To fix up my current car or to buy?

Renn

So my NCT is just about up on my current car. Haven't bothered booking a test as there's not a chance in hell that it'd pass. By the looks of it, it needs four new tyres. Two wingmirrors are dangling at the moment so that needs to be looked at. The car shakes A LOT once you go over a certain speed (90kph). The exhaust needs to be looked at as it may be the reason the car makes so much bloody noise. Has 150000 miles to its name. Had the timing belt replaced last year for €700.

So I'm thinking it's probably a waste of time trying to fix it together for the NCT. What are my chances of finding something really cheap, with NCT, for under 500? Is this being a little bit too unrealistic?


Thanks.

djimi

What car is it? Cant really say without knowing that at least. If its a 89 Fiesta then scrap it, however its a two year old Ferrari...

Renn

Ha, woops. It's a 00 Corsa.

Less than €500 won't buy you much of a car with an NCT unfortunately.

SV

a 00 corsa with 150k miles?
jaysus, you've done the impossible..get on to the guinness book of world records

EPM

The stuff mentioned is do-able for 500 squid...

djimi

I think if it were me Id probably put it thru the NCT and see what is actually wrong with it first; that way you can get a better idea of how much it will cost to repair and it will only cost you €50 as opposed to bringing it to a garage who could cost a lot more.

If you were willing to spend a bit more on a replacement then Id say go for the replacement and upgrade, but for €500 you probably wont get a whole lot better than what you have, and chaces are it wont cost you €500 to fix up your current car (unless something is really wrong).

itarumaa

Take the car to the test and see what happens next,

There is a good change that if you buy a under 500e car that it will need work anyway.

-for tyres (secondhand) are maybe 30-35ex4. Balance the tyres as well because it might solve the shaking over 90.
-exchaust could maybe be welded
-wing mirrors could be bought from scrapyard.

Nothing too major I think, specially when timing belt is changed it might be worth to keep the car.

Paulyh

You never know, i bought an Alfa 145 '00 for €550 just before christmas, i got it serviced and NCT'd and i just did a straight swop for a 406 coupe 2.0.
There are some great bargins out there for around a grand or little over. just need to keep an eye out.

TestTransmission

To be honest,the NCT is there to get rid of pieces of **** like that.Its a disgrace you're driving something like that on the road

TestTransmission

TestTransmission wrote: »

To be honest,the NCT is there to get rid of pieces of **** like that.Its a disgrace you're driving something like that on the road

If the tyres are above 1.6mm thread then there is not much wrong with it, no wing mirrors isn't an issue legally, they are an NCT fail but not a legal requirement. I don't see how its a disgrace if the tyres are legal. If they are less than 1.6mm thread depth then I agree.

TestTransmission

RoverJames wrote: »

If the tyres are above 1.6mm thread then there is not much wrong with it, no wing mirrors isn't an issue legally, they are an NCT fail but not a legal requirement. I don't see how its a disgrace if the tyres are legal. If they are less than 1.6mm thread depth then I agree.

Somehow I dunno,sounds like a right banger.I'll get off my high horse now and go buy lunch

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055907031

FlashD

Just going on what the OP has told us.

1. 4 new tyres

2. 2 wing mirrors, could you pick these up in a scrapyard?

3. Shaking exhaust.

Based on that info the car hardly sounds like it's falling apart.

You could find a lot worse on newer models.

znv6i3h7kqf9ys

Take it banger racing until it dies.

blastman

Car shaking a lot probably means the wheels need balanced. Four new tyres (cheap enough, I'm guessing around 150 or less for a bog-standard Corsa) would get the wheel-balancing thrown in - job's a good 'un. Probably get wing mirrors in a scrappie readily enough for a car like that and a back box wouldn't run to much either. I'd say you're looking at a good deal less than €500 to sort the issues you mentioned, anyway.

daveharnett

Go get it to an NCT centre. All of the problems you know about could be sorted for e250-300, but the vibration is a concern - could just be the dodgy wheels, but at 150k there could be all sorts of work needed on the suspension. Not to mention the emissions - if they are significantly out, there's no point even considering further work.

Renn

Cheers for the replies guys.

Am I wasting my time looking at cars like these?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1314390
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1279072
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1314236

Cionád

Stretch for something like this, 2yrs full NCT, looks well for a 13yr old... http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1311315