Car Advice

[rrh]

I don't want to swim against the stream here, but the best car is one that is paid off. Get a second opinion from a reputable independent mechanic and then reconsider your options. When buying a decent second hand car (without residual / balloon), you will end up paying in the region of R3k per month for 5 years. That means, that in your first year, you would have already paid R36k towards your new (secondhand) car, excluding services / maintenance / repairs. Then you still have four years of paying that left :wtf:.

Consider carefully

I am with Vaper on this one: cars are the most rapidly-depreciating asset that one can buy. Add to that the highest risk (from taxis, etc.) ... all in all, the purchase of a new car is to be avoided at all costs.

That said, most of the problems are pretty much standard wear and tear.

• Given that you are a car noob: what do you mean by "the radiator isn't working 100%" ?
• Shocks should be replaced every 100/120,000 kilometres. Call around and get quotes from the specialist shops.
• Disc pads are not expensive to replace assuming that the discs themselves are not damaged.
• One thing that I am careful of: stick reasonably close to the manufacturer's recommendation for replacing cam belts. It's rather depressing to see the damage resulting from a broken cam belt.

 

[Ancalagon]

Well maybe not necessarily brand new, you could always get a demo or used car that is still in warranty and service plan.

The point is, ANY money spent on fixing an old car is money lost. Any single cent and there are no exceptions. Yes, cars are not assets and depreciate very quickly. But whereas you will lose some on a demo or used car, and lose some more on a new car, you lose 100% on fixing an old car.

 

[psion]

Uploaded the initial "minor service" quote I got from GM in March to dropbox.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12560337/Estimation - Cresta Auto.xls

Just some extra info of the car. Has about 133 000km on the clock and I mainly use it for short trips. So it's a 15km trip to work and then about 15km - 20km trip when I go out places like climbing which occasionally has some dirt roads.

Looking at the quote again. What do you think about getting the following fixed:
- Radiator
- Themostat
- Water pump
- Front shocks
- Front brakes

Dunno about the steering gear and steering knuckle? Not even sure what those do but I know the car feels fine to drive and I've never had any issues with the steering.

Link not working.

However Radiator if it is not leaking, you can have it flushed. Thermostat and Water pump is easy to replace and is cheap, is the pump leaking or making a noise? Like sub R1000 for both

Shocks and Brakes are more expensive, but are the important stuff too. I suggest getting a quote from Goldwagen for the parts, they are reasonably priced for good products. Then get a mech to fit it for you if you can't do it your self, they are not that hard to do, and could be done together saving on labour as the brakes come off when the shocks get replaced. Like maybe 1 hour per side if the guy doesn't work slow.

 

[S1ght]

I am with Vaper on this one: cars are the most rapidly-depreciating asset that one can buy. Add to that the highest risk (from taxis, etc.) ... all in all, the purchase of a new car is to be avoided at all costs.

That said, most of the problems are pretty much standard wear and tear.

• Given that you are a car noob: what do you mean by "the radiator isn't working 100%" ?

The engine isn't completely overheating and there aren't any leaks but a simple 15km drive has my temperature sitting at between 1/2 and 3/4 on the dial. (I'm not quite sure how else to describe that >.<) So when I eventually get home or to work the car's fan will stay on for a long time to cool the engine down. Normally the temp sits smack bang in the middle all the time doesn't it? I've been keeping check of the water level and just added in some new coolant this past week.

My guess is then that maybe something is blocking the flow considering nothing is leaking?

 

[psion]

Well maybe not necessarily brand new, you could always get a demo or used car that is still in warranty and service plan.

The point is, ANY money spent on fixing an old car is money lost. Any single cent and there are no exceptions. Yes, cars are not assets and depreciate very quickly. But whereas you will lose some on a demo or used car, and lose some more on a new car, you lose 100% on fixing an old car.

New cars get old too and needs these same things replaced. Will still cost less to fix his car than buying a new one and be in debt again...

 

[S1ght]

Link not working.

However Radiator if it is not leaking, you can have it flushed. Thermostat and Water pump is easy to replace and is cheap, is the pump leaking or making a noise? Like sub R1000 for both

Shocks and Brakes are more expensive, but are the important stuff too. I suggest getting a quote from Goldwagen for the parts, they are reasonably priced for good products. Then get a mech to fit it for you if you can't do it your self, they are not that hard to do, and could be done together saving on labour as the brakes come off when the shocks get replaced. Like maybe 1 hour per side if the guy doesn't work slow.

Yeah sorry, link should be working soon. Just saw dropbox decided it needed to upload 4000 other files first >.<

 

[psion]

The engine isn't completely overheating and there aren't any leaks but a simple 15km drive has my temperature sitting at between 1/2 and 3/4 on the dial. (I'm not quite sure how else to describe that >.<) So when I eventually get home or to work the car's fan will stay on for a long time to cool the engine down. Normally the temp sits smack bang in the middle all the time doesn't it? I've been keeping check of the water level and just added in some new coolant this past week.

My guess is then that maybe something is blocking the flow considering nothing is leaking?

Thermostat is faulty. Between R100-R200 from midas, it couldn't hurt to change the Pump and flush the radiator while they are busy

 

[S1ght]

Thermostat is faulty. Between R100-R200 from midas, it couldn't hurt to change the Pump and flush the radiator while they are busy

Hmm...So radiator might actually be fine? Maybe I should then start with thermostat and the brakes and if the temp then starts going up again go and get the radiator checked out?

Oh and the link looks like it's finally up and working. Some of the things they wanted to replace was just ridiculous. eg. Gear Lever Boot - R2982.40 >.<

 

[Pho3nix]

After looking at the quote doesn't seem like there is anything too excessive except for the labour. Parts seem to be within reasonable rates.

 

[psion]

If the radiator is not leaking then it can be flushed by a radiator place. It is more than likely the thermostat looking at your KM's
13k in labour, yoh
The part prices are not toooo bad, however midas or goldwagen would be a lot cheaper especially on the water pump, I would suggest to change this as well to be safe. Changing this first to avoid overheating and more costly repairs.

Depending how bad the brakes and shocks are in that order, if you can do them at the same time it would be better, but that depends on your funds.

The boot and the wiper blades etc, you can do that your self, get from a local parts store and ask them for assistance if needed.

 

[S1ght]

After looking at the quote doesn't seem like there is anything too excessive except for the labour. Parts seem to be within reasonable rates.

I dunno, R3000 for a piece of cloth that goes around the gear lever sounded a bit excessive to me They're also always super keen to want to replace my perfectly fine windscreen wipers >.< The time I went before that I needed a new battery as well, they wanted to charge me R1200 for the battery and R300 for labour to install it. I walked across the road to Midas and paid like R800 and they installed it for free (not that I'm such a noob that I wouldn't have been able to install it )

If the radiator is not leaking then it can be flushed by a radiator place. It is more than likely the thermostat looking at your KM's
13k in labour, yoh
The part prices are not toooo bad, however midas or goldwagen would be a lot cheaper especially on the water pump, I would suggest to change this as well to be safe. Changing this first to avoid overheating and more costly repairs.

Depending how bad the brakes and shocks are in that order, if you can do them at the same time it would be better, but that depends on your funds.

The boot and the wiper blades etc, you can do that your self, get from a local parts store and ask them for assistance if needed.

Sounds good The brakes and shocks feel fine to me but then again I've probably gotten used to however they feel. But my dad did use my car for the last week and he was also convinced that the shocks need to be replaced so I'm using that as an indication.

Funds wise it's probably as good a time as any. It was bonus month for us + tax refund (still waiting for) so I've got a good amount of extra cash sitting there which was going to go straight into my bond

Thanks all for the advice by the way. Really appreciate it

 

[Pho3nix]

I dunno, R3000 for a piece of cloth that goes around the gear lever sounded a bit excessive to me They're also always super keen to want to replace my perfectly fine windscreen wipers >.< The time I went before that I needed a new battery as well, they wanted to charge me R1200 for the battery and R300 for labour to install it. I walked across the road to Midas and paid like R800 and they installed it for free (not that I'm such a noob that I wouldn't have been able to install it )

Too excessive being the keyword . have a guy/gentleman that helps me and a couple Gus at the office. He is based in the South(Turfontein) and knows his stuff.
PM if you need his number, not sure fine can give you a quote over the phone but he is very good.

 

[rrh]

The engine isn't completely overheating and there aren't any leaks but a simple 15km drive has my temperature sitting at between 1/2 and 3/4 on the dial. (I'm not quite sure how else to describe that >.<) So when I eventually get home or to work the car's fan will stay on for a long time to cool the engine down. Normally the temp sits smack bang in the middle all the time doesn't it? I've been keeping check of the water level and just added in some new coolant this past week.

My guess is then that maybe something is blocking the flow considering nothing is leaking?

Thermostat is faulty. Between R100-R200 from midas, it couldn't hurt to change the Pump and flush the radiator while they are busy

Depends on the drive: if it is bumper to bumper traffic expect the temperature to go up & the fan to stay on longer, even on cool days.

That said, it is most likely either the thermostat or the water pump. A check of the entire cooling system (thermostat / water pump / pressure check / radiator flush) would probably be the best bet.

 

[S1ght]

Depends on the drive: if it is bumper to bumper traffic expect the temperature to go up & the fan to stay on longer, even on cool days.

That said, it is most likely either the thermostat or the water pump. A check of the entire cooling system (thermostat / water pump / pressure check / radiator flush) would probably be the best bet.

Pretty much no traffic and then a short 2km or so on the highway.

 

[Nanfeishen]

Firstly I see the quote is a dealer quote, with the year model car you have stay away from the dealer for any service quote, it is simply not worth it.
I am sure you can find a decent reputable service centre for your Corsa that wont try and shaft you.

i.e. Wiper Blades R421 for 1 and the labour to replace R 186 :wtf:

I have an Opel Corsa 2006 1.4 - Wiper blades, for a set of 2 at Midas + - R80 replace them in about 10 minutes

In and around Randburg
http://www.assist247.co.za/matrix/randburg/all/car-and-vehicle-repair-mechanical-repairs-auto.aspx

 

[Ancalagon]

New cars get old too and needs these same things replaced. Will still cost less to fix his car than buying a new one and be in debt again...

That is why you don't keep cars when they get to this age.

Put it this way - what you should be looking at when working out how much a car costs is the usage cost.

Usage cost can be calculated as follows:

Purchase Price + Maintenance Costs + Fuel Costs + Insurance Costs + Breakdown costs (if any) - Resale Price

Divide by the number of months that you have owned the car to get a per month figure, which might be more useful. Including fuel and insurance is optional - I do so because some cars are cheaper to run in terms of fuel and insurance and others.

What this means is that when calculating the actual cost of a new car, the resale price needs to be factored in, which most people don't do. They just look at the monthly installments and think that is the true monthly cost. It is not. If the OP pays R36k to repair this car, he has essentially made 12 payments on a new car, in one go. However, in his case, spending R36k is not going to raise his resale price by R36k. With a newer car, spending R36k on installments will probably mean you could get R20k back in resale value. And remember, with a newer car, maintenance costs are typically R0 or near R0, depending on warranty etc.

After spending horrendous amounts of money on maintaining my old car, the 1994 Merc, I will never again keep a car out of warranty or maintenance plan. It is not worth it. Every single cent you spend on maintenance is literally flushed down the drain.

In fact, lets use me as an example. In April, we had a Kruger Park trip. So, in March, I took my car to the garage, a mechanic that I trust, to make sure that everything is okay. Long story short, the following needed to be replaced:
Alternator
Starter Motor
Battery
Radiator
Viscous fan coupling
Two new tires

Total cost was somewhere around R20k. So I think to myself, I've just spent all of this money on this car, lets keep it for a few months to spread that investment out over a longer period of time. 2 months later, the car overheats on a long trip and the engine is damaged. I had to sell the car for R15k when I could have probably got R35k had it not overheated.

And this was a very well maintained car. I spared no expense on it, I bought it for R40k and spent over R80k fixing it up, all told. I had it regularly serviced by a professional. The problem is with an old car, is that you think spending money on fixing it up will prevent further problems from appearing. It won't. No matter what you do, when a car gets old and starts giving problems, it will only give more problems, not less. You cannot rescue it. It will just get worse, and one day you will be stranded on the highway. And all of that money that you spent will be lost.

That R20k that I spent? Gone. Complete waste. Same could happen to the OP - he could spend this money and then have a car accident 2 months later. Insurance will pay out the retail value at most of his car, which will not include what he has just spent.

 

[longboy]

Ask your good friends where you can find a honest and reliable mechanic.

Take your car to him and ask him to take a look at it and give you a quote. It will be much cheaper to fix it up properly because you can then use it for a good many years, instead of selling it and buying an expensive new car that will quickly depreciate in value.

 

[psion]

That is why you don't keep cars when they get to this age.

So with your logic, you are going to be in car debt for the rest of your natural life?
There is a difference between a 20 Year old expensive car with a huge amount of mileage on and a newer cheaper car with mileage that should be good for a another 100 000 km

120 000km is hardly something to worry about getting rid of, close to the 200 000km perhaps

 

[S1ght]

/snip

You do make a valid point.

Another thing I should probably mention that I've got at the back of my mind. My parents are wanting to retire next year and they were considering selling me their Astra 1.4T.

Which means my other option is to spende only a few thousand now to get those important things fixed to stop the engine overheating and hope it lasts till then? Then the selling and buying their car option looks a lil' more attractive.

My last option which has been behind that part at the back of my mind and if you've seen some of my posts in the Off Topic section, I was considering moving over to Aus or some place for a year or 2 to try experience some place other than SA. So in that case selling would also probably be beneficial.

Life decisions everywhere >.<

 

[Ancalagon]

So with your logic, you are going to be in car debt for the rest of your natural life?
There is a difference between a 20 Year old expensive car with a huge amount of mileage on and a newer cheaper car with mileage that should be good for a another 100 000 km

120 000km is hardly something to worry about getting rid of, close to the 200 000km perhaps

Sometimes being in debt is preferable to the alternative, which is paying large sums of money to service a car. Case in point: me. I wasn't in debt, but I spent far too much on that car. Being in debt would have been better and paradoxically cheaper.

I think you need a balance. A car with 120 000km that has been well maintained will more than likely be fine. The OP's car has reached that age where the problems are mounting up, and in that case, it is better to sell.

Then again, how long will that car with 120 000km be fine for? Maybe the turbo goes, if it has one? Being in debt is less risky, and I think most of the time is preferable.