Punto headgasket- repair or don't bother??

cantdecide

A friend is buying a used car for 8k ish and she has a low mileage '01 5 door Punto to dispose of which she's owned for about 6 years. She's taking advantage of the current climate and buying straight. The punto is in good condition but the head gasket is gone again. The first guy is a cowboy who probably never skimmed the head when the head gasket was done last year.

I know a GOOD Fiat/ alfa mechanic who'll do a nixer and never charges me more than a few bob but can't get a hold of him to ask the question but I know he'll look after her. I have no idea what he's likely to estimate the cost of repairing the punto for resale.

Is it likely to be prohibitively expensive to repair. What's it worth as is??

lifer_sean

Other than the head gasket gone, what condition is the Punto in ? Has it done NCT recently ? If it's in good order and has NCT to 2011 (the 2001 cars all have NCTs due this year, to expire in 2011) then it's worth doing. Car could make 1500 euro when sorted out, if it's a good one with long test. With head gasket gone it's worth almost nothing.

Any mechanic would do a head gasket for a Punto in his sleep. For the guy doing it as a nixer, I'd have thought 350-400 euro.

godtabh

My sister had the head gasket go on her car about a year ago. Dad got the parts and had it up and running quickly. Dont think it cost more than €250 for parts.


My dad isnt a mechanic either

Anan1

I'd do it. I mean, what's the other option?

Jonty

kearnsr wrote: »

My sister had the head gasket go on her car about a year ago. Dad got the parts and had it up and running quickly. Dont think it cost more than €250 for parts.


My dad isnt a mechanic either

How did he know there wasn't a slight warp on the head that would require Planing?

Mycroft H

Jonty wrote: »

How did he know there wasn't a slight warp on the head that would require Planing?

Dont have to be a mechanic to do a head gasket.

quietsailor

Jonty wrote: »

How did he know there wasn't a slight warp on the head that would require Planing?

By cleaning off the old gasket carefully and placing a ruler from front to back, side to side or diagonally across the head and seeing if there is a bend up or down.

cantdecide

It's a red '01 5 door ELX with 50k.

I got a hold of my mechanic friend who reckons that it probably needs a tiimng belt kit "while I'm in there". Altogether, he says €500-€700 depending mainly on what Murphy engine overhauls say and the cars worth about €1200- €1500 when done.

My friend didn't cry about repairing the car even once (she's not Irish, you see:D) and it would be acceptable to her as long as there would be some money left over...

I think it's a done deal. Thanks guys.

mondeo

cantdecide wrote: »

It's a red '01 5 door ELX with 50k.

I got a hold of my mechanic friend who reckons that it probably needs a tiimng belt kit "while I'm in there". Altogether, he says €500-€700 depending mainly on what Murphy engine overhauls say and the cars worth about €1200- €1500 when done.

My friend didn't cry about repairing the car even once (she's not Irish, you see:D) and it would be acceptable to her as long as there would be some money left over...

I think it's a done deal. Thanks guys.

I would not pay 500 - 700 for a head gasket on a punto...No way my son!
You would get a recon engine in it for 700... I had a recon engine fitted a Honda last year whch cost 800.... A little punto is going to be cheaper to do..

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

cantdecide

Still up in the air, guys. I rang my mechanic again to ask him to do the head gasket and he freaked me out.

It was my friend's learner car and it's a bit scuffed and pranged. Assuming it'll get 2 years NCT and the job will cost €500 ish, what's it likely to be worth when it's done, realistically??

They're on carzone for up to 2 grand in good condition from dealers but my mechanic is telling me that the car won't be worth a grand by the time it's done the way things are. He hasn't seen it yet...

He thinks as it is, with no meaningful NCT, in fair condition and with with the head gasket gone, it will only make €0- €200/ €300 in teh B&S??

Saab Ed

Dont bother fixing it in my opinion... Its worth very little today in good order. A cheap ad somewhere describing the car warts and all at €300- €400 is the way to go.

Sqaull20

Every small car of that age is worth nothing, you shouldn't get too caught up on how much its worth if its running well.Head gaskets go in alot of cars, it commons and something that has be done at some point on most cars.

You could scrap the car, but there is no guarantee that the new car your friend buys wont have issues either.If the car has been good till now and doesnt need much work for the nct I would fix it myself.If it does then line up a few to look at and bring a mechanic with you to give the choosen one a good look at.

B00MSTICK

Also just because the ads are for €XXXX doesn't mean they're selling for anywhere near that. She'll also have to deal with callers/tyre kickers/advertisement fee's etc.

A slightly beaten Punto wouldn't be top of my recommendations list unfortunately.

Juwwi

Saab Ed wrote: »

Dont bother fixing it in my opinion... Its worth very little today in good order. A cheap ad somewhere describing the car warts and all at €300- €400 is the way to go.

+1 ^^^^


have a look on adverts in the car section u will see people price droping every day on cars they cant sell..

she will spend the money and strugle to sell it.

l would'nt takeany notice of carzone to be honest those prices of up to 2 grand are way out.

would ur friend the mechanic have any interest of buying it in its current condition.?

t-ha

I did this before and it cost me about 150 quids - including getting it skimmed properly and a new timing belt, pump and gasket kit.

Juwwi

t-ha wrote: »

I did this before and it cost me about 150 quids - including getting it skimmed properly and a new timing belt, pump and gasket kit.

did u do the work yourself?

how much is it to get it skimmed?

Barr

TBH if the bodies not great , it has no NCT , needs a head garsket and timing belt done ... i'd agree and try and sell it off cheap as is . You could spend a bucket load on it and probably wont see a return on your outlay.

t-ha

robbie1977 wrote: »

did u do the work yourself?

how much is it to get it skimmed?

Yeah, it's not too bad with a Haynes manual and decent tool-kit. Can't remember the exact price of the skimming but I think it was about EUR 60? Got it done in Howards Engineering in Glasnevin Ind Estate - it's worth getting it done right or you'll only have to take the whole car apart again.

dudara

My father did the head gasket on mine nearly two years ago now. He is a mechanic but not based in Dublin. Parts including all gaskets, belts, water pumps and the head skimming plus one huge chinese meal for my Dad cost about 200-250.

It hasn't given a spot of trouble since then. It is a 1999 (old body) so I know that it's worth next to nothing, but it would make a fine run around car for someone.

The Real B-man

Break the car probably cheaper the car owes her nothing anyway