Repair or replace?

Tusky · 12-04-2023 9:40pm #1

Hi folks.

Welcome to yet another advice request thread.

My 2008 Hyundai i30 (185k km on the clock) has just broken down and needs about €2k to get it on the road. I'm trying to figure out if it's worth repairing or if I should add €1-€2,000 to that and get something new. I know prices have gone mad since Covid - will I be able to get something with a budget of €3-€4,000?

It won't get much use - I only drive about 6-8,000km a year. It will be used for commuting to the office a couple of times a week, supermarket runs, nipping around the city and the odd road trip. I'm looking for something reliable and cheap to run. Something in the 1.4 litre range is probably right.

Thoughts? Repair or replace?

Murph85 · 12-04-2023 9:49pm

Whats up with the car?

Tusky · 12-04-2023 9:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120471291#Comment_120471291

Timing chain is gone and pistons likely need to be replaced.

Dirty Nails · 12-04-2023 10:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058292160/repair-or-replace

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,but you do realise that €1/2000 along with a 08 i30 with no engine gets you something 2006.

Tusky · 12-04-2023 10:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120471331#Comment_120471331

Huh? I don't follow. I'm not counting on getting anything for the Hyundai. I have €3-4,000 to spend on a replacement.

Dirty Nails · 12-04-2023 10:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120471349#Comment_120471349

Got ya. Just where you said €1/2000 gave the impression that you valued the i30 at €2000

But,to answer your question. If it's clean,taxed,tested.has good tyres & you knock another 2 or 3 years out of it for 2k.,fixing it might be a thought. New cars lose €6/8000 a year.

Tusky · 12-04-2023 10:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120471375#Comment_120471375

It's in otherwise good condition. It recently passed the NCT first time and is taxed. It caused me no issues until it broke down out of the blue.

Tusky · 15-04-2023 4:04pm

Any more thoughts?

kermitpwee · 15-04-2023 4:38pm

If you have only 4k I would get it fixed, put a 2nd hand engine in it

Wildly Boaring · 15-04-2023 4:54pm

If it's 2k to fix. I'd fix.

There's no value in second hands right now and you could just be buying trouble at that money.

2k seems cheap to fix if the chain went, that a quote?

1percent · 15-04-2023 5:54pm

Let this be a lesson in preventative maintenance, 500quid would have rplaced the chain and water pump if it was done when needed. Always service your car yearly and know when timing belts/chains need to be changed and do it.

Dirty Nails · 15-04-2023 6:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120481932#Comment_120481932

Only lesson here is that there is no service interval for the chain. Life of the engine.

Pity here is that the chain caused the death of the engine.

Cos20 · 15-04-2023 7:17pm

Is it the 1.4 G4FA petrol engine & did the chain stretch or break? I have done a good few of them where they have stretched, wouldn’t start, fitted a new genuine kit & perfect, no other damage. There is no interval for these chains & the water pump isn’t driven off the chain.

Tusky · 16-04-2023 9:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482219#Comment_120482219

Yes, it is the 1.4 petrol.

Mechanic says it "snapped or jumped" and that it would be foolish to replace without also replacing the piston rings to lower oil consumption.

Needles73 · 16-04-2023 9:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120481932#Comment_120481932

How would one know a replacement chain was needed if it hadn’t stretched ? The chain has no defined interval.

shane b · 16-04-2023 12:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058292160/repair-or-replace

For me its repair, if the car is good otherwise.

Looking at done deal, 08 petrol I30's are between 2-4000 euro so you may may not get much more for your money than what you have already. Its a lot of money to spend but as another poster mentioned there is very value in 2nd hand cars at the moment.

Cos20 · 16-04-2023 1:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120483465#Comment_120483465

Ok, if it snapped fair enough but if it just jumped I would be trying a chain first, there straight forward to do, around 5/6 hours. Why would it be “foolish”? I wouldn’t be doing rings unless I’m taking the head off anyway or if it’s burning oil.

Tusky · 16-04-2023 5:13pm

Thanks for all the feedback - I will go down the repair route in that case.

Could driving the car with low oil levels cause the timing chain to snap? The warning light never came on, but the oil was low when I checked a number of times. I'm worried that perhaps the oil sensor is broken, and this was caused by something stupid like not keeping the oil topped up enough.