Hi ... !
I own a 2002 Seat Ibiza since 2009. This compact car is powered by a 1,9 liter diesel engine delivering 130 hp / 300 nm, and can be considered as one of the most reliable cars ever made. In my years of ownership, this car has seen a lot of European countries and the most spectacular landscapes, and has done a LOT of commute to and from work. But as the demon of old age has begun to sink its tooth into the Ibiza, I'm starting to look for a successor.
While the engine is still in a good state due to decent maintenance and a good handling during driving, the rest of the car begins to show old age; parts are coming loose in interior and exterior and rust is gradually gaining territory on the car. To make matters visually worse, a giant hailstorm has lashed the Ibiza in the summer of 2016 and hundreds of dents were the result.
Another thing to consider is that diesel cars are taxed heavily in my country; road taxes are currenty 100 euro / $117 each month, and these costs will probably rise in the next years as hybrid and electrical cars are stimulated and diesel cars are discouraged.
So in a nutshell; I'm planning to get a newer car pretty soon. No doubt the purchase will cost me a lot of bucks, but costs of ownership will drop and modern cars (I'm talking about around 2010 and later) are relative economical anyway compared to their counterparts roughly a decade earlier. See what will be the end-result ... ! Seeya ... !