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Time for a change of car (old Cavalier needs MOT)?

My old J-reg 1600, which looks rather (!) rough is due an MOT.

The radiator has a small leak, so it needs topping up every few weeks. There's a nasty oil leak that appears to come from the head gasket (I've just spent some time cleaning the grot off to see where it leaks. The nearside sill has a small blister which may go through when tapped by Mr. MOT man. The windscreen is taped up to stop water getting in.

Last year it had front disks/pads/CV boots. This year it's had a downpipe, cam box gasket, N/S CV joint. It doesn't burn oil. The tyres aren't bad - 4mm, say.

It's done 157,000 miles.

Would you try to MOT it, or change for something else, bearing in mind that money is *tight* - I could spend a few hundred, but would like a reasonably long MOT and at least some tax.

Reply to
Chris Bacon
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Lay it to rest. It's had its time.

Reply to
Conor

Naa, that'll go for at least another 15 years. Kept the downpipes on one of my old cars going for years with beer cans and jubilee clips.

Reply to
ib

Yeah, but have you seen the price of beer in cans these days? And the cans are piss poor quality to what they used to be.

Reply to
Brimstone

I've had good luck with tinned tomato tins.

After a section of the exhaust shield fell off in the drive.

Old ones lasted a year or so, and have just been replaced.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

A serious answer now. :) I personally would put it through the MOT. Nothing you have mentioned would be a problem on an MOT apart from possibly the sill if it does indeed fail on that. Cheap and easy to patch a sill. I doubt it'll get through another one after this one but I'd say it's worth a gamble on this occasion and run it into the ground.

Reply to
Dave

I'd swap it. Sounds like it might take a couple of hundred to get through the MOT, with a sill weld and a windscreen the absolute minimum.

A quick look through Autotrader gives you a few alternatives to spending that cash. You should be able to get 50 quid for your existing car, as well.

It is showing stuff like a 'M' reg Ford Mondeo Turbo Diesel Long MOT, Full Service History 289GBP. Infinitely superior to a knackered 'J' reg Cav.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

The oil leak has resulted in oil dropping onto the exhaust pipe. I have cleaned the front of the engine and various closeby oily bits. I will wipe off some of the new drips before I go in. If it passes (I have decided to try, as you say) I'll look into it some time.

Reply to
Chris Bacon

Well! Not too bad. Advisory on handbrake travel. Both inner wings between where our right foot would rest it it were off the accelerator and the wheel corroded. The MOT man was able to poke his finger through ("They all go just there"). Just then, an acquaintance of his (who hadn't been "hanging around" came in and started chatting to his friend Mr. MOT man. Result! He'll weld it up for £35/40.

Must look at that oil leak sometime. It is coming from just below where the manifold bolts on, by the look. New thread on u.r.c.m.

Reply to
Chris Bacon

Nice one m8, another years motoring for peanuts. :)

Reply to
Dave

And you got away with the windscreen too? You must be pretty happy!

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

There's nothing wrong with the windscreen! Yes, if the car continues to function it will have been very cheap motoring!

Reply to
Chris Bacon

Ah. By "the windscreen is taped up to stop water getting in" I imagined a huge crack held together by duct tape!

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

The seal has gone. If it's not taped up, water psses down the inside, leaving marks, and turning the carpets all boggy.

Reply to
Chris Bacon

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