To fix car or not.....

sarah69696pink

Hi All,
Got a fiat 500, with engine coolant leak. Pipe needs replacing and likely the head gasket needs stripping.
Live London and had quite of £1k.

Wondering if best to fix and look at selling down the line (was thinking of selling anyway) or to try and sell with the problem to trade.

Anyone know what is best to do in these situations? To minimise my loss?

wgl2014

How much is the car worth in good (repaired) condition?

Nobbie1967

Low risk option would be to put it on EBay with an honest description as spares or repair. Let someone else discover any additional issues. Some home mechanic might fancy a project.

EdGasketTheSecond

Try bottle of K-Seal in the radiator; might cure both.

reeac

What exactly is this "pipe" that needs replacing? If it's a hose then that's a trivial repair. Get that done and then see if there's still a leak which might be CHG which may well be identifiable by coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant. If so try a dose of radiator sealant.

sarah69696pink

I don’t really know anything about cars but they described it as a small black pipe that is to the right hand side of the engine as you look at it with a screw cap they said the coolant leaking out of that. Don’t know if that makes any sense to anyone.

owen_money

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

Try bottle of K-Seal in the radiator; might cure both.

Or drop an egg into the radiator

Jonesya

I'd definitely replace the coolant pipe, that's s minor repair normally.

For the head gasket well I'd want to know more, why does it need replacing? Did your engine overheat damaging it? Are you getting mayonnaise in the engine from coolant leaking into the oil?

reeac

Sounds as if it might be just the overflow pipe which is leaking ....comes out just below the filler cap usually. Easy to replace. Get the garage to do it.

arcon5

Sounds like the thermostat housing on a Peugeot with the plastic bleed nipples on top

sarah69696pink

Thanks so much for the help everyone. I've taken it to a different garage who seemed very nice and they are going to look at it and quote me - they said it could just be pipe too so fingers crossed it is!