Sell or Keep?

Ah_Yeah

I have a 03 1.3 Fiesta that has given me nothing but trouble since I purchased it. In fairness, I have no one but myself to blame because I bought it privately and did not get a full mechanic check.

Anyway, long story short I have put a significant amount of money into it (about half the value of the car), and the car is now running very well. In fact, it only failed the NCT on a broken headlamp mounting and wiper blade.

It will have a 2 year NCT, and I'm wondering if I should just sell on and purchase something along the lines of a Polo/Yaris (I had a Yaris before, reliable little dinger of a car, and I want to keep engine size down), or should I just keep it seeing as I've put so much into it?

I don't want to spend any extra money on a car (bar maybe a couple of hundred) because I have a loan out on this car that I don't want to add on to.

Just wondering what people's thoughts are? Realistically I don't know if it is going to cause more problems down the line, but my mechanic believes it's running very well right now. Would I be better off just to keep driving it, would I even make any money on it/get a decent trade in?

It has just over 105k on the clock and has been recently serviced, 2 new front tyres and back tyres 75%. Car has been very well minded since I bought it, has not wanted for anything, every repair needed was done immediately, unfortunately she was not looked after well before I got her.

Alanstrainor

Car is running well now, save a couple of tiny jobs. Seems mad to change at this stage tbh. Better the devil you know and all that...

Bpmull

If its running well now and the mechanic is confident in it it's probably worth keeping. No point in selling it because it might cause trouble in the future. Whatever replacement car you buy is just as Likely to cause trouble in the future.

cletus

If you have all the current problems sorted now, I would say hold onto it. You know the work thats been done, whereas a new (to you) car can still present new problems.

I say hold on to it

dgt

What's the definition of half the value of the car? Ie how much and what went wrong?

It could be worse, I got a car last April and spent at least 3 times what I paid for it doing it up and it was still giving me grief. Now I've ended up in another car, exact same make and model a much superior car. Now I love working on cars but I couldn't justify firing more money into the other heap. I'll end up scrapping it in due time and get naff all for it. Funny old world.....

What's been failed is trivial stuff. Keep the car and do it up

The Pontiac

Ah_Yeah wrote: »

and purchase something along the lines of a Polo

Please don't.

Ah_Yeah

dgt wrote: »

What's the definition of half the value of the car? Ie how much and what went wrong?

It could be worse, I got a car last April and spent at least 3 times what I paid for it doing it up and it was still giving me grief. Now I've ended up in another car, exact same make and model a much superior car. Now I love working on cars but I couldn't justify firing more money into the other heap. I'll end up scrapping it in due time and get naff all for it. Funny old world.....

What's been failed is trivial stuff. Keep the car and do it up

Well, half what I paid for it, moreso than what it's worth I suppose.

Waterpump, fan belt, fan belt rolls, coolant tank, coil pack, headlamp mounting... there's so many other little bits I can't remember at this stage! I've put well over 1,200 into it, I don't include maintenance such as servicing or tyres.

The Pontiac wrote: »

Please don't.

Any particular reason why? Friends and family have had polos for years, never gave any trouble.

I think it's a good shout on keeping the car. My fear was something like dgt mentioned, I have a car that I've put all this money into, it completely dies on me and I have nothing to show for it only a loan!

The Pontiac

Just hate VW of that era, especially the 1.4 engine.

How did you give up the smokes? Are you vaping?

L-M

Its ten years old so it'll get a one year test.

What you've mentioned there is probably 300 worth, so I'd either be changing mechanic or else you're over exaggerating to yourself!

Ah_Yeah

Limerick man wrote: »

Its ten years old so it'll get a one year test.

What you've mentioned there is probably 300 worth, so I'd either be changing mechanic or else you're over exaggerating to yourself!

No there was a lot more, I just can't remember off the top of my head all the repairs that have gone into it! I know I spent €600 on her only a month after I bought her, Ill have to check out the receipts I have!

She wasn't registered until May though, so she's not 10 years yet?

L-M

Yeah but the Nct is due on the date of registration so it will be one year for any 03 car now

Ah_Yeah

Limerick man wrote: »

Yeah but the Nct is due on the date of registration so it will be one year for any 03 car now

Oh.. Why does mine expire start of Feb then.. strange!

dgt

Ah_Yeah wrote: »

Well, half what I paid for it, moreso than what it's worth I suppose.

Waterpump, fan belt, fan belt rolls, coolant tank, coil pack, headlamp mounting... there's so many other little bits I can't remember at this stage! I've put well over 1,200 into it, I don't include maintenance such as servicing or tyres.

That's relatively trivial stuff imo.

For mine I had to get:

• Interior (seats, trim, seat belts; it was chewed to bits by dogs)
• Wheels (rusted into oblivion, how they stayed together beats me)
• Replace every suspension component (broken springs, leaking shocks)
• Replace every bushing (all perished/missing)
• Headlights (mounting broke, lenses lost silver reflecting)
• Tail lights (water filled and destroyed)
• Random stuff like fuel filter cover, dip stick, timing belt covers etc

And much more. An electrical issue really killed the car, I wasted too much of my time, fingers and blood trying to rip out dodgy wiring, re-earth grounding points, trace and rectify gremlins....








So if I were you, I'd be keeping that Festy

L-M

Ah_Yeah wrote: »

Oh.. Why does mine expire start of Feb then.. strange!

Your sure it wasn't registered start of Feb?

Ah_Yeah

I am going to have to check this! Is it possible that the original owner just NCTd it early when it was due it's first NCT? God knows why?


dgt, you've put things in perspective She might not be the cleanest looking car, or the nicest on petrol, but she gets me from A to B, and with all the money I've spent on her, not once has she actually broken down!

I have noticed recently she jerks a lot when accelerating, and her revs fluctuate dramatically - mechanic said it could be spark plugs and that replacing existing spurious ones with proper Ford ones should rectify? I have already replaced a coil pack which solved the issue for a month, but the problem rears its head every so often the last 2 weeks again.

dgt

Ah_Yeah wrote: »

I am going to have to check this! Is it possible that the original owner just NCTd it early when it was due it's first NCT? God knows why?


dgt, you've put things in perspective She might not be the cleanest looking car, or the nicest on petrol, but she gets me from A to B, and with all the money I've spent on her, not once has she actually broken down!

I have noticed recently she jerks a lot when accelerating, and her revs fluctuate dramatically - mechanic said it could be spark plugs and that replacing existing spurious ones with proper Ford ones should rectify? I have already replaced a coil pack which solved the issue for a month, but the problem rears its head every so often the last 2 weeks again.

My experiences to be shared and help all when needed ironically, that car never failed to start either. It was just everything else about it....

I used to have a Festy myself, I regret ever selling it, it wasn't spectacular or exciting but it did the job. A very dependable car

Hard on petrol could be dirty map sensors, oxy sensors or a dirty tb

Ah_Yeah

dgt wrote: »

My experiences to be shared and help all when needed ironically, that car never failed to start either. It was just everything else about it....

I used to have a Festy myself, I regret ever selling it, it wasn't spectacular or exciting but it did the job. A very dependable car

Hard on petrol could be dirty map sensors, oxy sensors or a dirty tb

She threw out a few fault codes at Christmas there alright, turned out to be a cracked spark plug (if this is not possible then I apologise for my ignorance, I picked up mutterings from my mechanic ) and a coil pack. Ignition leads were done too, but I heard murmuring of the cat being on the way out! I havent had a fault code since though.

I wonder would it be worth replacing the spark plugs?

She sounds like a tractor when she's cold :eek:

dbrunson

HI, keep it! sure if you have spent half the value of the car on repairs etc that must only be around 50 euro! bargain..

dgt

Cracked plugs do happen sometimes, usually during installation :eek:


For the sake of a few euro, change the plugs

And as for the cat, try a bottle of this stuff first

Ah_Yeah

You guys are fantastic Who should I make the postal order out to

Thanks a million!

JohnBoy26

Ah_Yeah wrote: »

Well, half what I paid for it, moreso than what it's worth I suppose.

Waterpump, fan belt, fan belt rolls, coolant tank, coil pack, headlamp mounting... there's so many other little bits I can't remember at this stage! I've put well over 1,200 into it, I don't include maintenance such as servicing or tyres.



Any particular reason why? Friends and family have had polos for years, never gave any trouble.

I think it's a good shout on keeping the car. My fear was something like dgt mentioned, I have a car that I've put all this money into, it completely dies on me and I have nothing to show for it only a loan!

Them polos give timing chain trouble and other niggles. They are to be avoided if reliability is what your after.

Bigus

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Them polos give timing chain trouble and other niggles. They are to be avoided if reliability is what your after.

If you stop calling the car SHE, the mechchanic will charge you half....honest

CJhaughey

Ah_Yeah wrote: »

I wonder would it be worth replacing the spark plugs?

Old plugs are what kills the coils. If the coil is new and the plug leads are new then fresh plugs would be a good investment.

SeanW

The Pontiac wrote: »

Please don't.

I concur. When I was learning to drive I had only my mothers car, a 98 Polo. Not only was it a horrible POS to drive but half of its mileage was trips to the repair shop for clutch handbrakes and god know what else I no longer remember.

My first and current car is a 99 Toyota Avensis, which has a reputation on these boards for being ... not the best, or boring or not fun, or not sporty something? I'm not sure but it's 100 times more reliable and enjoyable to drive.

I wouldn't drive a Polo for all the proverbial tea in China.