Would you fix it?

Embed · 13 Apr 2011 at 14:52

Hey guys,

Quick run down.

Bought a Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec Petrol Y Reg about 4 months ago for £1800
Since then, its broken down on the M8, core plug went so all the coolant when onto the road.
The guy I bought it from repaired that as that happened within the first month I had it.

Now my driver side window is knackered, the garage I've used all my motoring life say that the regulator? is gone and will be roughly a £150 job.

My clutch has just started to go slightly, slipping every now and again and slightly juddering off the line when cold.
He estimated this would be a ~£400 job

So my question.

Do I just use the car until it give up,
Or pay the £400 (can live without a window annoying as it is) or £550 with the window.

Thoughts are coming into my mind about fixing it and flogging it.
Fact is I'm only 22 and don't exactly have loads of cash haha.

Thoughts, Opinions, meme's are welcome!
Thanks in advance,
Em

Biohazard · 13 Apr 2011 at 15:09

Scrappy for a new regulator.

Clutch, ensure you are driving properly. Other than that drive on it until it becomes too ropey then get it fixed, hunt around as well as £400 is excessive for that job, try backstreet/mobile mechanics.

lordrobs · 13 Apr 2011 at 15:10

£550 may seem like a lot in repairs but you could buy another car and have even worse issues with it.

I'm assuming you bought it from a dealer? If I sold a car privately for £1800 and it broke down a month later my response would be more along the lines of "good job I got rid of it when I did then" rather than paying for the repair!

Cristian · 13 Apr 2011 at 16:41

Biohazard said:
Scrappy for a new regulator.

this

and shop around for the cluth, with a bit of luck you shouldn't spend more than 350-400 for both.
And keep, nothing guarantees that the potential other car you would buy won't have any issues.

Dogbreath · 13 Apr 2011 at 18:35

This is pretty typical of running costs of older cars, if you are lucky nothing will break but most cars need work doing as they get older.

You paid £1800 for the car, are you really prepared to write that off for the sake of a clutch and window regulator? Shop around, a clutch can be had for less than that (though please avoid Mr Clutch) and a second hand regulator will be a fraction of £150.

fewfe3 · 13 Apr 2011 at 22:30

I would say repair it. unless you can get some mug to take it off your hands for a good price.

jfp · 13 Apr 2011 at 23:14

I would say fix it, and be careful of back street mechanics, got my clutch fitted by one and he broke something on the car that caused the ABS to unnecessarily kick in and it cost me £600 to get that issue repaired. But definitely a scrappy for the the door mirror thing.

[TW]Fox · 13 Apr 2011 at 23:18

Of course I would fix it, its a car and its broken.

Welcome to cheap old cars - this is what they do. Only dont bother fixing it if you've found enough money to go out and buy something nice, presuming you have not then fix this one and enjoy it. Because nothing else for 1500 quid is going to be plain sailing.

jonifen · 13 Apr 2011 at 23:28

Definitely fix it, cars in this price bracket are hit or miss. If everything else seems OK on the car, then it'll be £500 well spent (because you'd probably lose £500 on what you paid for it in the first place by selling it in a "broken" state).

Ricochet J · 13 Apr 2011 at 23:29

Embed said:
Bought a Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec Petrol Y Reg about 4 months ago for £1800

Really? That's quite expensive! You can pick facelift models for that!

Embed said:
Since then, its broken down on the M8, core plug went so all the coolant when onto the road.
The guy I bought it from repaired that as that happened within the first month I had it.

Now my driver side window is knackered, the garage I've used all my motoring life say that the regulator? is gone and will be roughly a £150 job.

Well, that's quite a steep price. My drivers side electric window on my 1.6 Petrol Focus was knackered. I bought a used one from a breakers and replaced it myself. It cost £20 and 2 hours of labour. I'm happy to talk you through how to replace it if you want. Really all you need are cheap screw drivers, cheap £5 socket set and common sense. I don't have the best tools in my toolbox (Wickes value stuff) and managed to replace my electric window regulator!

Embed said:
My clutch has just started to go slightly, slipping every now and again and slightly juddering off the line when cold.
He estimated this would be a ~£400 job

You have an old car. The clutch needs replacing. Replace it.

Embed said:
So my question.

Do I just use the car until it give up,
Or pay the £400 (can live without a window annoying as it is) or £550 with the window.

Thoughts are coming into my mind about fixing it and flogging it.
Fact is I'm only 22 and don't exactly have loads of cash haha.

Thoughts, Opinions, meme's are welcome!
Thanks in advance,
Em

Well, window problem you can sort yourself. I'm sure you can find a more competitve price for your clutch. I don't see the problem?