basskiddanny Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Right I just found out today that next time I do an oil change on my car it is going to need a new sump, because the plug has seized and aparently if I try to get it out it will mess up the thread completely because the sump is made of aluminium. I tried the usual online place that give good discount on fiat and Alfa parts and they don't stock the 1.8 sump and it would have to come from Fiat with a 10% discount. This comes to £216.11 inc the VAT. It is already going in in about 2 weeks for a new variator and cambelt which is going to cost around the £360 mark, this is just the price it costs to have these 2 parts changed, and they need to be done at the same time. Other than servicing the car hasn't needed anything to be spent on it. I already begrudge spending £260 for a cambelt change and about another £100 for the variator, because I think it is a lot of money for a cambelt change, it isn't as if it is a special engine or anything like that, just expensive to maintain. I am assuming the costs are mostly down to labour because they are supposedly hard to work on. I need to consider to either part ex the car towards something else, but this would mean only spending about 3k-3.5k max on something with the part ex money and the cash I have, and I don't think from a dealership I could get a decent Focus 1.8/2.0 for that price. If I did a part-ex soon I wouldn't bother with the cambelt and variator change and just take less money for it, but selling private with a £360 service due wouldn't be worth it as no sensible private buyer will take it. The other option is to spend the £360 on the cambelt and variator and keep this until a few thousand miles before the next service is due and then get rid and just save up what I can between now and then...obviously by then the value of the car is lower too though to counteract the amount I have saved. Other option is do the cambelt and variator, at the next oil service spend the £216 + money for sump gasket and plug + fitting and keep the car until I can save up a good amount for something newer. Downside to getting rid of it is I can't afford anything newer anyway and whatever I get will probably just have other problems at some point. The downside to keeping it is that it is throwing money away fixing it, of course once it is done it is sorted and won't need doing during the time I have it. The sensible thing is to probably just keep it, bite the bullet and spend the money on it then save up for a really good car. I don't want to go into debt to get a car at the moment, but its more likely I will be fine to do this in about 2 years and get something actually near to new! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 They're blagging you on the sump..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matman Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 get another escort Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskiddanny Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 They're blagging you on the sump..... You think it will be okay to just remove the plug forcefully and replace it then? I've never heard of a sump being fucked completely because of a seized plug tbh. or do you mean the price? The price is from a reputable company though so I am guessing you mean it actually needing a new one? get another escort Maybe when I have enough for a cossie as a second car Or if a 4x4 Turbo Rs2k ever came up at the right price lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 I mean it's repairable if you do damage the thread.. worst case scenario is TIG on another boss... I have seen sumps crack though trying to get sump bolts out sometimes.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskiddanny Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 I mean it's repairable if you do damage the thread.. worst case scenario is TIG on another boss... I have seen sumps crack though trying to get sump bolts out sometimes.. Sorry if this is ignorant but what does "TIG on another boss" mean?? Supposed I could just give it a go next time and see what happens. I've never done an oil change on this car myself, did one on the escort, and watched matman do it about twice. Must be pretty much the same. Suppose if it does crack its just off the road for a week or so until the part gets delivered lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Weld on a new boss.. eg, repair the sump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScORTED Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 if its insured torch it... FIAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskiddanny Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 if its insured torch it... FIAT tbh it's much better than my escort was and noticeably faster... I still liked the escort but this car is much better, only thing my escort had better was the RS2K recaros I put in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sortedford Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Trust me Dan, theres nothing better about the Punto, someone i knew had one from new. Shoddy cars, maybe your Escort was just really bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskiddanny Posted May 7, 2008 Author Share Posted May 7, 2008 Trust me Dan, theres nothing better about the Punto, someone i knew had one from new. Shoddy cars, maybe your Escort was just really bad? lol my Escort actually never broke down. Just needed the usual stuff replacing, only time it wouldn't start was when the battery died, but it was the original battery! So my escort was pretty good and I did like it. But the punto is newer, faster, handles better and comes higher spec'd than the Escort. That's plenty of stuff that are better lol. I don't know about reliability because I had the Escort 3 years and thought reliability was amazing compared to what people usually say. I'm not going to try and change peoples minds about it because obviously this is an Escort forum lol, also I like escorts as much as you guys here do, but my opinion is it is better in those ways. The interiors in both cars are just as modern as each other, the escort holds up well against most cars interior wise though, the MK6 interior is better than some brand new cars even, quite cosy yet spacious with a good dashboard layout! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithyandco Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 It's still a Fiat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchkev Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 (edited) Fix It Again Tomorrow!! = fiat!! mind you, ford is Fix Or Repair Daily...... Edited May 7, 2008 by dutchkev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskiddanny Posted May 7, 2008 Author Share Posted May 7, 2008 (edited) Lol and an escort is still an escort...I've owned both cars and my opinion is the punto is a lot better. That said I still want to go back to a Ford at some point...but lets not go making out fords are anything special other than the odd model, especially older escorts and fiestas. Old cars in general (such as escorts and puntos) are Shite compared to newer stuff anyway. Edited May 7, 2008 by basskiddanny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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