To scrap or not to scrap my car?

[El Cid]

I have a 55 Plate Zafira that has done 160k miles.

 

I guess 160k miles is quite a lot for a petrol car, but 7 seaters do tend to get a good price.

[geared]

I'm sceptical that an ECU replacement would fix a misfire personally, usually they either work or they don't.

 

Have they fault code read it properly or just used a cheap generic thing and guessed at the problem?

[Lockdoctor]

I have a 55 Plate Zafira that has done 160k miles. I recently spent the best part of £500 on new brakes all-round after spending £400 to get it through its test last March. It then developed an intermittent misfire. I spent over £200 getting the plugs and coil pack replaced, having been assured that this would fix the problem.

 

I am now told by another Vauxhall specialist that the ECU is the problem and £180 will fix it. However it now needs a new handbrake and two front tyres. Otherwise it is in good condition. The engine has been compression tested and it good, despite the miles it has done.

 

Do I spent the £300 or so to make it good again until the test in March or do I cut my losses and scrap it for £200? What would you do?

Does the Vauxhall specialist who say they can fix the problem do MOT tests? If so, I would get them to give you a quote to do all the work needed to pass the MOT now. If you have a price for everything, then you can decide whether the car is worth keeping for another year.

[L00b]

(Note: composited quote)I have a 55 Plate Zafira that has done 160k miles. I recently spent the best part of £500 on new brakes all-round after spending £400 to get it through its test last March. It then developed an intermittent misfire. I spent over £200 getting the plugs and coil pack replaced, having been assured that this would fix the problem.

 

I am now told by another Vauxhall specialist that the ECU is the problem and £180 will fix it. However it now needs a new handbrake and two front tyres. Otherwise it is in good condition. The engine has been compression tested and it good, despite the miles it has done.

 

Do I spent the £300 or so to make it good again until the test in March or do I cut my losses and scrap it for £200? What would you do?

 

<...>

 

I spent £550 0n a 2001 plate Xantia that was owned by a Citroen mechanic. It drives lovely but does not have the space and flexibility of the Zafira. The wife has a Renault Scenic which is pretty spacious but it needs brakes all-round at £200 and this is my dilemma; which car to lose.

As in, between the Zafira or the Xantia? Or between the Zafira and the Scenic?

 

You spent about double on the Zafira, which still drives 'not right' and would cost another £300 to put 'right', relative to what the Xantia cost you, which drives 'right' and needs nothing (-but a bigger boot ).

 

It sounds like you're happy with your wife's Scenic for the volume/boot requirements.

 

So sell/scrap the Zafira and put the proceeds (£200 to £450) towards your wife's £200 brakes = two cars 'driving right' and ticking all your boxes at no extra cost

Edited November 1, 2017 by L00b

[Marx]

As in, between the Zafira or the Xantia? Or between the Zafira and the Scenic?

 

You spent about double on the Zafira, which still drives 'not right' and would cost another £300 to put 'right', relative to what the Xantia cost you, which drives 'right' and needs nothing (-but a bigger boot ).

 

It sounds like you're happy with your wife's Scenic for the volume/boot requirements.

 

So sell/scrap the Zafira and put the proceeds (£200 to £450) towards your wife's £200 brakes = two cars 'driving right' and ticking all your boxes at no extra cost

 

I am coming round to this idea. The Xantia has hardly any rear seat space and I am 6' 7" so the driver's seat is always pushed right back, but we should be able to juggle cars as necessary. It just pains me that I have spent £1,200 in the last year on keeping the Zafira running. I could have bought a decent car for that amount.