YACT: Sell/Trade or get this fixed? (neon - head gasket) UPDATE

[Hossenfeffer]

My wife's 98 Neon apparently needs a new head gasket. Hooray. No, really, I'm elated. To top that off, she bought the car out of desperation after her Ford Escort blew a head gasket. Good times.

I ended up putting too much money into fixing my 97 Plymouth Breeze (Yes, I know it's the uber-manly car) instead of just getting rid of it and getting something else. (At least I'm guessing I did poorly). Among the things wrong with it was a head gasket. Ended up forking over over $2000 that I didn't have to get it fixed (started with the head gasket and gradually other things showed that needed fixin')

The repair place estimates $950 to do the job. Don't know much about cars and don't have the best head for business/finance so I'm making myself figure out what kind of options we've got.

I do have a lead on some used Honda for $1,000. I suppose it was fate that it was just yesterday that they told me about it. Will try to get details on that one today.

Update
Took it to a dealer this morning. They opened it up, verified the failure due to materials (as opposed to overheating, not covered under warranty). They called the warranty folks who, instead of sending an inspector out, went ahead and authorized things.

The upside. It will only end up costing $200-250 instead of $950.

The downside: I have to pony up the full amount and wait on reimbursement. Was hoping to spend that money on heating oil. Oh well, another couple weeks of wearing 3-4 sweaters and late bills.

A big thumbs up and thanks to you guys for keeping me thinking straight in an area where I'm a complete newbie.

 

[JulesMaximus]

What is the car worth in the condition it is in now?

What is it worth after you fix it?

How many miles on it? Does your mechanic seem to think that it will provide trouble free operation if you fix this problem? Have you taken good care of the car otherwise?

 

[amdskip]

If you are mechanically inclinded, you could replace it yourself. The head might need machined and hopefully nothings cracked. We did a head gasket on an 86 ford escort, what a pain with fords crappy wiring all over the place.

 

[iamwiz82]

i'd fix it myself. It isnt a massive job. How badly did it overheat, if at all?

 

[Hossenfeffer]

I took it in to get the belts replaced the other day. The day before that, the temperature gauge was all over the map and the heater didn't work for nearly 15 minutes. I "think" this was because the fluid(s) were low.

At any rate, my wife said that she heard some sort of pinging Saturday and a percolating noise after she stopped the car. Not sure how badly it overheated. We didn't drive it yesterday.

On the subject of overheating, besides a) getting the thing fixed or b) making sure the water/coolant level is high enough, will running the heater help, hinder, or do nothing to help keep things cool?

Her uncle is quite mechanically-inclined -but- has had 2 strokes. Not sure how he's doing.

While I consider myself rather mechanical, I've done zero work on cars. Well, aside from replacing the hyrdaulic supports on my 91 ford escort wagon's hatch Oh yes, it's true.


As for the car's worth, I have little to no idea. She's taken pretty good care of it. Had all the scheduled maintainence. I can't remember offhand, but I think it's at around 75000 miles.

To add to the great trade-in value, an actor friend of ours backed into (through) the driver's side doors and then basically laughed it off. Neither of us could quite believe that he didn't want to fit some part of the bill. That incident never got fixed so there are some nice dents on the driver's side.

 

[CraigRT]

I'd get a friend to do the HG.. you can save TONS that way. they are easy to go on the Neon, and once the HG is replaced to the newer kind (not the older, problematic bad repuation kind) the car should never have any problems with the HG again. especially the SOHC Neons, (I think they are a little more reliable than the DOHC)

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: Hossenfeffer
To add to the great trade-in value, an actor friend of ours backed into (through) the driver's side doors and then basically laughed it off. Neither of us could quite believe that he didn't want to fit some part of the bill. That incident never got fixed so there are some nice dents on the driver's side.

There is such a thing as small-claim courts.
Get him to pay you for the amount a reasonable body shop would charge for the dents and put it into the head gasket.

<--------Not kidding.

 

[LAUST]

a Neon needing a new Head Gasket!! :Q

Take it to a dealership, Dodge KNOWS they screwed the pooch on that one, I bet you can get it changed for free.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

I might just have to try the dealership, but I'd consider my chances less than 1% of getting them to budge, seeing as how it's 5 years old or so.

I'll also check with her Uncle to see if he's in any shape to go after a head gasket.

I'll also give our friend a call about the side-swipe. It has been 2 years so I wouldn't demand anything of him, just going to make the situation known, that his damage has taken a lot of the possible resale/trade value out of the car.

 

[TheAudit]

If nothing else major needs fixing on the car I would just get it fixed.
You could try that one grand Honda but that might have problems, too. At least you know what's wrong with this car. Get it fixed, save some money, and get something in better condition, or new, later on.

 

[StageLeft]

My advice is buy a car without head gaskets. You're having a lot of bad luck. Maybe an RX8?

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Checking with the dealer right now. Turns out that she's got a warranty good through 2004. Deductible is $200...


now talking with the warranty provider (warrantech). It's covered, in theory....


edit: Having the tech at the garage call em in regards to the claim.