Many years ago when discussing car expenses my accountant said, ‘There are two schools of thought on economical car ownership – one is to replace your car every two years, the other – if you don’t mind an older car – is to drive it into the ground.’
My approach has always been the latter, simply because I have no interest in cars, and am only concerned with getting from A to B, in a design I find acceptable. I had my previous car for almost 16 years and only changed it last year when the electrics went a bit dodgy. I felt quite a pang when I left it at the garage and drove away in a new-to-me model. It was like leaving behind an old friend.
A has also had his latest car for a long time, more than 12 years. He’s determined to keep it as long as economically possible, and hopes to reach 200,000 miles on the clock. Lately he celebrates each 1000 miles as it clocks up, the mileometer currently showing almost 178,000.
While the engine runs as well as ever, the bodywork is showing its age, and rust is creeping along the driver’s door. Bright, shiny, expensive cars have always carried so much status. Particularly in the business world where they have been seen as a sign of success, and dished out to top employees as a reward.
So what about the self-employed person who wants to take my accountant’s second option? What impression does an older car give when a freelancer turns up to a meeting?
Conventionally it would be that we’re not doing too well. That maybe we’re desperate for the work and will accept rock-bottom rates. Is it better to hide an older car by parking around the corner and turning up on foot, or take pride in our increasingly battered wheels?
We need stickers saying not ‘My other car is a Porsche’ (remember those?) but ‘My car is a friend I’ll keep till the end.’
In the sometimes harsh world of business, will an older car ever be a positive signal? Even have an element of prestige now we need to think far more about sustainability? I’d like to think so, and in these times of rapid change it will be interesting to find out. What do you think?
Photos by Cecile Vedemil & Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash
Tony Lupton says
July 13, 2018 at 2:31 amImpressions of an older car? It depends. In one sense, as a freelancer (which I am not), I would treat my car the same way as I treat my wardrobe i.e., it’s an element of my style. I might dress in a suit, or I might dress in chinos and chambray, but is it cared for, and is there sense of care about about my appearance? Similarly, an old car is ok, provided it’s clean, reliable and in good order (I think rust falls outside the description of “good order”). Patina is ok, neglect is not.
This comes from me who breaks the mould in being a one-car family (until fairly recently when eldest daughter needed to have her own wheels to get to nursing university placements at varied locations and hours).
Judy Heminsley says
July 13, 2018 at 9:28 amIt’s a juggling act when a car gets old, trying to judge how much to spend on the bodywork when the next repair bill might mean scrapping it. But I take your point, Tony, and A can use my car, which is much smaller but in good nick, if he needs to.
I’ve toyed with the idea of not having a car for years, and always concluded that while I have a parent a long way away I need my own wheels. That said, my bike is out of the shed and ready for local trips
Alan says
July 13, 2018 at 8:16 amWell my car is 15 years old, and I’ve probably been in the second camp my entire life. I don’t think I’ve ever owned a brand new car. I’ve also never found it to be a barrier as a freelancer but then I do tend to travel most places by public transport when working.
An exception to that was a few years ago when I was asked to attend a meeting with a client. I’d had another meeting earlier in the day, and because of the logistics had driven. My client had come by train and had come through London as he had another meeting there beforehand too. After the meeting he asked if I’d give him a lift to the station, and as I knew that my journey home was practically past his front door I instead offered him a ride all the way home. He accepted, pleased that he wouldn’t have to navigate the underground in rush hour, and that barring major problems on the M25 would get home earlier.
Now my car is our only car and we use it for everything. The back seat is permanently decked out for the dogs, with a cover, dog beds, and special “doggy” seat belts. If you want to remain dog hair free it is not a place you want to go particularly. I did explain this to my client and he was cool with it.
When he got in the car he remarked, “I see you’ve bought the family run about then. We’ve got one too, use it for the dogs and all those jobs we don’t want to get our proper cars messed up.”
I nodded and smiled. I didn’t like to say to him that I wasn’t earning enough to run two cars, or disabuse him of the fact that this one car was used for everything!
I don’t think he was actually that bothered and we were able to have a good chat about work on the way home. Dog hair and all.
Judy Heminsley says
July 13, 2018 at 9:22 amThanks, Alan, what a great story :0) And I think it neatly illustrates the assumptions that have been made about car ownership. As far as I can recall I’ve only ever bought a new car once, and I’m far too mean to do it again. My budget for a car is ‘as little as possible’ as long as it’s reliable and not an eyesore.