Bangernomics decision to be made!

padma

I' ve the man for you if your in county Limerick John west and don't want to travel up to Mayo, he wouldn't see you wrong at all, he's also got two carina e's out his back yard 1.6's you could convince him for parts.

unkel

john.west wrote: »

So my question is do ye reckon I should spend what needs to be spent on the car

No!

Scrap it and try again. And maybe aim for something that not everbody else in the country is presuming to be a great car.

Bangernomics in my book is not about buying a €500 lemon that needs all sorts of work done within months. It is much more about buying a €1500 peach that is perfect and will need no work at all for several years.

Luck comes into it of course, but aiming for a €500 Toyota peach is just being unrealistic...

andyseadog

unkel wrote:

Bangernomics in my book is not about buying a €500 lemon that needs all sorts of work done within months. It is much more about buying a €1500 peach that is perfect and will need no work at all for several years.

and thats the que to share my story this far with another bangernomics enthusiast john.west
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056497555

i think bangernomics is always going to be a gamble, but some cars are most certainly safer bets than others.

i would rather spend 500 on an e10 corolla than a mk1 clio lets say.

in the case of the carina i reckon if you could get second hand operational or recon injectors then i'd fit them at the same time as the timing belt because a garage will probably do you a better labour price doing the two jobs at once, get 2 part worn tyres, have a bash at repairing the leak myself or dill a drain hole :pac: and feck the passenger window reg.

if you play your cars incredibly close to your chest you could probably keep it on the road for 500 hundred euro and then you know you have a good sound car that you can trust which is infinitely better imo than spending 750 on a new bangernomics attempt and on a car you know nothing of.

kermitpwee

john.west wrote: »

Thanks for responses folks. Much appreciative. The thread is overtaking me at this stage. Appreciative to ye all and ye are convincing me to keep me oul banger going a while longer at this stage.



I wouldn't put it past him either! I'm in Limerick county myself. You a mechanic yourself kermitpwee I'm guessing? If you are I'd happily give you the gig if you can do it for in or around the figure you mention and I'm actually hanging onto the car and you can take on the job. Thats all assuming its ok with your kind self but would eek it out for a few months yet though.

Sorry mate not a mechanic, just know carina e's inside out.

john.west

RoverJames wrote: »

Limerick to Mayo for a timing belt change is a bit of a journey

True, true RoverJames but even if I saved nothing overall with travelling expenses I'd rather give the job to someone who isin't pulling a fast one and maybe see a bit of the countryside along the way!

Edit: Seems kermitpwee isin't a mechanic, my bad for assuming he was, he seems to know his stuff all the same though, when it comes to Carinas anyway at the least

johnos1984

john.west wrote: »

True, true RoverJames but even if I saved nothing overall with travelling expenses I'd rather give the job to someone who isin't pulling a fast one and maybe see a bit of the countryside along the way!

Good shopping in Limerick so plan it as a day trip

unkel

andyseadog wrote: »

and thats the que to share my story this far with another bangernomics enthusiast john.west
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056497555

i think bangernomics is always going to be a gamble, but some cars are most certainly safer bets than others.

You paid top dollar and still got a lemon

Sorry andy, followed your story and so far managed to not post in your thread. I don't want to be an arsehole and I said myself it is a lot about luck, but I do strongly disagree in what you and others reckon are safe bets.

john.west

padma wrote: »

I' ve the man for you if your in county Limerick John west and don't want to travel up to Mayo, he wouldn't see you wrong at all, he's also got two carina e's out his back yard 1.6's you could convince him for parts.

Many thanks padma. Your my knight in shining armour it would seem. If you could PM me contact details for him I would be most appreciative. By the sound of it he may well be able to sort me with injectors and do me belt someway reasonably, allowing me to keep the oul dog going for a while yet!

padma

No problem, he's a top mechanic and does a job thoroughly without overcharging i'll pm his name and contact details

kermitpwee

unkel wrote: »

No!

Scrap it and try again. And maybe aim for something that not everbody else in the country is presuming to be a great car.

Bangernomics in my book is not about buying a €500 lemon that needs all sorts of work done within months. It is much more about buying a €1500 peach that is perfect and will need no work at all for several years.

Luck comes into it of course, but aiming for a €500 Toyota peach is just being unrealistic...

A bit harsh unkel but I understand where you are coming from. Yes every one thinks the Carina E is perfect, there not. There are problems but the reason there are so many on the roads is that they are cheap for parts, will pass the test with the lambda sensor not working and dont need welding and are generally reliable, very reliable for a petrol car that has Efi and is 15 years plus of age.
There is very little wrong with the op's car, he has had the back brakes done which the E fails on and put in a new rad as they are plastic at the top and bottom and do crack, it will fail on drop linkns and bushings which are cheap. Also they can fail on brake lines which can be expensive if there gone around the petrol tank.
All he needs is the injectors done and he is on the road for another while and great chance of passing the test in august with little cost.

I wouldn't recommend for any other car to keep it but in this case I will as I know these cars inside out and I know they are good for people on a budget that can afford the 1.6 tax, they are light on fuel and cheap to run.

At the next test he will only get a years Nct which means that the Nct after that very little will be needed for it to pass again. I reckon there is 2 years minimum in that car. But unless its a Bmw or prestige car people want to scrap it when it needs a little work or gets old.
There are two carina e's outside my door and for good reason, there cheap and reliable for my parents to drive, drive anywhere. I am in charge of looking after them and I pay for the service items and there up keep and Nct, I wont be changing them as I know they are good cars.
I drove a 08 corolla last week, what a pile of crap it was, twitchy shallow ride, serious road noise and electric steering with no feel. The carina e drives better than any other car in its budget that is as reliable and cheap to run as it is. Its a good car if you cant afford 1500 for a car and drives well, very well for a car of its vintage and better than a lot of modern stuff.
Its no sports car, but you have to take into account that in 1992 when it came out it was very advanced and well ahead of its time, think of how cars drove in 1992, run of the mill cars that is.

andyseadog

unkel wrote: »

You paid top dollar and still got a lemon

Sorry andy, followed your story and so far managed to not post in your thread. I don't want to be an arsehole and I said myself it is a lot about luck, but I do strongly disagree in what you and others reckon are safe bets.

i dont agree. admittedly 1500 is tipping the bangernomics scale slightly, the car has been perfect, done exactly what it said on the tin with no hidden surprises, nothing has broken or fallen off etc. (touch wood ). routine tax and maintainance have to be paid on any car. all i will say is the timing belt is a slight fly in the ointment but not an unexpected one either.

in an also non arseholey way, if your hot on your bangernomics then please feel free to give me some pointers in my thread as to how to make a better stab at in and possibly re-invest my 1500 hard earned. i'm new to this theory as you can probably tell and he who has never made a mistake... well... genuinely would like some negative input if you have some to offer on what i could brush up on.

john.west

unkel wrote: »

No!

Scrap it and try again. And maybe aim for something that not everbody else in the country is presuming to be a great car.

Bangernomics in my book is not about buying a €500 lemon that needs all sorts of work done within months. It is much more about buying a €1500 peach that is perfect and will need no work at all for several years.

Luck comes into it of course, but aiming for a €500 Toyota peach is just being unrealistic...

On the one hand I'd agree with you. It probably is well worth spending a few quid more on a car thats better sorted generally. Having said that it will generally be hit and miss anyway I think. The only thing that was needed for sure on the Carina when I bought it was the backbox. €40 of a scrappie and fitted by myself in under an hour. Timing belt was approaching in the near enough future alright for a driver who covers average mileage, fair enough. I'm sure theres no reason to doubt that if I spent €1,500 or more on a peach that injector trouble or something like that wouldn't develop soon after.

I think I will follow the general concensous of the thread and keep are going at least till next NCT is due to be done, but thanks all the same though

unkel

I don't disagree at all with you, kermitpwee. In fact I feel it is a shame to scrap cars that don't need much work doing to them to keep them going again and passing the test

I'm a pragmatist though. And it is an economic reality. Older cars are now so cheap in Ireland that you do not need to settle on a banger if you only have a banger budget. Last month I bought a 10 year old Saab in perfect condition, just serviced (bill over €2,000) and just passed the NCT and I paid €1,350 for it. That's the reality. No timing belt to worry about either.

As I said, I could very well be unlucky and the car could be scrap tomorrow. But there are so many bangernomics bargains around today that you do not have to put up with a car with issues when you can buy a near perfect car for the same money...

andyseadog

unkel wrote: »

I'm a pragmatist though. And it is an economic reality. Older cars are now so cheap in Ireland that you do not need to settle on a banger if you only have a banger budget. Last month I bought a 10 year old Saab in perfect condition, just serviced (bill over €2,000) and just passed the NCT and I paid €1,350 for it. That's the reality. No timing belt to worry about either.

As I said, I could very well be unlucky and the car could be scrap tomorrow. But there are so many bangernomics bargains around today that you do not have to put up with a car with issues when you can buy a near perfect car for the same money...

All well and good, but what engine is in the saab and what fuel economy will it see? how much is a years tax? two tyres? bangernomics as you well know is about longevity and much more than the initial purchase price.

how much will it cost over a year to do 500 miles a week in said saab?

john.west

andyseadog wrote: »

and thats the que to share my story this far with another bangernomics enthusiast john.west
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056497555

i think bangernomics is always going to be a gamble, but some cars are most certainly safer bets than others.

i would rather spend 500 on an e10 corolla than a mk1 clio lets say.

in the case of the carina i reckon if you could get second hand operational or recon injectors then i'd fit them at the same time as the timing belt because a garage will probably do you a better labour price doing the two jobs at once, get 2 part worn tyres, have a bash at repairing the leak myself or dill a drain hole :pac: and feck the passenger window reg.

if you play your cars incredibly close to your chest you could probably keep it on the road for 500 hundred euro and then you know you have a good sound car that you can trust which is infinitely better imo than spending 750 on a new bangernomics attempt and on a car you know nothing of.

Was looking at your thread andy. Seems to be a nice clean and tight looking Focus you got there. My Carina would look dog rough by comparison if I'd to post photos, bodys a tatty in places and don't tend to keep it clean like yours is;). I know your dead right. As per my comments in my previous post also, it would probably seem better to spend a few quid on sorting Carina out and know what I have is fairly right rather than spending same again on something with a serious fault lurking unknown to me.

On the face of it I think I'd tend to follow the advice provided in your own thread. Get belt and waterpump done and any other few small bits done, and hopefully EGR valve may sort out the smoking for you. Flake it through the NCT and all going well it'll pass. Considering the car seems so straight and potentially has a lot left in it, it would seem a pity to abandon it for the sake of a few hundred quid.

unkel

andyseadog wrote: »

All well and good, but what engine is in the saab and what fuel economy will it see? how much is a years tax? two tyres? bangernomics as you well know is about longevity and much more than the initial purchase price.

how much will it cost over a year to do 500 miles a week in said saab?

You're stealing my point about about the initial purchase price and then never having to spend anything again

But aye, it's a much easier game if you want to buy a big petrol car and do low miles, like me. Everybody else in the country are selling theirs and are buying small diesels!

andyseadog

unkel wrote: »

You're stealing my point about about the initial purchase price and then never having to spend anything again

touche, but as you say, a much easier game to play when your talking petrols that you intend to do a low mileage in

kermitpwee

unkel wrote: »

I don't disagree at all with you, kermitpwee. In fact I feel it is a shame to scrap cars that don't need much work doing to them to keep them going again and passing the test

I'm a pragmatist though. And it is an economic reality. Older cars are now so cheap in Ireland that you do not need to settle on a banger if you only have a banger budget. Last month I bought a 10 year old Saab in perfect condition, just serviced (bill over €2,000) and just passed the NCT and I paid €1,350 for it. That's the reality. No timing belt to worry about either.

As I said, I could very well be unlucky and the car could be scrap tomorrow. But there are so many bangernomics bargains around today that you do not have to put up with a car with issues when you can buy a near perfect car for the same money...

Yes I can see your point. Could I be so rude as to suggest that you play bangernomics for the enjoyment of it rather than the true necessity of it. I feel that I may have my pulse on the bangernomics where 1599cc is the max engine size and fuel economy comes into play more than most. Only recently I had the task of buying a sub 1000cc for 1100 euro for my uncle.

My options as I saw it were
Micra, corsa,swift,atoz,sirion and I am based in connacht. So location and popularity of cars in the area brought it down to the micra and the corsa, corsa is a nightmare 3cylinder engine so I look for the micra. I looked at so many rust buckets, athur daley sellers posing as private sellers. It was a nightmare, I am looking for a car that everyone wants now a cheap 1litre car. Eventually got one after 6 weeks and a lot of viewings.
My point is that it is possibly a lot easier to buy a a high tax banger than a low tax one. The high tax car if it has only had 2 owners or so probably had a good service record and there is a good chance of buying of a genuine private seller. From what I can see the lower the tax the more than likely some dodge has the car and is trying to make a fast buck on a car that is in big demand.


You unkel are smart you know that you can get a nice motor for peanuts but you also can afford to pay the tax and that is the difference between getting a good banger and a bad banger. I have bought a lot of cars and its very hard to get decent motors at less than 1500 that are in a low tax bracket, that is my thinking behind better the devil you know.

andyseadog

andyseadog wrote: »

touche, but as you say, a much easier game to play when your talking petrols that you intend to do a low mileage in

By my reckoning you are on course for the guts of 30,000 miles a year, as you need iirc your car to go to work and college in I'd see the timing belt cost as money well spent

unkel

kermitpwee wrote: »

Could I be so rude as to suggest that you play bangernomics for the enjoyment of it rather than the true necessity of it.

Bit of both!

Was planning to buy a car in Jan / Feb for a budget well out of bangernomics range, but then my car broke, I didn't want to fix it and I needed a new one fast, and without having anywhere near the cash I was planning to have saved by February

And the difference in total cost of driving a large 2l petrol and a medium size 1.6l petrol is peanuts - contrary to general perception in Ireland. And because of this big cars are cheap - 10 year old peaches for €1k. It is a lot harder to find a 10 year old little 1l very basic car like a Micra or Yaris for the same money, even in not great nick, as you probably found out!
But indeed a 1l Micra would be considerably cheaper to run, I'll give you that.

And decent diesels are very poor value for money. I would avoid diesel at all costs unless you do a very high mileage. I'd consider LPG first though!

E39MSport

^^ don't mind him, he should have won the most biased award

I Was VB

Or you could sell it to a nice guy called Volvoboy on here, i think he's collecting them..