Point of no return?

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Sun 25 Mar 2007 15:35
Point of no return? - Marc4Six
Last week my engine failed in spectacular F1 style with plumes of white smoke out the back. The car has been recovered to my regular garage and the cause is being investigated, cracked cylinder block suspected.

My inclination is to have it repaired. The car is a 1992 Toyota Celica GT4, so in theory cost could be close to value? What would be the point of no return cost wise? It's all about cost of course.

The car is in mint condition (other than the engine!) and has had extensive work done on it. Perhaps the most difficult thing for me is to think what I would replace it with.
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Sun 25 Mar 2007 16:01
Point of no return? - D2*
When deciding wheather to repair the car, make sure you consider how much a replacement would be and the likely work that you would need to do to it to get it to the condition of your GT4. If you have a lot of money in the car and know that it is sound apart from the engine it is worth more to you than an equivilent unknown GT4 and so even if the replacement engine cost is more than the cars worth it may still be worthwhile for you.

Lets hope the repair isn't as expensive as expected and you can keep it on the road. I've always liked the older Celicas and think the older style GT4's are a definite future classic, so you shouldnt lose too much on depreciation in future.
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Sun 25 Mar 2007 16:35
Point of no return? - Bromptonaut
Have never understood "more to repair than it's worth" as a hard and fast yardstick. Makes sense if you're running 10yo Mondeos as bangernomics but when the car really suits you or is a proto classic the calculation is much harder.
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Sun 25 Mar 2007 16:57
Point of no return? - Pugugly {P}
You've answered your own question Marc. The rest of the car is known to you and you have spent money on it. You could buy an identical one and have that one explode or spend a wedge undertaking the tasks you did on the other.

I remember having a go in one of these (loaned by a garage as a service car in the late 80s) - fun !
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Sun 25 Mar 2007 17:09
Point of no return? - artful dodger {P}
Why not see if you can find another example that is sound mechanically but with poor/damaged bodywork, then swap the engines over. Then sell the donor car on ebay as spares/repair. This should work out less than finding an exchange engine or having the existing one repaired.


--
Roger
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

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