96 Almera 88K Miles Genuine worth spending any more on or time to ditch

Psygnosis

Hi
Just looking at opinions on this. I have a 96 Almera saloon model which is just really used for going up and down to the train station not much else small trips here and there. Its our 2nd car. We do need it though.

Just got it serviced again for 200 (needed a new battery )euros and it failed the NCT mainly on corrosion on the windows sill's today. My question though really is it worth spending any more on it.
I've attached the report as well.


The car is worth practically nothing at this stage. We have owned it for 14 years and it has never missed a beat. The engine in it is as sweet as a nut and never had any issues. This is one reason why I think its a shame to dump it. I'd give it to someone who maybe could put the work into it rather than see it crushed.

If I do change I would only have a grand really to change car. Are punto's of 02 vintage any good. I'd look at anything really upto 1.6 that can take a buggy preferably double in boot. Twins are due at the end of the month so a small bit of urgency. We do have a grand picasso for the other car which will be for the kids.

Sorry for the ramble ;-)

biko

Up to you when to stop spending. As long as emission are ok I'd be inclined to keep it, seeing as you just have a grand for another car that you know nothing about.

See if you can get a local mech to weld it for you, shouldn't be all that much. Or check with local breakers. Maybe they have the parts you need.

Bpmull

I'd keep it if I was you the car is worth more to you so it's worth spending the money on it. Specially if the engine and all is good you have it 14 years the devil you know..... and all that. Tbh the vast majority of cars you look at for a grand will be rough and will probably need more work than yours.

Avns1s

Got any pics of the corrosion? Someone might give an indication of what would be involved in doing a reasonable repair.

ianobrien

OP, even of the repairs cost €500, it's still cheaper than buying another car for €1000 that you don't know the history of. At least you know the history of the Almera and that model is fairly bulletproof.

As it's the second car, I'd be for keeping it as long as the repair bill is less than the price of changing.

Leonard Hofstadter

Fix it, unless the corrosion is really bad and/or expensive to replace. That engine is as clean as a whistle.

Psygnosis

Ill see if I can get any photos over the weekend. Now mechanic who is a local indy garage said that there is bad corrosion underneath the car as well. Mentioned brake piping I think he said if you start pulling it out you wouldn't know where it would end. I'll give him a bell and see what he say's as he said put it through the nct and see how you get on.

Stavros Murphy

Almeras rust on the crossmember and wherever the paint has been scratched - usually doors, wheel-arches, bonnet leading edge, possibly slight in the sills. The crossmember is a pain to weld, it just is, the rest is a doddle. Brake pipes are easy on them - a small roll of cupro-nickel and any mechanic could make up replacement sections easily. The bigge on almeras is the gear-box, fifth goes in a big way and it's hard to predict when or why. Third follows. If yours just has some rust and brake pipes, why not fix it, whatever you buy will probably need money spent on it and be no great leap better at a grand.. Horrible cars almeras though, vile to drive imo. But they do sadly plod on and on.

JohnBoy26

The answer is no. When those almeras rust it's usually from the inside out and terminal. I can guarantee that if you see rust on the sill there is plenty more hidden underneath the car and on the inside of the sills.

You are going to spend alot of money fixing a problem that will rear it's ugly head again in a very short period of time.

Id be cutting my losses and picking up something more solid and rust free. You'll get a lot better value out of it at the end of the day.

Stavros Murphy

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

The answer is no. When those almeras rust it's usually from the inside out and terminal. I can guarantee that if you see rust on the sill there is plenty more hidden underneath the car and on the inside of the sills.

You are going to spend alot of money fixing a problem that will rear it's ugly head again in a very short period of time.

Id be cutting my losses and picking up something more solid and rust free. You'll get a lot better value out of it at the end of the day.

Not always - there's a 96 out in the workshop, the eldest is doing the sill for a mate - he put it on the lift and ground back the holed spot - the rust extended back only around an inch or two but the sill is otherwise solid - he'll weld a patch on and prime and schutz, cheap fix. The crossmember is rotten though but the ends are solid - grinder and skinny disc, cut the rotten sections out square and cut the replacement to match, but it's awkward as feck and you're welding onto tinfoil as the steel used is so thin. No real biggie though. The rest of the car is solid enough. The ignition is also worn-out..that might be more fun.

Jesus.

No way. Never pour money into a banger.

Scrap it and get another one pal.

kermitpwee

I put thru old cars regularly for the test. My advice is get the car fixed, the emissions are very low which is a sign that the engine is in top class condition. You will get another year or more out of it. You know the history of the car. Only question I would ask is how is the tracking out so much? does it pull really badly to one side?

Stavros Murphy

Jesus. wrote: »

No way. Never pour money into a banger.

Scrap it and get another one pal.

Jesus delivered the word unto man and man was enlightened. "Yeah though thou mightest a right bag of schyte driveth, heedeth no man that should seek to flog thou dear repairs, for the punto shall be thine and thou wilst be sorry".

Stella Virgo

heres a long list of cars.most with nct till 2015,
all between 1000e and 1300e.....
http://cars.donedeal.ie/find/cars/for-sale/Ireland/nct%202015?filter%28max_engine%29=Max+Litres&filter%28max_mileage%29=Max+KM&filter%28max_price%29=1300&filter%28max_year%29=Max&filter%28min_engine%29=Min+Litres&filter%28min_mileage%29=Min+KM&filter%28min_price%29=1000&filter%28min_year%29=Min&source=all

JohnBoy26

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Not always - there's a 96 out in the workshop, the eldest is doing the sill for a mate - he put it on the lift and ground back the holed spot - the rust extended back only around an inch or two but the sill is otherwise solid - he'll weld a patch on and prime and schutz, cheap fix. The crossmember is rotten though but the ends are solid - grinder and skinny disc, cut the rotten sections out square and cut the replacement to match, but it's awkward as feck and you're welding onto tinfoil as the steel used is so thin. No real biggie though. The rest of the car is solid enough. The ignition is also worn-out..that might be more fun.

The car you just described doesn't sound that solid to me :pac: seriously though most I've seen in the past few years are only fit for the scrap. They rust terribly underneath and the sills go from the inside out. You might be only seeing a small hole in the sill but I bet there is far more rust inside.

Stavros Murphy

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

The car you just described doesn't sound that solid to me :pac: seriously though most I've seen in the past few years are only fit for the scrap. They rust terribly underneath and the sills go from the inside out. You might be only seeing a small hole in the sill but I bet there is far more rust inside.

The owners 19, has a budget more suited to buying pizza than running a car, and sonny boys charging him €20 to weld it. I had a quick look, it's solid enough, surface rust scattered here and there but it failed on the sill and crossmember so that's what's getting fixed. On another note the tool just busted the piston on a honda through clottiness. Which ends my interest in almeras, I have shouting to be doing.