10 Years Old Car. What Should Be Next?

[rakeshkn]

Hi folks,

I found a thread regarding 5 year car keep or upgrade thread in a forum and the calculations shown it is better to keep a car max 10 year to get the maximum value for money, but here I am looking into the scenario with a different proposition. hope you would share some sparks on it.

I am owning a car which has only covered 65K kilometers in here 9 years, and I kept the car in top condition. But there were some parts made by metal which was covered by rust. and some fibar parts like switches are breaking because of its got brittle.

My questions are given below in points, please feel free to discuss/answer in this thread.

1) On a new car, we would drive fast. But what is the points has to take care, if I am speeding on a 10year old car.
2) As I mentioned above, some parts are gone brittle, what would you suggest, should I replace all or wait to break?
3) what is the main point to take care of an aging car in terms of service and replacements.
4) In my new insurance, total value of the car is less. how many more years I would allow to buy full cover insurance
5) If I worried those things and If I immediately sell it off the car, what is the problems new owner might face?

I have more questions, will post eventually in this thread.

 

[Akins]

Well buddy, you have some unique question. As far as i know, for ageing cars, speeding can be done but you have to take care of some parts. Your running seems low in your 9 year old car. So, there may be no major problem. But before speeding check the wheels, coz matel fatigue is common in ageing cars, this can cause major accidents. Check the wheel balancing and alignment. Check the brake. For 2nd question, if you want to sell the car, the you should replace the brittle parts. This kind of parts can't satisfy the buyers mind or affact the value of the car. For 3rd question, check the nuts and bolts well after any parts replacements. But don't go for regular washing of the car. This can cause the minor rhusting major. For 4th question, i've no idea. But for 5th question, good job buddy for taking care of your car buyer. Generally, many people doesn't care after selling the car to buyer.

 

[Ani191]

Well as your car is less driven and you vouch that the car is maintained in a good shape, the following are my answers for your questions

1. Follow the maintenance schedules of the vehicle meticulously. Do change / replace parts which need to be changed as per the manual. Make sure the tyres are in a good shape. Maintain correct tyre pressure. Next come the brakes. Make sure the brakes are in good shape. Make sure the electrical connections are good.

2. Do not wait for the parts to break/give up if you are planning to keep the vehicle. If you are planning to sell the vehicle, then replace the parts which are important or you can mention to the prospective buyer about them. The over all value may drop a bit if you do not replace.

3. Please refer to first answer.

4. I am not pretty sure about it but it still rings in some part of my mind that you can have full insurance til the vehicle turns 15 years. After which you need to obtain a fitness certificate.

5. Well if you immediately sell your car, then the prospective buyer would surely get it checked by a reputed mechanic to find out flaws n he wil get replaced/repaired as per his requirements/budget/interest.

Well IMHO, aged cars are stil graceful if maintained well. I personally drive a nine year old SUV (with no intentions to sell it in near future. ) and my father maintained a 12 year old hatch in a very good condition. We had to part with the hatchback as he wanted an automatic transmission car for the ease of driving in the city.

 

[Nairrk]

1) I have driven more than 10 year old car(the old fiat with floor gear) in the past and even at the speed of 100+ nothing happened except some noises from age old door or boot etc..

2) better change before it break in the midway of a trip?

3) Ageing car definitely need regular check ups and service otherwise it may break in-between..?

4) Better check with insurance guys. With so many insurance companies are around these days, you will not find difficult to get some one cover your car.

5) Whoever buying your car at this stage will take care and you may need not to worry much

 

[Surfer]

Do the servicing on time , and replace necessary parts on time. That's it . It will save your money on second car.
Or buy new car and keep this as second car. 10 Year old car will not have great resale value but still its a car which can be used as a backup on short runs in city.

 

[Akash1886]

I am owning a car which has only covered 65K kilometers in here 9 years, and I kept the car in top condition. But there were some parts made by metal which was covered by rust. and some fibar parts like switches are breaking because of its got brittle.

This is normal I would say. I own an Esteem that is 9.5 years old now. Rattles and small bits of Rust are unavoidable and even if you re-paint the surface the rust would eventually re-appear since the metal beneath has become weak and can't stand corrosion. The only way out is to weld and paint a new piece for the effected area. As for plastics, after a certain period, it is advisable to look for good quality after-market solutions because the ASCs often take too much time to source the part.

My questions are given below in points, please feel free to discuss/answer in this thread.

1) On a new car, we would drive fast. But what is the points has to take care, if I am speeding on a 10year old car.

Firstly, we should never speed irrespective of car's age. Now, in a new car the engine's strength and the strength of mechanical parts is certainly more compared to a aged vehicle. It is as simple as when one is a teenager he/she has more energy to work, to fight illness and stay fit and better reflexes but as the age increases, the energy reduces, strength reduces and so does the reflexes. Hence, we should always respect the age whether its a car or a human. We should not seek high-end performance from a aged car. I would say, keep the aged car anywhere between 50-60 km/h and don't put pressure on the engine.

2) As I mentioned above, some parts are gone brittle, what would you suggest, should I replace all or wait to break?

Well prevention is better than cure. Take pre-cautions i.e buy the stuff in advance so that at the 11th hour you should not be in sticky situation. Always keep basics like a set of bulb, window glass levers et al handy.

3) what is the main point to take care of an aging car in terms of service and replacements.

Do not miss out on maintenance schedule. At every 5K Kms get the engine oil changed. Take special care of brakes. If need be get the engine inspected for leaks etc at every 10K Kms.

4) In my new insurance, total value of the car is less. how many more years I would allow to buy full cover insurance

Insurance is for car's on-road safety. So irrespective of car's value, you should always have proper insurance cover for it.

5) If I worried those things and If I immediately sell it off the car, what is the problems new owner might face?

If the buyer is a enthusiast, he'll think/check before buying. If he is a non-enthusiast, he'll not go at all for such a car sighting age and maintenance. Finally, in an aged car, you can't predict what can go wrong and when because anything can go wrong at anytime. Maybe, once you sell it off, the engine might seize before the new owner reaches home.

Regards

Akash

 

[rakeshkn]

Thank you guys for the answers. I will take care of my car as much as I can, I would prefer to change the car only after 10 years if that is not reliable then.

 

[Releesh]

Rakesh,is it your alto getting 10 years old?then nothing to worry. All parts of alto are easily available and it is cheap too. So replace require parts and any tinker/painter will take care of rusted parts of these car at very cheap price. it is a problem free car too and don't expect this type quality in new model alto.you can easily use for another 5 years or upto 1 lakh km and still takers will be there. Check out the belts condiltion and replace engine oil between 5-7 k km interval.I like the old model alto than current one. If the car is well maintained then you can take it to any trips with out worry and get better resale and takers when you sell. I am using 2006 esteem and done a 2000 km trip 2 months before.3 out of 5 trips esteem run 100< km and no issues faced til now.
Try to renew the insurance through online to get a better IDV.There is no issue to get a full cover insurance even after the test too.

 

[rakeshkn]

Thank you Releesh, for now I don't have any plan to sell it off but using it some more years.

 

[abhijit_net]

I have a 12 year old Alto. After 10 years of use had to replace all moving parts in 2 years. But they are not that costly.
Parts that get damaged after 10 years (I had to replace in past 2 years).
Front suspensions 2 nos: 4000 Rs
Rear suspensions 2 nos : 1200 Rs
Clutch plate and pressure plate : 1800 Rs
Wheel bearing Bearings : 2400 Rs for set of 4.
Getting Break plate lathed : 300 Rs.
Break Pads : 600 Rs for 4.
Some pumps for rear break : 600 Rs pair.
Bushings and stuff that goes bad : 1000 Rs max.
Removing oxidation on headlights : 500 Rs for pair.
A/C Condenser: 5000 Rs.
Labor charges : Depends.
And you an go for 10 more years (As per the Mechanic).