polodub
22-12-2011, 01:56 PM
Hi all. Merry Chrimbo:biglaugh:.
Just looking to bounce this off some good sound minded folks..
I've a 98 (S plate) Polo, Variant (Estate), 1.6 GL. It's the model with aircon. I've had it for about three and a half years and although it's got a few paint blemishes, tiny dents and many would consider it a jalopy, it's our family car and does us well. We've driven round France several times in it, and have done about 38K in the time I've had it. It's never (touch wood) broken down, actually goes pretty fast - with plenty of poke in the engine (think it was 110bhp) still and I just put four new tyres on about eight weeks back.
However, (and here comes the bit that I'm sure you've heard many, many times..) a couple of years ago I went self-employed, and in that time (upto now) haven't had the money or time to be able get niggling things sorted as they've developed or have it serviced as often as I should or, (far more importantly) change the cambelt...
It's always had thee most tough old bitch of a clutch (am WELL aware of the varying problems with these era polo & golf's clutches and HAVE had the welding/fixing done of the clutch plate after cable went about a year back and that's sorted) so would have to include getting a new one of those in with the other work that my very reliable & trustworthy local garage have told me it needs doing which is, a new radiator (expensive as it was rare for cars of this age to have air con), varying hoses, new fanbelt & cover, new thermostat housing plus there is a leek on the rocker cover which the garage said could be a major problem - possibly.
So, all in all the problems I've had are all the usual ones I know for the car, it stalls now quite often in the first half hour of driving, the temperature is down all the time (meaning running rich/expensively), it misfires, needs a cambelt change, new clutch, new brake shoes AND it's annual service -ALL at once. Possibly somewhere in the region of £1300 all in all with labour. The central locking has never worked, I've got two working central locking pumps - but there's a problem in the lines somewhere and ideally would maybe even get that sorted at the same time, so let's say another £100 on top of that - £1400 if I WERE to get it sorted.
I don't have lots to spend on a new car, but could raise another £5/£600 odd plus maybe get something for the car - as it runs okay, has MOT till Sept 12, four new tyres,
AND needs new tax on NYE - so will have 6 month of that.
So basically what do I do, Spend £1400 or so - plus new tax (125) on NYE on this or find something new? maybe possibly not (unfortunately) a veedub (though have seen some golf's & bora's that look okay) that has less mileage (mine has 112000 - which is okay for it's age I know) and is newer and with things done like cambelt etc. (by the way it had a cambelt done at 45000 and hasn't had since! - I'm not planning on doing any more miles after my last bit of work in it this evening over xmas/until it gets done or sold!
Any thoughts would be appreciated!!
Just looking to bounce this off some good sound minded folks..
I've a 98 (S plate) Polo, Variant (Estate), 1.6 GL. It's the model with aircon. I've had it for about three and a half years and although it's got a few paint blemishes, tiny dents and many would consider it a jalopy, it's our family car and does us well. We've driven round France several times in it, and have done about 38K in the time I've had it. It's never (touch wood) broken down, actually goes pretty fast - with plenty of poke in the engine (think it was 110bhp) still and I just put four new tyres on about eight weeks back.
However, (and here comes the bit that I'm sure you've heard many, many times..) a couple of years ago I went self-employed, and in that time (upto now) haven't had the money or time to be able get niggling things sorted as they've developed or have it serviced as often as I should or, (far more importantly) change the cambelt...
It's always had thee most tough old bitch of a clutch (am WELL aware of the varying problems with these era polo & golf's clutches and HAVE had the welding/fixing done of the clutch plate after cable went about a year back and that's sorted) so would have to include getting a new one of those in with the other work that my very reliable & trustworthy local garage have told me it needs doing which is, a new radiator (expensive as it was rare for cars of this age to have air con), varying hoses, new fanbelt & cover, new thermostat housing plus there is a leek on the rocker cover which the garage said could be a major problem - possibly.
So, all in all the problems I've had are all the usual ones I know for the car, it stalls now quite often in the first half hour of driving, the temperature is down all the time (meaning running rich/expensively), it misfires, needs a cambelt change, new clutch, new brake shoes AND it's annual service -ALL at once. Possibly somewhere in the region of £1300 all in all with labour. The central locking has never worked, I've got two working central locking pumps - but there's a problem in the lines somewhere and ideally would maybe even get that sorted at the same time, so let's say another £100 on top of that - £1400 if I WERE to get it sorted.
I don't have lots to spend on a new car, but could raise another £5/£600 odd plus maybe get something for the car - as it runs okay, has MOT till Sept 12, four new tyres,
AND needs new tax on NYE - so will have 6 month of that.
So basically what do I do, Spend £1400 or so - plus new tax (125) on NYE on this or find something new? maybe possibly not (unfortunately) a veedub (though have seen some golf's & bora's that look okay) that has less mileage (mine has 112000 - which is okay for it's age I know) and is newer and with things done like cambelt etc. (by the way it had a cambelt done at 45000 and hasn't had since! - I'm not planning on doing any more miles after my last bit of work in it this evening over xmas/until it gets done or sold!
Any thoughts would be appreciated!!