Car beyond economical repair... what to do?

[GettingStraight]

I've been lurking around in here for a while on the different forums, but this is my first real reason to have to post....

My other half's car decided to part company with some of it's handbrake yesterday. The short version is that an aluminium block snapped off of the wheel hub when she went over a pothole, which resulted in the handbrake pads braking off, the cable being wrapped around the wheel hub and various other damage. The whole wheel hub needs to be replaced, along with most of the handbrake system. Hence it needed to be recovered to a nearby garage.

The repair cost will be £1250 including the six hours labour required for the work. It also needs 2 new rear tyres & is due for MOT & service next month. This puts the total outlay at £1500+ minimum.

The car is a 2002 Volvo S60 2.4 SE, part-ex Parkers book price around £2700, but with the climate as it is we think it's realistically worth just over £2000ish.

Firstly we don't have the cash to pay for the repair anyway, but looking at the figures, we probably wouldn't pay it if we did TBH.

I offered the car as it isto the garage it's currently in & he's told me he will give us £500. The parts cost £750. He says he will put it up for sale for £1700... All in all it's a good deal from his end I think.

We're reluctant to let it go for so little though, so are not sure what else we can do with it. The car won't be drivable at all even if put back together, so we have to think about recovery costs back to our house if we don't sell it from where it is.

Anyone have any better ideas? :confused:

[lisyloo]

How terrible was the pot hole to do this amount of damage?
Is there any possibility of a claim against the council?
and before anyone wade's in.
I'm just asking whether it's justified? OK?

[Brooker Dave]

I offered the car as it isto the garage it's currently in & he's told me he will give us £500. The parts cost £750. He says he will put it up for sale for £1700... All in all it's a good deal from his end I think.

Used hub and labour to fit it £250 at most, you're being had over.

[scotsman4th]

Long shot, but photograph the pothole, take notes etc and info from the garage to what caused the damage and chance your arm on a claim against the local authority. I have no idea if it would be successful, but it's worth a try. (I know someone who put in a claim and won but theres also a few who have tried and failed.)

[MX5huggy]

What are you going to do re getting another car? Do you need a car?

You can look at the the other way spend £1500 any you have something worth £1700.

Or let him have it for £500 then buy it back (get a friend to do this) for £1600 but will he MOT it and get the tyres sorted?

[GettingStraight]

I just got off the phone from the Volvo main dealer. Apparently this has happened a few times in the past in their experience, so it's not entirely new to them. There's an approx 50mm x 30mm x 10mm block of aluminium on the wheel hub, which is something to do with the handbrake fitting (I'm no mechanic...). It's this block which has sheared off.

As regards the pothole, having driven down the road in question regularly, I don't think there are any large potholes there at all. I think my wife assumed it was a pothole due to the noise, and with the sudden slowing of the car thought initially that it was a flat tyre.

The quoted costs from the other garage are pretty much spot on according to the main dealer. I was in the garage while the mechanic was on the phone getting the list of prices from Volvo, and saw him write them down. Given the huge list of things that needed to be replaced, the £250 is probably a little out (even for breaker parts), though thanks for the suggestion Brooker Dave.

Right now we will manage with just my car. We don't have the money to buy another one at all right now as I was made redundant before xmas and have still not found any work....

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLVO-S60-SE-T5-4-DR-SALOON-2319cc-2004-PETROL-BREAKING_W0QQitemZ380125027263QQcmdZViewItemQQptZU K_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item38012502 7263&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

There is your wheel hub. Get the breaker to remove it for you, intact, along with the handbrake cable. Then get your local garage to fit it.

You'll easily see change from £500.

[scotsman4th]

If the £500 includes any associated costs with the uplift of the car etc, and you dont really need a second car just now (or a repair bill), i'd just take the cash and good luck with your job hunt.

[GettingStraight]

...There is your wheel hub... You'll easily see change from £500.

Thanks Pew Pew, but we're not able to pay that kind of money right now either, due to me being out of work for so long. Unfortunately we're going to have to let the car go one way or another, but were hoping to try to find something more agreeable than letting it go for virtually nothing...

I found a car dealer who is going to have a look at it tomorrow & offer me a price. Hopefully his will be more agreeable.

[lisyloo]

Would you not be better off trying to sell it privately (and being honest about the problems).
Logically I would have thought a dealer would demand more money from their time than a private buyer. The dealer has to pay costs and staff and tax etc.
A private buyer can take it to the garage on their own time for free.

[swiftnick]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLVO-S60-SE-T5-4-DR-SALOON-2319cc-2004-PETROL-BREAKING_W0QQitemZ380125027263QQcmdZViewItemQQptZU K_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item38012502 7263&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

There is your wheel hub. Get the breaker to remove it for you, intact, along with the handbrake cable. Then get your local garage to fit it.

You'll easily see change from £500.

Crikey!

His feedback rating leaves a bit to be desired.. :confused:

[MX5huggy]

In fact we have and example of his "customer service" on here!

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1691679&highlight=

[harveybobbles]

Had quite a few S60's with this handbrake problem. We used to get 2nd hand hubs and it waa good as new...

[pgilc1]

Thanks Pew Pew, but we're not able to pay that kind of money right now either, due to me being out of work for so long. Unfortunately we're going to have to let the car go one way or another, but were hoping to try to find something more agreeable than letting it go for virtually nothing...

I found a car dealer who is going to have a look at it tomorrow & offer me a price. Hopefully his will be more agreeable.

So what are you going to for a car in its absence? :confused:

[GettingStraight]

We have two cars right now, so can make do without the Volvo if needs be.

I thought about selling it privately, but the car cannot be put on the road at all right now so can only be moved using a trailer or truck (which we don't have).

If the garage will wait for a while, I may put it on eBay with a reserve of the amount I've been offered already to see if it goes any higher.

[ooglewoogle]

Under the circumstances, I would reckon you are correct in Ebaying it, buyer to uplift. If it is in anyway good nick/mileage is ok then I think you will be very happy with what you get for it. Someone who can do the work at home will snap it up. I would take it off your hands were I closer.

Good luck with it GS....many of us have been there at some point...and it's not a great feeling. Luckily you are well place with a second car...and I think you'll do ok out of the S60 at auction.