HELP with collection in Leeds (NOW sorted). I have done a stupid. MGF kettle kontent. NOW with bullet dodging - deal's off!

[JohnDeere]

Very disappointing about the head gasket. As I started reading this thread, I was looking forward to the part where you got it home and found that it wasn't too bad, at which point I would have made you an offer.  I do fancy one of these before the prices head north on the off-chance anyone else has one to get shot of.

 

(I see it's now relisted as "requires new head gasket").

[Six-cylinder]

New listing

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222432696901?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I can see why you wanted that, it's a pretty car in an attractive colour.

[djimbob]

New listing

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222432696901?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Bloody hell, I'm tempted at that price myself, I'm in a car club run by a Mini specialist, who I'm sure has done headgaskets on these buggers before, only downside is I don't like manual boxes much, and the missus won't drive them at all

 

 

Edit:

 

Gumph, just spoke to said mechanic, says that it's a bitch of a job, he's done one only, and said he would charge me a lot of money to do it as it's so involved, is he right??

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

It's your 333rd third post - do you feel lucky?

[djimbob]

It's your 333rd third post - do you feel lucky?

 

As an elderly punk rocker and a shiter, i always feel lucky

 

I seem unable to resist the lure of a *bargain

[SiC]

Is it really that bad? I've seen people drop the whole engine and transmission combo on their drive on here.

[Six-cylinder]

A couple of years ago a friend had one replaced by a traveling K head gasket specialist, I think the bill was around £500 for a top job.

 

When I changed the head gasket on my Rover 114GSi last year is spent £150 on parts without a pressure check or skim.

[Guest Breadvan72]

The car is a good colour and has a decent looking pale leather interior, judging by the photos.  For the reasons mentioned on the last page, however, and below, I just can't be doing with taking it on as a fixer upper.

 

djimbob got the impression that the seller knew or at least suspected that the gasket was a problem, but whether he did or not he acted with alacrity in offering to cancel the deal.  I have no beef with the dude, but if he knew or suspected that the gasket was iffy it would have been in his own interest for him to disclose this in the ad in the first place, as he'd prob still get a buyer, and would not have landed himself with the car still on his hands when he is moving house and losing space to keep it (assuming that to be the real reason for sale).

 

If not for bad timing, distance etc, if I had the skills of a Boll, or others on here who are spannerhandy, I would have chiselled the dude down on the price, bought the car and fixed it up, to keep or to sell.  but as I am mechanically useless, I would have to pay someone to fix it.   Opinions seem to vary as to whether it is a quick and cheap job or a slow and wanky one.

 

Anyway, on to the next ill considered decision!

[SiC]

Given they're all probably going to need it at some point, if it's cheap to buy, getting it done by organising it yourself will give guarantee it's been done properly. Especially if cost of replacement + cheap buy price is less or at what a "working" car would be.

[pompei]

Veering slightly off topic, I've read that the sure-fire* method of fixing a kettle is to use a specialist supplied thick metal gasket. If that is the case, won't that decrease the compression leading to LESS_POWA?

[djimbob]

£430 on the bay it ended, seems a bit high but the car is what someone will pay for it, blown headgasket and everything

 

At that price I would go for a known good one personally if I wanted one, which I do not really

[richardmorris]

A friend of mine paid £350 for the head gasket on her R reg one a couple of years ago. She didn't believe me when I told her the head gasket was to blame when she told me she was topping up a litre of coolant a week. Said it couldn't be to blame as it only had 30k. Then.,....

[Guest bangerfan101]

I call bullshit on the no where to keep it. The site I work on at the minute is littered with lease plan a3s, the double garage that come with the houses are majority full of old shit from their house moves. The developer won't say anything as dealing with customers after they've moved in to their 680k dream home that's been put together by monkeys on price work is a fucking nightmare.

[scaryoldcortina]

HG isn't as bad as people make out on these, once the hood and the engine cover are out of the way it's no worse than a FWD car. I dropped the whole subframe on mine because it also needed a clutch.

[djimbob]

I'd like to mention BV has rewarded me with a crate of german booze lager, and I would like to say a giant thanks, and can fully recommend him as a true gent and a proper shiter, would assist again