What is the optimum time to keep a car?

This is a tricky question to answer. I was lucky enough to buy my car nearly new 8 years ago without finance and about 2K on the clock. Apart from a new set of tyres and replacing the windscreen wipers and putting some oil in I have had to do very little else (oh replace a brake bulb too) and it now has 66K on the clock. Whilst I would like to trade it in for a more fuel efficient car (mine is 1.6i) in a preferably tax free bracket I know that I would be lucky to get £2K for it (if that) if I were to trade it in against a nearly new one again, without having to take out another finance agreement. I suppose it depends on your financial situation and whether it is going to cost you more or less to trade it in. I have been lucky with my car but I know not everyone is. There are some good deals available at the moment because the dealers are wanting to shift their cars before the new registration plates arrive in September. I know my car won't last forever, but regular servicing and taking care of your car should mean that it lasts for more than 3 years.

That would be the ideal time to trade in. Although most cars depreciate in value the moment you've driven them off the forecourt! So many car companies are offering excellent warranty/service deals ranging from 3, 5 and 7 years and Vauxhall (I think it's them) are offering a life-time warranty.

You're better off getting car that is 1 - 2 years old rather than a new one due to the depreciation. As to how long to keep a car that depends on how much it is costing you. If it's economical and reliable why not keep it rather than spend money on a newer car?

up til 3 years a car doesnt need a mot. if you think your car may have faults take it into a gargage for a quick look over as they sometimes can give you an educated estimate on how much it will cost to fix. if you find that its going to cost a lot you may want to consider a new car. also this question depends on the make of car. also insurance etc all increase with age. new fuel efficent cars can often lower a lot of bills. it really depends on make, model and ability to trade in. good luck though!

They say that you should buy a car that is 2 years old and keep it for three. This is because as soon as you drive it out the showroom it has depreciated by 6mths to a year. Your car at 20,000 is well below the average. 10-12k per year is normal. I have included tips about buying and sellig a car on this site. Running well will mean that your MOT won't be a problem. But I think it is still best to take the car to you your mechanic who will then ensure it will pass it's MOT rather than paying and having to resubmit due to a minor fault. In that case you would have to pay a second time. So I would hang on to it for a while longer to maximise your motoring costs.

Your car at 3yrs old is hardly run in get the garage to give it a pre MOT inspection (free at most places) a mot and service is currently available at KWIK FIT for £99 hope this helps.

My husband and I both trade in our cars every three years. We buy new, we find that we can always get a very good deal because the cars still hold quite a bit of value.

I bought a brand new car a few years ago sold it 3 years later and lost 50% for what I paid for it. I have since bought a demonstrator car from a main dealer about 3 months old with low millage and save about £4000, they wanted to get rid of their stock, so bargins are out there,I still believe if your happy with your car and its giving you no problems why change unless you have too. Better the devil you know

We gave up on the idea of keeping our car and then selling it while it was still in good condition. We just run ours into the ground and then go for another one.

Usually its 3-4 years and then you could start to change it, as the value greatly depreciate after 4 years due to large services needed.

However, it really depends on your type of vehicle - as some vehicles hold their values quite well.

For a used car I have always been advised to trade mine in when I have 1-1.5 years left on the finance. Therefore not that much to pay off and car still worth enough for a deposit for the next car. I agree with De-Vale that you have to consider if you are paying out too much on servicing to warrant keeping it. The 4 year/40k mile one is a large one costing approx £250, so would you rather keep the car for another 12 months after this to make it worthwhile or trade it in before and use that money on a new car?