get to at least 250k.
How long cars last also it dependent on what part of the US you are in. A 10 year old car in the midwest is worth a lot less than a 10 year old car from the south due to rust from salt.
|
|
MalcolmR
Lieutenant
Keeping the world turning.
Posts: 23,620
|
Post by MalcolmR on Feb 26, 2022 11:30:44 GMT -5
|
|
MalcolmR
Lieutenant
Keeping the world turning.
Posts: 23,620
|
Post by MalcolmR on Feb 26, 2022 11:38:13 GMT -5
Found it.  |
|
|
|
Post by Jeannette on Feb 26, 2022 13:58:10 GMT -5
I think it depends on the state, in Michigan they don't, but I know some states require it. If I remember correctly North Carolina is one (or used to be) as I remember by sister having to do it.
|
|
Bomber
Lieutenant
Posts: 9,473
|
Post by Bomber on Feb 26, 2022 17:03:58 GMT -5
New York requires inspections after the 1st year. Includes all of the safety checks plus emission system.
|
|
frodi
Lieutenant
Posts: 18,400
|
Post by frodi on Feb 26, 2022 18:04:43 GMT -5
In Ireland it's every 2nd year after 6 years old and every year after 10 years old. It's become a bit of a scam after the govt sold the rights to carry out the test to one company. www.ncts.ie/ |
|
Dan
Lieutenant
Posts: 1,334
|
Post by Dan on Feb 26, 2022 20:35:13 GMT -5
1) I have to get ALL my vehicles inspected yearly.
2) My motorcycle has over 100k miles on it.
3) I'm selling the S-10. It's not worth the headaches.
4) I drive between 40k and 60k a year - it's not worth upgrading.
5) I *HAVE TO HAVE* 4wd for work. If you don't, then you wouldn't understand.
6) Thanks, Jim, but it's 1k miles, round trip, and I'm not that vested into this POS S-10.
|
|
|
|
Post by martycanuck on Feb 26, 2022 22:27:07 GMT -5
We had an emission check on cars over a certain age for a while but they scrapped that tax grab. Computer controlled ignition cars never get to a point that they make a ton of extra pollutants, at least not often enough to warrant checking them all every 2nd year after whatever age it was. Our provincial Gov’t also just scrapped the fees to renew the tags on your license plates and are refunding any renewed in the last 2 years so we got that going for us. |
|
Drea
Executive Staff 
Posts: 483 
|
Post by Drea on Feb 27, 2022 18:52:10 GMT -5
As Dan said (I also live in Virginia), all personal vehicles/trucks must pass inspection every year you own them. They must pass an emissions test every two years.
|
|
Jackie
Captain 
Forum Goddess
Posts: 1,619
|
Post by Jackie on Feb 27, 2022 20:46:45 GMT -5
Do the cars in the USA have to be inspected every year? As others have said it depends on the state. Pennsylvania, yes, has to pass inspection. Georgia, nope, just has to have liability insurance. |
|
Rob
Lieutenant
Posts: 1,799
|
Post by Rob on Feb 27, 2022 20:53:02 GMT -5
Yearly inspections of vehicles have got to be a pain in the ass.
|
|
graham
Lieutenant
Posts: 3,849
|
Post by graham on Feb 28, 2022 7:08:15 GMT -5
Yearly inspections of vehicles have got to be a pain in the ass. Being involved in an accident because someone's driving an unroadworthy vehicle (bald tyres, dodgy brakes, no headlights etc) would probably be a bigger PITA... |
|
Jim
Lieutenant
Posts: 2,012
|
Post by Jim on Feb 28, 2022 7:41:50 GMT -5
Connecticut is inconsistent when it comes to inspections. We have emissions testing every other year between years 5 and 25. Cars older than 25 years old only get a visual inspection upon registration. Nothing resembling a safety inspection that I've experienced.
|
|
Rob
Lieutenant
Posts: 1,799
|
Post by Rob on Feb 28, 2022 18:20:28 GMT -5
Being involved in an accident because someone's driving an unroadworthy vehicle (bald tyres, dodgy brakes, no headlights etc) would probably be a bigger PITA... I haven't had a driver's license since I was 25, so I'm not up to speed on these things. But I know Michigan does not require inspections of vehicles. However, if you are driving an unroadworthy vehicle--bald tires, dodgy brakes, no headlights, etc--I believe you can be pulled over and ticketed. I wonder, how much of a difference do the regular inspections of vehicles make? I would think the majority of auto accidents involve vehicles that are perfectly fine. Or it's the drivers that are the cause of the accidents and not the condition of the vehicles. The required inspections just seem like another way to take up people's time and money. |
|
graham
Lieutenant
Posts: 3,849
|
Post by graham on Feb 28, 2022 19:21:42 GMT -5
I wonder, how much of a difference do the regular inspections of vehicles make? I would think the majority of auto accidents involve vehicles that are perfectly fine. Or it's the drivers that are the cause of the accidents and not the condition of the vehicles. The required inspections just seem like another way to take up people's time and money. An MOT Test takes about 30 minutes to an hour and costs about the equivalent of $70 (provided there's no problems).
In brief, there are four possible outcomes:
Pass
Pass with advisory: The vehicle is deemed roadworthy, however there is be something that could become an issue before the next MOT (eg tyres being worn close to the legal tread limit)
Fail: There is a problem which needs to be fixed before the vehicle can pass. This could be something as simple as a non-functional headlight (which any sensible person would have spotted *before* they took the vehicle in for the Test!) or something more serious, but the vehicle is still drivable.
Providing your current MOT Certificate is still valid (ie you didn't take it into the Test centre after the certificate expired) it is legal to drive the vehicle home or to another garage to get it fixed. It's legal to drive a vehicle to the MOT centre, even if it doesn't have a currently valid certificate, but going *anywhere* else with it is illegal and your insurance would be invalid if you did.
Fail - Dangerous. The vehicle is in a condition that it would be unsafe to take onto the roads, no matter that your current MOT certificate is still valid. The vehicle must be fixed on site or otherwise recovered to somewhere that it can be repaired to a condition that would allow it to pass the Test. Or it must be scrapped.
Personally I'm glad that there's an assurance that the vehicles on the road ARE tested. Imagine how much worse the accident rate could be if there wasn't a regular check for worn tyres, duff brakes etc...!
|
|
|
|
Post by Juli on Feb 28, 2022 19:59:20 GMT -5
In Ohio it's spotty. In some of the cities they may do checks frequently, but in rural areas maybe every few years the staties will set up a checkpoint and randomly pick vehicles to check usually just lights, turn signals, tires and horn. If there's something else obvious, they'll get you then, like muffler. None of my cars (8 over 36 years) have ever had an inspection while I owned them, though most had a sticker when I got them. I once was driving one of the farm's vehicles when I got randomly selected. Also, Cleveland area has strict emissions legislation. Many people who own property in other parts of the state will have their cars registered in that county. Judy and her ex did that, they owned the property where the trailer was, down here on Tappan Lake, and at least one of their vehicles was registered there.
West Virginians have to go pay for an inspection. They also pay personal property tax on their vehicles. It seems like it's 18 months off, that is, a bill in January 2018 was for the vehicles owned in the last six months of 2016. I had a co-worker who was not thrilled with paying tax on a vehicle she had sold over a year prior.
|
|
