Head gasket

[finers]

My girlfriends head gasket in her Cinquecento went the other day, got quoted 400 big ones to get it fixed,
Is it just me or is that a joke!!! i told her no way in hell it should be costin that much, the car isn't even worth that!!LoL,

Anyone know ball park figure might be, i was thinking more the lines of 200,

Goina ring Paul Nolan later and see how much he'll quote.

[colm_mcm]

A head gasket is a head gasket, no matter how little the car is worth, there's still a lot of labour involved. I wouldn't bother fixing it though, unless the car is a minter and needs no other work doing for the next year.

Better to buy a low mileage Seicento with a bit of NCT and a service history, they can be got for tiny money.
Or buy something else altogether.

When doing a head gasket, you're really talking getting the timing belt, water pump and tensioners done, as well as a flush of the cooling system, as well as an oil change.

[gary d]

Colm hit the nail on the head there, but I wouldn't go for a sciento. As far as small cars go you can't go far wrong with a nissan micra. I got the missus one as she is learnring to drive it's a 2000 1.0 celebration, cheap to tax, group 1 insurance, japanese reliability. It's 96,000 miles on the clock an the interior is spotless like new. A really cheerfull honest little car, I've been using back and forward to work to keep the milage down on my fto and its cut my fuel bill down from £45 to £25 a week Oh and got a set of front pads for it the other day £12

[colm_mcm]

Hard to go wrong with a Micra or a Yaris, but on the other hand, I've seen Seicentos with full history and under 30,000 miles go for tiny money. there isn't a whole pile that goes wrong on Seicentos or Cinquecentos, the main concern is crash safety (A Micra won't be much good either)
If she's spending around €1500-€2k, a Clio is actually a great buy, unlike a lot of Renault models, they're very well built and they go for small money.

[finers]

Ah cheers lads, i rang paul der also confirmed around 400, i did a head caket on an outboard before seemed easy enuf , just sent it away to get skimmed, ye wastn aware it could have knock on effects or maybe the waterpump caused the overheating?, i think its time to go car hunting but budjet is very low, talking 1000, if you know any good deals floating around need a car asap.............she's not getting the fto

[gary d]

Hard to go wrong with a Micra or a Yaris, but on the other hand, I've seen Seicentos with full history and under 30,000 miles go for tiny money. there isn't a whole pile that goes wrong on Seicentos or Cinquecentos, the main concern is crash safety (A Micra won't be much good either)
If she's spending around €1500-€2k, a Clio is actually a great buy, unlike a lot of Renault models, they're very well built and they go for small money.

Well heres how they compare seein as the budget wont stretch to a clio

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/nissan_micra_2000/68.aspx

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/fiat_seic ... 00/73.aspx

[colm_mcm]

Clio is 4 star rating
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/renault_clio_2000/64.aspx

As is Yaris
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/toyota_yaris_2000/74.aspx

As is Punto
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/fiat_punto_2000/28.aspx

Yaris is too expensive, and Punto is too much of a risk.

[finers]

Wow im glad that fiat is off the road after seeing them crash tests ,
does the fto have rating or is this a standard test only done on more modern cars, ye paul had a cheap punto for sale i just laughed and said no way my sister had one and i was forever under the car!, Paul also agreed ,

Definitely a jap car me thinks, saying that i like the clios, im sure theres deals to be gotten out der:D,
She may get a loan of the fto as i got a bike

[gary d]

Clio is 4 star rating
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/renault_clio_2000/64.aspx

As is Yaris
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/toyota_yaris_2000/74.aspx

As is Punto
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/fiat_punto_2000/28.aspx

Yaris is too expensive, and Punto is too much of a risk.

Do you by any chance have a clio for sale Colm

[gary d]

How about a Hyundai Getz, not the most inspiring car I admit. But impressive spec as standard on a gsi 1.1 includes colour coded bumpers, electric front windows, central locking, power steering, abs brakes, cd player, and driver and passenger airbags. cheap tax and cheap insurance, bullet proof reliability My mother bought one from new, had it four years it never missed a beat. I managed to squeeze 95mph out of it, tucked in the slipstream of a saab turbo

[colm_mcm]

Don't have any of the above in stock at the minute Gary

Getz is a good car, we sell them. engine is based on Mitsubishi 12 valve, and they give very little problems. they're only out here since 04 so they aren't within budget yet.

[gary d]

03 getz seem to go for about £2,000 to £2400 up here, He did mention she might get a loan.
A starlet might be a good buy they've been makin them since day dot so there's a starlet out there for every pocket.

[colm_mcm]

Starlets are great but not exactly what you'd call robust in an accident.

[gary d]

Are any small cars pre 2000?

[colm_mcm]

Yup,

Fiat Punto, (1999+)
Renault Clio (1997+)
Toyota Yaris (1999+)
Peugeot 206 (1998+)

They're all 4 star.

[gary d]

[quote="gary d"]Are any small cars pre2000?[/ quote]
pre 2000 these cars have a 2 star rating!

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/renault/clio.aspx

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/fiat/punto.aspx


http://www.euroncap.com/tests/toyota/yaris.aspx

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/peugeot/206.aspx

No test results available pre 2000 on NCAP website

[colm_mcm]

The 1997 Clio that was NCAP tested was the last of the original shape, the one that replaced it in late 1997 when tested got 4 stars.

The original Punto got 2 stars, this was replaced in Summer 1999 with the Punto Mk2 which also got 4 stars.

The Peugeot 206 has been out since 1998, It was NCAP'd in 2000, it got 4 stars.

The Yaris was launched in 1999, and like the 206, it was tested in 2000 and given a 4 star rating.

[gary d]

Clearly youv'e done your homework on this one, I take my hat off to you. Getz has a 4 star rating http://www.euroncap.com/tests/suzuki_ba ... 98/42.aspx
Was shocked by the result for the 98 suzuki baleno I had one of these for 6 years
On second inspection My Bakeno had driver and passenger airbags and side impact bars. Mine was a GS hatchback unlike the car tested

[gary d]

We got a little off topic there, what happened to head gaskets
No harm in a little healthy debate

[colm_mcm]

Clearly youv'e done your homework on this one, I take my hat off to you.

No need!

I sell cars, I have to know this stuff

[gary d]

Wasn't sure if you were a mechanic or salesman, goin by your profile you described your occupation as motortrade.
Maybe you could do Finer's bird a good deal on a new motor then, do club members get a discount

[colm_mcm]

Sorry, I don't deal in that end of the market

Only sell new or nearly new stuff. Club members get preferential prices of course.

[gary d]

Your not secretly a Hyundai dealer are you

[colm_mcm]

I might be...

If it turns out that I am, don't tell anyone.

[Sebastian]

good thread here guys ! keep up the good work

finers is there another FTO on the cards maybe?