Nancy's options!

[crystalpuma]

Piston ring on cylinder 4 has gone. Will get more info tomorrow as had to dash so couldn't ask any questions. The upshot is I need a new engine.

As fas as I can tell I have the following options:

- Break the car

- Fix the car ASAP so can have it back to use (will speak to Tremona and a friend of Kev's regarding this - he has indicated a re-build might be possible)

- Stick a new engine in (as above)

- Take her home for now to fix/replace engine in later when I can afford it and buy a new car for now

I really don't want to break her. I love her too much. My counsellor was very unhappy with this assertion but I said there are other people like me you know!!

I don't know if the cost of fixing plus the other work that's due (MOT, minor service, suspension and window niggles) will be too much to take. It certainly will be if I buy a new car as well, hence if I go down that road I will have to stick her under a decent car cover on my drive for a while.

Obviously I need to get some quotes and work out what's possible. If she is fixed and I don't buy a new car I will be without a car for a while so I have to consider that too. I can get to work but I can't get to site if I need to and I kind of have to be able to as part of my contract (possibly negotiable).

Given that I was due to buy a new car in 6-12 months' time anyway is this just hurrying the process along and should I admit defeat? I really can't afford to throw money at this problem, I need to be sensible as I have other things to save for (like a new flat roof for part of my house!). If this were not the case it'd be a no-brainer!

 

[Midnight Blue]

The main cost of replacing the engine is the labour, plus other parts such as cam belt etc. It cos me over £1,000 iirc on top of cost of engine and carriage. Not cheap.

 

[crystalpuma]

Yeah that's the thing, there are so many extras to an engine repacement! I'm tending towards 'keep for fixing later' at the moment as one day I can create a track demon, but will I ever do it or will she become a heap of rotting metal that I then need to pay someone to remove? I know only I can answer that, but it helps to muse amongst friends and get some opinions!

 

[quest63]

What are the suspension and window niggles?

 

[crystalpuma]

Need new window switch (bought) and windows slow to go up down so need to get some silicon lubricant to see if that does the trick. Suspension don't know, has a knock but the most obvious things are polyurethane or have been replaced recently.

 

[evilrob]

Call upon the Project Puma internal mechanic network - Ian G has loads of engines, Errol or Tom may be able to assist at mates rates to do a driveway engine swap.

Tom has a flat loader if the car needs collecting; not sure what he charges per mile. Be cheaper than anywhere else though and you get to touch his beard.

 

[crystalpuma]

Ooh I'd love to touch his beard!

Kev has already spoken to a mate with a garage so I'll follow that up first. I might be able to get towed there by breakdown...

The thing is even at mate's rates I don't know if I can afford it. Especially given that if I do ever have children I'd need a 4/5 door car...if this were not the case I'd happily spend all I have on it.

 

[red]

I would say a repair would end up being more expensive than a replacement, this has been my experience and also my brothers, he spent £500 getting the engine on his motorbike 'fixed' and it's still sat in his garage with compression problems 12 months later when he could have had it replaced for not much more.

 

[crystalpuma]

Well I'm looking at £2k including the MOT and other work that's due. I have a little bit of savings for fixing the house and other rainy day items but is it worth it? I'm sorry I know I'm angsting about this but I'm in a mess!! It's not sensible to fix so it's head versus heart!

Keeping to fix later and buying an engine now seems like a good compromise or is it just a cop out? In a way the car is too good to scrap but the engine was the strongest bit (IMO) and now that's gone. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Neil]

Personally I'd say if you were looking to change cars in the next six months, this is now probably the best time to do it. I know you love Nancy, but 180K is a pretty good innings and you should be proud of that.

IMO the £1k+ you'd probably need to spend on a new engine plus all the labour could be better spent towards another car.

 

[crystalpuma]

Yes you're right Neil - shall I keep her for a rainy day or is that clinging to the past?!

 

[Neil]

I guess it's a question of heart vs head - for some people keeping hold of Nancy and fixing her up is a no brainer, for others it's thinking more practically and moving on. (I should note I'm really not the best person to be handing out advice - I seem to change cars every couple of years..)

 

[quest63]

I may be slightly biased but keeping Nancy as a hobby / project would be a different thing entirely from keeping her as a daily driver and so normal fiscal policy ( been dying to say that for years) doesn't really apply.

We apply a different set of rules to our everyday living costs including motoring than we do to our hobbies. Our everyday bills need to fit in with our earnings whereas our hobbies like our other luxuries such as holidays have a different set of rules in as much as we do it for the fun relaxation pleasure of participating etc and not to be sensible and we do them as and when we can afford them.

I would only get rid of Nancy if either you needed the cash for everyday living or you wanted to sell her for some other luxury like a holiday.

Im the opposite of Neil and intend keeping my Thunder indefinitely

 

[crystalpuma]

When you factor in maintaining a house and having children it's a bit different. I've always seen Nancy as a hobby since I paid more for her than I could have done (if I were buying an A to B car). However, I do not have the luxury of being able to run two cars. I may be able to in the future hence it might be worth keeping her for that one day. But then if it never happens I've had her sat there for no good reason.

My fiscal policy (we're on a roll here) is sensible sensible sensible, whether talking of daily living or hobbies. Buying Nancy was probably the only hedonistic spending I have ever undertaken. Therefore this would be a fitting second 'heart ruling'.

No easy decision. If my boiler blew up the week after I fixed Nancy I'd be in trouble...

 

[crystalpuma]

Neil actually you're one of the best people to advise as you have a mix of passion and sensibility!

 

[quest63]

So long as her HCV is working you could live in Nancy till the boiler was fixed :grin:

 

[crystalpuma]

Yeah it's stuck on hot so perfect!!!!!

It looks like she's going to live...Kev's friend will do it on the weekend for a couple of drinks (obviously we'll be offering more than that). Just got to get it there and source an engine. There will be a plug for Kev's mate on here soon (not sure what his tuning shop is called but it's in Weymouth and he does quite a bit of work on Fords).

 

[Dal]

£2k? Crikey - cost me about £800 fitted and serviced when my old Puma engine was replaced when it went pop.

If you replace the engine with another one then I doubt you'll get your money back if you sell on (harsh perhaps but realistic) but if you want to keep Nancy and have her as a fun car then you pay your money and take your fun.

BUT

If there is going to be a little Victoria or Kevin about the place then they will take up any spare cash that you might want to lavish on a fun car. And if that's the case then I'd think a nice newer car now (maybe a bit sporty such as an ST variant as you are looking at) will make more long term sense.

 

[crystalpuma]

Obviously I won't get anywhere near my money back, I'm not factoring that in.

It does feel a bit (very) wrong to be looking at breaking such a good example. However, for me she is slightly tainted now as I was always so proud of the engine over everything else.

Going to be a very tough decision still :-(

 

[crystalpuma]

I'm a little shocked at how underwhelmed I am at the propsect of having her fixed. But if I can't have children I'll regret buying a 4/5 door car. I suppose I need to go on what's most likely though.