Old vs New Car Debate: Is It Greener to Keep Your Vehicle? Shocking Truth About New Car Emissions

[@mitchlu]

When you have a car that's worth less than its repair, that doesn't mean I wouldn't spend that amount to fix it. To me, if the car has been giving me good service in all other aspects, I will gladly "treat it" to a costly repair. It's still safer than starting over again with the unknown of the next used car (since I know my own car's history). Love your videos, BTW...and cheers from Brooklyn, NY!

[@wallace-bv4rl]

Double right when the offer for your car is a fraction of the price a dealer wants for it. No accusation at dealers in this, just economics!

[@gregorymalchuk272]

There are places that are trying to make this illegal. They want mechanics to weigh their itemized estimate against a blue book value, and if the repairs exceed blue book value, the car would legally have to be scrapped. It's insane and would probably total every vehicle older than about 15 to 18 years old.

[@VictorMaxol]

Yes. I reckoned that too and yet the industry tells me I'm wrong.

[@perryallan3524]

Absolutely correct. When you buy a used car you are buying a major unknown about its condition and what it will cost in repairs. Why take the risk if you have a known reliable car with a known and good history. I'd drop a new engine in my 2009 Sonata in a heartbeat (it currently has over 300,000 miles on it).

[@kingduckford]

If you like what you drive, market value means literally nothing. If you never intend to sell, it never mattered. All that maters is the monetary and other value it has to you.

[@realjiver2]

I have a 20 year old Audi A4 1.9 tdi b6 PD 130 bhp with 154,000 miles. I keep it in good condition both mechanically and body-wise. Every thing on my car that should work - does work! I don't need infotainment, I don't need tire pressure sensors, I don't need lane assist, I don't need cameras, I don't need component protection or any other stupid unnecessary gadgets. It's a car, it's for driving!

[@Landaultd]

I maintain our 3 old cars myself, 1987 Audi 80 1.8 8v, 1998 Audi A6 C5 1.8 20v and an 2003 Opel Astra G 1.6 8v. My A6 became a new used engine I replaced myself for 1600€ with a lot of extra wrenches. Our cars don't have much market value anymore, but reliability and low general costs. I live in the middle of Black Forest in Germany, an electric car is at the first point, a money we don't have and if we had it, would be spent in something more important, and a used electric car you cannot thrust because nobody would Garantie you a Batterie over 10 years. And you cannot repair it alone for many reasons, so, I will keep my Oldies and be happy, who wants to buy a new car should do it, and keep people who don't want it free to do what they want too.

[@davidellis8141]

Environmental doesn’t come into it. I want a car that is reliable and all the rubbish they are putting in cars, won’t buy. Intend to keep my car and repair as necessary. Take it to my local garage for everything.

[@UnipornFrumm]

If you want a reliable car buy a new one every 4 years

[@KevinMaxwell-o3t]

@@UnipornFrumm Why not buy a new car every month if you want maximum reliability? Seriously, reliability is all most of us want, and the shiny bells and whistles are just fluff.

[@UnipornFrumm]

@KevinMaxwell-o3t its not cost efective, in the first 4 years you won't have any problem and if you would,it will be fixed for free

[@seigliere1]

I drive a 15 year old Bentley, it’s fantastically confortable, reliable and worth only10% of its original purchasing price. I will keep it for as long as I drive.

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

I can't speak to the ecological impact that keeping an older car has, although when you have an older car that gets really good fuel economy I don't see how it's polluting any significant amount more than a newer car. I also can't speak to the amount of pollution that is created by building a new car . But what I can say is that owning an older car that is from a known reliable brand that has been well maintained and taken care of is far cheaper and far more economical than buying a new car. I drive a 2000 Toyota Camry with nearly 200,000 Mi on it. It gets very good fuel economy for a car of its size and because it is easy to work on and other than routine maintenance like oil changes and occasionally tires or brake pads it requires nothing. I literally spend a couple of hundred dollars a year on the car in maintenance. I have no car payment, and the insurance is cheap. It does everything I need it to do, and it is super reliable. I would trust this car to drive from the East Coast where I live to California tomorrow if I had to.

[@steposka]

Exactly, I have nearly 27 years old car, Skoda Octavia Mk1 with very simplistic engine (AEE), well entire car is very simple, like it doesn't even have electric windows :D. Easily serviceable, most of the things, like timing belt, engine mounts, hydraulic pump for steering and other stuff I do repair or replace myself. And the fuel economy isn't that bad either, around 7l/100km. Since I have bought it, it was really cheap, I invested in parts that neede to be replaced and now it is in excellent mechanical condition. On a technical inspection, where they mesure emission, I was way below the limits for that car, I would even pass higher limits that came later! Now compare it to the car my friend bought. Some Lexus from 2022, RX300 I think but I am not sure... Full of infoshitment. When you get into the car, the seat move to the position. Trunk doors are electric as well. There are so many electric motors in insane places, like in the seats... When it breaks, you can't adjust your seat... I don't know where the motor for the seat adjustment is, but it would be pretty inconvenient to have it replaced. So far, everything seems to work. However the fuel consumption... He can't get it under 12L/100km... If I drive very very carefully for minimal fuel consumption, I can drive twice the distance for the same amount fuel! Not to speak the problems he faced when looking for new rims and winter tires, it took him some months to get them... I wouldn't want this car even if it was free :D. It is not all bad though, it is incredibly comfortable and all, automatic gearbox is actually quite nice feature. But I wouldn't change. When I drive mine, I am really driving it, no assistants, just ABS. I have driven it for really long routes, for 30000km I own it I haven't had single breakdown that would make me stop.

[@middleclassworkingman3762]

No questions. I’m driving my EVO 9 wagon until the wheels fall off. I just rebuilt the motor with a long rod configuration that will give an extremely long life. Makes all the right noises without being annoying. Street friendly. Easy to drive. I’m going to keep it for life. What is the point of spending £50k - £60k on the low end of a new car that depreciates when my car just appreciates.

[@ldmtag]

EVO 9?😮 Is it the same Evo I'm thinking about? But did they even come as wagons?🤔

[@middleclassworkingman3762]

@ Yes. It’s a rare car. Personal import from Japan. That’s why it will hold its value.

[@BigYouDog]

We decided to keep our R reg Diesel Toyota Colorado. It was used when we bought it, 20 years ago, and has done just over 140k miles. We are retired (I'm 75), and do about 2000m per year. This year, we spent about £1800 on a service, new batteries, and some welding work. Even now, with the ULEZ charge, all this is probably less than the hike in insurance and the financial loss in one year's depreciation on a new(er) car.

[@WheelchairWonders]

My Rover P6 is 50 years old; My Lexus RX400H is 19 years old; My Smart 450 is also19 years old. I've had brand new cars in the past but now I'm retired I love the relative simplicity and varied driving styles of being able to afford 3 cars at a fraction of the cost of a single brand new budget iPhone on wheels.. (Many thanks .. Phil)

[@VintageLynx]

Our oldest car is 38 years old, the youngest 19. All four are reliable, low cost to maintain, still drive almost as new. Not even thinking of replacing as they are running so well.

[@geoffrichards2706]

I'm thinking of replacing my 14 year old work van with a classic van . To buy a new van is likely to cost 25k + with insurance, MOT, servicing and running costs of about £2500 a year. A classic Morris Minor van fully restored is likely to cost £6000 with £150 insurance, free road tax and no MOT, I can service it my self for about £100 with a compatible mpg of a new heavy van . A new van would likely last 5 years before the bills got so big it's not worth spending on it . The Morris Minor van should do about 10 years before it needs some sort of restoration again and remember the classic has no deprecation, it's likely to be worth more in 5 years .

[@sorenfogdenius6393]

If you like your car, keep it. Simpel as that.

[@angelawerner7696]

The idea of scrapping an older car because the cost of repair is more than the blue book says it is worth makes no sense when you consider the cost of replacing it with a new, or newer car. Even a ten thousand dollar repair bill is only a fraction of the cost of replacing it.

[@ldmtag]

You don't replace it with a BNC or a significantly newer car, you replace it with another beater, maybe a slightly fresher one depending on how much you're wanna save. An example from Car Care Nuts channel: dude buys a 5000 dollar Camry, it needs a 10000 dollar engine. Dude is kinda "done" any way, but he can at least junk the car and buy another 5000 Camry. Instead of paying 10k he pays 5k. And even if you pay that repair bill, something is waiting in line to break next, so a lot of people just don't wanna invest emotionally. And you can buy a beater of different model, so you have a nice change of pace. I would definitely do that unless I own my dream car euro spec Mercedes-Benz GL 320 CDI (X164)

[@angelawerner7696]

So the slightly fresher beater you buy has no issues that will need repairing, after you have spent a few thousand on buying it, to replace your old car?

[@Cornz38]

Trust me, i have ZERO concern about emissions. NONE...I run a MK4 Mondeo, the big 2.5t petrol variant and i have every intention of keeping it going. I refuse to buy a vehicle that if the "fuel" read: battery pack is even SLIGHTLY damaged, the car is a write off. ALso, in the 16 years my car has been on the road (13 as mine) the fuel tank hasn't lost 75% of its capacity. Nor will it cost me 20k to replace the fuel tank. PS, good luck recycling the batteries. That's a shit load of carbon right there..

[@martinconnelly1473]

Too many additional costs are being missed out in most comparison videos I see. As a low mileage driver the annual depreciation of a vehicle is a major concern but the cost per mile is a lower concern. I do about 3000 miles per year and my current car does about 57mpg on long trips which is where most of the mileage comes from. The age of the car and the low mileage I do results in a lower insurance cost per year. The people who do cost per mile comparisons between ICE and EV do not inform me of the full running costs for someone like me. What good is it to me to save a few pennies per mile if the insurance and depreciation swamp that saving with higher costs.

[@brianwillson9567]

Yep. Keep that mondeo FOR EVER.

[@adrianvella7661]

I use an old 206 HDI which has over 207k miles on a daily basis as it is my company car. It is used and abused daily and gets serviced late. In the last 8 yrs it had no major issues except for a clutch. I find it easier to use and more fuel efficient than my personal new 208.

[@khalidacosta7133]

207k? Barely broken in. Both my HDi's, the earlier 90hp and later 140hp have over 250k on them, all original components.

[@charliebfarmer7957]

I agree with the previous poster but should say that living in Southern Spain, where we have no real Winter weather so no salt on the roads, even 20 or 30 year old cars will be virtually free of any sort of corrosion and that can be the deciding factor in choosing to spend more than a car is actually worth on repairs. I drive a 13 year old Skoda Yeti 1.2tsi which is absolutely perfect for my needs and it is 100% corrosion free both above and below. It's also the base model so largely devoid of accessories and facilities just waiting to fail. With relatively low mileage (130,000km/80k miles) it's value is around €5-6000 but even in the event of total engine failure I'd still be prepared to spend the €3-4k it would cost to replace it

[@ButchNackley]

I've got 5 vehicles 1988 - 1994. I wouldn't trade them for any newer car.

[@Hamsteak]

I have a question for everyone? 🤔 are we hitting the upper limit of cars for efficiency, that will still be cheap enough for the average person, but lasts long enough that it will not fail before 5-10

[@JayRides-ul9uf]

Did the math. What I put in repairs and basic insurance to keep my high milage car on the road vs buying a new one with full insurance, monthly payments and interest is far less.

[@reiniernn9071]

Good reason to keep the old one. In the past I did so myself. However...when I got the chance to convert to EV I did.... in 2013 with a leaf (as second car for daily usage..still as second car driving a lot of km.) The difference in payings for running an EV compared to the previous ICE was that dramatic that I would even earn back the total buying price of that new ev within a few yaers due to lower running costs. This included the 2013 tax credits which were huge....of coarse because there was no charging infra structure in that time. (With my very low insurance due to a long history without any damage claims the insurance payment did not play a major role. In my country my insurance is reduced with 82,5% the maximum reduction) My current EV , an ioniq 5 from 2021 was bought with those savings over 8 years....

[@cenccenc946]

I drive perhaps, 20,000 to 30,000 km a year total, but own four cars. 1996 vw bus (for fun), a 2002 Toyota hilux (for farm work), and 2010 FJ cruiser (for overlanding/ off-roading), and a 2015 lexus for daily driving. None of them are "fuel effient" or "environmentally" friendly. In total, I paid less than $30,000 U.S. for all of them. But the biggest problem is I live , work, and travel in the Patagonia of south america primarily. Most of the places I go, the next human is 50+ km away, the next power line is 100 km away. Guess how far the next EV charging station is? Even "common" gas vehicles (e.g. American jeeps, etc), their next parts might be on the otherside of the World, and weeks of waiting. The next dealership to service them, 1000+ km away (many new cars need a flat bed, no towing). So, basically it is a Toyota something, or don't bother. However, the Toyota's I own, all have reputations for hitting 500,000 to a million km, and even my 2002 hilux only has 178,000 km on it. between my three Toyotas / lexus, I only have 380,000 km total. I could easily expect 500,000 out of each, for 1,5 million kilometers, conservative. At my yearly driving, that is 50+ years more of driving. I am not going to be around that long. They are going to out last me. 😆

[@ldmtag]

But how were three Toyotas this cheap?😮😮 That FJ Cruiser alone is worth like 40, because rare, reliable and offroady😮😮😮 And the Hilux is like 10k US for a 1999-ish model😮 And that Lexus is supposed to keep its value even better than the Tototas, because better build quality and stuff😮😮

[@cenccenc946]

Guess I should explain that. 2010 FJ cruiser bought from my brother for $15,000 U.S., with 40,000 km on the dial. The VW bus and the Hilux pick-up, were abandoned in a sealed container, I got for free. Client of mine died, and the daughter had to get rid of them fast, she asked if I wanted them. I took them sight unseen. She even paid for a mechanic to do the maintenance after sitting so long, and ship them to my house on a flat bed. I figured even if the motors were siezed, it was still a good deal. hooked up a jumper box, and they all started right up. The Lexus, I paid around $18,000 U.S., with 100,000 km, and sold a Hyundai Tuscon. So, about $13,000 U.S. That one I did fly an hour to buy it from a rural area, where no one drives Lexus. The advertising also screemed, "this owner seller knows cars". Turns out he owned an oil change place, and it was his wife's soccer mom car. I buy cars, when I come across good deals, so I am never buying a car under pressure. I have made that mistake. Easier to negotiate, when you don't really need it.

[@ldmtag]

@@cenccenc946 1. Doesn't matter what you sold, you paid $33k 2. That FJ cruiser is just a load of bull feces! You know what car costs $15k with 40000 kilos on the odometer? The one that was around $20k brand new! And in case with offroad Toyota, it's the one that was just above $15k brand new, which is completely unrealistic. You either cold-bloodedly and shamelessly ripped off your brother, you misremember the actual amount, or you simply didn't mention a crucial detail, like that FJ Cruiser was totalled, and after spending 15 you dumped another 20 on repairs, or that it was stolen or something, or you can't register it for some reason, or what you bought was actually a lease contract, and you still had to pay monthly payments. Ain't no way an almost brand new FJ Cruiser that probably still has factory tires on costs this little! If you said 25 I would hardly believe, cos I'm monitoring prices on the last gen Haval H9, and $25k is how much a 2020-ish model year costs with about 40 kilos - a CHINESE CAR! In Toyota prices that's how much a well kept 80 or 100 series Land Cruiser costs, and it's gonna have like 10 times the mileage, and for 15 will probably buy you a 1998-ish 4Runner/Hilux Surf with FAR greater mileage than 40k

[@Hamsteak]

What I do I when buying cars, is that I buy them about 5-8 years old, and keep them for 5 years. Also with an odometer reading between 60-100,000 kms and sell them before they hit 150,000 kms. I find it the sweet spot where its depreciation has already hit the car, but the car isn't so mechanically challenged, where i'm putting that much money into maintenance.

[@jonc2914]

That's not environmentally responsible...

[@Hamsteak]

@jonc2914 I'm not trying to be environmental. I'm trying to get the best deal for me economically and for performance. If it happens to be better for the environment, so be it

[@jonc2914]

@Hamsteak and new cars aren't economical when a plastic replacement trim is $180

[@Hamsteak]

@jonc2914 they have been with me. I never paid more than $30,000 for a car. My way has worked great so far. Next car i get not so much, but I expect that to be thee case, it's going to be my realistic dream car. Will still be used, with at least 40,000 kms and be at least 5 years old and depreciate at least 50%. All doable

[@barryphillips7098]

EV, NO thank you Short life span HIGH repair costs new battery costs as much a whole new EV NO THANK YOU!!!!!! My old Toyota will last me many more years thank you!!

[@brianwillson9567]

2000 to 2010 is probably the high water mark of car build. Generally reliable, 'gizmo free' and not stressed to an inch of its life with turbos emission controls etc. If you have a 2005 car, keep it forever.

[@timporter4516]

My Car is a year 2000 Vauxhall Corsa c 1.2 16v. I am the 2nd owner as from 2006 to today. It has been amazingly reliable and very low cost over the years. It now still only has 78,000 miles from new. I managed to make my car ULEZ compliant via the COC certificate for my vehicle. Petrol cars are measured by the NOX level which is 0.8mg or lower for ULEZ compliance, my vehicle is NOX level 0.29mg confirmed on the COC certificate. I believe my car if ok for the environment as it still runs very smoothly and has been low cost all the time I have owned it. I do drive it sensibly and change the oil twice a year to protect the engine and timing chain.

[@privatefeaces]

The older cars are cheaper to fix, less to go wrong. I've got an old turbo diesel, I have to do a bit of suspension work etc now and then but other than that I do regular oil changes and it just keeps going.

[@richardsmith8938]

I spent £9000 on a 12year old 39000mile golf TDI full history one owner I've done almost 40000 in 3 years and I'm sticking with it 👍

[@ivojanssens221]

My car turns 21 next month. Maintenance I do myself, costing a few 100€/year. Consumption 6L/100 km. Fuelling 35L every 2 months... Don't make it harder than it is. Oh, I also have rear view camera, parking sensors, touch screen, you tube, spotify, navigation, internet,... all in the car and not just via cellphone but stand alone in the car. Even ODBII read out on the fly.... all not difficult. Long live out of the box thinking.

[@DashCamSerbia]

You drive 300 km a month, your info means nothing.

[@ivojanssens221]

@ It does matter when you factor in the environmental impact…

[@theronwolf3296]

Economically: I have not made a car payment since the early 80s. My daily driver has been with me for about 18 years and was old when I bought it. I spend maybe $1K-1.3K per year for repairs. The most expensive repair ever was about 3500 for a remanufactured engine installed... and that was well worth it.

[@jclafi]

I have a 12 year old car w/ 128.000 kilometers on the clock. I do not sell it because i love it, medium size hatchback w/ 6 speed manual gearbox do not exist anymore in my country. Manufactures only sell automatic SUV's, and i hate those cars. So i keep my older car because i love the style, the look, the manual gearbox and the amazing experience i have with it. Also my car have 4 consecutives FIA WTCC championships in is name. Is like driving a piece of racing heritage. Simply love it !

[@TheGalifrey]

I drive a 1998 Diesel Mercedes Estate and apart from fixing rust issues it's a gem, I shall drive it until it dies, which with the OM606 will be some time yet :D

[@jimhewitt5085]

I drive an immaculate Rover 75 V6 from 2001with 172 hp The car has never let me down Is reponsive on the motorway with approx 35mpg It needed new sills for the MOT this year The leather seats a comfy & I just cant fault that car which has now become a classic & I wouldnt swop it for a dull EV!

[@equinoxeparabellum6776]

I always had good cars but due to the state of the roads I decided otherwise. Best decision I ever made was to buy a 10 year old VW diesel and not be too concerned with potholes, stone chips, parking it anywhere, etc. Seriously can't understand why anyone would spend big money on a car in this age for it to get damaged and abused by other road users.

[@lascm5237]

1980 MGB, 2007 BMW, 2008 LR Freelander here (and my partner’s 2015 Mini Cooper). I service them myself and keep them basically because I love them and even f I could afford a new car I wouldn’t want one, so I’m irrationally emotionally attached 😁

[@dj_efk]

On the point made about Bangernomics, because a reliable car is the priority along with cost - if the major work would return an otherwise faithful jalopy back to ride health then I’d spend the money. It’s not the resale value that’s important, it’s the cost of replacing it with another car that you know will be reliable (so purchase price plus preventative maintenance). Our vehicles are a 20 year old Audi with 176k miles on the clock and a 9 year old VW bought at 4 years and 38k miles that now has 106k. I service them both myself but major work (which thankfully is rare) gets farmed out to a trusted garage.

[@Superphillipo]

I had a Focus mk 1 as a family car from 3 years old until we had to change it in 2018 for a 2009 Zafira B as the family got bigger. Because they don't make MPVs anymore we're going to keep the Zafira until either the engine blows up or rust claims it. We're never selling it, so we don't mind fixing it when it breaks.

[@White_Walker900]

I bought a 2003 Honda CRV 10 years ago with 100,000 miles, and have added 50,000. I do my own maintenance and the annual cost to keep it on the road (spares and consumables) has been around £400. Annual depreciation £100. It does everything you really need - so why spends thousands? Its because you want the trophy on the drive....

[@EarthSurfer]

Because an accurate lifetime CO2 calculation for a vehicle is essentially incalculable, I choose to focus on the actual $/€/£ lifecycle costs. I have chosen to purchase 2-3 yr used fuel efficient vehicles with good service records, drive them 12-15 yrs (typically 200,000 miles/320,000 km), and self-maintain at a high level. I recently replaced a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid at 240k miles (29MPG over 14 yrs) with a 2021 RAV4 Hybrid (42 MPG at 3 months). I cannot afford to purchase an EV that can reliably run in the cold and snow of the Colorado mountains where I often work for 2-3 months a year.

[@paulwilson7622]

Easy. I have a 1998 Mazda campervan (26yrs) with only 52k miles on it, also a 2005 turbo diesel pickup (19yrs) snd 100K miles. Both are regularly maintained and i always change the eng oil at half the recommended intervals & all easy filters at same time. They are both extremely reliable. I see no reason to get rid iyf either. I have recently driven about 1,100 miles over 3 days in the camper with zero problems. It cost me about £250 in fuel. That's cheap, stress free motoring

[@paulmanning9540]

my 26 year old van is fab. Love it and it passes the MOT every year with no adversaries. I would not waste money on a new vehicle.

[@a5941]

Bought a 10 year, old Volvo v50 D4 for 9000 euro 2 years ago, with quite low kms (125.000) for that type of engine. Remapped with removal of EGR and FLAPS. 4.8 litres per 100 km (with the heavier foot sometimes due to soot cleansing). Annual service around 600 euro, due to brake changes and such, wear and tear parts. No brake assist, no lane assist, no beeps and noices and will take awhile to reach environmental cost of a new car. It has a high sentimental value to me because it's beautiful even though it's quite firm on the road. No annoying creak noices either. And first and foremost it's not a fucking SUV.

[@KevinMorrison-xj2bt]

My 2006 Toyota Hilux double cabin auto is still like new, and a wonderful vehicle. I also own a supercharged 1949 MG TC and 1978 Renault 4 GTL which are fun to drive and easy to fix myself, also very reliable.

[@F3udF1st]

Obviously buying a new car every second is bad, keeping a four-hundred year old car is also bad. The truth is as almost always "it depends".

[@SpeedyG289]

I suspect there is an environmental benefit to keeping old cars. I sometimes wonder how much co2 is produced in making the steel and aluminum. And the plastic, mama Mia. I’ll stick with 65 Chevy, thanks. A well produced video, thanks.

[@Hamsteak]

I love your take on that subject, especially how you're going into the weeds of the details

[@cri1410sti]

you are right 100%, i have a skoda karoq 1.5 TSI , ea 211 evo1, DPCA, they (VW) have a map/function that modifies the gas pedal acceleration rate in the first part of the RPMs in order to get a better mileage, this is just disrespect for the owners, they are forcing us to remap the ECUs to fix the "mistakes".

[@torquecars]

Most intelligent drivers will get better fuel economy in "sport mode" or just by avoiding ECO mode entirely, I'll drop a video on this soon as it is an interesting topic and debate, thanks for flagging it up for us.

[@Assimilator1]

Coal generated electricity has only accounted for at most 2% of the UKs electricity for the past 5 years. Since September it's been none. Err, EGR valves have been around on diesels for at least 20+ odd years 😉(although the older ones are more likely to be vacuum operated instead of electric). My DD is a 2010 BMW 330d, bought it in September 2018 with 86k on the clock, now has ~150k on the clock, past couple of years I've had a bunch of problems (it isn't as reliable as my old e46 330d was! Took that to 192k miles, then my mate took it to 220k!). Over the past few years I've replaced every single ABS sensor, about 1 year ago I had to replace both rear wheel bearings (the rubber ABS pick up rings disintegrated), they were annoying, but the worst was when I discovered the timing chain was noisy and I had to blow a load of my spare time fixing that! (a know problem for the N57 6 cyl engine, very common for the 4 cyl N47!). My old car had non of those problems (bar maybe 1 or 2 ABS sensors). So I don't plan on selling it yet (it's doing much better than the e46 rust-wise!), but if much more goes wrong!..... Oh, I buy old cars (typically 8-10 yrs old) simply because it's much cheaper!

[@MerwinWren]

Besides the reliability issues you mentioned, I am not comfortable with the information cars newer than 2012 or so collect. Connectivity provides a route for data streaming, information harvesting, and even remote control unbeknownst to the operator. I have a 2003 Ford which I take very good care of and hope to keep for 20 more years. Vehicles today are far too complex, costly to repair particularly after an accident, insure, and operate. Since manufacturers insist on selling products no one wants at exorbitant prices, I'll stick with what I have.

[@mickeygallo6586]

It's about getting rid of things that can still be repaired...

[@auswolf9507]

Old beaters are the way to go. Better to reuse and recycle. The older the car, the simpler they are to fix depending on make and model.

[@theenglishtrucker1849]

2006 Audi A4 - had it since 2018 67k done over 100k myself, its now done 188k. Maintenence is cheaper than buying a new one.

[@jondu-sud274]

I live out in the countryside with narrow winding rows. I was loaned a new car from a garage - it was constantly causing the steering wheel to twitch - it could not understand I was not on an autobahn. It drove me crazy 😮 and I was relieved to hand it back

[@KevinMaxwell-o3t]

We're about to spend about Can$5,000 on bodywork and painting for my wife's 2002 Toyota Camry. Yes, that's more than the car is worth. But so what? It's reliable, has only 300,000 km on it (just 180,000 miles) and is paid for. It doesn't owe us anything. We can keep this vehicle on the road for many years yet, for far less than replacement would cost. We have absolutely no desire to own a newer car; they're crap.

[@st200ol]

The thing that will stop most people driving ICE cars as the years go by is the ever increasing cost of the fuel as it gets more expensive to transport smaller quantities of it around the country. The very reason most say is the reason they will keep an older car, cheaper to run, will no longer be the reality when the fuel is £5+ a litre, £20+ a gallon.

[@communicatescience]

The technical term for this stuff is Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). I did one of the first of these for the steel industry back in the 90s, and also familiar with the steel car versus aluminium car analyses/arguments; also steel vs aluminium drinks cans. As your video shows, there are so many factors, and if you choose to include or exclude any one of them, that affects the outcomes and conclusions. You can see the opportunity for political / commercial interference, when the stated aim is environmental or whatever. I’m not suggesting conspiracy, but awareness. All that aside. It would be nice if, say, you could pay less tax on an old car based on mileage, like you can get low mileage insurance deals. But that would mean intrusive monitoring I guess. Or maybe base on MOT miles?

[@jonellison9832]

The best way to recycle is to not recycle and keep using.

[@TK-Will.]

I’ve had my 2013 diesel estate for almost 10 years, it’s regularly serviced and well maintained, it’s on almost 200,000 miles, I have a spreadsheet of all servicing, repairs, MOT’s inc tyres etc. it comes too £545.67 per year to keep it on the road. Plus £210 fully comp insurance and £35 road tax. So that’s £790.67 per year + fuel (average combined of 64mpg) I think I’m doing pretty well. (£6.54 per gallon over 12,000 miles per year (yes I do that sort of mileage) comes in at £1226.25 for fuel, using government figures) Grand total of £2016.92. Or £168.07 pcm, £42.01 pw, or £6 per day (Remember, that’s car, servicing, fuel, insurance and tax) EV’s are just too expensive. If I have to buy another car, it’ll be an ICE again. Some people are paying in excess of £300 pcm for their EV + charging.

[@huwrichards9016]

All my vehicles are over 20 years old. The diesels have had all the emissions crap removed. About 20% better mpg after. More power. Older vehicles are built a lot better than the modern crap. I work on About £300 per year per vehicle for servicing/ repairs and MOT. Very often it's less on average. EVs are never going to be a option for me. The few people I know who had EVs have gone or going back to ICE vehicles, and saying never again are they having a EV. Hybrids are not a option either. Most owners I know have diesel vehicles. A lot cheaper to run than a EV for overall life of vehicle. Diesel vehicles can last 25 yrs easy. What I'm told is EVs are dead and worthless at 3-4 yrs. Garages won't even buy a used EV as a trade-in, happen to a friend of mine. Supplying main dealer won't even offer on used EV car at 3 yrs old. A few dead Tesla's on drives about in my area ,the owners don't know what to do with them . Worthless scrap. Not very green with such young cars. My principal is that cars are like " Triggers Broom" . 😅

[@chilleddriving1455]

I have owned my current car for 20 years (bought second hand for £800) and I hold on to it because it is just a better car than modern cars. It is also more reliable than modern cars.

[@iulian2548]

New cars are not praised for their reliability; if you have an older car (let's say EURO5), I see no reason to upgrade even from an environmental perspective if you current vehicle is working fine. Just don't do city driving. I don't find myself in newer cars, mostly generic SUVs with big screens, no knobs and buttons, and with seemingly subpar reliability, but it is just me. Drive a 13 year diesel since new (90k miles), properly maintained and driven, and it is likely that I'll have to part ways with it because of the LEZ requirements (though I never do city driving, and the highways is 3 km away form my place). I use the bike for city commuting since 2017 and I am a fan of public transportation otherwise.

[@Beartore]

12:36 I was driving a DAF 18 tonne truck, it used to freak out auto brake for the same motorway over- sign, every morning. I chose a different route after that.

[@maximilianboost8498]

I’ve got an old 1970’s Ford F250, it’s brown and cream, achingly cool and while shocking on fuel it’s cheap to run as I don’t do many miles and you can fix it with a hammer. Also EVERYTHING on it it’s massively overbuilt - does not tend to wear. 5.8 and 150bhp 🤦‍♂️

[@davidyoung9561]

With electric cars, what is often not mentioned is that the lithium mining is very damaging to the landscape, not to mention the contamination of the fresh water supply. Argentina for example, uses 52% of the counttry's fresh water just for lithium mining. Once the landscape has been mined, it is no longer useable. The batteries, once they are no longer useful, only 10% is recyclable and the rest has to go to landfill. Building all tthese wind farms is also impacting the environment in a negative way. EVs are not that environmentally friendly at all. Also EVs tend to chew through tyres. With CO2, trees and plants need it.

[@nixnet83]

Bought a new car (bigger than predecessor) this year to accommodate new family member. I hope to keep it for the next 10years xD I might buy a tiny secondary BEV car few years from now if I ever get PV installation

[@NealPalmer-x9e]

I won’t buy an EV anytime soon, many factors. I haven’t long paid off my 2018 car. 1. The car does and has everything I want and need. 2. Due to general inflationary costs an equivalent petrol car is 50% more than when I brought mine, let alone an EV which is double. 3. I look after my vehicles and due to the costs I expect it to run for 10-15 years. 4. Cost of living. 5. Post covid working from home, I only commute 1 day a week. 6. Untried or tested technology, making cars unreliable especially EVs. 7. Battery degradation, 7a battery cost. 8. EV range. 9. Inconveniences of planning journeys of EVs. 10. Infrastructure. 11. Thermal runways. 12. Ever changing battery technology, meaning you could be left with a worthless vehicle. Overall given I only commute 1 day a week as mentioned, spending £50/60k to replace my car with an equivalently specified EV simply doesn’t make economic sense to sit on my drive and depreciate whilst squeezing my already squeezed income. Finally due to working from home my wife and I tend to take long journeys away to the coast at least once a month, that type of driving isn’t suited to an EV. All in all i have no incentive to change, my car is good for another 10 years and given government policy changes like the diesel one makes me skeptical to jump on any bandwagon. Better stick with what I have, wait and see what happens. I do think older simpler cars make more sense then over complicated, mass produced new cars.

[@warriormonk2611]

I dislike the modern car manufacturing concept of having to replace whole sections of a car in order to fix a small fraction of that unit. Not to mention there's nothing stopping planned expiry dates on new cars with high reliance on onboard computers. Also bear in mind manufacturers don't want people keeping cars for years as that hits their profit margin

[@VictorMaxol]

I know every nut and bolt on my old Honda Civic. For an amateur mechanic with a KZbin Diploma I can actually do anything on it now, due to familiarity. Even timing belt and valve clearances! A pro mechanic has to deal with hundreds of variations. The big cahoona (according to government) is CO2 which is always in direct proportion to the amount of petrol burned, there's no magic in a modern car which changes that equation.

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

Read somewhere that the over 95% of pollution caused by a car during its lifetime is created during the cars manufacture. That post is an observation from an article,not a scientific fact.

[@weredrivinghere]

Yeah, no, evs can fit into 25 tonnes of co2 over 300k km, less in Austria, more in U.S.. My diesel will be responsible for another 20 tonnes if I do another 300k in it on HVO, but on diesel it would be 100+ tonnes, 208 g/km. production of ice is probably 10-15 tonnes.

[@theodavies8754]

A vehicle is either a liability you can afford or not. The biggest mistake is spending the entire budget on a used vehicle. My experience is around ¾ of the allocated funds should buy the vehicle. There will be issues, particularly if using borrowed funds within the repayment period.

[@neilmorgan3763]

My daily's a 1987 Suzuki SJ410 bought for £50in 1999 , I know every nut and bolt on the vehicle and would not change it for the world ! .

[@mikedoddrell1641]

I have a 2010 mk2 Focus ST and Ford has discontinued making all of the major parts for it. I had a differential explode and blew a whole through the gearbox case back in August and they do not make new ones anymore. Manufacturers it seems are now starting to try and force people in to buying newer cars by removing their right to repair them fully. In the end I had to source a second hand one which I'm happy with, but would preferred a new one. There are still 6500ish of my car left in the UK alone, so not a small amount.

[@mrvolkswagon1710]

This is nothing new tho they’d always stop making new parts for their older models. Once they get to around 15-20 years old they stop generally. Might not be true for all but a lot

[@inthebackwiththerabbish]

10:15 “Emergency call function: fault. Please contact workshop” 😂😂😂

[@weredrivinghere]

Currently driving a 20 year old diesel and filling it up with HVO, hydrogenated veggie oil. According to my napkin math, less of co2 will be emitted if I keep driving it for another half a million km, comparing to buying and driving a new EV in the U.S. but more than buying and driving a new EV in Austria with 100% renewable electricity. But if you fill up with gas or diesel, tailpipe emissions alone will be at least 100 tonnes, 5x of bev in austria

[@AquaValet2009]

I am sceptical of official figures, and so is industry and the public. In my opinion, official fuel consumption data for new cars 20 years or so ago was relatively close to the truth, but then there was a sudden divergence where official figures became wildly optimistic or even impossible to achieve. Not sure of the exact reasons, but I feel the increased prevalence of turbocharged engines could have been a factor.

[@jec_ecart]

No doubt. That's why in India its fined & harassed to keep old vehicles. 😡

[@alanjones1570]

I'll stick with my old knackers thanks. Can you do a video on these new vehicles that are fitted with geo-fencing? 👍

[@michaelwalsh90]

Interesting. Environmentally the crux of it is the fuel consumption. Newer cars are more fuel efficient and will therefore give carbon savings. The smaller the percentage saving the longer the older car should be kept on road for maximum Environmental saving.

[@jeremyfearon3114]

Try punching in the numbers for leasing a typical new saloon over 4 years at 25000 miles per annum. Basically it will cost you 90% depreciation + interest currently around 11% + fuel + servicing / tyres / insurance. Now try the same thing with a vehicle that someone else has run in nicely but taken a 50% depreciation hit on. The big difference is that option 2 can then be a much higher spec car. The big problem is going to be finding a quality vehicle. Build quality on post pandemic cars is generally sh1t. Also manufacturers have pre registered a huge number of vehicles to avoid the per vehicle fines for not selling 20% EVs. These are parked up up compounds waiting for buyers. Check the VIN number carefully to see when it was built rather than registered.

[@musiclights3897]

I buy cars at lower miles (20k to 50k) and then keep them several years. Depreciation is the largest cost although VED is now becoming expensive. I do a lot of my own maintenance, maybe about 75% and a garage would cover the rest, this is for practicality reasons (no ramps, working outside etc). Would I ever move to EV? - ultimately, yes especially as they have enormous depreciation making low mileage ones a relative bargain. We need to remember that it is still an expensive vehicle where parts will be expensive and a lack of independent garages tackling EV's will push us towards very expensive garage maintenance. Once their range improves to 500 miles from a charge then this would allow occasional driving to a neighouring city possible without delays of charging en-route. I know the Evangelists will say this is not an issue - but on a practical level, it is to me.

[@wallace-bv4rl]

Lots of interesting points but just a massive 👍👍 from me on your introduction talking about fact selection and subjectivity. YT is rammed full of bias and oddly cars are a topic that really seems to bring extremists out in droves!

[@classic_opel]

If you own a classic (30+ yo), there are even chances the depreciation is 0 or even gets more expensive over time!

[@UnipornFrumm]

What is the financial cost of keeping an old car? I bought a diesel car with 100k miles for 5k pounds,and now it has 120k miles and I spend quite a bit on repairs and maintenance,and a lot on fuel And I compare this to a used mg4 electric,and the cost of charging it on a night tarrif,it quickly added up that the mg4 electric is cheaper and nicer to drive,and most of the savings come from that the electric car simply does not have the components I had to replace at my diesel car,and I m not finished in replacing old worn components,the clutch will likely need replacing in the next 2 years and that will cost 800 pounds... I just don't see why payng 5k for a new ev battery every 10 years is a problem since I already spent almost 4k on repairs and maintenance in just 2 years,again repair things that no electric car have

[@Richard_L_Y]

The old (vast majority average small, family or business) car is already made; if it's kept, for as long as possible, a new car obviously doesn't NEED to be made at ALL, for ALL, of THAT time. If the car is in any way fuel efficient, and looked after, it's a complete no brainer to keep any old car as long as reasonably and viably possible. And the older they are, so mostly with the least unnecessary sensors and electronics, the more likely they are to be reliable!

[@thefunksoulplumber22]

It's like you can read my mind. I want to do a crowdfunding project to ask the English people for 3 cars and vans they like and need. Get the best engineers together to make it easy to fix and most efficient too, and start rolling them out. What we get now is an absolute joke. Thanks for sharing

[@michaeloreilly657]

Your video started off discussing which is greener, and somehow meandered to TCO.

[@torquecars]

Yes it did sorry, the Co2 emissions or environmental impact for us to work to supply cash for the ownership cost is rarely considered and affects all new cars including EV's. I felt it was an important angle to include here.

[@pauloshea9978]

I have a 2004 Zafira wit,h 140K miles, that i bought 4 years ago with 100k, 1 owner FSH, for 500 euro. Parts are really cheap. drives great. I'll get another 10years motoring from this car.

[@simon8864]

When you buy a new car the old one isn't scrapped, it's sold to someone that can't afford a new car. My car was 17 years old when I bought it, I service it properly and I'll sell it on in a few years!

[@beautgrainger147]

Cars arguably peaked in the 90's.. though safety has advanced a bit. A good car which is then looked after can be pretty reliable, even the less reliable models to some extent.. the comparative simplicity and cost of parts, even the expensive bits on mine are still equivalent to a few months of repayment. Actually buying an old vs new cost, it's a lot of hard work to burn through thousands of pounds.. I actually would like to have or drive some different cars such as a Citroen C6, Peugeot RCZ, but then consider more useful, exciting, or practical things to spend the money on.. that and the downgrade in durability.

[@DashCamSerbia]

*In 2000s.

[@kevindruce8915]

Many thanks for doing this but I was hoping to hear more details about the carbon footprint cutoffs rather than the financial cutoffs, etc. The bbc sliced bread episode in apr 22 provides more info on this area from a carbon footprint point of view.

[@torquecars]

That is something I can research more thoroughly and do a video on for you.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

I think you went off topic from halfway the video onwards.

[@AJ-tj7jm]

Newer cars emit lower CO² yes but to get there on modern cars we have catalysts, particular filters, EGR all of which restricts how efficiently the engine burns fuel. In reality a new car uses more fuel than its equivalent did 20 years ago. If you burn more fuel you release more carbon, make an engine that can run with a lean burn instead of suffocating it you actually end up with low CO² and better average MPG

[@GinoFoto]

There are only two groups of people. Environmentalists, who should do everything they can to avoid owning a car in the first place, and simply car users, who buy whatever they can afford without giving it much additional thought.

[@petergrant2366]

I've got a 1995 Nissan Sunny, they had bullet proof engine's and Nissan reliability that was 2nd to none, then when Renault got in volved in 2000, things started to go down hill, Nissan are now in trouble, but it's partly their fault, they are now just like all other car manufacturers, unreliable, the money that people pay out these days to keep their cars on the road is unbelievable.

[@chris075uk]

Another environmental impact that should be taken into account is the damage done to the road surface. EVs are significantly heavier than equivalent internal combustion engined vehicles and therefore create more wear and tear to the road surface, which has to be replaced sooner, this creating more harmful emissions more often than before

[@davidashton6567]

I would point out that after a certain time cars appreciate, my 1988 Volvo is worth more than I paid

[@kyproset]

I bought a 17 YO low mileage Honda Accord 4 years ago. Only oil changes. No other cost. My F-type Jaguar I purchased 2 months ago cost me more than the Accord in all the years I have had it just for an oil change.

[@machidaman]

Have always bought used cars, at first financial but nowadays I am keen to get value for money and having just seen a video on the new X3 (£77k😂)... As you alluded to I also despise new car tech - digital dashes, giant screens, driver assist for everything. No thanks. If I must drive I want to at least enjoy it. Mainly though we are philosophical vegans in our household and the eco argument, as you have demonstrated, is a compelling one and the stats do seem to stack up, at least for now. We have consistently gone for smaller,.more economical cars as our daily (we need the car for work) and that is a major factor too - it matters WHAT you buy. SUV's are more damaging to the environment than smaller vehicles, and their exponentially growing popularity (one can only assume why.. ) poses a significant challenge to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, and this has been well covered, SUVs were the second-largest contributor to the global rise in CO2 emissions from 2010 to 2019, second only to the power sector.

[@reiniernn9071]

Is het more eco friendly to keep an old car? That depends in my opinion on USAGE of the car. A modern EV does not polute as much as an older car. (Even when we use fossil fuel to create electricity an EV will drive at least 3 times as much miles on the same amount of fossil fuel as a same sized ICE car. But this gives me only one part of the equation. Because without knowing how much miles I drive noone can tell if the xtra polution for production outweighs the saving on polution during driving (including maintenance, recycle what can be recycled). A few years ago I calculated that, with my mileage / year it was cheaper to sell my old ICE (diesel) and switch to a new EV...this was economical pricing, not direct on poltion. However...someone driving 10% of the mile I did make would waste money with buying that electric car. But we have a nice opotion. Replacing a three year old car is not the same as scraping it. It gets a next owner which will use that car. For polution savings we should not ignore the fact that cars get not scraped. It may be cleaner to buy a brand new car if you drive a lot of miles.... the older car with more polution/mile can be bought (cheaper as secondhand) and than drive much miles less. The total sum of polution gets down if the older cars will be passed on to a new owner if that new owner drives less miles than the previous.

[@drsbutler]

It’s responsible to keep an older car as long as ALL fluids are routinely replaced , including brake fluid every decade or so , emissions standards are met in applicable states . Annual wet rust oil/ petroleum based prevention is applied annually in high rust prone areas of the US . Car is only driven at a minimum when necessary, recreationally occasionally . These practices dramatically reduce operating costs . Not everyone has knowledge or even common sense

[@deadandburied7626]

Please use footage of UK LHD cars, not RHD cars.

[@099las]

Much greener to keep and maintain your old car.

[@allls1]

I have 3 1986 sciroccos and cost of maintaining them is almost nothing. Im more worried about banning old vehicles from repair and/or ability of driving them. I dont like newer vehicles because of added complexity, computers and other electronics that causing more problems. Id rather convert my old vehicles to electric than by a new one. Definitely not buying new combustable car. About electric new car, if i must, i would consider lucid air but rather not. Because of banning old cars from the road and if i need. I would buy some old tesla for a simple transportation vehicle