Putting money into an older car?

I have an Alfa Romeo the last 3 years. Got it for a bargain price of 3.5k back in Feb 2008 and have had it since with no trouble at all. Its a top spec 147 Lusso, with the BOSE soundsystem, good aftermarket alloys and in general is a beautiful car. She has 118k on the clock.

However, its due a timing belt change, which would cost me about 400quid to do (incl. water pump and variator) and it has its NCT in June. I reckon ill be needing drop links and possibly a CAT in order to get it through the NCT. I also think the head gasket may be starting to go.

Havign a look on carzone, they seem to be going for around 1800.

Do you think its worth putting money into to get it right?
Or would it be better to just drive it until the HG or timing belts go?
Also, what happens if i drive it for a few months without an NCT and get stopped by the Garda?

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Do you think its worth putting money into to get it right?

Personally, no, it potentially needs over a grand thrown at it, perhaps the guts of €1500

Deleted User wrote: »

Or would it be better to just drive it until the HG or timing belts go?

Maybe if there was a good lash of test on it which there isn't, the belt is quite likely to go on it very soon if it's overdue so may not be a great car to chance that option on.

Deleted User wrote: »

Also, what happens if i drive it for a few months without an NCT and get stopped by the Garda?

Potentially lots of penalty points. Wouldn't chance it myself.

Guy:Incognito

IMO yes. I've had a few older cars that I really liked but were worth very little. I never hesitated spending money on them.

If its a car you like I dont see what the issue is with spending money on it. Whether the car is worth €2000 or €20000 is irrelevant imo.

Bigus

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

IMO yes. I've had a few older cars that I really liked but were worth very little. I never hesitated spending money on them.

If its a car you like I dont see what the issue is with spending money on it. Whether the car is worth €2000 or €20000 is irrelevant imo.

All the issues you mention shouldn't aeffect he NCT . put it through and if it passes drive it til it stops !

Well the value of the car is relevant to me. I havent got much money and will want to change cars over the next year or two. Maybe its just not economical to pump a load of money into a car when its resale value wont cover it.

All the work carried out i can get done for fairly cheap by a friend who will do it as a nixer.

The car doesnt owe me anything and i think if i could get another six months out of it(although with a few months with no NCT) then i cant complain if i have to scrap it.

Bigus

Bigus wrote: »

All the issues you mention shouldn't aeffect he NCT . put it through and if it passes drive it til it stops !

Thats what i was thinking. Put it through the test and drive away...but im fairly sure the CAT is gone. That will nearly certainly mean emissions failure?

Bigus

Deleted User wrote: »

Thats what i was thinking. Put it through the test and drive away...but im fairly sure the CAT is gone. That will nearly certainly mean emissions failure?

Cost you 50 to find out

richardsheil

Seeing as the 147 has a lambda sensor after the cat, you will be able to tell if the cat is ok by seeing if you have a warning light on the dash for the "emission system failure"

Correct me if I am wrong please.

Richard

howardmarks

It all comes down to whether YOU like the car and want to keep it.
The resale value only comes into it if your getting rid. I made the mistake of pumping 700 quid into a car i was planning on getting rid of after it got nct only for it to fail on something i would never have thought of. Now i feel forced to pay the 300 quid to get that fixed cause ive already spent the money. With all that done and the car nct'd ill still be lucky to get anything over the grand ive put into it and i was offered 500 before i done anything to it.
That said if i liked the car and was happy with it id have no problem putting a grand into it to get it right cause you know the cars history, u like it and its hard to get that for a grand.

CiniO

howardmarks wrote: »

It all comes down to whether YOU like the car and want to keep it.

I agree with the above.

I have an 01 Fiat bravo, which I like very much.
Recently I fitted it with 4 new shocks, 4 lowering springs, 2 new wishbones, 2 new anti-roll bar links, new front are rear brake pads, 2 new tie rods + 2 new tie rod ends, oil, oil filter, air filter and 4 new spark plugs.

I reckon if I went to garage to do all above I'd had pay over a €1000, which is about the same as the car is worth.
But because I sourced a parts much cheaper, and done almost all work myself, I reduced a cost to about €300.
Anyway - the value of an upgrade was about €1000, but unfortunately it definitely didn't raise the the value of the car to €2000. So if my car is crashed, I'll never be able to recover it's real value.

Now, even it's 10 yo and over 110k mls, it drives like new.

listermint

CiniO wrote: »

I agree with the above.

I have an 01 Fiat bravo, which I like very much.
Recently I fitted it with 4 new shocks, 4 lowering springs, 2 new wishbones, 2 new anti-roll bar links, new front are rear brake pads, 2 new tie rods + 2 new tie rod ends, oil, oil filter, air filter and 4 new spark plugs.

I reckon if I went to garage to do all above I'd had pay over a €1000, which is about the same as the car is worth.
But because I sourced a parts much cheaper, and done almost all work myself, I reduced a cost to about €300.
Anyway - the value of an upgrade was about €1000, but unfortunately it definitely didn't raise the the value of the car to €2000. So if my car is crashed, I'll never be able to recover it's real value.

Now, even it's 10 yo and over 110k mls, it drives like new.

I agree with this..

Nissan doctor

Bigus wrote: »

All the issues you mention shouldn't aeffect he NCT . put it through and if it passes drive it til it stops !

A faulty cat and worn drop links would effect the NCT, hmmm. Let me know what center you bring your cars to..:rolleyes:



I personally don't see the issue with spending money on old cars but it comes down to your view on cars. If, for you, its just a peice of metal that you want to get you about your daily business without having to think about it then get rid of it and buy something else, as like you say, even after its repaired it won't be worth any more.


If, however, you are anyway enthusiastic about cars, the car is in mint condition otherwise and a car worth is more to you then the price you can stick in the window, then there would be no hesitation is spending maybe 1k-1.5k on returning it to perfect condition(assuming it actually has all the problems you think it has, proper diagnosis is cheaper then un needed repairs) then you will have a perfect car which will not need any major work for another couple of years at least.


Changing your car to something else means you end up with another second hand car which you likely won't know the service history of or how its been driven, so you could land your self in more issues and also changing car(people usually change up to some degree) would easily cost you the same as repairing the one you've had, trouble free, for 3 years.

padma

I was in the same position a few months ago with a citroen xsara 99 barely worth 800 in todays market. Water pump, timing belt kit, fan belt, new c.v joint, rear brake shoes, new hand brake cable, oil, oil filter, spark plugs and new air filter, put it through the n.c.t failed on emissions which I was expecting, bottle of stuff, sailed through second time around, and am now in a car with no problems whatsoever for the next two years. (fingers crossed) For me it was well worth it, as my feeling is I've kept it on the road rather than wasting it in a scrap yard.

cjt156

You got a bargain, top spec, reliable car for 3.5k 3 years ago. Putting a few hundred quid in it now will keep it that way. As the resale value is so low now I'd be inclined to enjoy the car and give it whatever it needs. What's to say an 1800 euro replacement won't be a lemon & have you on a downward spiral financially?

If you can get all belts and tensioners done for 400 that's a good investment. Drop links cost pennies and are an easy DIY. HGF isn't a common worry on these engines - Twinspark I assume?