Should I cut my losses and get a new banger?

Magenta

Hello all
I still have my first car that I bought for €1000, to learn in 2 years ago. It's an old car, 1997 and had a couple of things go wrong with it- timing belt was too tight, needed a new thermostat. Also one of the tyres got punctured and I had to keep driving until I found somewhere safe to pull in (I was on a 80kph country road with no hard shoulder!). Mechanic says that wheel is a bit buggered now from me driving it on a completely flat tyre.
I went travelling for a year and my dad drove the car around the block once a week to try and keep some life in it, he put in a new battery too.
I am going to need a car soon for job interviews and the like. My car has no NCT, no tax, no insurance.
I'm thinking about not bothering putting it through the NCT (might cost more than its worth to get it to pass) and just get a new banger instead (Fiesta or Corsa or Ka or something). My budget is €1500 MAX and that needs to include decent length of NCT and some tax.
What do ye think? When do you cut the cord and just get a new one?

robtri

Magenta wrote: »

Hello all
I still have my first car that I bought for €1000, to learn in 2 years ago. It's an old car, 1997 and had a couple of things go wrong with it- timing belt was too tight, needed a new thermostat. Also one of the tyres got punctured and I had to keep driving until I found somewhere safe to pull in (I was on a 80kph country road with no hard shoulder!).
I went travelling for a year and my dad drove the car around the block once a week to try and keep some life in it, he put in a new battery too.
I am going to need a car soon for job interviews and the like. My car has no NCT, no tax, no insurance.
I'm thinking about not bothering putting it through the NCT (might cost more than its worth to get it to pass and just get a new banger instead (Fiesta or Corsa or Ka or something). My budget is €1500 MAX and that needs to include decent length of NCT and some tax.
What do ye think? When do you cut the cord and just get a new one?

before you decide anything... put it through the NCT... it cost only €50....
it could pass... and happy days..
if it doesn't then at least you know whats wrong can get an idea of costs to repair..
puts you in a much better position to decide what to do
otherwise you are just guessing..

thetonynator

yeh, i'd say cut ur losses . . .you might sell it on for €100 or something to some kid for a field car . . .

blacksmith105

for 1500 you can still get a decent runaround , gumtree is always packed full of cheap cars but if you can get to merlin auctions in naas on a tuesday night its jammed full of cheap bangers to be sold off at little money most will have an nct and tax might be worth a try

RobTheLad

my friend is actually selling a 2001 ford fiesta ghia lovely car only 55000 miles nct til march 2011 serviced etc... has it advertised at 1600 im sure hed haggle on it

O.A.P

Well tell us what kind of car it is first and whats on the clock. At least put it through the N.C.T you may be surprised.

thetonynator

RobTheLad wrote: »

my friend is actually selling a 2001 ford fiesta ghia lovely car only 55000 miles nct til march 2011 serviced etc... has it advertised at 1600 im sure hed haggle on it

theres a site called adverts.ie

Midnight_EG

thetonynator wrote: »

theres a site called adverts.ie

There's also a button to report any comments like this

Mr Benevolent

Midnight_EG wrote: »

There's also a button to report any comments like this

Not really worth it unless you report sarcasm for the hell of it.

Midnight_EG

Confab wrote: »

Not really worth reporting though.

Advertising?

Alanstrainor

thetonynator wrote: »

theres a site called adverts.ie

Midnight_EG wrote: »

There's also a button to report any comments like this

Confab wrote: »

Not really worth it unless you report sarcasm for the hell of it.

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Advertising?

Ah here lads. No need for that, it only serves to derail the thread. Back-seat modding is against the charter.
I don't see the harm in someone mentioning a car they or their friend is selling, so long as it relates to the thread.

JJJJNR

OP I dont really see the point in getting a new banger, when all thats wrong with your current car is that its NCT has expired, and the wheel is knackered .. maybe.

You dont need a new car, give your car a wash, hoover it out and put it through its NCT.. Go to the interviews and get a job.. Then after a couple of months think about changing.

Magenta

Maybe I will just get the NCT done and see where it goes from there... gonna be waiting a few weeks for the NCT though. Hope I don't need the car in the meantime.

The-Game

Send it through the NCT and see exactly whats wrong or right with the car, after that decide if your going to get something else.

JJJJNR

Most garages will do a pre-NCT Check of your car, bring it somewhere and get it checked. if you leave it to the NCT testers you'll have to pay another 28 euros to get it retested on top of the normal cost..

Give yourself a budget of how much your willing to spend on repairs, also have a little put away for things that might go wrong over the next 12 months or so.

Magenta

JJJJNR wrote: »

Most garages will do a pre-NCT Check of your car, bring it somewhere and get it checked. if you leave it to the NCT testers you'll have to pay another 28 euros to get it retested on top of the normal cost..

Give yourself a budget of how much your willing to spend on repairs, also have a little put away for things that might go wrong over the next 12 months or so.

I don't want to sound like I'm being rude but think you're missing the point, I am trying to save money here,. Spending money on a pre-NCT (when the car could fail anyway!) isn't feasible. Either way I don't want to spend a fortune on repairs when the car isn't financially worth the investment
Apparently the last time it was NCT'd the head gasket on it needed doing and it passed anyway

Blacksmith105 I just read your thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055823869
That's the type of situation I'm talking about- If I'm told my €1000 car needs €900 of repairs it's going to the big car park in the sky!

TestTransmission

Put it through the test,see what happens

Pdfile

blacksmith105 wrote: »

for 1500 you can still get a decent runaround , gumtree is always packed full of cheap cars but if you can get to merlin auctions in naas on a tuesday night its jammed full of cheap bangers to be sold off at little money most will have an nct and tax might be worth a try

never buy from gumtree, only messers/tyre kickers/Scammers/noobs.


what make and model is your car op... ill take it off you if you like ( cash waiting pending Full inspection ) as i need a banger and excuse to get my hands dirty

SV

Pdfile wrote: »

never buy from gumtree, only messers/tyre kickers/Scammers/noobs.

Stupid comment is stupid.

Pdfile

SV wrote: »

Stupid comment is stupid.

Old fag is old.


Im 110% correct though, Everyone who has used the site will agree that you don't want a j'young fella turning up in a 91 box shape civic telling you that its worth 3000 cause its completely All over rusty and has a oil burning/knocking 1.6 carb teg engine ( aka japscrap )

or the other young fellas asking you to keep the log book in your name for extra cash your way


Or Completely low balling you ( 2-3k under asked price )


In short: Noobish SV is a noobish SV ( please don't make E-references towards me ever again please, its so Win98 )

SV

Pdfile wrote: »

Old fag is old.


Im 110% correct though, Everyone who has used the site will agree that you don't want a j'young fella turning up in a 91 box shape civic telling you that its worth 3000 cause its completely All over rusty and has a oil burning/knocking 1.6 carb teg engine ( aka japscrap )

or the other young fellas asking you to keep the log book in your name for extra cash your way


Or Completely low balling you ( 2-3k under asked price )


In short: Noobish SV is a noobish SV ( please don't make E-references towards me ever again please, its so Win98 )

look, fact of the matter is, you're wrong.
You made a stupid generalisation like you usually do and have attempted to back it up with nonsensical bullshít.

sound just like S.I.R..huh, how odd! :rolleyes:


EDIT: sorry for bringing your thread off topic Magneta and mods.

Raiser

Yeah - Nice safe bet, why not meet up with your Man that wants to get his hands dirty and talks a lot of nonsense.....

That said you'd need to follow a few precautionary rules to minimise your chances of getting burnt in the Private cars sales game - Find a firend or relative with a bit of cop on and you'd be talking about the same level of risk as the Average Joe on here!

Re. the free/cheap/inviting pre-NCT tests - Did you see many truly free lunches on your year off travelling the Globe?

- In my opinion they are fishing for work and will have all of their lures, bait and nets waiting for your €300.......

Magenta

Raiser wrote: »

Re. the free/cheap/inviting pre-NCT tests - Did you see many truly free lunches on your year off travelling the Globe?

- In my opinion they are fishing for work and will have all of their lures, bait and nets waiting for your €300.......

Yeah I don't believe in the Pre-NCT thing. Would rather get the actual NCT test and let them tell me what it would need to pass.

zilog_jones

Yeah Pre-NCTs are a scam - there are too many subjective examinations in the NCT, so someone could pass something that someone else would fail. Also a mechanic may have an ulterior motive for replacing things that may not actually fail at all...

Even if you get lucky and it does pass the NCT yet you still want to change the car you'd be able to sell it for a lot more.

Magenta wrote:

Apparently the last time it was NCT'd the head gasket on it needed doing and it passed anyway

The head gasket is not checked in the NCT - they don't really care about the engine as long as it passes emissions and isn't leaking oil. Of course a blown head gasket won't do you any favours in the long run...

Magenta wrote: »

Mechanic says that wheel is a bit buggered now from me driving it on a completely flat tyre.

Did he say just the wheel, or something else as well like the wheel bearing? A steel wheel will cost you nothing.

Viper_JB

Unless you're able to do the work safely to you're old car yourself I'd cut my losses and look at getting another, with the scrappage scheme in place you'll pick up a surprisingly good car for that kind of money with NCT and the whole lot.

John Mason

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Ah here lads. No need for that, it only serves to derail the thread. Back-seat modding is against the charter.
I don't see the harm in someone mentioning a car they or their friend is selling, so long as it relates to the thread.

woo hoo, my bro has a fiesta 1999, 44,000 on the clock looking E1,500.

perfect condition, loads of work done it. only selling because his gf moved away with work - no tax though

Magenta

zilog_jones wrote: »

Did he say just the wheel, or something else as well like the wheel bearing? A steel wheel will cost you nothing.

I don't know for sure because it was my dad that brought the car to him but he has put in a tube into it to try and make sure it doesn't deflate again?

zilog_jones

The tube's just for the tyre. If it's just the tyre that's damaged then it's about €40 for a new one (assuming they're small 13" wheels or whatever - what car is it? Punto?), or you could get a second-hand one for less.

oxegen85

if you wanna have a look at my ad in my signature.. good decent car for great price