What to do with problem car?

E92

Got a call from someone I know today, anyway, between the ins and outs of it the car that person has failed the NCT recently on emissions.

To get the emissions sorted would mean spending a fortune, apparently it would be new injectors or a catalytic converter or something dear, and it would be more than the car is worth.

So the car has to go, and that person wants to replace it.

So which would net the person more, trading it in against something else, or just buying a car for cash and selling the car to a scrapyard(the car is very good condition for it's age apart from the engine)?

All advice is much appreciated.

maidhc

The obvious question here is: What kind of car is it!

If it is say a 2dr MkII Escort, then the body will make massive money (i know it isnt this, but as an example...). If on the other hand we are talking about a Ford Orion then it is worthless either which way.

Scrapyards generally don't pay very well, if at all. I'd say if the car has a desirable body then try and sell on the Buy and Sell!

carchaeologist

Im thinking it being a NCT failure would make it worthless as a trade in aswell?

bazz26

Scrapyards will probably give you feck all for the car. In fact they will most likely tell you they are doing you a favour and might even charge you for taking it.

cantdecide

Summarily deciding a car isn't worth fixing is a bit strong most of the time IMO. Cats go in cars all the time, it doesn't necessarily mean that the car is now spent especially if it's a good brand.

If they've had it 5 years and it's been relatively trouble free and they don't particularly want to part with it, they should fix it. People are very quick to cast good cars with plenty of life away becasue of a begrudging attitude to maintenance. If this is the only serious money it has needed and is otherwise tip top, why not give it a little TLC?

If it's a commodity car worth only a few quid then dispose of it- put it in the paper for a couple of hundred and change up without trading in. It could knock thousands off for a straight deal and if they trade in, they could lose that saving over a car worth a couple of hundred.

If they've owned it a short amount of time, they didn't spend a lot and they only want to swap like for like, they could end up with another dud, in which case, they should have fixed it.

Post details of the car and their ownership, E92.

ninty9er

It's not fixable by an M50 trip in 2nd gear for an hour before the test is it...how far over the emissions cut off was it?

HJL

When my cat was changed one was got from a scrapyard and welded on, that was two NCTs ago. Think it was €80, mechanic welded it on good as new.
Really depends on the car, but maybe not as expensive as what you might think to get it going good again. I had leaking injectors fixed a few weeks back to pass the NCT and it wasnt expensive either £65 and that included track rod ends. As far as I know if injectors have to be replaced then its a more expensive issue, but maybe they could be repairs cheaply too.
I know it might seem pointless spending an amount of money on a car that isnt worth a lot, but it is still cheaper than buying a newer car.

milltown

ninty9er wrote: »

It's not fixable by an M50 trip in 2nd gear for an hour before the test is it...how far over the emissions cut off was it?

I suppose being from Limerick you wouldn't know that people spend twice that length of time on the M50 these days and don't get as high as second gear!

Henry Ford III

maidhc wrote: »

.............

If it is say a 2dr MkII Escort, then the body will make massive money (i know it isnt this, but as an example...). If on the other hand we are talking about a Ford Orion then it is worthless either which way......

MkII Escorts (built up to 1981) are exempt from emmissions testing for the NCT.

maidhc

Henry Ford III wrote: »

MkII Escorts (built up to 1981) are exempt from emmissions testing for the NCT.

I know! Just an example of a situation where a blown drivetrain will hardly affect the value of the car!

E92

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm after finding out that the car passed the NCT on round 2(a mechanic who knows something about cars actually said it was the Oxygen sensor that was wrong I think), so the car is staying!

fletch...

E92 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm after finding out that the car passed the NCT on round 2(a mechanic who knows something about cars actually said it was the Oxygen sensor that was wrong I think), so the car is staying!

Good to hear it passed second time!

Had a similar situation myself (minus the NCT) after having the car serviced i asked could they fix or replace a part, got quoted 300e for a used part not including labour.

I found d same part (not an aftermarket) brand new for 25e on ebay, it just needs to be plugged in.

Be carefull with them cowboys, get a second opinion if things seem a bit extreme and dont scrap a car over one repair!