Car dilemma....

embee

Hi all,

I just have a query regarding my car. I'm in a bit of a pickle at the moment and don't know what to do (it doesn't help at all that I know nothing about cars).

My car broke down last Friday on the M1 near Dundalk in absolutely spectacular fashion. I was driving along fine, then there was a ferocious bang, some grinding, then I noticed smoke/steam (it was white, not sure which it was tbh) billowing out from under the bonnet. I pulled over straight away, got out, popped the bonnet to let the engine cool down a little quicker etc.... Then I noticed that there was oil of some sort leaking pretty profusely from the engine.

Now... it got towed and brought to a local mechanic (my Dad knows him, reckons he's not a cowboy). My dads been talking to him, and the mechanic has said that the water pump went, car overheated. Alas, he has also said that more than likely the timing belt and head gasket both went due to the extreme overheating of the engine. The mechanic has warned that it may possibly need a completely new (or, in reality, reconditioned) engine. This entire jaunt is going to cost me hundreds already. The car itself is a 1997 Opel Corsa. It has 124,000 miles on the clock, and the cars value is pretty low tbh....

I just don't know if its worth my while shelling out for a reconditioned engine (not to mention the towing fee and labour to date). An uncle of mine got a recon engine put in a past car of his, but it lasted all of two weeks before it packed in when he was carrying kids in the car. An aunt had a recon engine but in a car of hers too, with equally disastrous results. I've a 4 month old baby, and I'd be afraid of my LIFE of something happening whilst driving (I do a round trip from my home in the North East to the Midlands once a fortnight) and I'd end up in a ditch somewhere.

So, it seems my options are to risk the recon engine, or just get a new car.

What would ye do?

mike65

I would'nt bother with a 're-con' engine, rather I'd be looking for a scrapped Corsa with a working engine (tbis is the sort of thing you need a mechanic/DIY friendly chap to help you with). Opel engines are 10 a penny and you be able to pick one up cheap. Once its been given the once over it can be transplanted.

Exact costs are hard to estimate of course, whereas 'scapping' your current car and buying another is easy to work out and in truth much simpler/quicker.

You'll have to consider the options and how they fit your own circumstances.

I take it the temp guage on your car does'nt work?

Mike.

embee

The temp gauge does work. I looked at it when we were at the M1 toll bridge and the temp was fine... somewhere between there and Dundalk things started to go badly wrong.

Thanks for the advice!

colm_mcm

the job has to cost more than the car's worth

crosstownk

Normal enough damage when a t/belt driven water pump collapses. It can happen without warning - the temp does not necessarily rise as sometimes water doesn't leak from the pump. It sounds to me like the water pump wasn't replaced when the t/belt was last replaced (assuming the belt was replaced at the recommended intervals)

I'd agree with Mike65 - get a second hand engine - it's probably the cheapest option. Be sure that you can verify that the second hand engine is more or less identical to your current one. Get a new t/belt and water pump fitted to the replacement engine before it is fitted - Once bitten..........

junkyard

I'd say bin it and buy something else its getting too long in the tooth to be spending money on. Buy something Japanese next time i.e. Micra, Suzuki Swift, they won't give you half the grief a Corsa will.

unkel

colm_mcm wrote:

the job has to cost more than the car's worth

Agree. Scrap it, embee and look here for some info about the Euro NCAP programme about safety of cars. Getting another car with a decent safety rating might give you some peace of mind driving around your new baby