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kareinaMy car didn't pass its inspection this year, so now I need to decide how much I would be willing to spend to get it back into legal to drive shape. Since I haven't really got points in car repair, nor time to learn just now, I am asking for opinions about what would be reasonable to pay to fix it, or if I should just decide that it is not worth fixing anymore.
The car is a 2002 Volkswagon Sharan, and the problems with it are:
* spindelled 5.3.4, fram vänster, fastsättning lös
* färdbroms bromsskiva 1.1.14, bak höger, skadad
* färdbroms bromskraftfördelning 1.2.1, bak bromsverkan ojäm
* lambda-värde förhöjd tomgång 8.2.1.2, felaktigt
* skyltlyka 4.7, ur funktion
* avgasssystem 6.1.2, läckage
Which Google Translate tells me means:
* spindle joint 5.3.4, front left, attachment loose
* service brake brake disc 1.1.14, rear right, damaged
* service brake braking force distribution 1.2.1, rear braking effect uneven
* lambda value increased idle 8.2.1.2, incorrect
* light over licence plate 4.7, out of order
* exhaust system 6.1.2, leakage
I have an appointment on Wednesday to get an estimate for fixing the list. In addition to the above, we noticed when we changed to summer tires that a sensor cable leading to one of the breaks is broken and needs (at least) soldering back together). There is also some problem, somewhere, which causes the battery to drain if the car sits parked more than a day or so (which means that for the past year or more I just unhook the battery when the car isn't in use (if I won't just be driving home again in a hour or six).
Before I get that estimate I really ought to have an idea in my head of how much it is reasonable to spend to keep an old car running, so that I can just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when they call.
It cost 20,000 SEK for it back in 2016 (around € 2,000, more or less, depending on the day’s exchange rate). Since then, not counting insurance, road tax, and petrol, it has cost us:
In 2016:
* 3,840 SEK for summer tires (May)
* 3,586 SEK for service (May)
* 3,121 SEK for repairs (no record of what needed fixing) (Nov)
in 2017:
* 3,808 SEK for repairs (no record of what needed fixing) (Feb)
* 4,930 SEK for service plus replacing front brake pads (May)
* 2,107 SEK trouble shooting/reset break lamp warning light (Nov)
In 2018:
* 5,945 SEK replaced drivenut and replaced rusty cable to ABS warning light (April)
* 6,865 SEK replaced back brake pads (May)
* 9,482 SEK major repairs to front brakes (May; one week after the other break repairs—this time for emergency repairs when the breaks froze up and overheated during a road trip)
* 8,779 SEK service plus repair rusted-out ABS sensor and another rusted out something (June)
So far this adds up to more than two and a half times what we paid for it in the first place, and breaks are a re-occurring theme here. The 2018 repairs held long enough that we didn’t wind up spending anything on the car in 2019 or 2020 (so far--not even a normal service, oops).
What is a reasonable amount a year to throw at such a car to keep it running? Is this car now old enough/in bad enough shape that it isn’t worth fixing at all? Is it worth fixing so long as it is under a certain cost? If so, what cost? How much does the fact that I don’t yet have a job contract lined up for when my current job ends in December influence the answers to this question?
The car is a 2002 Volkswagon Sharan, and the problems with it are:
* spindelled 5.3.4, fram vänster, fastsättning lös
* färdbroms bromsskiva 1.1.14, bak höger, skadad
* färdbroms bromskraftfördelning 1.2.1, bak bromsverkan ojäm
* lambda-värde förhöjd tomgång 8.2.1.2, felaktigt
* skyltlyka 4.7, ur funktion
* avgasssystem 6.1.2, läckage
Which Google Translate tells me means:
* spindle joint 5.3.4, front left, attachment loose
* service brake brake disc 1.1.14, rear right, damaged
* service brake braking force distribution 1.2.1, rear braking effect uneven
* lambda value increased idle 8.2.1.2, incorrect
* light over licence plate 4.7, out of order
* exhaust system 6.1.2, leakage
I have an appointment on Wednesday to get an estimate for fixing the list. In addition to the above, we noticed when we changed to summer tires that a sensor cable leading to one of the breaks is broken and needs (at least) soldering back together). There is also some problem, somewhere, which causes the battery to drain if the car sits parked more than a day or so (which means that for the past year or more I just unhook the battery when the car isn't in use (if I won't just be driving home again in a hour or six).
Before I get that estimate I really ought to have an idea in my head of how much it is reasonable to spend to keep an old car running, so that I can just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when they call.
It cost 20,000 SEK for it back in 2016 (around € 2,000, more or less, depending on the day’s exchange rate). Since then, not counting insurance, road tax, and petrol, it has cost us:
In 2016:
* 3,840 SEK for summer tires (May)
* 3,586 SEK for service (May)
* 3,121 SEK for repairs (no record of what needed fixing) (Nov)
in 2017:
* 3,808 SEK for repairs (no record of what needed fixing) (Feb)
* 4,930 SEK for service plus replacing front brake pads (May)
* 2,107 SEK trouble shooting/reset break lamp warning light (Nov)
In 2018:
* 5,945 SEK replaced drivenut and replaced rusty cable to ABS warning light (April)
* 6,865 SEK replaced back brake pads (May)
* 9,482 SEK major repairs to front brakes (May; one week after the other break repairs—this time for emergency repairs when the breaks froze up and overheated during a road trip)
* 8,779 SEK service plus repair rusted-out ABS sensor and another rusted out something (June)
So far this adds up to more than two and a half times what we paid for it in the first place, and breaks are a re-occurring theme here. The 2018 repairs held long enough that we didn’t wind up spending anything on the car in 2019 or 2020 (so far--not even a normal service, oops).
What is a reasonable amount a year to throw at such a car to keep it running? Is this car now old enough/in bad enough shape that it isn’t worth fixing at all? Is it worth fixing so long as it is under a certain cost? If so, what cost? How much does the fact that I don’t yet have a job contract lined up for when my current job ends in December influence the answers to this question?