Do I mend or let her go :(

[Bimbles1]

Mot time again
My Xreg 406 went in today for a look at before MOT. 114,000 on the clock
Verdict
both front wheel bearing going and 2 lower side ball joints
brake pipe leaking
rear suspension worn parts/ back suspension warn links and brushes
handbrake adjustment required
light showing for seat belt all the time Garage wanted to know if connected to drivers air bag as a def mot fail

been quoted £400 - £500 then would have parts for suspension.

Comments please Do I break my heart and let her go and put the money towards another one or bite the bullet and get her done.
Thanks in advance

[steve_earwig]

What's the rest of the car like?

[gumby6371]

I think this one greatly depends on your willingness to twirl the spanners?

Handbrake adjustment is par for the course assuming nothin needs changing its just your own time.
Seat belt light may be a planet reset job if you have someone local or rescue the whole pre-tensioner assembly from a brears yard if its naffed - shouldn't be more than £10-15
Brake pipe may be a job for a more experienced mechanic as not worth risking if you're not confident.

As far as suspension goes you could pretty much change or rebush the entire front and rear suspension for £500
Anything requiring pressing I'd strip off the car and take to a garage, they'd probably stick it on the press for a tenner.

Personally if the body is solid and the engine sweet which it should be at that mileage I'd put aside a weekend and get my hands dirty.

[Tubthumper]

My take on it would be could you find a comparable car, with 12 months ticket for the 4-£500 pounds yours will cost to put right ? And having spent out on a £500 car, chances are it'd need similar work anyway

As my old dad used to say when any of my cars broke - " The joys of motoring " !

[Welly]

Unfortunately the car's probably only worth about the same as the repairs; some would say this writes the car off but I have a different view on some cars i.e. if you spend £450.00 and this gets you another 2 or 3 years motoring in a car you know well then you can't put a price on that can you?

Better the devil you know sometimes, those repairs you listed aren't too bad (hopefully the garage aren't trying it on?) thing is what else could you buy? you could get something else and enter a new world of problems. Maybe you can reduce the bill by not having the wheel bearings done (if poss)? and have that done later.

[Bimbles1]

Thanks Guys for all your comments
this girly needs to think as she also has an oil leak after speaking to garage. Garage man (a good one) he always has a look at the car before mot and he is always fair with his bill. The quotes includes labour itsthe suspension the pain in the ****. he has tried reset for seat belt light also. lots like lots of thinking

comments still apreciated

[Bimbles1]

definate need wheel bearings done as now sounding like a jump jet bless

[dirtydirtydiesel]

As others have said, it really depends on your finances & the general condition of your car
You know if your car's not long had a cambelt done for example.
If it's due one & it's a bit shabby all round, if you can aford somthing better then move on.
BUT if your's is generally ok, been well serviced & you can't afford to spend much, then better the devil you know I say .

[Doggy]

Wheel bearing failures are pretty rare and not common on 406's - it usually turns out to be a tyre with a lump in it or something similar. If you can, try the spare in place of each front wheel in turn.

You described it as, " both front wheel bearing going", which may not be a fail, only an advisory - worth asking the question. Speaking from experience of previous cars with wheel bearing probelms, they develop slowly and generally sound much worse than they really are. When I gave in and changed them, it was still impossible to detect any play or roughness spinning the wheel or hub by hand, yet these sounded terrible when driving.

[jasper5]

Your description of the "worn rear suspension/worn links and bushes" is far too vague to give prices for the work.
What exactly are the problems? Is it rear suspension top links? Lower arm bushes? etc.

Light showing for seat belt showing? Which light?

Sorry to be blunt about this, but as a professional mechanic I can't give opinions on cost and whether the car should be taken off the road or replaced with such vague comments.

I don't know your location, but if you are anywhere near Lancashire I'm sure I could save you quite a bit of money, depending on what the faults actually are.

[Bimbles1]

Cheers Jasper for the offer of help
if I still lived in Todmorden it would be good but now live in the Scottish Borders!!!!!!

decided to stick with the devil I know and cough up the money and the garage agree.
Was going to get her to take for scrap when nice man at garage said apart from the repairs she is a really
nice car no rust and bodywork good. it was a shame to scrap her when she has nearly new tyres X 4, (4months old) new exhaust 6months old, new radiator last april plus all the other work done in the past!!!!! (had her nearly 11 years)

The garage I use he is a decent guy and tells it like it is. His own boss, really busy, no targets to meet and doesnt need the trade as he is really busy so when he says the price give or take £20 he is spot on.

She isnt a tootle car but a real work horse and I cant get another car for the price without taking on someone elses problems. (At least I know her faults).

Thanks for all your advice Guys

much appreicated and one very very happy lady

[rwb]

decided to stick with the devil I know

Sounds sensible to me.

[dirtydirtydiesel]

+1