Forum

ASSIST, AMERICA'S ARMY COMMUNITY - RELIVE THE GLORY DAYS OF AMERICA'S ARMY 2.5

Author Topic: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car  (Read 5048 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Koden

  • Cogito Ergo Khodohn
  • Global Moderator
  • Epic Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 2,333
  • Hmmm rainbows.
    • View Profile
Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« on: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 15:16:26 PM »
So hmm (wasn't there an engine and stuff section once? w'ever) basically my car blow the engine head gasket a few days ago. Aside of making me IMMENSILY happy (sic!) because the mechanic asks for no less than 300/400 euros (he can probably shave some off by not replacing some parts but in the long run it won't be worthy) and therefore it's not worthy since the car is 23 years old and not worth half of that (its an old Fiat Uno). Sooo...this allows me to look around for a new car. I really like the 1st and 2nd generation Toyota Yaris, but  also fancy the Fiat Panda for the engine (simple and overall reliable) and the Suzuki Swift cause the engine are fine and the car seems sporty. Any idea?

P.s. yes it has to be a small car with a rather small engine.
« Last Edit: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 15:34:15 PM by Koden »

Offline SASF-DarkShooter

  • Respected Members
  • Loyal Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 393
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 15:43:20 PM »
Taking another Fiat will result in only more trouble. I'd suggest one of the tinier German cars, VW &Opel/Vauxhall.

Offline Koden

  • Cogito Ergo Khodohn
  • Global Moderator
  • Epic Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 2,333
  • Hmmm rainbows.
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 18:23:31 PM »
Taking another Fiat will result in only more trouble. I'd suggest one of the tinier German cars, VW &Opel/Vauxhall.

Well the car i had was 23 years old, and it had a carburettor. Most of the time the issue with it was about finding a mechanic willing to put time and effort to work in a decent way. And about Fiat, you find the 1.2 Fire petrol engine in the latest version of the Ford Fiesta and Ford Ka and the Fiat-GM diesel ones on most Opel and Suzuki models. My parents have had one of the latest Panda (2012 model) - LPG version - for almost 2 years and within 42000km it never had an issue (which is what i expected anyway).
« Last Edit: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 18:27:21 PM by Koden »

Offline Spanky

  • <?php echo $opinion .' is better.'; ?>
  • Administrator
  • Posts like a Spanky!
  • *
  • Posts: 10,893
    • View Profile
    • NatesComp.com
  • AA: tigobitties
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #3 on: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 01:03:43 AM »
With that age, would it be out of the question to see about doing the repairs yourself? You could probably count on 1/3 the cost of the mechanic's estimate to get the job done right yourself. Just a thought. Head gaskets do suck.

My vote, without knowing anything particular about those specific vehicles, would be the Toyota. I like the Japanese & German made stuff. Sure, Suzuki is Japanese (owned by Volkswagen oddly enough) but I've always seen them as a low-end line.
It's like shaving your pubes to make your junk look bigger.
Might look bigger, but it aint.....

Offline ~=W!CK!D=~

  • Epic Poster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,614
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #4 on: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 12:00:57 PM »
Get a bmw 550i, could never go wrong, well made German car

Offline Ares

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 295
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #5 on: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 13:17:34 PM »
Get a bmw 550i, could never go wrong, well made German car
except the fuel bill at the end of the month....

Offline Koden

  • Cogito Ergo Khodohn
  • Global Moderator
  • Epic Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 2,333
  • Hmmm rainbows.
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #6 on: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 14:49:38 PM »
except the fuel bill at the end of the month....

Here (In Italy) you have to pay a property car tax based on the engine power, i believe the property tax for a car like that Bmw 550i must be over 1100 euros/year, i guess both fuel and tax costs won't matter to anyone who owns such thing but having to pay another useless tax it's annoying.

With that age, would it be out of the question to see about doing the repairs yourself? You could probably count on 1/3 the cost of the mechanic's estimate to get the job done right yourself. Just a thought. Head gaskets do suck.

My vote, without knowing anything particular about those specific vehicles, would be the Toyota. I like the Japanese & German made stuff. Sure, Suzuki is Japanese (owned by Volkswagen oddly enough) but I've always seen them as a low-end line.

I don't have neither the tools and experience. And the car already has 162.000km so it's not like the engine is brand new. It might still run some more tough, once fixed (actually, looks like i have a couple friends which might buy it).

I like Toyota's a lot too. Remember the famous TopGear "attempt" to destroy an HiLux?

« Last Edit: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 15:06:44 PM by Koden »

Offline Ares

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 295
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #7 on: Friday, May 23, 2014, 05:27:46 AM »
To save money this summer, to be able to move to a bigger house I bought a vespa for 1000 euros, I will save hundreds of euros / month in fuel and I will still get there in the same speed, if not faster (bicycle lanes ftw)

Offline Spanky

  • <?php echo $opinion .' is better.'; ?>
  • Administrator
  • Posts like a Spanky!
  • *
  • Posts: 10,893
    • View Profile
    • NatesComp.com
  • AA: tigobitties
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #8 on: Saturday, May 24, 2014, 22:13:28 PM »
Koden, that's only 100,000 miles on that engine! That's nothing man. We got 2 cars here, one has 150,000 miles and the other is past 225,000 miles. I've seen quite a few people go past 300,000 miles with good maintenance.

That said, I've never seen a FIAT with that many miles :)
It's like shaving your pubes to make your junk look bigger.
Might look bigger, but it aint.....

Offline teddy_grizzly_bear

  • Used to be known as nobody
  • Administrator
  • Epic Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 5,699
  • what are you looking at?
    • View Profile
  • AA: teddy_grizzIy_bear
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #9 on: Sunday, May 25, 2014, 03:18:33 AM »
I've seen cars with 1 000 000 km (like 620 000 miles I guess).

It was a volvo. More than 51% of the car was new parts they said :D
<image removed due to imgur stuff - probably for the best>

"Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true." Bertrand Russell

Offline Koden

  • Cogito Ergo Khodohn
  • Global Moderator
  • Epic Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 2,333
  • Hmmm rainbows.
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #10 on: Sunday, May 25, 2014, 03:28:36 AM »
Koden, that's only 100,000 miles on that engine! That's nothing man. We got 2 cars here, one has 150,000 miles and the other is past 225,000 miles. I've seen quite a few people go past 300,000 miles with good maintenance.

That said, I've never seen a FIAT with that many miles :)

The engine repair cost is more than what the car is worth of. These engines can do much more than 100.000 miles but the head gasket is one of the weak points. One of the guys i work with has a Lancia Y (similar chassis to the 90's Fiat Punto) with a 1.2 liter engine that's very similar to mine (except for the fuel injection of course) and he already did almost 250.000km on that one i think (he had to replace the headgasket, along with some other repairs like clutch, radiator, alternator, etc).






I've seen cars with 1 000 000 km (like 620 000 miles I guess).


I knew of this guy who did about 3 millions (!) miles on his Volvo p1800.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/pictures/million-mile-club-the-worlds-longest-lived-cars#slide-1
« Last Edit: Sunday, May 25, 2014, 03:33:41 AM by Koden »

Offline nevertalks

Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #11 on: Sunday, May 25, 2014, 04:32:27 AM »
Personally I'd say go with a motorcycle since you live in Italy, no more traffic jams for you. I live in The Netherlands and traffic jams are a big problem here, when I am on my bike i can be sure 99% to be on time wherever I want to be.

If you are more a car person who detests motorcycles i'd say go with a french car : Renault Twingo (diesel) these cars are small but tough and are solely made for transporting people.

For a more descent car I'd go with any german car like spankey suggested.

Offline Koden

  • Cogito Ergo Khodohn
  • Global Moderator
  • Epic Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 2,333
  • Hmmm rainbows.
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #12 on: Sunday, May 25, 2014, 11:38:42 AM »
Personally I'd say go with a motorcycle since you live in Italy, no more traffic jams for you. I live in The Netherlands and traffic jams are a big problem here, when I am on my bike i can be sure 99% to be on time wherever I want to be.

If you are more a car person who detests motorcycles i'd say go with a french car : Renault Twingo (diesel) these cars are small but tough and are solely made for transporting people.

For a more descent car I'd go with any german car like spankey suggested.

I have a 125cc Honda Pantheon, but now it's sitting because it has some sort of problems when running on idle, i actually have to get it sorted out (might be a dying battery or simply having to adjust the idle).

French cars...honestly i'd rather get a Toyota Yaris. But for one thing: until early 2000 they were made in Japan, after that they started making them in Valenciennes, France ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Motor_Manufacturing_France
« Last Edit: Sunday, May 25, 2014, 11:52:25 AM by Koden »

Offline Spanky

  • <?php echo $opinion .' is better.'; ?>
  • Administrator
  • Posts like a Spanky!
  • *
  • Posts: 10,893
    • View Profile
    • NatesComp.com
  • AA: tigobitties
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #13 on: Sunday, May 25, 2014, 18:41:32 PM »
Motorcycle FTW but honestly, I think it's wrong to look at the repair being more than the cost of the car. It's not about that, it's about reliability and use. You'll NEVER get the money out of any car you buy for use (not talking about fixing & flipping). If you look at the cost of the repair vs buying a new car that you'll likely have to put money into at some point, it's better to keep what you have as you know exactly what it is.

Just my 2 cents.
It's like shaving your pubes to make your junk look bigger.
Might look bigger, but it aint.....

Offline Koden

  • Cogito Ergo Khodohn
  • Global Moderator
  • Epic Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 2,333
  • Hmmm rainbows.
    • View Profile
Re: Blown head gasket - going to look for another car
« Reply #14 on: Monday, May 26, 2014, 14:26:54 PM »
Motorcycle FTW but honestly, I think it's wrong to look at the repair being more than the cost of the car. It's not about that, it's about reliability and use. You'll NEVER get the money out of any car you buy for use (not talking about fixing & flipping). If you look at the cost of the repair vs buying a new car that you'll likely have to put money into at some point, it's better to keep what you have as you know exactly what it is.

Just my 2 cents.

There are severe traffic limits for older vehicles here, especially those which are labelled as Euro Zero, those registered before 1993 (mine's dates back 1991), for "pollution" reasons (it sucks of course).

Btw, i just drove a 2005 Toyota Yaris (1st generation), 1.3 petrol. Really well designed and well made. It feels more solid than my parents 2012 Fiat Panda.

 

Download Assist

×

Download Game Client

Important: Battletracker no longer exists. However, old Battletracker accounts may still work. You can create a new 25Assist account here

Download Server Manager