FBG Car Guys - Blown Head Gasket (1 Viewer)

[Ratbert]

Radiator issue could very well have been caused by a bad head gasket/head gasket issue misdiagnosed as bad radiator. What's the make of the car?

Venting combustion gases into the cooling system can cause cavitation in the radiator, water pump etc. You'll lose coolant wherever it can get out. Older Subarus are FAMOUS for this type of head gasket failure.

 

[Nugget]

Why does he need to buy a 'new' car? Plenty of good used cars for around $5k. Sell the car with the blown head gasket for $1k and spend for a better car without the problems.

True. But not sure that is a better solution. I thought the current car has always been in the family and in good shape otherwise.Might be more risk buying used from somebody you don't know.

Not as risky as buying a new car with a lot of guaranteed sunken cost.

Didn't you buy a new minivan a couple months ago?

 

[joker]

The car is a 2003 Audi A6 that's done just fine for the 3+ years we've had it, but has started to show its age with the radiator, the head gasket, and some other repairs that the shop said we'd likely need in the near future when it was in for the radiator. I'd actually consider getting the head gasket repaired if the cost wasn't absurdly high, but now that things are starting to go wrong with the car I get the feeling the hits will just keep coming. We're looking at replacing it with something in the neighborhood of $5k or so, as neither one of us wants a big car payment since we've had quite a few years without one.

 

[coyote5]

The car is a 2003 Audi A6 that's done just fine for the 3+ years we've had it, but has started to show its age with the radiator, the head gasket, and some other repairs that the shop said we'd likely need in the near future when it was in for the radiator. I'd actually consider getting the head gasket repaired if the cost wasn't absurdly high, but now that things are starting to go wrong with the car I get the feeling the hits will just keep coming. We're looking at replacing it with something in the neighborhood of $5k or so, as neither one of us wants a big car payment since we've had quite a few years without one.

Yeah but dude, why don't you just buy a hoist and DIY? Do you even mechanic, bro?

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Where are all these awesome $5k cars?

 

[cstu]

Where are all these awesome $5k cars?

I said good, not awesome. Something like a mid 2000's Camry with 100k miles.

 

[Johnny Rock]

My sister is pretty savvy. She had a VW Golf in college and it needed a head gasket. She took it to a used car place and traded it in on a different car. A few days later they called and said it had a blown head gasket.

I don't know how the conversation went, but basically she said you're the car dealer and I'm a girl. How am I supposed to know?

They dropped it of course. What were they going to do sue her and say a college girl screwed them?

I'm not saying it's ethical, but I don't think those guys flinch if they can get a woman to overpay for a car. Maybe your wife can negotiate a used car deal, then see if she can get $3,000 trade-in value.

 

[Dickies]

Where are all these awesome $5k cars?

I said good, not awesome. Something like a mid 2000's Camry with 100k miles.

This. My advice is to buy a mid 2000's Camry/Accord with mileage in the low 100k range that has the receipts for the major 90-100k service. With minor maintenance the car will easily get you another 100k and will still have residual value when you are done with it.