When should one consider the car is dead?

Post by **Thunderbird** » 08 Apr 2005, 21:54

... and let it go (not fix it anymore).
I've seen Citroens being pronounced death based on the bad condition of the hydraulic suspension, which repairing was too expensive. If engine still works it goes for another car.
If engine is "too tired" and there's not a cheap one available (even if suspension still works), the car is also usually retired (destroyed for recycling or converted in spares).
About 95% of Citroens around here die too soon because owners can't afford the high cost of repair and are not able to repair it themselves. Repair cost may go up to 5 times the value of the car, which is very very low. Especially for BX's. They're given away and no one wants them. Most BX's are gone in Portugal.
Other brands don't have the suspension problem. The car continues to work. So, they only die from engine serious complications.

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 08 Apr 2005, 22:05

I would guess it should be considered dead if the cost of repair is greater than the value of the car

rory_perrett · Post by **rory_perrett** » 08 Apr 2005, 22:19

What about when the cost of filling the fuel tank is more than the value of the car - not difficult with fuel rapidly shooting past the 90p / litre mark.
Seriously I would say the car is dead when the cost of repair minus the benefit of that repair is greater than the replacement cost plus the cost of the risk of taking on someone elses problems.
If you spend £500 on fixing the suspension then you have a car you know about with a fixed suspension.
Spent that £500 on a replacement and end up with a car with any number of potential problems which may need £500 spent on the suspension in the near future.
Rory

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 08 Apr 2005, 23:17

The actual cost of a Citroen suspension fix is often not great, there is however the matter of diagnosing the fault which can take some time and an element of trial and error even with resources like this forum at ones disposal, many non citroen garages will give an unrealistic quote just to make you go away!. I have bought BX with known engine problems (at the right price) and would do the same with suspension troubles too, I operate on the basis of "better the devil you know" and would repair my "known" car rather than speculate on an unknown, that said my cars are generally better maintained than many which is only worthwhile if you intend to keep the car for some time.
Stewart

FDV · Post by **FDV** » 08 Apr 2005, 23:31

Rory is spot on there! Couldn't agree more.
Couldn't disagree more about Mercs being the future of automobiles - they're heaps of overpriced tack, and are by far the most unreliable make we cater for at work!

Post by **Thunderbird** » 09 Apr 2005, 00:00

Rory I also think that's the right answer. [^]
FDV, Reliability?! A Toyota is 10 to 20 times more reliable than a Citroen (or a Mercedes). Would you want one?... I tought so. [;)]
I agree that over 90% of the models Mercedes produces are just like any other, but the other 10% are unique.
Citroen is still playing with hydropneumatic suspension when Mercedes droped ir over 10 yeard ago! Now their most advanced suspensions are pneumatic and active. In a near future all the luxury cars will follow Mercedes and have pneumatic active suspension. Yes pneumatic means they're based on compressed air!
Top Mercedes are not expensive, in fact they are to cheap as they are the best. A S500 is too cheap. How can they sell perfect cars so cheap?! [}:)]

mezuk04 · Post by **mezuk04** » 09 Apr 2005, 00:36

I am one of these people that probably would pay a price for repair even if it more than the value of the car, because ive been driving nearly 9 months and I love it (sadly it aint a Turbo) and it hasnt really let me down and its 'MINE' so I would be a t@wt and pay to keep it maintained...im not a mechanic or even a car expert as im sure people have already guessed hehehe but I know the value of my car...its a feeling like love just slightly different [:I].
Regards

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 09 Apr 2005, 01:07

A car is dead when the owner decides that it is dead. Either it costs money to repair or its worth more as parts.
The vast majority of cars die because they get old and unmaintained then something expensive goes wrong that could have been fixed cheaply long ago.

tonyb1 · Post by **tonyb1** » 09 Apr 2005, 01:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by citroenzx

I would guess it should be considered dead if the cost of repair is greater than the value of the car
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Wow! That means that every 12 months my beloved Xantia dies and is reborn [:D] But it's worth every penny, bless it's little spheres [:o)]

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 09 Apr 2005, 01:46

Thats why my XM is nicknammed "Pheonix" - continually rising from it's own ashes.
//NiSk

wilkobob · Post by **wilkobob** » 09 Apr 2005, 02:09

Well my car cost more than its "value" in repairs since I bought it, but I consider it worth more than id get for it, as its worth more to me (what other quick diesel car are you going to get as new as R reg, for less than a grand?). However, I let my BX go, as the repairs were what id consider a joke, needed far to much doing (not cost, as id do the work myself), and I couldnt be bothered with it. I consider a car dead when you lose interest in it, and its costing you too much time and money.

Dave Bamber · Post by **Dave Bamber** » 09 Apr 2005, 02:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wilkobob

I consider a car dead when you lose interest in it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You've hit the nail on the head I think.

czenda · Post by **czenda** » 09 Apr 2005, 02:36

I do not consider myself being fully familiar with the mysteries of Cit hydropneumatic suspension, but I agree fully with oilyspanner, at least when considering BX.
It is definitely worth repairing if one is in DIY mood. Of course, it would not be economical to let a garage do the work - then the price of repair would be outrageous for such underpriced car.
I believe one must consider the maintenance and repairs as a kind of rewarding hobby. Anyway, ther is a trap hidden in this approach - it is very hard, at least for me, to part with a car into which I invested (not money, I mean the effort here).

Post by **Jon** » 09 Apr 2005, 03:17

Image size on this Forum is going to be limited to 500x375 as from today. Any bigger and I'm going to delete them.
No arguments. When you post an image like 800x600 it streches the whole forum, plus it takes a long time for people with dialup to open them. I'm getting fed up with it.
Plus, why the hell do I have to have a picture of some mercedes in a Forum for Citroen vehicles? If you are so keen on the things I'm sure that there are plenty of forums where you can go on to your hearts content about how good they are.
This however, is not the place.
Clunk Click.