which jobs do you do to 'save' a car? Interested in views.

[pshome]

Change the fuel lines, NOW!

[mercrocker]

NOT liking the outcome, merely the very good advice.  

[Bren]

Our focus needs new rubber. Same as any car.

 

I noticed it wallows a bit when pushed, after 14 years the dampers are probably tired. I can get a set of Bilsteins for £175. Then you need springs.

 

Car is presentable and solid underneath - however the sill will probably need attention before next MOT.

 

Everything works, even the air con - but on a £600 car where do you draw the line?

[egg]

Ah, that's the proper autoshite response, sarcasm!

[Tamworthbay]

I can put with any number of body imperfections, dings, bumps, dodgy panel gaps, surface rust but the car MUST be completely structurally sound and mechanically perfect. I also like a nice interior. After all you don't see the outside when you are driving do you?

[danthecapriman]

How much do you like the car, I suppose is the answer here.

For me, the cars I have now I would happily spend as much time and money on as it takes to make them look good, be reliable and last.

I don't think there's anything wrong with doing it but all I would say is don't over do it, if money is a worry then concentrate firstly on safety related stuff, then the rest can come later.

And also there's no point changing or messing with things that aren't in need of work, doing that might well make the car concours standard but is it really worth it on a car you want to use regularly.

I've spent vastly more on the Mercury than it's worth, and I'm doing the exact same on the Capri now. A lot of people would think I'm off my tree doing it but I love my cars and it makes me happy so it's worth it, I don't intend to sell them at any point either.

[Urko]

 how do you take decisions like this on your own car? And do you get it wrong sometimes?)

The same stupid random way I do with everything else - and yes it does go wrong - usually at the very least by having decent tyres on stuff that is going to the bridge.  In the case of my ZT-T, by doing a load of things that were "supposed" to be done to the toppest of top standard, just to give it chance to stick two fingers straight up at me with OMGHGF (which the V6s never do - until they do).

 

There are very few cars I've ever owned that weren't made worse by my maintenance.

[derskine]

I've went to extremes, spending 4 months welding a £150 Renault 18 that was still only worth £150 by the time I'd finished - and I knew full well this would be the case.

[Angrydicky]

If I like the car, I'll do whatever it takes to get it back on the road. It helps that the kind of cars I own are all very basic and easy to repair.

[sierraman]

I've went to extremes, spending 4 months welding a £150 Renault 18 that was still only worth £150 by the time I'd finished - and I knew full well this would be the case.

I think rarity comes into it at some point, there's a big difference in what you've done there and someone welding up a 1999 Fiesta for 4 months.

[mouseflakes]

When a cars time comes depends on the owners enthusiasm for it   

 

If you like a car put whatever ££ into it to keep it going .

 

But then again i do things like this  

 

 http://autoshite.com/topic/20414-how-i-spent-my-bank-holiday-weekends-ford-focus-in-many-bits-content/?do=findComment&comment=750733

 

so probably not the best person to give an opinion  

 

Stixy - I'm very disappointed not to see Harry Dean Stanton in your avatar these days.

 

Sorry chaps - as you were.

[sierraman]

I don't mind sinking time into a car in the name of preventative maintenance. Saturday had the Focus on the ramp to grease the brake pipes and repair any faults in the underseal. Cost nothing but will save me ££ at MOT time on having welding etc done plus I can see I've got one with a completely solid body. None of the usual rear sill and chassis legs rot.