to fix or scrap... advice needed..

wijcc

wijcc

wijcc

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Need some advice for my ex please… she brought a 1.6 diesel ford focus auto.. she paid £3795 for the car about 7 months ago from a private seller. It's a 2008 and approx 70,000 miles. Exact model is: ford focus ghost tdci cvt it's a 1560cc diesel .

She recently had to pay £1258 to fix it at first. It had a catalytic convertor and dpf, resonator assy, mass air flow center, air filter and 4 new tyres .
A week after getting the car back… the car had more problems, in that it had no drive, engine running but no movement. The garage she took it, are now quoting over £3000 to fix it.. something to do with transmission - the turbines damaged, transmission and needs a torque convertor.

What do you think is best for her to scarp the car or get it repaired??

Thanks in advance.
 
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wijcc said:
Need some advice for my ex please… she brought a 1.6 diesel ford focus auto.. she paid £3795 for the car about 9 months or a year ago from a private seller. It's a 2008 and approx 70,000 miles. Exact model is: ford focus ghost tdci cvt it's a 1560cc diesel .

She recently had to pay £1258 to fix it at first. It had a catalytic convertor and dpf, resonator assy, mass air flow center, air filter and 4 new tyres .
A week after getting the car back… the car had more problems, in that it had no drive, engine running but no movement. The garage she took it, are now quoting over £3000 to fix it.. something to do with transmission - the turbines damaged, transmission and needs a torque convertor.

What do you think is best for her to scarp the car or get it repaired??

Thanks in advance.
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My initial thoughts are that this garage have seen her coming from a mile away.

What was wrong with it initially? It really needed a new catalytic converter and resonator, a DPF, mass air flow metre AND 4 new tyres? I'm struggling to think of an occasion where all of these things would need changing at once.
 
and then decide if she can get something better for that 3k or if it's worth doing it and holding onto what should be a car with a fair few miles left in it after having all that cash thrown at it.
 
Gaygle said:
My initial thoughts are that this garage have seen her coming from a mile away.

What was wrong with it initially? It really needed a new catalytic converter and resonator, a DPF, mass air flow metre AND 4 new tyres? I'm struggling to think of an occasion where all of these things would need changing at once.
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The car broke down on her way to work and she had to get the AA to tow the car to the garage for her.. when it first went into the garage.
 
Can you take it to a different garage for her?

I hate to say it, but unscrupulous garages see women coming and they take advantage because they know the majority of women don't give a toss about cars and have next to no knowledge about them.
 
depends how much you like the ex! haha

(sounds like they could be taking the **** - definitely take to another garage, maybe have a gander on some ford forums for recommended places near you)
 
wijcc said:
The car broke down on her way to work and she had to get the AA to tow the car to the garage for her.. when it first went into the garage.
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Hmmm - it sounds like your ex was a massive cash pinata who the garage decided to beat repeatedly with a stick until she dropped £1200 in their laps.

The 4 tyres and new exhaust system are suspicious at best. Then a week after "fixing" the car - the gearbox catastrophically fails on it too? Is there a chance that the gearbox was the problem all along? What state was the car in before it went to the garage? Was it well looked after or was it a "the MOT will tell me if there's anything wrong with it so no point checking myself" mentality by your ex?
 
if the car has a genuine auto box issue, get a garage to change oil and filter in it first.. id say 80% of all Auto Box issues we have in work is down to the oil being past it and the box doesn't like it
 
MrKnifey said:
if the car has a genuine auto box issue, get a garage to change oil and filter in it first.. id say 80% of all Auto Box issues we have in work is down to the oil being past it and the box doesn't like it
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wijcc said:
It's a 2008 and approx 70,000 miles. Exact model is: ford focus ghost tdci cvt it's a 1560cc diesel .
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Looks like it's a CVT and not a proper auto box.

Is the garage a Ford main dealer or an independent? I would recommend getting the car recovered to a trusted local garage and getting a proper oppinion. I would have thought a used or reconditioned box could be fitted for a lot less.

It might be worth having a look on http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/ to see if there's any recommendations for this specific model/gearbox.
 
Definitely get other opinions...


My focus mk1 just started leaking coolant... I had a cracked fuel pump about 5 years ago and has it replaced and I assumed it was the same thing. Back then it cost about £150 to fix as it involves getting timing belt of and a fair bit of arsing about.

I took it to a local chain garage and they looked and said "yup fuel pump... needs a new one.... £250"

I then went to my local garage and he had a look.... "its the thermostat housing, big crack In it.... pump is fine... give us £60 and ill fit a new one"


So don't just go on the first quote... they often get it wrong. In my case it WAS a thermostat housing and it was a 30min job!
 
AtreuS said:
Definitely get other opinions...


My focus mk1 just started leaking coolant... I had a cracked fuel pump about 5 years ago and has it replaced and I assumed it was the same thing. Back then it cost about £150 to fix as it involves getting timing belt of and a fair bit of arsing about.

I took it to a local chain garage and they looked and said "yup fuel pump... needs a new one.... £250"

I then went to my local garage and he had a look.... "its the thermostat housing, big crack In it.... pump is fine... give us £60 and ill fit a new one"


So don't just go on the first quote... they often get it wrong. In my case it WAS a thermostat housing and it was a 30min job!
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Why would a cracked fuel pump cause leaking coolant? :p
 
CVT transmission. Bad.....
Most transmission specialists won't touch them and main dealers will just swap with a new unit rather than repair.
 
If you like her, take control of the situation. Go to the garage with someone who has a good mechanical knowledge of cars and find out their theory. Take it to another 1 or 2 garages and do the same.

4x new tyres is mental, were they advisories on the last MOT? See if you can get hold of the old tyres and check the tread depth, etc. Get the old CAT as well and weigh it in.

It's difficult for us to say over the internet, but I'd say they have pulled one on your ex.
 
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