Spreading out car maintenance / repair jobs.
Discussion
Urgh, cars are really hitting my wallet at the moment.
This year my Fabia VRS has needed full service, washer pump (split in the cold weather), a new rear tyre, front console bushes and wheel alignment, a new radiator, rear discs and pads and now I have a boost leak from somewhere round the intercooler. Touch wood my warranty company will cover the intercooler, unlike the radiator which they refused to help with as it was corrosion related and this is one of their clear disclaimers.
However, in April I got myself a Mk1 MX5 to replace a modded Suzuki Samurai as a fun second car. I still live at home, have no vices as such and do enjoy my wheels. It's a fairly clean, tidy example but even that hasn't been kind to me - front caliper, clutch slave cylinder, now needs a full cooling system replace- rad, pipes, waterpump, ideally needs 4 matched tyres and a geometry set-up. Plus I nudged my garage door frame and someone has resprayed the nose cone incorrectly so lots of paint has flaked off and needs a respray, and the rear bumper needs the same as it is partially fading. And the battery is definitely on the way out.
I get really frustrated that I can't afford to fix everything in one big swoop! Any advice for putting mind at rest and pacing / prioritising a to-do list when owning two cars on a budget. I used to be very good with my money, but this year my funds have been in the red more times than ever. Main issue is I don't have the experience / knowledge or tools to do work myself, although I have found some trustworthy garages to turn to, so not a total lost cause that depends on main dealers or K**k-F*t.
This year my Fabia VRS has needed full service, washer pump (split in the cold weather), a new rear tyre, front console bushes and wheel alignment, a new radiator, rear discs and pads and now I have a boost leak from somewhere round the intercooler. Touch wood my warranty company will cover the intercooler, unlike the radiator which they refused to help with as it was corrosion related and this is one of their clear disclaimers.
However, in April I got myself a Mk1 MX5 to replace a modded Suzuki Samurai as a fun second car. I still live at home, have no vices as such and do enjoy my wheels. It's a fairly clean, tidy example but even that hasn't been kind to me - front caliper, clutch slave cylinder, now needs a full cooling system replace- rad, pipes, waterpump, ideally needs 4 matched tyres and a geometry set-up. Plus I nudged my garage door frame and someone has resprayed the nose cone incorrectly so lots of paint has flaked off and needs a respray, and the rear bumper needs the same as it is partially fading. And the battery is definitely on the way out.
I get really frustrated that I can't afford to fix everything in one big swoop! Any advice for putting mind at rest and pacing / prioritising a to-do list when owning two cars on a budget. I used to be very good with my money, but this year my funds have been in the red more times than ever. Main issue is I don't have the experience / knowledge or tools to do work myself, although I have found some trustworthy garages to turn to, so not a total lost cause that depends on main dealers or K**k-F*t.
bmw535i said:
Not meaning to be pedantic or inflammatory, but perhaps you should live within your means and just have one car.........
This. Or at the very least only put your money into one car and leave the 2nd one until you have a bit more spare cash? And as for not knowing how to do things yourself - Youtube / owners club are your friends. Do a bit of reading, spend some money on tools and they'll pay for themselves the first time you use them.. it's worth it for the time investment too.But more importantly, if you can't afford to run two cars, then you can't afford to run them. Pure and simple.
bmw535i said:
Not meaning to be pedantic or inflammatory, but perhaps you should live within your means and just have one car.........
Fair comment, but I think it's just a bad coincidence of several car costs coming within several months as I ran two cars with no worries for a couple of years previously. Also the VRS, and most of my other cars before, have been hassle-free until this year really with the most odd jobs I can remember. Once sorted I'm confident the '5 will be hassle-free in the future, and I plan on changing the VRS when the finance is paid late next year.And I do my own servicing on the '5, it's just bigger "replacement" jobs I am hesitant to try. I'd rather pay to get it done once and properly than risk bodging something myself and paying to get it put right.
I guess I need to chill a bit and accept that getting the '5 to the standard I want it will be a long-term thing and focus on keeping the daily drive Skoda in perfect working order.
If you think about it, you're in the perfect position to learn a lot about DIY mechanics. The joy of having 2 cars is that there's a bit less pressure to get the job done - you've always got another car to get to work.
It's generally not that difficult to do a lot of work yourself, especially now with the internet to supply answers to all your questions.
It's generally not that difficult to do a lot of work yourself, especially now with the internet to supply answers to all your questions.
sunbeam alpine said:
If you think about it, you're in the perfect position to learn a lot about DIY mechanics. The joy of having 2 cars is that there's a bit less pressure to get the job done - you've always got another car to get to work.
It's generally not that difficult to do a lot of work yourself, especially now with the internet to supply answers to all your questions.
I am keen to learn, not sure a complete cooling system overhaul is the best place to start though? Bit too critical for engine health to get wrong on a first attempt!It's generally not that difficult to do a lot of work yourself, especially now with the internet to supply answers to all your questions.
r11co said:
Nick3point2 said:
Stop buying snotters?
Or, Fix it yourself over the course of a couple weekends.
This. Most of the jobs are DIY in a driveway apart from the alignment! I have little sympathy TBH.Or, Fix it yourself over the course of a couple weekends.
Edited by r11co on Wednesday 6th July 19:13
The 9-3 gets a local indy for it's needs. The Austin and the BMW get me and either a mate or the old man, with a set of spanners and some "how to help" from the net.
When had the 200SX, used to do all the spannering, then only pay someone in the know for the "setting up". On the driveway in January last year fitted:
coilovers, front 8pot brake set-up, FMIC, new radiator, braided brake lines, silicone piping under the bonnet, new discs and pads at rear, induction system and 2x seats.
Each job was tackled on the presumption that it would take a weekend, and if it didn't get finished, it would later.
r11co said:
Nick3point2 said:
Stop buying snotters?
Or, Fix it yourself over the course of a couple weekends.
This. Most of the jobs are DIY in a driveway apart from the alignment! I have little sympathy TBH.Or, Fix it yourself over the course of a couple weekends.
Edited by r11co on Wednesday 6th July 19:13
With the MX5, fix the critical bits and then just drive the thing! I had big plans when I bought my 106 Rallye as a second car 5 years ago, to tidy up all the paintwork, trim, a few little rattles and things. But I enjoy driving it so much I haven't ever bothered. I might tidy it up before I sell it, but otherwise I put up with the tattyness because it doesn't make it any less fun.
vrsmxtb said:
I am keen to learn, not sure a complete cooling system overhaul is the best place to start though? Bit too critical for engine health to get wrong on a first attempt!
How are you going to learn? Go and buy a basic tool kit, jump online, even search youtube, a lot of people post video guides on doing some jobs. Cooling system is pretty damn easy, it's not cam timing or anything, don't let yourself be daunted, you need to start somewhere. Besides, what possible damage can you do? Unless you replace everything, fail to undertake any kind of warm up and test for leaks etc, and then disregard your temperature gauge and keep it at 5K for an hour, I can't see how you could have any overheating issues. To be fair, and please don't take this as a knock, more of a point of encouragement, if you're living at home and choose to have 2 cars, especially a fun one, then general maintenance should really be in your remit, and coolant change and system bleeding is pretty much routine servicing.
I bet if you got stuck in, you'd find it wasn't at all daunting, you enjoyed it, you'll get a great feeling of satisfaction from having done it and you'll have saved yourself the money paying someone else to do it.
Besides, you know where to come for advice if you get stuck...
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