Car advice for numerous concerns

Randvegeta

Hello all,

I have a rather complex situation and am unsure how to go about the number of scenarios I currently/will be facing.

First of all, my car is 2000 Chrysler Neon 2.0L LX Auto. These cars aren't worth very much. It may be worth 600GBP, at best.

Details of the car:

• 60,000 Miles (bare in mind it's 12 years old)
• Dent on passenger side wing/door where I reversed into pillar:mad:)
• Brake disks are worn down below recommended limit (still safe/legal/MOT pass)
• Passenger side wing mirror broken.
• Other than that, everything is in excellent condition. Very reliable car! Never failed an MOT, never had any major problems.
• Insurance cost me around 800/yr.
• Tax cost me 250 (roughly) /yr.
• MOT until beginning of July.
• Tax until end of July.

Scenario:

I am leaving the country (moving for good) in September.

I will most likely be taking a road trip around Europe for about 1 month from June 15 - July 15 (give or take a few days) before I leave.

Replacing the brake disks cost 220 (quote from halfords) and the wing mirror 40 (DIY).

Last MAJOR service was done in January. An interim service with MOT cost 155 (from halfords).

My Questions:

Is it worth even selling the car? It's in good shape other than the cosmetic damage to the passenger side and a few bits of wear and tear.

If it is worth selling, should I get the MOT and/or service? I think it is more likely I will get 400 than 600 which means doing an MOT and a service will wipe out over a 1/3 of the sale.

Is it worth me replacing the break discs? They are legal and safe for now. Probably good for a few thousand miles if I drive softly (which I do). Again though, its 220 quid, and relative to the value of the car, it is huge!

I am torn between doing he following.

1. Replace the passenger wing mirror [40GBP] (for safety), do nothing else to the car. Go on my Eurotrip. Get back to the UK in July. Declare off road or give to a friend/family member or sell it as is.

2. Replace the passenger wing mirror [40], the brake disks [220] do the road trip, get back and get an MOT (late) with a service [155] and TAX bringing a total cost of 665GBP. And again, try and sell it, hoping the repairs/mot/tax/service will mean someone will buy it for more than 665?

I really don't know what the best way of dealing with this is. I don't want to scrap the car. It's a perfectly good car, but the resale value is soo poor that I'm struggling to justify doing any sort of work to it. Even if I do all the repair works to it, it still has a massive dent/scratch on the front passenger wing. Would probably cost at least another 100 to fix that, but it is purely cosmetic and it seems to be such a waist for the rest of the car.

Any advice is welcome.

Obviously, I want to save money, but I also want to make my life easy . Meaning if selling a car without MOT/TAX is hard, then I may not want to do it given my time constraints.

Thanks in advance.

jbainbridge

- nearside mirror needs doing ... especially for driving in Europe.
- does the MOT run out during your trip? If so, it needs to be done.
- I can't see the brakes from here! but assuming they are around the wear limits they should be ok. Have a look yourself or ask someone who knows - check there is _some_ pad material left!

fivetide

How broken is the mirror? Can you not just replace the glass or get one from a scrapper?

Discs as above, MOT same. If it doesn't run out, don't worry.

As scrap it'll probably get £200 so if you can sor the mirror and the brakes aren't beyond the wear limits I'd do the trip then either scrap it or put it on eFence with a really low start and no reserve.

Forget the dent, as you say, not worth it really! You won't get the money back at all.

Also why are you at Halfords so much? All they are doing at that service is changing the oil. If it was only changed in January this year forget about it on a car this old (unless youv'e done 20,000 miles in the first months of the year). If it was last year, National Tyre will no doubt change the oil for about £30 if you are wanting to hang on to the car.

5t.

Randvegeta

jbainbridge wrote: »

- does the MOT run out during your trip? If so, it needs to be done.
- I can't see the brakes from here! but assuming they are around the wear limits they should be ok. Have a look yourself or ask someone who knows - check there is _some_ pad material left!

The MOT will run out middle of the trip actually yes. Probably best not take any chances then and just get the MOT done before hand.

How broken is the mirror? Can you not just replace the glass or get one from a scrapper?

Actually I already have a replacement mirror. The original got ripped off somehow, and a 'racing' replacement was put on. Actually both mirrors were replaced by the mirrors were designed for the american LHD version and I cant see jack out of them. They also don't connect to the electric remote control. I have since replaced the driver side mirror with the original (that still works) and for safety, I prefer to have a working, properly visible mirror for driving in Europe. After all, that would be the overtaking side!

Discs as above, MOT same. If it doesn't run out, don't worry.

The discs were checked out at the last service in January this year.

The pads have 80% left, so it is the actual discs that need replacing. They feel almost warped and are below the manufacturers specified limits. However the guys at halfords said it was still within the legal limits and was perfectly safe, and probably would be fine until my next service, depending on how hard I brake etc. I'm a pretty soft driver so I guess they will be fine. Replacements are only around 30 quid but its the labour it takes to put them on. The 220 halfords quoted includes the discs though. So any idea how much labour only costs?

As scrap it'll probably get £200 so if you can sor the mirror and the brakes aren't beyond the wear limits I'd do the trip then either scrap it or put it on eFence with a really low start and no reserve.

How does one go about scrapping a car? Is eFence free? Perhaps gumtree :-).

Forget the dent, as you say, not worth it really! You won't get the money back at all.

Probably.

Also why are you at Halfords so much? All they are doing at that service is changing the oil. If it was only changed in January this year forget about it on a car this old (unless youv'e done 20,000 miles in the first months of the year). If it was last year, National Tyre will no doubt change the oil for about £30 if you are wanting to hang on to the car.

I only went to halfords once for a full service back in January. It really needed a service. It hadn't had one in about 6 - 7 years prior but all was well with the car apart from one of the low suspension arms needing replacing.

The service included many things, not just an oil change, and since I planned to drive it for the next 6 months, I figured it was worth doing if it meant I could keep a car running.

It's sad because it's a good runner. I can even get 45MPG if I drive at 55MPH on the motorway. SLOW AS HELL but it makes it a reasonably economical drive.

Does anyone know why these cars have devalued so much?

I bought a 9 year old Mini One in September last year for 3.5k and it was a piece of crap. Loads of problems, high insurance, high tax and used more fuel that my Chrysler. The Chrysler is far more reliable, so I don't understand the low price.

Lum

It's devalued so much because it's a large petrol? engined American car in an era where everyone wants tiny diesel engined European superminis*. For some reason Ford and Vauxhall count as European for this purpose, but you say Chrysler to people and most still think of gigantic American barges.

I'd buy a car like yours but only for banger money. I'd then run it into the ground, scrap it and buy another banger.

* And then they moan when they do 6000 miles a year and the DPF needs replacing

Randvegeta

LOL! I would'nt balme you.

The thing is, it is an American car. Drive it in a certain way and it's a gas guzzler! Meaning, fast acceleration and driving above 70MPH will provide poor fuel economy. When my brother drove this car, he quite literally got half the mileage I get.

But I think, given it is a 4 door, 5 seat saloon with a very generous boot space, 45MPG motorway, and 25 - 30MPG town that I get is quite reasonable.

It may not handle as well as a European car, but it's reliable, and my version has many luxuries, such as leather interior, rear parking sensors, CD changer, cruise control and a air-conditioning.

I understand that it being an American car makes it undesirable but surely those added benefits can make up for some short falls.

It's hardly worth selling, but it seems that it's a bargain to buy if you're on a budget. I'm 23 so my insurance is expensive. My Dad on the other hand, could insure this car for less than the road tax.

If I weren't moving, I would not get rid of it! Would make a nice backup car if I had a SORN

fivetide

Well the Neon is not what you'd call a well regarded car in terms of driving quality or interior plastics etc. However, it's an old GM platform so shouldn't be too tricky to fix up.

What does it actually want doing for an 'interim' service? Normally I'd put that down as an oil change. Which actually begs the question, what do they do in a major service? Be interesting to know what they are asking you to pay for.

At £60 for the discs they are asking you for another £180 to fit them. That could be at £60 an hour so they are saying a 3 hour job. I'd have thought a couple of hours tops and you could maybe find a good independent at £40 an hour.

Regarding scrapping try www.cartakeback.com for a price.

Finally, I'd avoid motorways if you only drive at 55mph. Lorries must absolutely love you!

5t.

Lum

Randvegeta wrote: »

I understand that it being an American car makes it undesirable but surely those added benefits can make up for some short falls.

A sensible buyer would likely see the car as a bargain, and realise that even if it is a bit of a gas guzzler it'll take years before the increased fuel costs of your car will wipe out the purchase price of a 1.4 diesel Corsa. And all that time they'd be driving around in a bloody Corsa.

Unfortunately the general public have all latched onto this idea of small diesel == high MPG == save money mentality which has seen the cost of these cars go through the roof. In a few years time all the horror stories about DPF/DMF failure will filter into the general public consciousness and everyone will move onto the next fad.

In the meantime, I'll stick with my gas guzzling 1993 Nissan and you might want to hang onto that Chrysler since it likely isn't going to sell for much.

Randvegeta

fivetide wrote: »

Well the Neon is not what you'd call a well regarded car in terms of driving quality or interior plastics etc. However, it's an old GM platform so shouldn't be too tricky to fix up.

Well it's certainly not the most luxurious of cars. But it's not bad compared with these small hatch backs. Not like 10 yr old hatch backs of beacons of quality. And most look like they belong under a bridge! Modern ones are nice though.

What does it actually want doing for an 'interim' service? Normally I'd put that down as an oil change. Which actually begs the question, what do they do in a major service? Be interesting to know what they are asking you to pay for.

The major service cost me about 210 quid. Halfords perform 71 checks/replacements/changes in the major service compared with 35 in the interim service. The major service replaces not only the oil, but transmission fluid, break fluid, fuel and air filters, spark plugs and a bunch of other stuff.

The interim service is basicly an oil change and checks of a number of components to make sure things are A.O.K.

One thing the identified on my car in the major service was the faulty wheel arm. They showed me how it snapped and that it was danger, hence the price shot up to 355.

At £60 for the discs they are asking you for another £180 to fit them. That could be at £60 an hour so they are saying a 3 hour job. I'd have thought a couple of hours tops and you could maybe find a good independent at £40 an hour.

Does 60GBP sound reasonable for a pair of NEW break discs? 40/hr includes VAT or not? I'de do it myself if I had something to life up the car!

Finally, I'd avoid motorways if you only drive at 55mph. Lorries must absolutely love you!

Ridiculous! 55MPH is the speed limit for lorries is it not? I know most go slightly faster but I'm not going to avoid motorways when 55MPH is a perfectly legal and 'safe' speed to travel at.

Dare I admit, when I have to take my GF to the airport at 2am, I will travel at 50MPH just to squeeze that extra 1 - 2 MPG :-).

Actually if you can find a lorry travelling at 55MPH, best thing to do is sit behind it in its slip stream. When that happens I am sure it gets the MPG up to 50MPG:T.

But it's so sad.

Okay, so the recommendations seem to be.

Get the mirror done (I'm doing that myself). Possibly leave the brakes. Get an MOT before the road trip. Skip the service and body repairs, then try and scrap it or sell it?

Seems like such a waist...

In the meantime, I'll stick with my gas guzzling 1993 Nissan and you might want to hang onto that Chrysler since it likely isn't going to sell for much.

I'm leaving the country for the forseeable future. I may get a SORN for it and try and find someone to keep it for me (family etc.). The problem with that plan is, I hate the idea of paying for an MOT just so I can use it for 1 - 2 weeks before heading off.

Is it really that big an issue to not have MOT for 1 - 2 weeks?

Lum

For the final 1-2 weeks it might be more cost effective to use hire cars or taxis?

Randvegeta

Lum wrote: »

For the final 1-2 weeks it might be more cost effective to use hire cars or taxis?

Actually, there apparently some inexpensive places to get an MOT. This very site recommends using council MOT stations for 40 or less and since they don't do repairs, they seem to be more 'honest' about the report.

I'm 23. No company would rent a car to me. And even if they did, I am certain for 2 weeks it would cost more than the MOT.

TAXI may be cheaper but the convenience of a car I think outweighs the price.

Likewise, running the risk of getting a fine for driving without MOT is not worth it if I can get an MOT done inexpensively. 40/14 = 2.85/day. I can suck that up.

Thanks for the advice all.

I will most likely forgo the service and the brake disk replacement, stick to the mirror and MOT. Shouldn't be more than 80 quid.