I bought a new car from our local 2nd hand car dealership this week to replace the Jag. Well, I say new, it's one year younger than the Jag. It's a 2008 model VW Passat estate with 86k miles on the clock, versus the Jag's 176k miles.
It's a great pity the Jag has to go, but something is wrong with the clutch - the pedal suddenly is half depressed and I can't put the car in gear on depressing it fully. Talking to motor mechanics I know, it might just be a slave or master cylinder, or indeed the whole clutch - either way, having recently spent £200 on having the ECU cleaned out, £150 on repairing a wing and £35 on a wheel refurbishment, enough is enough for a car with a retail value of £200. It'll probably find a home at a local scrap dealer.
The Jag has been a good workhorse for 3 years, and at £900 it has more than paid for itself; however, the VW is streets ahead in terms of power (both are 2.0 litre turbo estates), looks, carrying capacity, comfort and gadgets. Even my old M reg Volvo gave me more information about fuel consumption and range than the Jag, which had the ability to tell me absolutely nothing through the dashboard instruments. The only thing I dislike about the VW is the black leather interior - it'll be hot as Hades in the summer.
The 'new' VW cost me £3,000 - around the average price I pay for cars. I simply can't understand why people buy brand-spanking new cars which are destined to lose 20% or more of their value the minute they're driven out of the showroom. And as for buying a depreciating asset on a finance deal - utter madness.
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