Good deal or bad deal?

Bhangraman

I would very much appreciate your honest opinion on based on the below information from the owner of a 10 years old Alfa Romeo car who is thinking about scrapping it:

The battery is new as it was replaced ona service in November of last year but is flat at the moment as I drove it home after the alternator belt went and the battery didn't recharge.
So if the battery is jumped the car should be running again. It just needs the belt and it will stay running. The power steering went when the belt also snapped I'm assuming this is related at the moment but as I said I haven't had it checked.

The engine is in good condition as it was running smooth until I drove it home after the belt broke.
It needs 2 new tyres for the front, at the moment there is a spare on one side of the car but this tyre should be repairable and is in the boot.
The engine light comes on and stays on(an engine error on start up). I've had this checked and the garage said that sometimes the engine takes in too much air on startup which was giving the error, it wasn't a physical problem for the engine on start up or had any effect to preformance so they reset the light but after a few starts it happened again.
The holder for one of the dimmer lights has broken so one of the lights are low while driving.
Thats everything anyway, it'll be up and running for not too much but there are some issues as I mentioned that'll need to be done to get its NCT in October of this year. (Engine error on startup, front light fitting and tyres)

What are the chances that the engine might need replacing or the transmission to be broken as as a friend of mine told me the below:

Motor belt ripped = 99% chance motor broken = 5000 Euro for motor replacement.
Sometimes the transmission is also broken when the belt ripped or got loose ( 2000 Euros fix)
Battery = 100 etc. etc. etc.

-Corkie-

Is it the timing belt or auxilary belt that broke. If it is the timing belt forget it. Is he giving it to you for free??

Bhangraman

Well for less than 300€:

I will accept less than the asking price at the moment too as I've got until Wednesday to get rid of it so I'll be contacting a scrap yard tomorrow to take it off my hands.This is due to parking permit issues as I've a new car now.

Gotta find from him which belt is broken.

Bigus

Its not the timing belt, because it wouldn't start with a jump if so.

the clue is in the battery going flat on the way home(ie it drove with the aux belt gone so deffo not T/belt) this is also why the power steering isn't working . well worth € 300 . i presume its a 156

Go collect it with a charged battery.

-Corkie-

Bigus wrote: »

Its not the timing belt, because it wouldn't start with a jump if so.

the clue is in the battery going flat on the way home(ie it drove with the aux belt gone so deffo not T/belt) this is also why the power steering isn't working . well worth € 300 . i presume its a 156

Go collect it with a charged battery.

Good thinking. Nice bangeromics there.

Bhangraman

-Corkie- wrote: »

Is it the timing belt or auxilary belt that broke. If it is the timing belt forget it. Is he giving it to you for free??

His reply:

The belt is definately an auxillary belt.

It is the altenator belt from what I can see from comparing it to pictures of new altenator belts. (I still have the sheared belt).

The timing belt was replaced when I first purchased the car at 64,000miles and the car is currently around the 92,000mile mark at the moment.

-Corkie-

Go for it! Only thing is you should change the timing belt as it would be nearly due again.

Bhangraman

-Corkie- wrote: »

Go for it! Only thing is you should change the timing belt as it would be nearly due again.

So I should change both timing belt AND auxilary belt, do you reckon that to be pricy for this type of car?

-Corkie-

Bhangraman wrote: »

So I should change both timing belt AND auxilary belt, do you reckon that to be pricy for this type of car?

Yes. You should get the whole lot done for 3-400 euro. One of the other lads should know better than me.

Bhangraman

Thanks a lot guys so I'd call my local garage to ask how much the below would cost:

-2 new tyres for the front
-Replacing both timing belt AND auxilary belt
-Recharging car battery (which is new)
-Fixing the engine light which comes on and stays on(an engine error on start up).

I've had this checked and the garage said that sometimes the engine takes in too much air on startup which was giving the error, it wasn't a physical problem for the engine on start up or had any effect to preformance so they reset the light but after a few starts it happened again.

-Fixing the holder for one of the dimmer lights has broken so one of the lights are low while driving.

I hope it won't be too deer. Do you reckon I should expect hidden expenses with a deal like that in the near future?

robtri

Bhangraman wrote: »

Thanks a lot guys so I'd call my local garage to ask how much the below would cost:

-2 new tyres for the front
-Replacing both timing belt AND auxilary belt
-Recharging car battery (which is new)
-Fixing the engine light which comes on and stays on(an engine error on start up).

-Fixing the holder for one of the dimmer lights has broken so one of the lights are low while driving.

I hope it won't be too deer. Do you reckon I should expect hidden expenses with a deal like that in the near future?

have u your heart set on this car....

only reason i ask.. is that cost of car 300... timing belt say 400... tyres 120..... various orthers say another 150.......

you can pick up a lot of car for that sort of money..... check out the bangereconomics thread for ideas.......

unkel

robtri wrote: »

cost of car 300... timing belt say 400... tyres 120..... various orthers say another 150.......

you can pick up a lot of car for that sort of money.....

Was gonna post exactly the same thing

That's the guts of a grand spent and then you end up with a car with:

The engine light comes on and stays on(an engine error on start up). I've had this checked and the garage said that sometimes the engine takes in too much air on startup which was giving the error, it wasn't a physical problem for the engine on start up or had any effect to preformance so they reset the light but after a few starts it happened again.

That's not great, a recurring check engine error. I'd run a million miles, OP. For a grand you can buy a nice car with no issues and a fairly long NCT. No hassles, much less risk...

David09

This reeks of deja-vue...

I was offered a vandalised 00 focus 1.6 saloon with other mechanical issues for €200.
I replaced the windscreen, two front tyres, clutch and gave it a full service. It was submitted for nct and passed first time. In the end it stood me around €600 plus my own labour. I passed the car on to my mother and it's still running well a year later.

If you have mechanical skill and can do most or all the work yourself, then go for it. If not, you could be investing in a negative-equity money pit!

itarumaa

Why did the aux belt went, because the pulley failed for instance?

Might not be so easy to change you might think, well at least in my s40 this was the issue (and eventually the car was scrapped)

but if the car is cheap, then why not do the timing belt and aux belt by yourself,

would be nice to learn new things anyway and if you make a mistake, then just scrap the car and buy another one (This assuming that car is really cheap 200-300e max)

Bhangraman

itarumaa wrote: »

Why did the aux belt went, because the pulley failed for instance?

Might not be so easy to change you might think, well at least in my s40 this was the issue (and eventually the car was scrapped)

but if the car is cheap, then why not do the timing belt and aux belt by yourself,

would be nice to learn new things anyway and if you make a mistake, then just scrap the car and buy another one (This assuming that car is really cheap 200-300e max)

After talking with a few friends, as it's my first car and I know nothing about mechanics (you probably could tell I was a car n00b ), I've refined my strategy:

Specs:
I'm aiming towards a 1.2L engine or so (to bring the cost of insurance down)
My driving instructor recommended a 10years old 1L Toyota Yaris-like car for 700€ or so, I think I'd go for that type of car.
My budget is max 1000€ for car and 1000€ for insurance (I was quoted 970€ with First Ireland for a Toyota Yaris)
Steps::
Scan for deals matching my specs on http://cars.donedeal.ie/find/cars/for-sale/Cork/ and recommendations on this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055468313&page=392
Filter potential visits by interrogating the sellers as per http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056198864
Visit with someone who knows about cars and let him/her do the talking

Thanks for all your help!

Bhangraman

David09 wrote: »

This reeks of deja-vue...

I was offered a vandalised 00 focus 1.6 saloon with other mechanical issues for €200.
I replaced the windscreen, two front tyres, clutch and gave it a full service. It was submitted for nct and passed first time. In the end it stood me around €600 plus my own labour. I passed the car on to my mother and it's still running well a year later.

If you have mechanical skill and can do most or all the work yourself, then go for it. If not, you could be investing in a negative-equity money pit!

P.S. The guy brought the price down to 200€, I'd probably could even get it for less but there's just too much uncertainty to carry on my inexperienced shoulders.