My car will shortly require four new tyres, front and rear brake discs and pads, and new handbrake shoes. Now that’s all expected wear and tear and budgeted for and I’m prepared for that.
But then I go and badly curb a wheel, now I’m thinking, might as well have the wheels refurbished at the same time. Had it in mind as the lacquer is peeling in places, but planned on another couple of years, however, that curbed wheel is just unacceptable!
But then I start thinking, those sparkling refurbed wheels may look slightly out of place with the eight year old bodywork, may be a bonnet re-spray to remove the numerous stone chips is in order.
A new windscreen would be nice too, but that can wait until the next chip. Fortunately the interior is nearly as new.
I expect this car to last another eight years at least, whether in my ownership or not I don’t know. But, given that I have no intention of changing cars soon does it make sense to have the cosmetic damage on the car fixed? It seems to me that the wheel refurb makes perfect sense when also changing the tyres, the stone chips could wait a while, what do you think?
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Depends how long you intend keeping it.
I've now got a 13 year old prestige type car, that I bought when 2.5 years old. I've constantly kept it in immaculate nick.
In the past 5 years or so, i've justified that by accepting although a fair amount of money is been spent on a car whose value wouldn't necessarily warrant it...it stops me buying a new/newer one that would have noticeable depreciation.
So if I say, spend £700 per year on things that could be left (but would irritate me) and by keeping the car in good nick and good running order, I don't buy something that will depreciate £3,000 (or more) a year...i'm at least a couple of grand a year in pocket.
Not bothering at all isn't an option for me. If something doesn't work or doesn't look right, it irritates and has to be addressed one way or the other.
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Do it up Marc. You'll like the car even better when you do and even if you do sell it sooner than planned it'll sell quicker and fetch a better price if it's in good order.
I absolutely agree with your "maintain and keep" philosophy by the way.
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Marc, the handbrake shoes, there's a £9 spring kit that's optional when doing those, i didn't buy it and when i took the rear discs off, wished i had so that was a 24 hour delay reassembling while waiting for the springs.
They corrode quite badly couped up inside the "drum" of the rear disc.
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if the unsightly things will annoy you then get them done, especially if you have already budgeted for them.
get a price for the stone chips and then see if you can get that done or wait till the bank account recovers
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Thanks all for the confirmation of my thinking.
Westpig, I'm with you on the not bothering not being an option, once everything is mechanically perfect I just naturally drift towards all those little cosmetic imperfections...
Humph, I still have a nagging doubt that I sold my last car too soon and for less than it was worth to be, as is always the case, so I’m determined not to do that again.
Cheers Skoda I'll keep that in mind, although if I have the wheels referbished that's normally a few days at least.
nyx2k, stone chips are definitely the lowest priority can wait to see how it looks when the wheels are done.
Have already started trawling ebay for new centre cap badges etc.
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I suspect that for afficionados of the mark E46 isa big clue but how old is the car?. Other relevant factor is mileage and location; how soon will it pick up more stone chips or urban dings?
For our part Mrs B and I run a 2000 Xantia and a 2005 Berlingo both owned from new. The Xant has 130k and 'lingo 95k. Both are meticulously maintained on servicing and fault rectification but battle scars are worn with pride.
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The car is 8 years old and 80k miles located in Devon. The majority of the chips, mostly on the bonnet were there when I bought it 4 years ago, so I haven't added greatly to them.
My speciality is picking up chips on the windscreen! I have had two repaired and added numerous smaller chips, on the plus side they are always on the passenger side.
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Personally i wouldn't bother.
I try to keep my '04 330Ci in a clean condition, both inside and out, and in my 18 months of ownership it has picked up three minor supermarket scrapes (and I always park as far away as possible , never alongside another car!) a wheelie bin blew into it during a recent gale, and the wheels were badly kerbed by the previous owner
I shall get everything sorted the week before I sell it. And there is a scratch on the inside of the screen from the previous owners diamond ring. Grrr.
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We have similiar cars, mine is also a 330Ci, but different approaches to upkeep I wouldn't bother sorting everything just before I sold it, I want to enjoy the car in it's best condition.
I rarely park in supermarket car parks and have added very few chips in my 4 years of ownership, apart from the recent curbing, which I don't consider to be entirely my fault. Next time I shall have to consider if a security guard is worth avoiding!
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I keep our cars mechanically A1 but stone chips and alloys are touched up. Period.. If I came to sell it - I could spend £500 on chip repairs - and get none of it back.. and if I kept it there are always more chips.
Cars are to use: not to look at... I wash them , touch up the paint and drive...
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If you are not sure then don't do it. After all this an old BMW with 80k on it. Hardly worth getting too worried about. It's a banger in 2 years so on worry about it.
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I agree with WP's philosophy, cheaper long term and enables one to keep running a proper car rather than a motorised shoe.
I keep my 16 year old MB in tip top order too, depreciation is no longer a problem, and i get to drive an increasingly unique car that's a pleasure to look at and be inside, and can still leave them standing when required.
Keeping the body in good nick sees the car go to my handy little body shop every other year for a sort out...has had a number of panels painted now.
Important you find a good non rip off shop for this sort of thing, cash is king so they tell me.
If you're on standard alloys, you might pick up a complete same spec set off ebay for silly money already shod, gives you three decent spares then if needed.
If you are going to keep it long term, don't forget to keep the underbody clean and slap some grease/waxoyl around, especially exposed brake pipes.
It wouldn't hurt to drain and refill all fluids either, give it a fighting chance to have a full second life.
Oh and the best of luck getting and maintaining a decent handbrake, not the best design i've seen, though the similar MB setup (foot operated) works surprisingly well.
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Good post, gb, until the bit about the Merc foot-operated handbrake.
Couldn't get on at all with the one I tried in a new C-class, although there's probably more room in the pedal box of yours.
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>> Couldn't get on at all with the one I tried in a new C-class, although
>> there's probably more room in the pedal box of yours.
Not really Iffy, the 124 coupe is a small car by modern standards, does have a comfy left footrest though, rarely need the parking brake in anger, auto creep will hold the car on the steepest of hills on tickover.
I'm surprised by just how effective the parking brake is, considering the shoes are very small, and how difficult it is to keep an E46 handbrake effective with almost identical design.
Was that C Class manual by any chance?, never understand why anyone buys one when the MB auto is such a dream, manual Benz not easy to sell on either.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Fri 24 Jun 11 at 23:21
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>> the Merc foot-operated handbrake.>> >> Couldn't get on at all with the one I tried in a new C-class,>>
Don't bother with it. What do you need it for?
I use mine once in a blue moon.
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...Don't bother with it. What do you need it for?....
Since I don't like people who sit in front of me at traffic lights with their foot rested on the brake, I need a handbrake for waiting at traffic lights.
The Merc was an auto, but I would also use the parking brake for, er, parking.
Leaving an auto in 'P' does not hold the car as firmly as most people think, and I certainly wouldn't rely on 'P' on a steep slope.
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>> I need a handbrake for waiting at traffic lights.
>>
>>
Stick it in 'park'.
The gearbox has a breather, so do you, so does the bloke behind.
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But then you have to get it out of P, which gives an unnecessary flash of brake lights, sometime even reversing lights, and carries the risk of finding R by mistake. Isn't the N position on the selector there for precisely this situation?
That said, my attempts at sparing the eyes of the driver behind me when I tried the V70 auto last week usually resulted in flustered flapping at the selector as I tried to get it from N to D. Presumably that problem diminishes with familiarity.
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...But then you have to get it out of P, which gives an unnecessary flash of brake lights, sometime even reversing lights, and carries the risk of finding R by mistake. Isn't the N position on the selector there for precisely this situation?...
I was going to post the same thing, although it might depend on the design of the selector.
'P' is fine for parking on level ground, but for sitting in traffic, 'N' and the handbrake is best.
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>> Since I don't like people who sit in front of me at traffic lights with
>> their foot rested on the brake
That'll be the vast majority then. You must be constantly irritated.
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...You must be constantly irritated...
Many people would say I'm constantly irritating, rather than irritated.
Brake lights at traffic lights do annoy me, but I do my best not to let it ruin my day.
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Like wise Iffy
Hand brake on, depress clutch, into neutral.
Not difficult is it if you have a brain cell.
Then anticipate moving off by engaging first, or Drive, when opposing lights change to amber.
Too many thickos driving if you ask me.
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Hand brake on, depress clutch, into neutral.
Before you move off, don't forget to restart the stalled engine.
};---)
(Or have I missed something important about this newfangled Stop-Start system?)
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I was thinking the same about my Saab 9-5 - the wheels are definitely looking pretty rough, with peeling & bubbling lacquer, and the last couple of times they've been balanced I've been told they are very slightly out of round but not enough to worry about. Unless I find an absolute bargain, I decided that the money was best kept in my pocket....the car has covered nearly 160,000 miles and although running well is worth probably a packet of peanuts given the mileage and the current state of Saab. Always a difficult one though I agree.
If I could get the refurb for, say £30 per wheel I might go for it (I have no idea what the going rate is).
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>> If I could get the refurb for, say £30 per wheel I might go for
>> it (I have no idea what the going rate is).
>>
The last set i had refurbed was by Lap Tab, just off M6 jct 6, ISTR £30 + VAT per 15" wheel, but you have to take the wheels in minus tyres.
Their work was good, shot blasted bare, powder coated and baked, good durable finish.
A mobile chap will be cheaper, will probably do them with tyres on but it won't be such a permanent tough finish.
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My thinking was to get the wheels done at the same time as changing tyres, reburbishers can charge quite a bit extra to refit tyres. Going rate seems to be £50-60 per wheel.
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...My thinking was to get the wheels done at the same time as changing tyres...
I think the quick-fit places are missing a trick here.
I'd be happy to pay an extra £5 or £10 a wheel for it to be given a proper nook and cranny clean while the tyre was off.
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The trick with keeping an older car fettled is to have a spare one to use when the main one isn't available due to some unforeseen reason. If you have room, buy a something else interesting, preferably something different enough to be justifiable. A Westfield, a motorbike, a Land Rover or whatever. Got to make sense to anyone rational. Any wives to be persuaded? We'll help you with the BS if need be. Years of experience to draw on here. Won't be an issue.
:-)
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BMW 3-Series E46 - Mission Creep - Westpig
