When is it time to stop putting money into car?

CoBo55 · 12-05-2021 6:41pm

Brian? wrote: »

I'd do all 4 discs and pads on a car in less than an hour. It's a stupidly simple thing to do.

It can go wrong very easily too, next door neighbour had an absolute nightmare on his sons 08 golf's rear pads, we got them sorted eventually but it was an absolute pig of a job.

Brian? · 12-05-2021 6:53pm

CoBo55 wrote: »

It can go wrong very easily too, next door neighbour had an absolute nightmare on his sons 08 golf's rear pads, we got them sorted eventually but it was an absolute pig of a job.

What went wrong?

adox · 12-05-2021 6:54pm

When I had a CC I got the timing belt done at the main dealers. Can’t remember what price they wanted originally but haggled them down to 500. They were looking 550 I’d guess.

I know it’s not the same vehicle but 1000 sounds nuts.

Mine was done in the last 12 months.

Wibbs · 12-05-2021 7:08pm

Brian? wrote: »

What went wrong?

Maybe the rear pistons needed the tool to wind them in and they didn't have one? Or with some disks they've got philips head bolts from the factory that are usually well bet in and easy to round off. They're not actually required as the disk is held in quite reliably without them(IIRC they're more for the initial manufacturing on the line), but can be a pig to get out. If they hadn't changed their brake fluid on the regular the pistons could be seized too. That might not become apparent until you were halfway into the job.

I was able to do mine handy enough, but I rounded off one of the phillips heads and it was a right pain in the bum. One rear piston was a wagon to get fully home like CoBo55 noted.

CoBo55 · 12-05-2021 7:21pm

Brian? wrote: »

What went wrong?

Piston wouldn't wind back that last couple of millimetres, we were using the correct wind-back tool. Neighbour can be a bit hamfisted, so when he was gone for a minute I gave it a good dose of brake cleaner cracked open the bleed nipple and job was sorted.

CianRyan · 12-05-2021 8:55pm

Pro tip: when you're changing pads, clamp off the brake line and crack the bleed nipple (with a hose I to a bottle) before you push back. Remove clamp and top up your fluid once you've pumped your pedal. Hey presto, you never need to do a full fluid change.

Makes pushing the caliper way easier and you're always adding clean brake fluid.

BlakeS94 · 12-05-2021 9:08pm

CianRyan wrote: »

Pro tip: when you're changing pads, clamp off the brake line and crack the bleed nipple (with a hose I to a bottle) before you push back. Remove clamp and top up your fluid once you've pumped your pedal. Hey presto, you never need to do a full fluid change.

Makes pushing the caliper way easier and you're always adding clean brake fluid.

I've never done that, may be useful, I just open the brake master cylinder cap so pressure doesn't build inside the lines when pushing the piston back, I've never had any issues doing it that way

BlakeS94 · 12-05-2021 9:13pm

CoBo55 wrote: »

Most modern pads don't need grease on the back, they have a cushion base. Red brake grease can be used on the pins but if the rubber gaiters are intact it's best to leave them alone. Rear pads aren't that easy to do even with the correct wind-back tool they can be a right pain in the arse to get the piston back that annoying last 2mm's to get the pads to fit in. Without the proper tool or impact driver it can be a nightmare to open the screw locating the disc to the hub. In my opinion it's best leaving brakes to a person who has the proper tools.

I like to use grease anyway just to prevent and chance of brake noise. To open the locating screw I always give the hub a few whacks with a mallet around the screw, and then give the screwdriver a tap when it's on the head of the screw and it comes loose with no fuss. I disagree with you, something like brakes can be done with no special tools except the wind back tools. But can be wound back without that also and for the rears that have to be turned you can get a little cube that has the right size pins to turn the piston.

Toyotafanboi · 12-05-2021 9:24pm

So it can be done with no special tools, apart from the special tool.

garrettod · 12-05-2021 9:33pm

Casati wrote: »

Buying new opens up 0% PCP which makes payment affordable for many. If have cash to buy or need limited finance, buying a nearly new that has depreciated by that 25% or 35% is the way to go

PCP is a bad idea, for the majority of people....

Thereafter, why spend money that you dont need to spend?

The VW is a good car, isn't causing trouble, and is most likely 100% owned, at this stage.

BlakeS94 · 12-05-2021 9:33pm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

So it can be done with no special tools, apart from the special tool.

What I meant is it definitely helps but isn't essential to complete the job. And you can get that brake piston cube for around €8

Speedline · 12-05-2021 9:34pm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

So it can be done with no special tools, apart from the special tool.

Or a long nosed pliers.

Pops_20 · 12-05-2021 9:37pm

CianRyan wrote: »

Pro tip: when you're changing pads, clamp off the brake line and crack the bleed nipple (with a hose I to a bottle) before you push back. Remove clamp and top up your fluid once you've pumped your pedal. Hey presto, you never need to do a full fluid change.

Makes pushing the caliper way easier and you're always adding clean brake fluid.

I've tried this a few times but I always get the feeling that some air gets in through the bleed nipple if you're not quick enough winding the piston back and closing the nipple. I've always ended up bleeding all 4 corners after this anyway.

micar · 12-05-2021 9:45pm

And here's me wondering if I should replace recently passed NCT 2006 Ford Focus with 130k km done that's worth max €1,250.

CianRyan · 12-05-2021 9:49pm

Pops_20 wrote: »

I've tried this a few times but I always get the feeling that some air gets in through the bleed nipple if you're not quick enough winding the piston back and closing the nipple. I've always ended up bleeding all 4 corners after this anyway.

If you keep the spanner on the nipple, crack it with pressure on the piston and close it as it hits the back of the caliper, you're dead set.
When you do it a thousand times, it gets easier. ðŸ˜…

As was said above, opening the master cylinder cap is a must if you don't do this. Nothing worse than flipping a valve and having to rebuild it!

Wibbs · 12-05-2021 9:52pm

CianRyan wrote: »

Pro tip: when you're changing pads, clamp off the brake line and crack the bleed nipple (with a hose I to a bottle) before you push back. Remove clamp and top up your fluid once you've pumped your pedal. Hey presto, you never need to do a full fluid change.

Makes pushing the caliper way easier and you're always adding clean brake fluid.

Now that's a top tip CR.

BlakeS94 wrote: »

To open the locating screw I always give the hub a few whacks with a mallet around the screw, and then give the screwdriver a tap when it's on the head of the screw and it comes loose with no fuss.

Oh I did all of that B and yep two came out pretty easily, the other two were pigs and one was not for turning. In the end I chiselled the head off the bugger and removed the rest after the old disk was off. I didn't put any back. In fairness they were on the car for 15 years at that stage so more likely to be well rooted. With fewer years under the belt it would have been much easier I'd imagine. Brake stuff is pretty easy really.

And although my dad was a mechanical engineer, his talent missed me pretty much entirely

so if I can do it... That said growing up with him and growing up back in the day when dads were often to be found fettling their cars on a weekend so they'd start on the Monday :eek: did help my mindset on that score. Driving a 90's car helps too. That sweet spot between needing to grease your trunnions(oh matron!) and needing a degree in IT really helps. Cars were more easy for the home mechanic in many ways*. Though even with more modern iron oil changes, air, fuel and oil filters, topping up/replacing fluids spark plugs and the like really are a doddle and IMHO that sort of thing does connect you to the car and makes you more aware of when things may be in need of attention.

*interestingly or no, my car came into the world in 98 and I have both the Japanese and Euro manuals of the time for it and in the Euro one it gave the owner way more info on doing your own thing. Basic stuff like changing oil, plugs, air filters etc. The Japanese one on the other hand was "see your dealer" and instead has more sections on driving safely and the like. Clearly the Japanese were seeing the future and how to keep more money flowing in the dealer direction. As Jay Leno notes in his 'Tube channel back in the day manuals were actually manuals, whereas these days it's "how to work your touchscreen and Do not drink contents of battery"

Sure look at the once ubiquitous Haynes manuals. Pretty much every dad I knew as a kid bought one of those for their cars. As did me and my mates when we got into driving and cars. #oldfart These days Haynes has all sorts of left field manuals on non car stuff just to keep ticking over.

0lddog · 12-05-2021 10:04pm

+1 to #oldfart

posted with my Haynes manual within 3ft of keyboard

CoBo55 · 12-05-2021 11:42pm

Speedline wrote: »

Or a long nosed pliers.

Ha ha ha yeah right...
Try doing the push n turn on 13 year old calipers with a long nosed pliers....
Mother of God in heaven spare us:pac::pac::pac:

CoBo55 · 12-05-2021 11:46pm

CianRyan wrote: »

Pro tip: when you're changing pads, clamp off the brake line and crack the bleed nipple (with a hose I to a bottle) before you push back. Remove clamp and top up your fluid once you've pumped your pedal. Hey presto, you never need to do a full fluid change.

Makes pushing the caliper way easier and you're always adding clean brake fluid.

You should that anyway it's never a good idea to be backflushing manky fluid in the direction of the ABS unit, always use a proper brake clamp too.
A full fluid change should be done every 3 years before it turns to brownish cat piss and destroys the seals in the wheel cylinders.

CoBo55 · 12-05-2021 11:50pm

Wibbs wrote: »

Now that's a top tip CR.

Oh I did all of that B and yep two came out pretty easily, the other two were pigs and one was not for turning. In the end I chiselled the head off the bugger and removed the rest after the old disk was off. I didn't put any back. In fairness they were on the car for 15 years at that stage so more likely to be well rooted. With fewer years under the belt it would have been much easier I'd imagine. Brake stuff is pretty easy really.

And although my dad was a mechanical engineer, his talent missed me pretty much entirely so if I can do it... That said growing up with him and growing up back in the day when dads were often to be found fettling their cars on a weekend so they'd start on the Monday :eek: did help my mindset on that score. Driving a 90's car helps too. That sweet spot between needing to grease your trunnions(oh matron!) and needing a degree in IT really helps. Cars were more easy for the home mechanic in many ways*. Though even with more modern iron oil changes, air, fuel and oil filters, topping up/replacing fluids spark plugs and the like really are a doddle and IMHO that sort of thing does connect you to the car and makes you more aware of when things may be in need of attention.

*interestingly or no, my car came into the world in 98 and I have both the Japanese and Euro manuals of the time for it and in the Euro one it gave the owner way more info on doing your own thing. Basic stuff like changing oil, plugs, air filters etc. The Japanese one on the other hand was "see your dealer" and instead has more sections on driving safely and the like. Clearly the Japanese were seeing the future and how to keep more money flowing in the dealer direction. As Jay Leno notes in his 'Tube channel back in the day manuals were actually manuals, whereas these days it's "how to work your touchscreen and Do not drink contents of battery" Sure look at the once ubiquitous Haynes manuals. Pretty much every dad I knew as a kid bought one of those for their cars. As did me and my mates when we got into driving and cars. #oldfart These days Haynes has all sorts of left field manuals on non car stuff just to keep ticking over.

Much easier to carefully drill the head off using a good sharp bit they're very soft.

MetzgerMeister · 13-05-2021 10:59am

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

This is where being able to DIY stuff on a car comes into play. You can get OEM quality parts from the likes of Winparts and do the job yourself in order to keep costs down. Just hold on to the receipt and write on it the date you did the job and keep photographic evidence of the old parts vs new etc.

Just to add to this, For instance, I recently got the following from Winparts:

2 air filters
Activated charcoal cabin filter
Handbrake shoes & hardware
Oil filter
Brake wear sensors front and rear
Full set of brake pads front and rear
Anti-squeak brake paste
1 Litre of 5w30 (to store in the boot)

All these items are manufactured by the same companies who manufacture the OEM BMW ones, the only difference is there's no BMW logo on them.

All this stuff came to €193.87. I got a quote for a full set of brake pads from BMW which was £257.00. These pads on their own above cost €80.80. Goes to show you the mark-up on dealer items!

embraer170 · 13-05-2021 11:11am

I try to do as much car repair and maintenance myself, and my father in law helps with some things I wouldn't dare (brake pads/discs etc.).

The BMW E90 has so far been really easy to maintain and hasn't seen a main dealer for 220,000km (except for a recent recall). I had to take it to an indie to get the shock absorber dust covers replaced two years ago when it failed the German TUV (Irish NCT equivalent). Seemed a difficult job (having to compress the springs etc). for a tiny cheap plastic part.

A Golf 7 joined the family and I got the nasty surprise of finding that VW made the oil filter change as difficult as possible, needing to jack up the car and remove the engine undertray.

MetzgerMeister · 13-05-2021 11:40am

embraer170 wrote: »

A Golf 7 joined the family and I got the nasty surprise of finding that VW made the oil filter change as difficult as possible, needing to jack up the car and remove the engine undertray.

That's nothing :pac:

On mine there's about an hour's work of removing parts before you expose the ignition coils in order to change the spark plugs!

BlakeS94 · 13-05-2021 11:44am

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Just to add to this, For instance, I recently got the following from Winparts:

2 air filters
Activated charcoal cabin filter
Handbrake shoes & hardware
Oil filter
Brake wear sensors front and rear
Full set of brake pads front and rear
Anti-squeak brake paste
1 Litre of 5w30 (to store in the boot)

All these items are manufactured by the same companies who manufacture the OEM BMW ones, the only difference is there's no BMW logo on them.

All this stuff came to €193.87. I got a quote for a full set of brake pads from BMW which was £257.00. These pads on their own above cost €80.80. Goes to show you the mark-up on dealer items!

Winparts is amazing value, something like micksgarage or Irishautoparts is still more expensive than Winparts but much cheaper than main dealer, €193 for all that is incredible though for a BMW

CianRyan · 13-05-2021 11:49am

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

That's nothing :pac:

On mine there's about an hour's work of removing parts before you expose the ignition coils in order to change the spark plugs!

Last time I got a 6cl petrol BMW in, the driver had attempted to do a set of plugs but shattered one at the bulkhead because he didn't want to go removing panels.
That was fun. :pac:

MetzgerMeister · 13-05-2021 11:58am

CianRyan wrote: »

Last time I got a 6cl petrol BMW in, the driver had attempted to do a set of plugs but shattered one at the bulkhead because he didn't want to go removing panels.
That was fun. :pac:

How did that happen? :eek:

CianRyan · 13-05-2021 12:44pm

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

How did that happen? :eek:

I'd say he was being a brute with a universal joint. The ceramic is pretty brittle so any sharp shocks can shatter it, once he got the plug out, the ceramic was in the cylinder.

MetzgerMeister · 13-05-2021 12:45pm

Oh my! I'd say that was indeed fun!

CoBo55 · 13-05-2021 12:51pm

CianRyan wrote: »

I'd say he was being a brute with a universal joint. The ceramic is pretty brittle so any sharp shocks can shatter it, once he got the plug out, the ceramic was in the cylinder.

That's just mullocking, a plug can shatter on anyone but 2 minutes with vacuum cleaner hose and a screwdriver blade with some grease on it for the larger pieces before you remove it from the head isn't difficult.

WertdeerSC · 25-05-2021 9:41pm

micar wrote: »

And here's me wondering if I should replace recently passed NCT 2006 Ford Focus with 130k km done that's worth max €1,250.

I had a 06 Focus which I swapped for a 2014 car 2 years ago. For me, I worked out the saving on fuel (moved from petrol to diesel) and road tax per annum. It worked out that my credit union loan would be about 7 euro a week more than I'd save, that's it! For €7 to move up 8 years into something with lower miles and surely better reliability, as well as a much nicer car overall, it was a no brainer. This was on 30k Kms per annum which I haven't done since Covid, but I guess I've gained only putting 12k Kms of wear and tear on it in the last 15 months.

When is it time to stop putting money into car?

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