Car Seized Up - What do I do now?

PaddyofNine

I have a 1998 Mark IV Comfortline Golf 1.6L Petrol. Bought it privately October 2008, been running great. 78,000 miles on the clock, the only bit of bother I had was when I replaced the battery last year.

I was leaving work last Thursday, car started no problem, and drove 1km to Tesco. Went in, did my shopping for ten mins and when I came out it wouldn't start. At all. Turned the key, lights and radio came on and it went for about half a chug and no more. Just wouldn't start. I thought, bollix, it's the starter, left it there overnight and got a mechanic who a number of friends recommended to come out and look at it the next day. He tried jumping it, nothing. Turned off the immobiliser, nothing. He towed it to his place, and rang me today (doesn't work weekends.)

That's when the bad news came. He said my engine was completely seized, and he couldn't figure out why. It was full of water and oil (as it should be, I regularly check these things) and was serviced last summer. He said the engine simply was seized up.

Thing is, I'm going to Australia in July and was planning on selling the car in June. I paid €2,500 for it in October '08 and was hoping to get €1,000 for it this summer. Anyways this complicates things. The mechanic has said my options are:

(1) - Get the engine replaced. He said in a car this old it could cost more than it's worth.

(2) - Get him to open up the engine, see if he could figure out what's wrong with it. Thing is, I could therefore spend €200 or €300 on labour only to still find out that the engine is fooked, and be back in square one.

(3) - Write it off as scrap, and do without a car until July. Or maybe spend €500 or €600 on some piece of junk that'll do me until then.

I dunno what to do. Anyone any advice? Anyone ever here of a Golf engine just seizing like this?

Thanks in advance.

mickdw

You possibly had an oil pick up problem or similar and maybe a faulty warning light to go with it. All your lovely oil would then have been sitting in the sump doing nothing.
Let mechanic have a quick look to see what he thinks but I would consider a very cheap replacement engine or else scrap.

ep71

surely it worth putting an engine in?
replacement engine would be my choice and if you're looking for a cheap car for a few months ive a micra for sale! pm if u like

PaddyofNine

Ok, thanks for the advice. Anyone have a rough idea how much an engine and labour would be, ballpark?

Buford T Justice

Depends really. Expect to pay €200 - €300 for an engine and the same again for labour.

Don't even think about opening the engine to try to fix it. Its not worth it and could feck up again after a few mile

Unless you're a handy manny and can do the engine change yourself i would seriously consider scrapping it.

snowman707

PaddyofNine wrote: »

(1) - Get the engine replaced. He said in a car this old it could cost more than it's worth.

(2) - Get him to open up the engine, see if he could figure out what's wrong with it. Thing is, I could therefore spend €200 or €300 on labour only to still find out that the engine is fooked, and be back in square one.

(3) - Write it off as scrap, and do without a car until July. Or maybe spend €500 or €600 on some piece of junk that'll do me until then.

I dunno what to do. Anyone any advice? Anyone ever here of a Golf engine just seizing like this?

Thanks in advance.

Option 3 looks like your best bet

kona

It doesnt sound like a totally ****ed seized engine due to lack of oil.

If it was due to lack of oil, it would have packed in long before you got to the shops. Even then you would probably smell the engine burning the ****e out of its insides.

I presume he says its seized because he couldnt turn it over by hand. I think you should get a 2nd opinion before you do anything.

Main VW dealer would be the best bet.

May not be terminal at all.