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General => General discussion => Topic started by: Miss Piggy on 06 September 2004, 11:40

Title: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Miss Piggy on 06 September 2004, 11:40
My boyfreind has managed to kill my car. It's a long story, but basically, when he filled the coolant, he forgot to put the top back on, so the engine overheated, the radiator burst and the head gasket is looking a bit suspect.......

I don't want to spend money on mending the radiator, only to find the head gasket has gone too. It's a K reg Mark II Golf, and not worth an awful lot. I'm not "handy" with it and don't know anyone who is.......

My question is, how do I best get rid of it? I don't want to scrap it -a s essentially it's a brill car - it just needs more than I can give it. Is it worth putting in the paper for spares/repair? How much should I charge? It was a decent car - 90k miles and a good runner until he killed it!

Sorry for the silly questions - hope you can help!
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 06 September 2004, 11:46
Will it still start?

Yes i did read all u said but even with a blown head gasket it should still start and run for a short time, havin filled up the rad.

You will have trouble selling it as it is.
Your only hope would be ebay and take whatever you can get.
Title: Re: Boyfriend killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Miss Piggy on 06 September 2004, 11:58
Yes it starts and moves and everything!

I had a sneaking suspicion that I'd have to junk it - it just seems a shame.....
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Speedydub on 06 September 2004, 12:02
a k reg mk2??? thats a late model......gti????
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Miss Piggy on 06 September 2004, 12:09
Makebe it's a Mark III - bear with me, I'm blonde  ;)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Speedydub on 06 September 2004, 12:10
lol  ::)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Blue MK2 on 06 September 2004, 12:30
you could sell the parts on here ???
Title: Re: Boyfriend killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Overseer on 06 September 2004, 12:33
Yes it starts and moves and everything!

I had a sneaking suspicion that I'd have to junk it - it just seems a shame.....

if it starts and moves why is it "dead" ?
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Martz on 06 September 2004, 12:41
Sounds awful, the big ends have gone, the car has basically had it. As I am a nice bloke, I will tow it away for you. I will only charge you ?25 as your a member of our site. ;)


(Martz is hoping for a bargin,lol)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 06 September 2004, 12:45
You have three options:-

1. Sell it as it is and take a fall

2. Scrap it and break it for parts and will get more for it, but ya need space to do it. And will take time.
Although ya cant sell the engine as it is - unless ya wanna be dishonest.

3. Get it repaired. A normal garage (Non VAG) for a rad and head skim/gasket has gotta be in the region of say ?300 - ?500
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Martz on 06 September 2004, 13:35
Or 4.

Give it to me. :P
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Miss Piggy on 06 September 2004, 14:06
To be honest it's not worth having it repaired - I don't reckon the cars worth much more than ?500 anyway........

I think I'm going to try and sell it for spares/repairs - if I get no luck I'll raffle it on here  ;D
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 06 September 2004, 14:13
A K reg with 90K on the clock has surely gotta be worth more than that?

?550 at least!   lol

Think ya need to make an offer Martz
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Golfgal on 06 September 2004, 14:18
where are u based??

Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Gambit on 06 September 2004, 14:20
just get a mechanic to take a look at it.

look upon things optimistically rather than pessimistically - u'll get a lot further in life!

 ;)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Overseer on 06 September 2004, 14:42
^ i'll second that! :)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Martz on 06 September 2004, 14:48
A K reg with 90K on the clock has surely gotta be worth more than that?

?550 at least!? ?lol

Think ya need to make an offer Martz

Maybe..........................................
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 06 September 2004, 14:49
The thing i find strange is - if the cap was left off or undone how or why did the radiator burst?
There would have been no pressure to blow it.

My guess is the head is warped and the compression of the engine was putting extra pressure into the cooling system.

So i think you are looking at worst case scenario a ?500 bill.
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Miss Piggy on 06 September 2004, 15:27
Goodness me - don't ask technical questions  :-[ I'm not sure how the radiator burst - but I do know it's leaking....... Personally I'm not convinced the head gasket is gone (not that I'm an expert!) because the car has not overheated enough (although I'll be the first to admit - I don't know how much an engine does have to overheat for the head gasket to go!).

The mechanic I spoke to said it would be around ?250 to sort out the radiator and fan (which has also seized he says) - but that he wouldn't be able to tell if the head gasket had gone until he's done that. If it had blown, it would be ?400. It's not worth it really.

I'm in Newcastle upon Tyne BTW......

PS - I should have chosen a mechanic as a boyfriend. WOuld have made life FAR easier  ;)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Golfgal on 06 September 2004, 15:33
No love coz then he plays with his car all the time and yours don't get looked at anyways.

7 months and still waiting for me linkages  ::) :)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: redcarboy on 06 September 2004, 15:53
If you got a garage Strip the car sell all the good parts on Ebay scrap the rest prob make more than the car is worth that way then buy a new golf mk2 .Ain't DINX up that end of the world maybee she knows someone who could help just a thought? ;D
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Blue MK2 on 06 September 2004, 16:13
ill give u a tenner for it right now  ;)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 06 September 2004, 16:18
Martz has got competition.

Next bid.
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: redcarboy on 06 September 2004, 16:32
The mad count is offering you a whopping ?20 three chickens and a mongoose. ;D
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Gambit on 06 September 2004, 16:45
you could pick up a 2nd hand radiator for about ?20-30, f**k paying for a new one! and if your really handy you could get one that has a working fan also already attached - 2 birds killed with one stone.

then its a few bolts and 2 water pipes to refit

id be very surprised if the head gasket has gone.have you checked to see if water is mixing with oil? just have a look at the oild cap. if there is no white mayo gunk under it. it'll also be running like a bag of sh!te
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Dinky on 06 September 2004, 17:55
Quote
Ain't DINX up that end of the world maybee she knows someone who could help just a thought?
I wish a did hun! :-\ I use family friends! :-\
Gud luck thou Miss Piggy! :-\ :)

Dinx  :-*
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Miss Piggy on 07 September 2004, 08:39
Personally I don't *think* the head gasket has gone - it's not doing the mayo gunk thing, so I think it's OK. I'd LOVE to buy a second hand radiator and change it myself - but I know my limitations.......... ;D I think I'll have to leave well alone.
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Blue MK2 on 07 September 2004, 08:46
i got a new radiator for 40 notes.

Miss Piggy, the job is too easy. Give it a go  ;)
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 07 September 2004, 08:50
If ya can find a specialist Radiator company in your area you might be able to get your existing one repaired.
Or if ya can find the leak then a hammer and a punch and some soldering might do the trick.

Try Yell .com for a local rad co.
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 07 September 2004, 11:58
i got a new radiator for 40 notes.

Miss Piggy, the job is too easy. Give it a go ;)



Not that easy - involves taking off the bumper and grill etc.  - I wouldnt say that was easy.
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: topher on 07 September 2004, 12:18
Not that easy - involves taking off the bumper and grill etc. - I wouldnt say that was easy.

gosh no, not the whole bumper !? :P </sarcasm>
they'd have to do that anyway to find a leak/solder it like you suggested.

Still a bit confused as to how the rad "burst" when it wasnt under any pressure, since the cap was off the header tank.

If it was me, i'd check the rad hoses aren't split and bung in a bottle of rad-weld and see how it went for a few days.

Chris.
Title: Re: Boyfreind killed my car....... help/advice required.
Post by: Len on 07 September 2004, 12:26
Yeah thats why i posted again to say it wasnt so easy.

Yeah i said that about the pressure thing, sounds really odd. Maybe there's a blockage somewhere. A load of gunk and calcium deposit, usually found at the rad outlet. Which if its that, it could be why the rad only was under pressure.
Maybe try draining it and blowing thru the system, air-line if poss.