MOT Fail - what to do?

[xRIEx]

The XJ has just had failed its MOT, quoted about 2000 to get everything fixed and through (wheel bearing, road spring, both cats, bit of sill welding). I'd been thinking about selling it recently, but now not sure if I should get it back to good health and keep it longer. The options as I see it:

A - get it fixed and keep it
B - get it fixed and sell it in good order
C - sell it as is, listing the fail points
D - if C doesn't work, scrap it.

It's 13 years old and otherwise in good nick, but I had been considering changing it anyway. What would you do? (Fixing it myself is beyond my meagre skills.)

[Ren Esis]

Personally I would eBay with details of exactly what's wrong. Be honest in the description at start it at a 99p auction over 10 days.

You will be surprised at the interest you'll get

[Pappagallo]

How much do you like the car? In the past I've spent good money keeping an oldish car on the road simply because I liked it a lot. I drew the line when the rust was really taking hold as I didn't want to keep paying out for bodywork, especially in areas where it had already been done in the past.

If you've been thinking of selling anyway it might be best just to cut your losses.

[philmots]

As someone else said, you'll get a lot of interest on ebay listing all it's issues..

It's a lot of money for you, but not for someone who's able to do the work themselves.

[graham22]

Banger Racer then weigh it in - after you sold the interior as Top Gear seats.

[trickywoo]

Quote sounds expensive.

How much welding and what?

[J4CKO]

See it as an opportunity

Ebay for secondhand cats and a spring.

Borrow/Buy a Mig Welder, grinder, discs etc etc have a practice on some bits of steel then attack the grot, my 944 came with a few free holes, one of which was pretty sizeable, but I got it done and got some pretty positive comments of the MOT guy when he asked where I had got it done, in fact he dragged their resident welder over and said "why cant you weld like that", probably as he didnt spend days on it and have to make a profit I would imagine.

[xRIEx]

Pappagallo said:

How much do you like the car? In the past I've spent good money keeping an oldish car on the road simply because I liked it a lot.

I do like it but was considering changing, there are so many cars I want to drive. With these things sorted it will once again be a good solid car, but as mentioned, cutting my losses may be easier.

Although PH has some XJs advertised at 3K-4K, there are MOT'd jags going for under 1500 on ebay, so if 500-600 for 'spares or repair' might be the easiest. It looks about 230 at best for scrap - seems too good for that option.

[xRIEx]

J4CKO said:

See it as an opportunity

Ebay for secondhand cats and a spring.

Borrow/Buy a Mig Welder, grinder, discs etc etc have a practice on some bits of steel then attack the grot, my 944 came with a few free holes, one of which was pretty sizeable, but I got it done and got some pretty positive comments of the MOT guy when he asked where I had got it done, in fact he dragged their resident welder over and said "why cant you weld like that", probably as he didnt spend days on it and have to make a profit I would imagine.

I'd love to be able to, but it's well beyond my skills. Plus I'm a serial procrastinator, it would be another thing that I never got round to. I've got an MX5 sat in the garage for the past year that I'm supposed to be breaking!

[xRIEx]

trickywoo said:

Quote sounds expensive.

How much welding and what?

I don't know how much welding is involved, but he did say they have to take the carpets up to sort it.

[leafspring]

I have a rule

If the sale value of the fixed car is greater than cost of repairs... B) fix 'n' sell
Unless you want to keep it... A)
If no to either of those... C) followed by D)

[Ozzie Osmond]

If you like the car, never fret about individual bills. Just look at the average annual repair costs during the time you've owned it.

IMO if a car like yours comes out under £1,000 a year average, it's cheap quality motoring. After all, there's not much depreciation going on.

[MeThlAtEdSpiRIt]

TBH it sounds like £800-1000 worth of work. Not £2000.

Try getting prices from different garages.