Where do you call the line? (scrapping cars)
Discussion
So I have this s
tbox Polo, 1995 I think.
I bought it last year for £500 with a years tax and test, just re-taxed it, and put a couple of new tyres on to get it through another MOT and its failed, and when I say failed, its really failed.
They have given me a list of stuff that is wrong, and stuff that needs doing, the upshot is that this work will be £650 to do, I've just re-taxed it, spent £100 on tyres, and renewed my insurance, so I feel like I've invested something into this car, but I'm still struggling to rationalize spending more than I paid for it on repairs, especially when the engine could totally blow up next week!
What are your thoughts on best courses of action?
tbox Polo, 1995 I think.I bought it last year for £500 with a years tax and test, just re-taxed it, and put a couple of new tyres on to get it through another MOT and its failed, and when I say failed, its really failed.
They have given me a list of stuff that is wrong, and stuff that needs doing, the upshot is that this work will be £650 to do, I've just re-taxed it, spent £100 on tyres, and renewed my insurance, so I feel like I've invested something into this car, but I'm still struggling to rationalize spending more than I paid for it on repairs, especially when the engine could totally blow up next week!
What are your thoughts on best courses of action?
Nothing is guaranteed.
Look at it as £650 for a new car. If the car has been otherwise roadworthy then why not invest in it?
Can you buy another car with new tyres, 6/12 months RFL and 12 months MOT for another £650? Probably, but then you have the effort of finding another car, reclaiming your tax, putting scrap tyres on your old car so you can scrap it as a whole car etc.
Look at it as £650 for another years motoring.
Look at it as £650 for a new car. If the car has been otherwise roadworthy then why not invest in it?
Can you buy another car with new tyres, 6/12 months RFL and 12 months MOT for another £650? Probably, but then you have the effort of finding another car, reclaiming your tax, putting scrap tyres on your old car so you can scrap it as a whole car etc.
Look at it as £650 for another years motoring.
I'd find another stbox Polo with a year's MOT and tax, swap over the insurance and the decent tyres, cash in the tax, get £150 (or whatever) from the scrapyard for the old one and move on.
If you can find a taxed and tested replacement for £700, less £100 for your cashed-in tax and £150 from the scrapper, you'll have a new motor for £450 net.
In theory...
tbox Polo with a year's MOT and tax, swap over the insurance and the decent tyres, cash in the tax, get £150 (or whatever) from the scrapyard for the old one and move on. If you can find a taxed and tested replacement for £700, less £100 for your cashed-in tax and £150 from the scrapper, you'll have a new motor for £450 net.
In theory...
Depends.
Post the list of work needed!
If its structural welding and the engine is burning more oil than petrol its time to call it a day. If its a list of consumables on a basically sound car you've got to be realistic about the risk and cost of swapping for another cheap motor.
Post the list of work needed!
If its structural welding and the engine is burning more oil than petrol its time to call it a day. If its a list of consumables on a basically sound car you've got to be realistic about the risk and cost of swapping for another cheap motor.
Edited by SuperHangOn on Monday 5th November 16:10
How much of this is fairly consumable stuff like brakes etc. and how much of it is fairly self contained things (ie, one thing isn't about to lead to another)? If its a case of "oh, it needs a clutch and a set of discs and pads" then obviously just get it done as its exactly the kind of wear-and-tear stuff that you'd only need to do on a new car too.
If its a case that the floor looks like its going to be something out of the flintstones soon, then yeah, ditch it if its not special.
If its a case that the floor looks like its going to be something out of the flintstones soon, then yeah, ditch it if its not special.
SuperHangOn said:
Depends.
Post the list of work needed!
If its structural welding and the engine is burning more oil than petrol its time to call it a day. If its a list of consumables on a basically sound car you've got to be realistic about the risk and cost of swapping for another cheap motor.
Exactly this. If it's starting to rot, then you'll be having patches welded on the patches every year until it's scrapped (as the average cheap welding job is never finished properly to last). In that case, and since it's not a particularly rare or desirable car it makes little sense to keep it.Post the list of work needed!
If its structural welding and the engine is burning more oil than petrol its time to call it a day. If its a list of consumables on a basically sound car you've got to be realistic about the risk and cost of swapping for another cheap motor.
If the bodywork is in good shape and the failures are confined to e.g. lights, brakes or suspension components, then if you spend the money you get a car which is safer, nicer to drive and will likely pass the MOT next year more easily.
If it's failed on emissions and the fault isn't obvious then you could be on dodgy ground since many garages "diagnose" problems like this by simply replacing (often perfectly good) components until the problem goes away.
Right, found a friend of the family that is going to look at it instead.
Just spoken to the garage, and they don't seem to impressed that I am not letting them do the work...Only issue will be getting the thing started.
They didn't tell me there was a £30 charge to diagnose all the issues!
Just spoken to the garage, and they don't seem to impressed that I am not letting them do the work...Only issue will be getting the thing started.
They didn't tell me there was a £30 charge to diagnose all the issues!
Sorry?
Did you ask them to diagnose issues? Or are they charging you to tell you what the car failed on?
I don't want to presume too much, but if you've taken the car in for an MOT and they gave you a fail sheet and now want to charge you more then the MOT cost they are taking the Michael.
Did you ask them to diagnose issues? Or are they charging you to tell you what the car failed on?
I don't want to presume too much, but if you've taken the car in for an MOT and they gave you a fail sheet and now want to charge you more then the MOT cost they are taking the Michael.
Birdster said:
Sorry?
Did you ask them to diagnose issues? Or are they charging you to tell you what the car failed on?
I don't want to presume too much, but if you've taken the car in for an MOT and they gave you a fail sheet and now want to charge you more then the MOT cost they are taking the Michael.
I said give me a price on how much it will be to fix it yes, so I suppose that makes sense.Did you ask them to diagnose issues? Or are they charging you to tell you what the car failed on?
I don't want to presume too much, but if you've taken the car in for an MOT and they gave you a fail sheet and now want to charge you more then the MOT cost they are taking the Michael.
okgo said:
Right, found a friend of the family that is going to look at it instead.
Just spoken to the garage, and they don't seem to impressed that I am not letting them do the work...Only issue will be getting the thing started.
They didn't tell me there was a £30 charge to diagnose all the issues!
Dont take this the wrong way but.... are you sure you are cut out for bangernomics ? Just spoken to the garage, and they don't seem to impressed that I am not letting them do the work...Only issue will be getting the thing started.
They didn't tell me there was a £30 charge to diagnose all the issues!
Why did you put the new tyres and tax on it before the MOT ?
You've now mentally tied yourself into keeping it..
If you'd just put it in for the MOT before the tax, they'd have confirmed you needed tyres, along with the other stuff, and you could have happily sent the polo to the scrappers, not spent any more on it, and have £100 in your pocket towards your next banger
And wtf is the £30 charge for ? You should be using the MOT to do that
Just what did they do for you ?
Lets see the breakdown from the garage on what needs doing and their costs... I bet it either doesnt need doing, or you can do it cheaper/yourself...
Don't give them £30 for telling you how much it would cost for them to fix the issues, that's bullst, I could understand if you'd drove in off the street and asked for a diagnosis, I've done that, and duely paid, but all they've done is went down the MOT list and plucked out a figure, which they will have done anyways, most MOT places I've been to have; if it's failed gave you a reason/s, and a cost to rectify. Pay for the MOT, that's it.
t, I could understand if you'd drove in off the street and asked for a diagnosis, I've done that, and duely paid, but all they've done is went down the MOT list and plucked out a figure, which they will have done anyways, most MOT places I've been to have; if it's failed gave you a reason/s, and a cost to rectify. Pay for the MOT, that's it.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff