I would quite like some advice!

Limey

There should be a way to test a faulty cat and lambda sensor on your car.

On mine (Toyota Celica) the lambda can be tested via the diagnostics port using an oscilloscope (or analogue voltmeter) and there is a proceedure in the engine manual. Tie this up with an emissions test and it should go some way to identifying which of the components is faulty.

I would do/get these tests done and add up the costs done before deciding if I wanted to keep the car. Although in the case of old cars it can be a case of 'better the devil you know' and I would consider the issues you have listed as pretty minor repairs.

John1993_2

worried_jim wrote: »

I buy my cars for £500 with a full years MOT- run them till the next MOT, if they fail and the repairs are more than £330 I scrap them for £170 and spend the £330 on another £500 car with 12 months MOT.
My annual motoring never costs more than £330 which I think is reasonable.
I would have a chat with you local independent garage about getting it through it's MOT and what it is likely to need/cost next time as well and base you decision on this cost/estimate.

Good luck.

This doesn't make sense, unless £500 cars never need work on them between MOTs, which some do.

Your £330 must mean that you aren't insured, or taxed, and you've even left off the cost of that MOT that you mention.

I suppose that it's ppossible that you are using them as an art installation (as you are budgetiing zero for petrol, too), but then it's not really sensible to refer to the cost of your "motoring".

worried_jim

The point I was making John was that it can be more economic to call it quits then to pay for a repair. Of course my car is taxed and insured as is the OP's.

Joe_Horner

ilikewatch wrote: »

Not sure where you're based, but in the area I live (East Mids) there's a chain of MOT test centres who exclusively undertake MOT's and only charge if you pass the test - otherwise it's free if you fail. I love this idea as I know that they have absolutely no motivation to "find" work during the test. Might be worth looking to see if there's anything similar near to you.

The only problem with chains like that is that they have little incentive to fail things that should fail. Had a Daf a few years back that had 11 months ticket left from one of these places and the list on it when I checked it over went something like this:

Wiper spindles seized so the whole bushings were turning in the scuttle

Screen washer wasn't even fitted

Driver's floor was detached from the sill for a length of about 5 inches

One front suspension strut was seized solid

The "advise slight blow" on the exhaust was inside the cabin heat exchanger (aircooled engine) and was pumping neat exhaust fumes through the cabin vents

Steering has about 1 1/2 inches of play at the rim (tester manual guideline is 1/2 inch max)

The advisory for "slight play in rear hub bearing" was, in fact, the hub nut loose to the point you could pull the wheel "in and out" by about 5 mm, taking the drum with it.


Din't bother me cos it was a couple of pleasant weekends to sort it, but the idea of the test is to maintain a minimal standard of safety, which these "easy pass" chains simply don't do!

Apples2

ncfcfan wrote: »

I wasn't complaining, I expected this when I bought it. No complaints from me, I'm just figuring out what the best thing to do is.

I opened this thread expecting to read the standard, " I bought a £900 decade old car a year ago and it has gone wrong, how can I get my money back" type post.

How refreshing it is to read your post of complete acceptance it is your car :beer:

forgotmyname

Tyres and brake pad issues? You mean they are worn? Thats what happens whe you drive a car.

Standard service and repair items.

Even a brand new car on a lease will need brakes and tyres and servicing etc.

Unless you get a complete package but they cost a fair bit more to cover the costs of inevitable bills.

ncfcfan

Sorry I should have been more specific - the tyres and brake pads are general wear and tear. What I'm more worried about is the EML light (which I've been told is the catalytic converter) and the consistent squeaking/creaking under my bonnet when I break, go up a hill and turn.

All of these issues added up are bound to cost me £££ which is fine - I expected this. What I'm asking is - what is the most cost effective thing to do in the long run? Taking into account this car is relentlessly costing me money and leasing a car can be an expensive experience.

System

my gf had a 6n2 polo - maybe yours is slightly newer, but we had the eml which was supposedly an emissions fault - turned out there was a leak on the intake bits somewhere but it had cost us a fair bit in replacing all sorts before someone figured it out!
I would put it in for the mot and see what comes back before deciding what to do

atrixblue.-MFR-.

the code is only as good as the tech reading the fault to interprate it.

i have lambda and cat codes come up but infact it was only a hole in the exhaust manifold.

pads are cheap enough, part worn tyres £25 -£65 depending on what you want.

AdrianC

ncfcfan wrote: »

What I'm more worried about is the EML light (which I've been told is the catalytic converter)

But which you've also been told may well not be. And, even if it is, it won't be as expensive as you seem to fear.

and the consistent squeaking/creaking under my bonnet when I break, go up a hill and turn.

Probably just a dry suspension bush. Unless it's badly worn (in which case it'd be more likely to be a knock - and which the MOT would show up), ignore it.

Taking into account this car is relentlessly costing me money

There is no such thing as "a cheap car". There never has been. There never will be. You've spent £500 across a year. Add on to that zero financing costs and virtually zero depreciation, and that's a fraction of what leasing or HPing or PCPing or otherwise financing a newer car will cost you.