# Cheap car required.



## colly (4 Jul 2019)

My niece and her husband have just lost their car due to the cam belt breaking. They are up against it money wise and need a car to set them on for a few months.
So anything with an MOT that is not a death trap. Looks and so on are not an issue.
It just needs to run and be legal.

They live in Redditch so if you have an old car or know of one in that sort of area let me know.

It's a tall order for £200 but unless you ask........

Thanks.


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## cyberknight (4 Jul 2019)

i know its more than they want to pay but i have seen google says £3- 400 for a cam belt change. if the rest of the car is ok may it be worth it to avoid death trap ?
https://www.whocanfixmycar.com/services/cambelt-change
Also a local garage might be cheaper?


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## Drago (4 Jul 2019)

If the belt has gone kaput then it's most likely going to need the head off and valves replaced (if lucky) and a new head (if not). Very few "safe" engines about any more


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## Spiderweb (4 Jul 2019)

cyberknight said:


> i know its more than they want to pay but i have seen google says £3- 400 for a cam belt change. if the rest of the car is ok may it be worth it to avoid death trap ?
> https://www.whocanfixmycar.com/services/cambelt-change
> Also a local garage might be cheaper?


A cam belt change isn’t required. The cam belt has snapped so some serious damage to the engine.


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## colly (4 Jul 2019)

Yes it's the belt that's broken but that in turn has messed up other stuff. Doing about 30 at the time and she said it sounded 'bad'.


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## cyberknight (5 Jul 2019)

F


colly said:


> Yes it's the belt that's broken but that in turn has messed up other stuff. Doing about 30 at the time and she said it sounded 'bad'.


Fair enough sorry I can't do owt


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## AuroraSaab (9 Jul 2019)

Can't help with a cheap car, but if they end up looking on ebay, Auto Trader etc. I can recommend some cheap but reliable choices - Mitsubishi Carisma, Nissan Primera, Nissan Almera. All very dull and unloved motors but very reliable and cheaper than their Ford etc equivalents. Anything Hyundai is also a good bet, though the newer ones aren't cheap.

Our Carisma and Primera were practically faultless in 7 and 8 years of driving. OH's i10 had one fault in 9 years from new. 

I have had 2 cars where the cam belt has snapped and damaged the valves - Ford Escort and a Rover - and both times the repair was a good chunk of what the car was worth and scuppered us financially for a few months.


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## bikingdad90 (9 Jul 2019)

Can they afford to get a cash in bank credit card which gives up to 30months interest free?


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## colly (9 Jul 2019)

bikingdad90 said:


> Can they afford to get a cash in bank credit card which gives up to 30months interest free?


Hmm. Not so sure of their actual circumstances. If it were me then it would be an obvious solution but quite how they stand with regards to credit card companies I don't know.
It's very sad because he has had over the past few years a series of health issues which have knocked them for six as a family. No matter how hard you work and how dilligent you are things can crop up that ruin any security you think you might have.
On a brighter note their son has just finished his second year at uni and is predicted to get a first.  He will be staying with us from September for a few months while on placement at St. James's Hospital in Leeds.


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