GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: b16dlg on 25 January 2010, 22:05
-
Evening all
It is with regret i write that I am considering sending my 94m plate dragon green 8v gti to another home. After owning the car for about 5 months, after the previous owner had (well I think he must have) abused the car, the head gasket has now gone.
since having the car I've fixed the power steering, new alternator belt, cleaned throttle bodies and sensors etc all to finally have to admit that the fault with sloppy running and lack of power (yes 16v drivers I know the 8v isn't the quickest machine) probably lay with a leaking head gasket all along although had no overheating or gunge till last week.
The quandry I have is the car doesn't have the best body work either it has 2 rust patches around the nearside rear quarter panel a rust patch between this area and the door bubbling around the front windscreen and a small area around the offside front light cluster all patches so paintshops want to charge a fortune to repair. Oh and the windscreen needs replacing and brakes need doing before the MOt runs out in march. Not much work I guess to able DIY mechanics which sadly I am not.
I suppose i need to know other peoples experiences with repaired rust spots and headgaskets please as I don't want to spend a fortune (has just been christmas and all) and end up with recurring problems on the car or do I look to sell the car on to someone who wants a project and cut my losses?????
anyway any one who can either laugh at my misfortune or can make me laugh about please feel free to drop a reply also anyone with anything constructive please reply too think i just need cheering up and & a reality check to my situation
cheers Damion
-
Hi Buddy Don't think anyone on here would laugh at your predicament. Whereabouts are the rust spots?? Surely if you like the car the work is worth doing. I know this sounds a bit silly but the more you do to your own car the more enjoyment. The gasket would not cost too much to get done. Do the brakes yourself it is that easy. There are guides on here to do most things anyway.
The sensor and throttle body cleaning are just routine maintenance for these cars and everyone on here has to do it Mate. It all depends on your budget and how much you like the car really but these problems would not put me off mine!!!!!!! Cheers Deano
-
Sorry to hear of your troubles matey!!
Do you have a project near you where young offenders are trained in mechanics/bodywork? Or even a local college that runs that type of class? If so, they will gladly take your motor off you, and repair the head gasket/rust patches etc free of charge. It will probably take them 8 weeks, but if you can live without the car for that long, you will get it back all fixed, they will even do the the brakes etc (although you will have to pay for the parts) ready for the MOT.
Go on line for Young Offenders Rehabilitation Class's in your area, or just contact the local College.
I did that a couple of years ago with an old Porsche 924, It failed its MOT on brake pipes/discs/pads, floor pan rotten, tappets knackered, the list was endless. I gave it to a Young Offenders Class, 7 weeks later they gave it back and it sailed through the MOT. It also meant that some 16yr old joy riders got a better start in life (I hope)
Anyway, if that helps mate, great, if not, sorry
Toby
-
Well.. put it this way, whats old to one is new to another, i have just purchased a 16v GTI with rust patches, needing MOT, brakes... Heater matrix.. I plan to do the work and enjoy the car. as you have had the car any enjoyed it, it depends how much you want a change of car etc.. but personnaly i would think about doing the work, the head gasket is pretty easy on the 8v, get the head tested properly.. will be good for the life of the car then. Brakes.. everybody has to do them at some point, and rust, thats the only downer on a car as paint aint always cheep, but your doing the world a favour by getting it looking A+ again and probably wont be nearly as bad as you think :smiley:
-
Sorry to hijack your thread, but I'm in (almost) exactly the same situation.
The head gasket on my My 1.8 SE has started leaking and getting it started is sometimes a problem. Performance is okay, for now, but it's only a matter of time. Body work on the car is great, but I've been quoted 400 quid to get the head gasket replaced.
Does that sound about right? My quandary is whether to get it fixed, it is after all only an SE.
-
Sorry to hijack your thread, but I'm in (almost) exactly the same situation.
The head gasket on my My 1.8 SE has started leaking and getting it started is sometimes a problem. Performance is okay, for now, but it's only a matter of time. Body work on the car is great, but I've been quoted 400 quid to get the head gasket replaced.
Does that sound about right? My quandary is whether to get it fixed, it is after all only an SE.
Shop around a bit Mate....400 seems a bit high really.
-
400 quid seems about right to me. although if you're mechanically minded you could do it yourself quite easily. the 1.8 engine is so easy to work on
-
thanks for the words guys i do feel the problem should be rectified but i have a very tight budget and have to way up all considerations so I have to ask if I were to try to sell the car what would it be worth as it stands? anyone any ideas please, MOT til march tax till end of april.
Sorry to ask but need to look at all posibilities.
In response to the rust questions the rear quarter is around the top of the bumper on the back and side, the spot on the side of the space between door and boot is above the trim in middle of car, the bubble on the roof windscreen is drivers side near the corner of the windscreen and of course the offside front light is around the base of the light.
Thanks in anticipation of your responses
Damion
-
M reg 8v Gti with short(ish) MOT and tax and blown head gasket, shot brakes and bodywork issues would probably be in the region of about 200/250 really Mate. Whereas to spend a few hundred on it would get it MOT'd for another 12 months and get more value really. What could you replace it with for a few hundred quid??
-
Right so it makes sense to everyone & me to keep the car and get the repairs done, yes appreciate it would make it worth more but if i'm repairing i'm keeping :P)
So apart from head gasket, skim the head and timing belt so long as no piston damage has occured is there anything else i should be looking at doing, maybe water pump too if it is showing signs of wear???? pls.
Just makes sense to do what i can afford to do to get through the MOT even if it means sorting rust spots later, i actually like the car i just wanted to know if they remain solid when fixed obviously depends on who does the fixing lol.
I will later in the year colour code the seats dash and door cards to match the etxerior or compliment the exterior may as well try to make it look proper.
thanks again everyone
-
I've just ordered my required parts to get the beauty back on the road, brakes are ok but will need doing before MOT so can wait another month. Had a right result re cost of parts though all genuine VW parts from local vw dealer too:
Head gasket £15.42 + Vat
Timing belt kit £18.88 + Vat
Spark plugs set of 4 £9.20 +Vat
Oil Filter £3.27 + Vat
Fuel Filter £6.37 + vat
Oil £10 + Vat
And cost of skimming the head £26+vat
Total cost of parts £104.75 and a mate is doing the mechanical work so shouldn't cost more than £100 so yes i'm a happy man again.
Cheers everyone Knew i just needed to get my head in gear
Damion
-
Thats what i like to hear, it's a good job you were advised so soon! who knows what ar$e could have got his hands on that...some one like Shady just look at his engine, thats the kinda driver he is :tongue:
-
If the rust is only surface rust then I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have 3 rust bubbles down the drivers side of my car.. they're between the trim on the rear quarter panel and the rear side window. People point them out when looking round my car, and they make jokes about them, but I stay calm and tell them to find another car that's done 190,000 miles and still has plenty of life left in it!!!
Believe it or not that shuts them up :grin:
-
190, 000, goes to show if you look after your car and service it regularly your onto a winner. well done joe. quite impressed with that.
anyway back on the thread..
Are you doing all the work yourself then??
ohh and 400quid isnt that bad for head gasket to be honest... Unless you know the mechanic your always going to be weary of how they work on your car. Do they actually know what there doing?? sh!t i no but its true. So if you no someone who is GOOD at their work, i think its worth paying for a good job. least then you dont need to worry, is it going to happen again etc... etc..
-
No not doing the work myself the guy who is, used to work on VW's mainly transporters etc but has history with vw engines and as a guide he did my alternater belt and charged me 20 quid including the belt so he is not going to charge me a fortune. He has a mate who sprays too so gonna get him to have a look at the rust may get him to colour code the trim too as the last one he did he only charged £50 so i could well have a nice little car for not too much layout and including the brakes, new windscreen and everything to get it minted it should still stand me at less than £900 so a lot of car for not a lot of money in my mind.
So i'm all smiles again now watch me blow a fortune getting the seats retrimmed etc later in the year lol