New-ish MG5s going cheap

[Rat Catcher]

SB frequently allows others' lifestyle/business choices/kid's names/etc discommode him... I wouldn't pay too much attention. I'm no psychiatrist but I'd suggest there's some underlying desire for (self) justification of his own choices/methodologies/etc.. that has manifested, in this instance, in a need to comment on a post in which he has no interest in reading! Of course, if he had read the post he many have drawn somewhat different conclusions as there is frequent reference to his own preferred methodology in employing mechanics, including main dealer mechanics.

Like yourself, C5, I generally tackle the routine stuff myself. When it comes to changing engine oil, brake pads/discs and such like the time spent would be less than the time it would take to deliver and collect the car from a mechanic. Doing it oneself also facilitates getting far closer to the exact scheduled kilometreage for such operations than might otherwise be the case and, as you note, one might occasionally identify where unplanned attention might be required. In fact the last time I changed the oil in the MKIII I noticed significant wear on the air coolant pump plug connector which has to be moved to get the oil filter out and managed to source a replacement on Ebay for a tenner. A stitch in time...

I was down the parents' gaff this morning trying to be a gardener. Not a bad end result as it goes, the grass is cut! Tomorrow I'm going to my sister's gaff to assist a retired helicopter engineer in servicing a wind turbine. Neither of us have done it before but we've read the manual and there's not a whole lot to it - grease 3 bearings, clean the commutator, check the brushes and brake pads and give it a general coat of looking at / cleaning. The fun bit will be lowering the 5 tons of it to (or close to) ground level!

[silverbullet]

SB frequently allows others' lifestyle/business choices/kid's names/etc discommode him... I wouldn't pay too much attention. I'm no psychiatrist but I'd suggest there's some underlying desire for (self) justification of his own choices/methodologies/etc.. that has manifested, in this instance, in a need to comment on a post in which he has no interest in reading! Of course, if he had read the post he many have drawn somewhat different conclusions as there is frequent reference to his own preferred methodology in employing mechanics, including main dealer mechanics.

Like yourself, C5, I generally tackle the routine stuff myself. When it comes to changing engine oil, brake pads/discs and such like the time spent would be less than the time it would take to deliver and collect the car from a mechanic. Doing it oneself also facilitates getting far closer to the exact scheduled kilometreage for such operations than might otherwise be the case and, as you note, one might occasionally identify where unplanned attention might be required. In fact the last time I changed the oil in the MKIII I noticed significant wear on the air coolant pump plug connector which has to be moved to get the oil filter out and managed to source a replacement on Ebay for a tenner. A stitch in time...

I was down the parents' gaff this morning trying to be a gardener. Not a bad end result as it goes, the grass is cut! Tomorrow I'm going to my sister's gaff to assist a retired helicopter engineer in servicing a wind turbine. Neither of us have done it before but we've read the manual and there's not a whole lot to it - grease 3 bearings, clean the commutator, check the brushes and brake pads and give it a general coat of looking at / cleaning. The fun bit will be lowering the 5 tons of it to (or close to) ground level!

Analyzed by a cabbie! Another thing you're not very good at. Careful, when handing the spanners to the Eng.
Slagging, you're even worse. Readers fall asleep before the punchline - if there is one.

[Rat Catcher]

Ah well... if being good at it equates to takings falling below €25/hour and needing a 5 figure loan to buy a heavily subsidised car I'm probably better suited to mediocrity, at best.

[silverbullet]

Ah well... if being good at it equates to takings falling below €25/hour and needing a 5 figure loan to buy a heavily subsidised car I'm probably better suited to mediocrity, at best.

Sheesh. If I can afford one, you can. You just have to put your mind to it.

The fuckwits in the CU didn't listen properly to my proposal for fear the financial services authority would come down on them like a ton of bricks yet again. Letting their staff members enter and win the car draw. Didja ever hear the likes?

What's wrong with a car loan if we can afford it? we haven't missed a payment yet. We didn't miss a payment on the previous five-figure loan either. Methinks you doth protest too much.

The alternative was to buy an overpriced grey import in 2026, which would have required savings of approx' €150+ per week.

Currently, the present jammer is coming in at €121.47, or 17 quid a day. That's the equivalent of a return job to Primrose Grove in the area we work (cash bro? yeah?. Fresh!).

So, brass monkeys are technically making the repayments for the car. In less than two years time the pension will kick in, and the state will be paying for the car.

€20K from The government
€10K discount from Volkswagen
I make the repayments for two years and then use the government pension to make the rest.

What should I have done instead?

[Rat Catcher]

Do what's right for you. Nobody else has to repay the loans. Maybe if you termed €10k of the €20k from Govt as a deposit rather than a handout the CU might have viewed it differently. I guess they're justified in considering why a viable business has nothing to contribute from it's own sources.

For me, €121/week probably equates to 15+% of my takings. Bolt/Free now already get 13/15% of most of it anyway. Breaking it down to €17/day is more concerning as it's based on 7 days a week, 365.25 days/year. There's months I wouldn't work 7 days, never mind weeks!

Us taximen used to have a saying - "Look after your car...". My car is meticulously maintained and barely run in! In fact, the cheapest comparable model (2016, 1.6, DSG, 243k, 2 owners) currently on Cars Ireland ( https://www.carsireland.ie/3813092?journey=Search ) is stickered up at €12,000. That's where the real problem lies i.e. the ridiculous prices attached to used cars in current market conditions. Hence a new EV at this juncture would cost me at least €10,000 on top of the €121/week you're paying on account of running your last car into the ground. If they'd give me the €10,000 for the MKII I'd probably take it... even though it's back in showroom condition with it's new clutch and once new gearbox!

However, all other things being equal, I don't need to replace my car until 2026. Again, all other things being equal, I'll reassess the numbers then and see what makes most sense to me at that juncture. One thing I have concluded is that I'll be paying somewhat more than the €11,995 I paid for my current car. I'm kinda budgeting for in or around twice that figure.

[Rat Catcher]

Getting back off topic, I put a half bottle of Dipetane into my roughly half full tank of diesel and done another forced regen last night. Not a whole lot of difference as per the following screenshots but I'll throw the other half bottle in and fill the tank this afternoon/evening and have another look at the numbers when I get through the full tank. It seems to be doing automatic regens every 107 kilos in it's current condition so there's probably no need for forced regens, although I might throw one or two in anyway.

c. 4 kilos after forced regen



c. 15 kilos after forced regen

[mercenary for hire]

 I met an old colleague who works the Kesh and he was saying there's a decision on age rules due in the next couple of weeks.You may well get to keep the Skoda for a bit longer RC.Keep an eye out on the NTA site.

[Panel]

I met an old colleague who works the Kesh and he was saying there's a decision on age rules due in the next couple of weeks.You may well get to keep the Skoda for a bit longer RC.Keep an eye out on the NTA site.

None of us wheelie hero’s never got an extension, hopefully we do.

[Rat Catcher]

We all lost two years to COVID '19 anall. How NTA and it's cohorts determined that some drivers should get an extension and others shouldn't defies logic. I was one of those who didn't qualify. I won't hold my breath but a two year extension would work for me!

[mercenary for hire]

 I hope yous all get more time,Cars are way too expensive.Without the EV grants we would all be protesting.EVs aren't suitable for everyone.

I saw a new electric Peugeot partner wheelie plugged in on the quays yesterday.I can't imagine he's getting that many kilometers per charge.Must be a pain.
 

[Panel]

We all lost two years to COVID '19 anall. How NTA and it's cohorts determined that some drivers should get an extension and others shouldn't defies logic. I was one of those who didn't qualify. I won't hold my breath but a two year extension would work for me!

Logically you’d think all cars that haven’t received an extension (post 142 reg and wheelchair taxis) that were in the fleet before covid hit would get a 2 extension 

[Octavia1]

Plenty of lads on here suffering from the limp mode Doc....I'd say!!

[Octavia1]

Brake Fluid neglected at yur perils alrite rat ...

Most important job.

Me almost 200km   6 yr old prius has had 1 change of spark plugs , 3 or 4  sets of tyres ( can't remember)   €20 pipe for failed heat exchanger ...an a Wiper motor on account of me ocd an constantly cleaning the windscreen

Not 1 Bulb has expired ... original discs and Brake pads still .....
They are a marvel of engineering ....
Reading on here wat yuos are spending on  19th century antiques has awakened me post traumatic stress disorder from owning a skoda....
In hindsight the stress and money of flywheel breakdowns ( went tru 3 of them )  the timing belts ( 4 I think )  the numerous Brake discs and pads , starter motor , alternator,  hundred of headlight bulbs ..... it was like bean a suger daddy  octogenarian  rock star married to a gold diggin  tramp

[C5]

Do you use the brakes on the Prius a few times a week to ward of corrosion and the calipers seizing incase of an emergency braking situation.

[Belker]

We all lost two years to COVID '19 anall. How NTA and it's cohorts determined that some drivers should get an extension and others shouldn't defies logic. I was one of those who didn't qualify. I won't hold my breath but a two year extension would work for me!

The NTA logic of the extension was that no driver would be forced to change car during covid, it didn't quite work out that way but that was the logic at the time.