Expensive repairs - Scrap car or Pay for repairs?

boo123boo

Hi,

My car broke down today, turns out I need a new clutch and possibly a fly wheel - going to be £500-£800 to repair, also have an airbag warning light which I've been told is another £250 which needs fixing before the MOT is due next year, paid £175 last week for wheel bearing and coil. Autotrader saying likely to get £1400 for part ex, £2000 for private.

Question is - do I pay for repairs (possibly £1000) and keep it running for a while longer... or... scrap the car and use money to put down a deposit on a newer car?

Help please!! I'm useless with cars...

forgotmyname

Spend £?k on a new car and cross your fingers it wont need a new clutch and new brakes and bearings etc etc???

Bigphil1474

OP, you probably won't get the value you think if it needs a clutch and the airbag sorting out, and you'd need to advise of those faults when selling. Depends on the car really. If the car is normally reliable, I'd say fix it and keep. As above, if you get another car, there's no guarantee it might not need work doing in a few months anyway, unless you actually buy a car with a guarantee which isn't necessarily one either.
At least if you fix it, you know the clutch is good for a while. If you haven't already, don't forget to shop around for the repair - a decent indie garage may be half the price of a dealership garage.

motorguy

Personally - i'd get the clutch and flywheel done.


Should work out no more than £500-600 now.


The airbag light doesnt need sorted until next years MOT. Its often just a lose wire - often from under a seat that causes this - that may cost a lot less than £250 to fix.


No guarantees a newer car wont need maintenance.

James1968

These days a clutch is considered a service item. If the car is in otherwise good condition, then carry out the repairs.

roddydogs

Depends how its driven.

missile

roddydogs wrote: »

Depends how its driven.

I see so many riding the clutch at traffic lights :eek:

bartelbe

The old rule of bangermonics, is once a car get expensive, you bin it. The cost of modern clutches is absurd, a complete ripoff.

If you do get it done be very careful about the quality of the parts used, plenty of cheap nasty Chinese parts floating around that will fail after a few thousand miles.