A Free Car

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Bit of advice required......

 

I've just been offered a car for free. It's an S plate 306 (TU engine, don't know size), 107k but no T&T. Owner wants to scrap it, but has offered it to me for sod all. It's been parked up due to a starting problem, but I bunged a decent battery on it and hey presto, it fired first time. There is oil in the header tank though (no signs of mayo though), so a compression test is being done tomorrow and the exhaust needs a new manifold to downpipe gasket. Brakes seem fine and newish at the front. Electric windows all round, mirrors and even an electric sunroof. It's had new parts fitted, a new exhaust and CAT, shaft amongst others.

 

My 205 is getting poorly now, and I just don't know when 'that' illusive BMW will crop up! But, at the very least it's going to cost me MOT and tax. A few quid on gaskets, and maybe head gasket/bolts.

 

It is worth taking and fixing up do you think?

[welshpug 1,657]

worth at least spending some time on it, you'll still get £100 - 120 odd or so if you just weigh it in if prices are still what I heard they were, cheap motoring if it works out though.

[matty_gti 20]

In a word...yes!. Like you said as your 205 is getting poorly and the 306 only needing a few hrs of TLC I would deff take it. It's worth it's weight at least

[james28 0]

as above worth at least seeing what is needed to get it sorted but a free car in this credit crunch cannot be bad

[calvinhorse 870]

i always think what could the same amount of money and effort do for my car? if your 205 is poorly fix it instead of buying more work when the end result would be a 306 with a small engine!

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

i always think what could the same amount of money and effort do for my car? if your 205 is poorly fix it instead of buying more work when the end result would be a 306 with a small engine!

 

True, but money for the 205 isn't a problem. I'm after an cheap everyday car so the 205 can go back in the garage, and it gives me time to save/look for what I really want (M Power ).

 

I'm going to have it.....just checked on GSF and a headgasket & bolts are £16 & £17 +VAT respectively.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

From reading your posts I think you have talked yourself into it already anyway!

 

But what I would say, add up the cost of getting it sorted, taxed, MOT'd, head skim, oil and filters, antifreeze. If you would be happy to pay that price for the end result of a possible ratty old 306 then go ahead and do it.

[Anthony 1,003]

I agree with Tom, and that's coming from me - the man that's had all manner of free and bargain basements hacks over the years

 

Free is great, but it sounds like it needs two things that I know you don't have much of - time to fix it, and space to store it whilst you do. TU headgasket and exhaust is very easy to fix if you do go for it, but even so, is this car really a better bet than the Blue 106 assuming you've still got that? I don't know how much it's deteriorated since I last saw/drove it, but other than needing a clutch and a couple of minor issues that looked like it would go through an MOT easily enough - and the current clutch would probably be good enough to drive to the MOT station so you can make sure it passes before spending any serious time/money on it.

 

If you want to buy something cheap as a hack to use whilst you take the 205 off the road, my advise would be to buy something that works in the first place - a couple of hundred quid will buy you something with MOT on it that works, if likely neither pretty nor desireable, and up the budget a bit and you can get a hell of alot of car for £500-600 these days.

 

(if you do buy it, I've got a TU headgasket for 1.1/1.4 models that you're welcome to if it's any use to you - won't fit 1.6's though)

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

I agree with Tom, and that's coming from me - the man that's had all manner of free and bargain basements hacks over the years

 

Free is great, but it sounds like it needs two things that I know you don't have much of - time to fix it, and space to store it whilst you do. TU headgasket and exhaust is very easy to fix if you do go for it, but even so, is this car really a better bet than the Blue 106 assuming you've still got that? I don't know how much it's deteriorated since I last saw/drove it, but other than needing a clutch and a couple of minor issues that looked like it would go through an MOT easily enough - and the current clutch would probably be good enough to drive to the MOT station so you can make sure it passes before spending any serious time/money on it.

 

If you want to buy something cheap as a hack to use whilst you take the 205 off the road, my advise would be to buy something that works in the first place - a couple of hundred quid will buy you something with MOT on it that works, if likely neither pretty nor desireable, and up the budget a bit and you can get a hell of alot of car for £500-600 these days.

 

(if you do buy it, I've got a TU headgasket for 1.1/1.4 models that you're welcome to if it's any use to you - won't fit 1.6's though)

 

Working out rough costs, tax is £70 for 6 months and MOT £55. Add the cost of head gasket and bolts, plus exhaust gaskets it should fall well under the £200 bracket to get it on the road. I've had a poke about on it and the bushes etc seem fine, no noise from steering (power), beam seems fine, brand new exhaust from downpipe back including CAT, wipers etc work, lights work and all the electrics work. I've already got plenty of oil/filters/coolant in the garage (thanks to ASDA and the £10 for 4litres of Castrol). I've even got a new water pump and cambelt kit for a 1.4 TU too, oh and a clutch

 

I do have the 106, but thats a LHD and really puts me off! Plan is to probably run this for several months, maybe more if its cheap enough to get on the road. If it behaves itself, I may even have it as a 3rd car/hack.

[feb 47]

Does the 106 need any work to get it on the road?

You are lucky to be able to get cheap roadworthy cars in UK, there is no chance of this happening in Germany, anything below 1.000€ will 99% be a lemon or require serious work to get it through TUV.

Even my collegue's 80's 911 and 1997-2002 XJR that were freshly MOTed in the UK failed in a list of things when he TUVed them a month later!

It is either the MOT is worth nothing/is a joke or the germans are more strict/try to find ways to get more money (or both).

Edited June 7, 2011 by feb

[Baz 421]

That 106's clutch was mega fubar a few years ago, it might limp to an MOT centre, it'd be an experience in frugal driving as you could probably only 'tickle' the throttle in gear!

 

Have the 306, it's for nothing! But don't bother doing the HG until you know it's actually gone, (block test it?) although not exactly uncommon on TU's, it could just be the remnants from a previous one letting go? If it is gone, weigh up your options then?

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Thought I'd give an update on this as I am now the owner.

 

Had a good look over it today. And here is the list of problems that will no doubt fail an MOT.

 

Exhaust gasket between manifold and downpipe is blowing.

Exhaust donut between downpipe and centre section is blowing.

Drivers balljoint gaitor has a split.

Both rear wishbone bushes are on their way out.

Drivers shaft outer gaitor has split it it (its pretty much brand new GKN job too).

Passenger handbrake cable is looking tired.

Both shocks look like they're weeping slightly.

Wipers don't stop.

 

Other than this little lot, the head is deffo going too. Compression test shows from flywheel end, 190-190-190-160 and there is bubbles under the rad cap.

 

The good bits on the car, well looks as though the brakes have been recently done front and back and the exhaust is brand new.

 

I've just added all the parts up including the head job and it all comes to just over £200. The way I see it is if I sort all those ^ issues out, this car should be a decent runner for less than £350 T&T.

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Can someone confirm whether 205 shocks fit a 306?

[Anthony 1,003]

Rears will, but the fronts I suspect won't because of the differing droplink bracket position/design (although I've never tried it)

 

If it's only a slight weep then it should go through an MOT fine with an advisory, but obviously if they're leaking significantly then it's a fail.

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Rears will, but the fronts I suspect won't because of the differing droplink bracket position/design (although I've never tried it)

 

If it's only a slight weep then it should go through an MOT fine with an advisory, but obviously if they're leaking significantly then it's a fail.

 

They just look moist......

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I have loads of 306 bits lying around if you need anything, suspension, wishbones etc