Kia Picanto and car loan....

xlt_hunter

I am looking to get rid of my ageing Fiat Seicento w-reg 67k on the clock as some problems are coming very soon ie:

Head gasket is going - approx £300-400 to repair
Needs new tyres @ £70 per corner (cheapest price as already checked) - £280.00
Brakes new discs + pads ??
Headlights need sorting ??
MOT costs - £45.00
Inusrance at £220 per year
Tax - £110
All before Feb 06

Right I have been offered the following Brand New 55 Plate Kia Picanto's for 60 months credit with 3 years warranty and 1 years insurance.

• LX for £5795 @ £27.49 per week = overall cost £7147
• GS for £5295 @ £25.00 per week (approx) = overall cost £6500 approx

Differece between the two is that the LX has aircon, remote locking and heated mirrors.

I need to know are these a good deal? as my car (Fiat Seicento SX) has also been factored into the overall cost as they seem to vaule my current car around £650 part ex (Fiat Dealership)

Also would it be better in getting a bank loan or going though with the Kia Dealership on their paperwork? - also how do you work out the interest rate based on those costs above? I am unsure as buying a new car is all new to me.

scheming_gypsy

no idea on the cars but i'd look at scraping £500 together and put that down as a deposit on the LX and save £147...

Your FIAT is only a small car... how are you managing to spend £70 a corner on tyres?

xlt_hunter

Tyres are for the Abarth Wheels - only Pirelli are making this size now.

I though about your comment above and rightly saying that spending the £500 on the difference between the 2 cars and save £147 in interest fees - good thinking.

tomstickland

Parkers values a clean car at just under £1000.

Head gasket is going - approx £300-400 to repair

Do that.

Needs new tyres @ £70 per corner (cheapest price as already checked) - £280.00

Brakes new discs + pads ??

£70

Headlights need sorting ??

What's wrong with them? Let's say £70 for a headlamp unit or one from a scrapped car. Worst case.

Total so far £820.

MOT costs - £45.00

Inusrance at £220 per year
Tax - £110
All before Feb 06

You still have to pay this for new car anyway.

Cheapest option is to keep the car. It's only 6 years old with 67K on the clock. It should manage 150-200K.
How do you know that the headgasket is going?

Personally I'd sort the headgasket, sell the wheels, fit wheels that take cheaper tyres (Eg: I get 15" performance tyres for £55 per wheel fitted), fit pads and discs, get it through the MOT.

Buying a brand new Kia Picanto is throwing money away - what will it be worth in 3 years time? A lot less than £7K.

scheming_gypsy

£820 on repairs though Tom.. That's £820 on a car that's only worth £100 more than the repair value, next time something goes then you've probably spent more than it's worth and only going to get your money back when he sells.

xlt_hunter

thinks --- your right tom :money: - I guess time to set aside the cash for the gasket

I know its going as there is mayo under the cap and water doesn't look too good either. (Mind you it did this last year, but still runs and hasn't skipped a beat)

As with the headlamp - sorted it out this evening - inner section came out of the holder/ refitting and cable tied in - problem sorted.

The tyres have found out that it takes a different size with no difference. I currently have 175/50/R14 on now - but will fit on 185/50/R14 This saves me over £20 per corner (fitting not included).

As per the brakes - what costs are the discs and pads at factors/halfords as I can do it myself as I am handy with a spanner.

The Head gasket is going to be the killer one as It can leave me without a car when/if it fails but need it for work as I travel 50 round trip everyday. Maybe worthwhile getting the gasket kit now ready for it when it goes, so all i have to do really is get it to the garage quick with the parts in hand.

I somewhat didn't relise that is still has over 100k of mileage life left! :doh:

scheming_gypsy

can't see a head gasket 'going' for a year. I got told my head gasket was going and was all set to fork out 600 dabs to have it sorted but decided on a second opinion and got told 'there's no case of it going, it's either gone or it hasn't'.

xlt_hunter

well thats good news! - just moisture getting into the system then? Lovey - thanks gypsy!

scheming_gypsy

be worth checking out though but a year's worth of 'going' seems a bit too much to be true. I don't know much about cars so don't take my word for it.

tomstickland

Do a compression test (Gunsons test meter costs about £15 from Halfrauds). That way you can monitor compression and if it shows a low reading then head gasket is going. However, I can't see why it would go at 67K. Moisture from condensation is quite common.

For discs and pads try a local motor factors, though an online fiat specialist might be better. I paid £60 for 2 x discs and pads for my 1990 BMW. I used to buy decent discs and pads for the Astra for similar money.

If, in the worst case, you spent £800 on the car and it's worth £1000, it still saves you £7K. Get it sorted and then spend every day laughing at the money you didn't spend.

xlt_hunter

now the will power is here - laughing mode now on

I will purchase a test meter as see what is going on - thanks all