What should I do with my car?

[Fallout]

Ok, so I won't go into why I own a 2003 1.6 Astra automatic. In the past I have bought good cars which have been reliable and good to drive. Needless to say, I would never have bought this car if it was down to me.

Anyway, current list of problems are failing head gasket, and engine management light which is apparently for EGR valve and crackshaft or camshaft sensor (I can't remember which. An RAC bloke told me age ago after being called out cos of a knackered battery). I suspect EGR valve may be ok, and is just gunked up with all that sludge that builds up when you have a failing head gasket. I say this because, I've had the gunked cleaned out before and the light turned off, and it didn't come back on for a good week or so, and came back on when the gunk had built up again. Also at the last MOT, the garage said the rear suspension arms are on their way out, and also I suspect one of the rear calipers is knackered since it's generally jammed each morning and finally breaks free after some throttle. Basically, it needs money spent on it! Cambelt and water pump are done (though by Qwikfit, so they may have used an elastic band), and it has some new rubber.

So I've been in about four minds for ages, and I need to decide what makes the most sense. I can either sell it the devious way, covering the faults as much as possible, sell it the honest way as a "needs work" car and not get a lot for it, get it fixed by a garage, or do the head gasket myself to save money, since most of the cost is labour and then deal with the rest at MOT time.

It's probably worth £1400 in good condition. Maybe £600 in it's current state, if I sold it as a car that needs work. I have the time to do work on it myself if necessary, but only limited experience (Ya know, oil changes, spark plugs, that kind of thing. I have the haynes). I want to make the right decision, but I'm undecided like a fool. I also have a mate of a mate of a mate who said they'll do the gasket for £200, but I don't like not dealing with it myself.

So I want to get rid to be honest, but I've already sunk money into it with the cambelt, big service, water pump and rubber last year. Plus the money I'll end up with if I sell it openly and honestly won't exactly get me a decent replacement.

So if it was you, what would you do?

Do you have the money to replace it with something better if you sold it, or could your budget just end up with you buying another bucket of bolts? Sometimes with low budget vehicles, it's better the devil you know.

[Fallout]

Yeah, I need one. I don't use it for commuting or anything, so it can sit on the drive for a week at a time, but I use it often for carrying more than I can carry on a bike. I might get a new job where I need to commute in a car soon too, so I do need one. Maximum budget for a new car, excluding sale price of current one, would be another £1000 absolute max (preferably £500).

I edited the question after reading your OP again. My bad.

OK, if you would be selling it for 600 quid and could only afford to buy another £600 quid car, then I'd say fix the one you have. But if you could put a grand in then you may be better off getting rid and finding something newer and lower mileage, than spending half of that grand fixing the bucket of bolts that you have.

Originally Posted by Fallout

I don't use it for commuting or anything, so it can sit on the drive for a week at a time, but I use it often for carrying more than I can carry on a bike.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...01201440346457

[dizzyblonde]

want to buy Freelander with more problems than what you have?



Nah.....didn't think so! I have the same headache at the moment!

We're in the same boat, was going to get rid of our 2.5l V6 Freelander for something a little cheaper to run all round, as in November I coughed up around £1300 for tyres and repairs to get it through a failed MOT. We planned to get through the first half of Winter then trade it in, sell it, for something better.
For the MOT we had
four new tyres, as the others were bald
ABS sensor
Steering gaitor replaced, the other one had cracked
ball joint tightened, dangerously loose
New rear light (I broked it..oops)
few other bits and bobs


Its now just had another ABS sensor pop, which are £200 a go, dodgy starter motor spade connector, and it seems the great big VCU sledgehammer has fallen upon it. Vibrates under load, acceleration, drives smooth once cruising, but slow down and go round a corner and the back end bangs around Prop shaft is loose, had a heat shield welded last week and it was noticed then......if that falls off its bye bye car!

....so if its off for a second opinion this aft, and an estimate of cost. Bearing in mind, I don't have extra cash for a new car really, and the Landy 'was' ok last week to be sold on, what gets repaired now, will take the bill well over what its worth, and there isn't much choice in the matter either.
We've come to the conclusion we'll have to bite the bullet, get it repaired and keep it, no chance of new car now.

I aren't in the mood for the regulars to take the michael out of the poofwaggon today!

Don't buy a Land Rover!

[Fallout]

Cheers Ralph. Ya know, if it wasn't an Astra that handled like a vomit copter in the corners, I'd definitely agree with you. I don't like the car though, so even if it was in good nick, I'd want rid, which makes it a tough call. BUT the bike is for fun and this is just for practical stuff, so should I care if its rubbish to drive? Not really. I'm just reluctant to keep it because one of my mates always buys Vauxhalls and always had problems.

I may walk up to the local garage and ask them for a head gasket quote then.

[Fallout]

Ahh Dizzy, I feel your pain. Bloody cars. I've always done well before. I had a cupra R of the same age a few months back and it was bullet proof. Nothing wrong with it. The guy who bought that got a steal. Before that I had a Skyline which would've been ragged since the day it rolled out of the factory, and that was bulletproof. Civic before that ... changed some CV gaitors and that was it. Japanese or VW group are the way to go. Vauxhalls? *shudders*

I think I may have to bite the bullet now too, and keep it running. It would be a shame to spend so much on it, just to pass it on to someone else to reap the benefits of a new cambelt etc.

Good luck with your Freelander. Btw, one of my mates recently bought a Defender 90 and has spent most of his spare time underneath it messing with broken differentials. At least he doesn't need to jack it up!

[Wideboy]

None of that is really hard to fix on an astra, had the same model (albeit less ghey, manual) and did all of that. head gasket is easy as there's not much dismantling needed to remove the head its mostly the un-connection of tubes and wires, just get someone to help guide you has you pull the head out, you won't be able to see everything and probably end up catching something