Discussion
Good morning all.
I have a bit of a dilemna (or rather my girlfriend does). Up until recently, she's been driving a Y reg Vauxhall Corsa (1.0 litre with about 70k on the clock I think), however, the engine went on her the other day (starved of oil) so it no longer moves under it's own steam. The garage she uses has quoted her about £800 to replace the engine, or alternatively £200 for the rest of the car which doesn't currently have an MOT because it was due the day after the engine blew up but there's no reason to suspect that it wouldn't pass without any major issues. She therefore has a few options:
a.) Spend the £800 to get the car fixed at the garage (the car has had a few electrical problems in the past so she's not overly keen on this option and is not now very fond of it)
b.) Try and find somewhere to replace the engine more cheaply (would this be a hard job or given a couple of days and a mate or 2, is this something I could do relatively easily bearing in mind I haven't tinkered with cars much through a lack of time but I'm a recent engineering grad and know what does what. What sort of costs in time and money would I be looking at for this?)
c.) Sell the car to the garage for £200 and buy something else (Is £200 about right? This would mean she'd have about £1300 to buy a replacement if she sold this one to the garage)
d.) Something else?
Any help would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance
I have a bit of a dilemna (or rather my girlfriend does). Up until recently, she's been driving a Y reg Vauxhall Corsa (1.0 litre with about 70k on the clock I think), however, the engine went on her the other day (starved of oil) so it no longer moves under it's own steam. The garage she uses has quoted her about £800 to replace the engine, or alternatively £200 for the rest of the car which doesn't currently have an MOT because it was due the day after the engine blew up but there's no reason to suspect that it wouldn't pass without any major issues. She therefore has a few options:
a.) Spend the £800 to get the car fixed at the garage (the car has had a few electrical problems in the past so she's not overly keen on this option and is not now very fond of it)
b.) Try and find somewhere to replace the engine more cheaply (would this be a hard job or given a couple of days and a mate or 2, is this something I could do relatively easily bearing in mind I haven't tinkered with cars much through a lack of time but I'm a recent engineering grad and know what does what. What sort of costs in time and money would I be looking at for this?)
c.) Sell the car to the garage for £200 and buy something else (Is £200 about right? This would mean she'd have about £1300 to buy a replacement if she sold this one to the garage)
d.) Something else?
Any help would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance
£800 to replace the engine, or £800 to fit the engine? They're not expensive second hand, but it'll add on another couple of hundred quid
If you have a rough idea what you're doing you could have a go yourself, give it a long weekend, bank holiday maybe - start on Friday should be somewhere near by Sunday and prepare properly as the shops you'll need will be shut Sunday and Monday. It's a 2 or 3 man job, 4's even better.
You could look at it as you're doing an engine swap on a £200 car so it doesnt matter if it goes wrong.
Personally would take the £200 unless you really fancy taking it on.
If you have a rough idea what you're doing you could have a go yourself, give it a long weekend, bank holiday maybe - start on Friday should be somewhere near by Sunday and prepare properly as the shops you'll need will be shut Sunday and Monday. It's a 2 or 3 man job, 4's even better.
You could look at it as you're doing an engine swap on a £200 car so it doesnt matter if it goes wrong.
Personally would take the £200 unless you really fancy taking it on.
Engines are cheap, and small. Might be worth getting a private quote on the engine taking out and in as i'm sure it'll be less than 800 all in.
I'd probs take the £200 though, can she claim any tax back?
You shouldn't have that much problem finding another 1 litre for £1300 if you shop around
I'd probs take the £200 though, can she claim any tax back?
You shouldn't have that much problem finding another 1 litre for £1300 if you shop around
Yes, that's quite a dilemna, quite a quandery, a real pickill.
Sorry
Anyway, my brother was in a similar situation recently with a dead engine and he took the cash, it was the right decision, he took the money for the car and bought another much newer car for little more than it would cost to get the dead one back on the road.
I vote take the cash.
Sorry
Anyway, my brother was in a similar situation recently with a dead engine and he took the cash, it was the right decision, he took the money for the car and bought another much newer car for little more than it would cost to get the dead one back on the road.
I vote take the cash.
AyBee said:
Good morning all.
I have a bit of a dilemna (or rather my girlfriend does). Up until recently, she's been driving a Y reg Vauxhall Corsa (1.0 litre with about 70k on the clock I think), however, the engine went on her the other day (starved of oil) so it no longer moves under it's own steam. The garage she uses has quoted her about £800 to replace the engine, or alternatively £200 for the rest of the car which doesn't currently have an MOT because it was due the day after the engine blew up but there's no reason to suspect that it wouldn't pass without any major issues. She therefore has a few options:
a.) Spend the £800 to get the car fixed at the garage (the car has had a few electrical problems in the past so she's not overly keen on this option and is not now very fond of it)
b.) Try and find somewhere to replace the engine more cheaply (would this be a hard job or given a couple of days and a mate or 2, is this something I could do relatively easily bearing in mind I haven't tinkered with cars much through a lack of time but I'm a recent engineering grad and know what does what. What sort of costs in time and money would I be looking at for this?)
c.) Sell the car to the garage for £200 and buy something else (Is £200 about right? This would mean she'd have about £1300 to buy a replacement if she sold this one to the garage)
d.) Something else?
Any help would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance
Seems a bit of a no brainer tbh. Take to £200 and get something else.I have a bit of a dilemna (or rather my girlfriend does). Up until recently, she's been driving a Y reg Vauxhall Corsa (1.0 litre with about 70k on the clock I think), however, the engine went on her the other day (starved of oil) so it no longer moves under it's own steam. The garage she uses has quoted her about £800 to replace the engine, or alternatively £200 for the rest of the car which doesn't currently have an MOT because it was due the day after the engine blew up but there's no reason to suspect that it wouldn't pass without any major issues. She therefore has a few options:
a.) Spend the £800 to get the car fixed at the garage (the car has had a few electrical problems in the past so she's not overly keen on this option and is not now very fond of it)
b.) Try and find somewhere to replace the engine more cheaply (would this be a hard job or given a couple of days and a mate or 2, is this something I could do relatively easily bearing in mind I haven't tinkered with cars much through a lack of time but I'm a recent engineering grad and know what does what. What sort of costs in time and money would I be looking at for this?)
c.) Sell the car to the garage for £200 and buy something else (Is £200 about right? This would mean she'd have about £1300 to buy a replacement if she sold this one to the garage)
d.) Something else?
Any help would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance
If she doesn't like the car to start with why
If you've not tried an engine swap before, or anything mechanical and don't had the gear (engine crane!!!!), tools and space to do it. I simply wouldn't, you'll take far longer than you think it will and it'll likely cost you more than you think too. And it might go very wrong.
depents on how much she can afford at the end of the day, you'll prob be able to pick a used engine up cheap and that and a coupel of crates of beer and your going, for a couple of hundred quid, to replace the car you'll need to spend more, so all down to money at the end of the day. Also what is the car worth if you sold it. My misses had a 1.0 corsa when we met and when we sold it, it was in good nick and we had more calls than i've ever had on a car, new drivers cheap ins, so sell well.
haggle for more..maybe £260 and take that and go and buy something else. When you try to sell it later, many might like myself have a total no go when it comes to cars with "replaced" engines. You could have a engine that will fall apart in a year etc? . They will fit the first engine they can find.
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