When is it not worth fixing?

When is it not worth fixing?

Author
Discussion

Alapeno

Original Poster:

1,391 posts

147 months

Monday 8th June 2015
quotequote all
I'm seriously considering not putting the Mk1 Eunos back on the road after it's recent MOT failure and I'm after someone to tell me if I'm being silly or reasonable. Currently SORN and not flush with cash so have a bit of a dilemma.

It pains me to even think about it as I know the car will keep running forever, it's taken track days in it's stride, not once faltered and never not put a grin on my face.

We're looking at +£400 to do brake pipes, replace cat (which I have) and welding the chassis and suspension to pass an MOT at local garage.
Plus the £500 from the MOT from last year and the +£700 in new roof, bits and maintenance, it's cost quite a bit. I can afford it but I can't shake the feeling that enough is enough.

Do I:
1. Fix it, get the summer out of it and lose out money if it's saleable due to lacquer peel, bodywork and mileage etc (arches and sills are fine though but is at 170,000miles)
2. Don't fix it, but would someone want a none-MOT as a project for cheap, is that even a thing?
3. Break it (what do I do with the rest of it?)
4. Fix and keep hold of it for sentimental value and try and keep costs at bay somehow

When is enough, enough? Option 2 is looking mighty tempting.

flyer0

47 posts

149 months

Monday 8th June 2015
quotequote all
Surely this only half the story, the other half is what are you going to have to replace it?
If it's another Eunos maybe it's better the devil you know and in reality you may well end up spending at the same rate as now, if it's something else you may as well let her go but perhaps having spent the money on it in the past this could be the time to have the work done it needs now and she might just go on for a long time and cost very little.

drgoatboy

1,623 posts

207 months

Tuesday 9th June 2015
quotequote all
There are plenty of folk out there who will buy a cheap MX5 to break it, so you will probably get £300 for it.
It depends on how sentimental you are and how much you want an MX5 in your life.
As already said probably better the devil you know if you are just going to replace it like for like. even if you spend £400 on it and get another summer out of it thats still quite cheap motoring by my reckoning.

Unless you get really lucky spending £700 on another MX5 will only buy all the same problems come next MOT....

colinjy

98 posts

108 months

Tuesday 9th June 2015
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I picked up a Mk2 beginning of last year for Scrap / Project money and have spent the last 18 months repairing it when funds allowed.

I've replaced / repaired both sills
replaced both front chassis bars
repaired all wheels,
replaced belts,
sorted most of the body rust.

as it was a project car I could spend what time I had free on it and I was specifically looking for a car to tinker with.
so to answer your question there are people out there that would be looking for a project to play with / do up.

mx5alan

8 posts

113 months

Thursday 2nd July 2015
quotequote all
Alapeno said:
I'm seriously considering not putting the Mk1 Eunos back on the road after it's recent MOT failure and I'm after someone to tell me if I'm being silly or reasonable. Currently SORN and not flush with cash so have a bit of a dilemma.

It pains me to even think about it as I know the car will keep running forever, it's taken track days in it's stride, not once faltered and never not put a grin on my face.

We're looking at +£400 to do brake pipes, replace cat (which I have) and welding the chassis and suspension to pass an MOT at local garage.
Plus the £500 from the MOT from last year and the +£700 in new roof, bits and maintenance, it's cost quite a bit. I can afford it but I can't shake the feeling that enough is enough.

Do I:
1. Fix it, get the summer out of it and lose out money if it's saleable due to lacquer peel, bodywork and mileage etc (arches and sills are fine though but is at 170,000miles)
2. Don't fix it, but would someone want a none-MOT as a project for cheap, is that even a thing?
3. Break it (what do I do with the rest of it?)
4. Fix and keep hold of it for sentimental value and try and keep costs at bay somehow

When is enough, enough? Option 2 is looking mighty tempting.
170,000miles its just about run in... LOL my Mk1 made it to 210,000 so you should have another 3 years or more life left. Mine was the gearbox bearings, clutch, hood and tyres in the end, I had no choice but to do P/Ex on new Mk.3 but was a very hard choice having had the car for around 14 years and it being 1 of 200 special edition SE.
If I had garage space all the tools and time available - I would have kept it and it would now be at 300,000 miles..

So my option would be #4
If Engine Gearbox and Interior is still OK, fix it and keep costs at bay for next 2 years before looking for replacement.
Your replacement hood should last you minimum 5 years.
Dodgy paint - you could always wrap it ?

but agree when is enouh eenough ? For me if repair costs are >1.5 cars current value