My 2009 Leon FR 2.0TDI started leaking coolant right before it was due to have its cambelt done for a 2nd time (120k miles). I took it for the cambelt and told them it was leaking coolant so they could have a look.
Attempt 1: Cambelt, water pump & full service: £510
After this, the car was still leaking coolant. Garage took the car back and diagnosed a head gasket failure via pressure tests (my guess is that the original coolant leak either wasn't really looked into, or was assumed fixed once the water pump was replaced).
Attempt 2: Head gasket replacement: £650
After this, the car was still leaking coolant. Garage took it back and the manager (who has been lovely throughout and very apologetic) drove it for several days without it leaking a drop. Replaced some glow plugs as the car was starting incorrectly, then gave it back.
Attempt 3: Glow plug replacement: £60
After this, the car was still leaking. Upon returning and discussing I realised that the manager had only been driving it locally, so hadn't exceeded 30-40mph, whereas I drive it mostly on the motorway. Armed with this information, they then took it back and after a day, diagnosed a likely crack in the engine block.
Attempt 4: Engine replacement: TBD
I'm waiting on prices now while they source an engine, but clearly it's not going to be cheap. I can understand the garage not knowing the engine block was gone prior to replacing the head gasket (or rather, seeing the head gasket was gone and just assuming that was it), but I'm understandably peeved, as if they had said up front "It's going to cost £3k to fix" (for example), I probably wouldn't have bothered (car is only worth about 3k). However, I really don't know a great deal about cars, and clearly have the (huge in this case) benefit of hindsight.
What I'm wondering here, is where the cut off point is. If the engine will cost £2k to replace, that puts me up to £3k AKA the value of the car, and I'd consider writing it off. However, the car is brilliant, and I could definitely see it lasting to 200k miles (which I would gladly keep it for), so the £2k may actually be worth doing. That said, even if it will only cost £500, I'll still have that nagging feeling of "the innards of this car have been ripped apart" every time I'm driving it, and I've no idea whether this will make it more or less likely to fail over time?
The garage in question is reputable, not a dealer but likewise not a local fella with a few tools, and despite all of the above still give me confidence every time I speak to them...
Attempt 1: Cambelt, water pump & full service: £510
After this, the car was still leaking coolant. Garage took the car back and diagnosed a head gasket failure via pressure tests (my guess is that the original coolant leak either wasn't really looked into, or was assumed fixed once the water pump was replaced).
Attempt 2: Head gasket replacement: £650
After this, the car was still leaking coolant. Garage took it back and the manager (who has been lovely throughout and very apologetic) drove it for several days without it leaking a drop. Replaced some glow plugs as the car was starting incorrectly, then gave it back.
Attempt 3: Glow plug replacement: £60
After this, the car was still leaking. Upon returning and discussing I realised that the manager had only been driving it locally, so hadn't exceeded 30-40mph, whereas I drive it mostly on the motorway. Armed with this information, they then took it back and after a day, diagnosed a likely crack in the engine block.
Attempt 4: Engine replacement: TBD
I'm waiting on prices now while they source an engine, but clearly it's not going to be cheap. I can understand the garage not knowing the engine block was gone prior to replacing the head gasket (or rather, seeing the head gasket was gone and just assuming that was it), but I'm understandably peeved, as if they had said up front "It's going to cost £3k to fix" (for example), I probably wouldn't have bothered (car is only worth about 3k). However, I really don't know a great deal about cars, and clearly have the (huge in this case) benefit of hindsight.
What I'm wondering here, is where the cut off point is. If the engine will cost £2k to replace, that puts me up to £3k AKA the value of the car, and I'd consider writing it off. However, the car is brilliant, and I could definitely see it lasting to 200k miles (which I would gladly keep it for), so the £2k may actually be worth doing. That said, even if it will only cost £500, I'll still have that nagging feeling of "the innards of this car have been ripped apart" every time I'm driving it, and I've no idea whether this will make it more or less likely to fail over time?
The garage in question is reputable, not a dealer but likewise not a local fella with a few tools, and despite all of the above still give me confidence every time I speak to them...
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