Fix or keep old BMW

[almoststew1990]

My car has developed a knocking noise as well as clutch release bearing problem recently. It is a 2003 330ci manual. I have taken it to the garage.

The knocking noise happens when cold and immediately put the engine light on. It doesn't happen every start up. When driving the car the release bearing (or something else) makes the car judder occasionally. This could possibly be the "ABS sensor" rubbing on a corroded... something or other. Or it could be caused by whatever is causing the knocking.

The garage has undertaken this initial diagnostics. The next step would be to take the engine out and strip it to identify if it is "big end" or "small end" knocking. I have been quoted £1,200 just in labour to take the engine out and strip it. This number will keep going up when parts are replaced, especially if the clutch bearing gets done at the same time. I could be looking at £1,600 all in, maybe more maybe less. They did suggest putting a new old engine in would be cheaper!

The car is certainly not problem free and has 'niggles' but is driveable - it burns oil, the central locking doesn't work, the front wings are rusty... It might be worth £1,500 as a trade in (before the knocking)? Maybe 2k private sale? It is a top spec one, other than the satnav and being a prefacelift - it has heated leather memory seats, 6 cd changer, sport trim...

I have saved up 2k allocated to "car purposes". Would you fix it un-drivable problems, go all in and fix as many problems as possible, or We Buy Any Car it with the current problems?

The twist is we have two cars. We don't need two cars any more so it is not a problem to just sell it on and I wouldn't have to buy a cheap replacement car which may or may not have similar problems!

Sorry for the wall of text...

 

[almoststew1990]

of course you might get more selling privately, but it's going to be hard going when you can buy a running one from a trader for around £2k.

Would you sell it on without declaring the issues?

To be fair, the running ones for 2K are older, smaller engine or diesel etc. Having put petrol / manual / 3L / into autotrader, you're starting at £2,300 for an older 150k car, £3,250 for something comparable (although this is actually an auto) £3,700 for a facelift with slightly more miles but in better general condition as the absolute cheapest. But I get your point there isn't a gulf of difference between a reasonable condition one and mine.also someone at this end of the market might not care if it is sport trim or not.

I would declare the actual 'issues' - the rust, the central locking and knocking. The smaller niggles, no probably not as it is an old car and being reasonable all old cars like this will have niggles, also there is probably a character limit on eBay.

I've decided I am not going going to fix it and will see what WBAC will do and make a decision about ether to use eBay / AT / WBAC.

 

[almoststew1990]

I've got my car back and I'm going to sell it. When people said "ebay it" do you mean put it up for auction or buy now? I assume it is cash only either way?