Goodbye to S4MYC after 17 years :(

[S4MYC]

I've had my girl for 17 years but the time has come to say goodbye. Not sure what I'm doing with her yet - maybe sell her to someone who wants a 'project' or maybe strip her down for parts.

We've had some hairy times in the past few years. I thought I was going to have to get rid of her about four years ago but posted the mechanical dilemma on Facebook (Gary's group) and had some wonderful tips. Literally took them in to my garage and they managed to get her going for another two or three years. So thank you to any of you who may have been involved in that. I certainly have had more miles out of her. On the RAC recommendation I tried another garage when she played up in 2019. Well a long saga later this moron had her in his garage for 51 weeks, drove her about 40 miles over the next week or two and then she had exactly the same problem she went in with. As you can imagine I'm gutted and wish I'd never met him. Ten years ago this summer I took her from Warwickshire all the way down to Cornwall. She was great - it was great fun. Now I can't even take her 10 minutes away without having to refill her with water

Anyway, not sure how to go about stripping a car down. Any signposting to someone who may be able to help or any tips welcome. To say I am gutted is an understatement

 

[Rudyrov]

SO sorry to see you get rid of your toy. I have had mine for about 8 or 9 years, purchased my Z with about 80 thousand miles on the clock, I am now at about 125 thousand. If there is one thing about old cars it's that you have to know about the car and how to fix it or at least diagnose it or have a really good and honest mechanic. In my case, I do almost all my own work and know-how to figure out what's wrong or at least take a good guess.
Well, long story short, I still love driving my Z, it's still a better car than many cars out there, even the new ones. Sorry to see you go!

 

[Althulas]

So your getting rid of it due to a water leak? If so where’s the leak from?? Might be an economical fix.

 

[Olliebeak]

I agree could just be a hose or water pump, cyl head gasket perhaps, might be a bit early to think about scrapping the car.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Like they say, can't scrap a car for a water leak unless it's totally horrendous, and that's unlikely. Find someone competent first.

 

[Althulas]

Can you give more details on how we can advise you, I’m only down the road from you.

 

[BMBabe]

@Lee Mr Zedshed himself maybe able to help

 

[Woodsta888]

What's the last MOT say in failures and advisories? I'd MOT it for<£50 ELSEWHERE!

He's had it for 51 weeks? Dude, get it somewhere else. She ain't scrap unless an MOT says so. Otherwise a decent mechanic or help on here, will help you assess properly. I think the 51 weeks and to be told what you say, has demoralized you from reality (I'd be the same).

Never EVER use a massive company's recommendation. EVER! Same as 'trust a builder.com' or whatever that shytesite is called. Friends are equally as bad unless they are mechanically minded and properly enthusiastic about their car.

Your issues sound mechanical so not for scrap. Unless there is a corrosion failure, S4YMC just needs some love.

 

[Shelly]

You can’t let your Z go because of a water leak, hope you can fix your Z and drive her round for a bit longer

 

[S4MYC]

Dear all ! Thank you for all your comments and wow I know it's taken a long time to reply. A couple of awful circumstances. My partner died in March - very suddenly. Then my grandfather died in June. It's been an horrendous year! I still have the car - I still haven't sold her. I did try actually just in the last three weeks on eBay but they were absolute time wasters. Offering £600 / £700 without even seeing her. Anyway basically I'm still going to sell her. Addressing some of the comments above, as I'm sure you'd appreciate, I have little faith in garages these days and would rather invest in another car rather than make the same mistake twice. I don't know enough about cars (apart from how to drive them and whether they're a pretty colour!) to know who to trust and who not to trust. So she's going on the market. It's a shame as I do love her but I think the best part of 18 years (Minus the 51 weeks that moron kept her!) is long enough for me. Anyway, sorry I didn't get back to you, peeps, but the car has been the last thing on my mind in recent months X

 

[Woodsta888]

Awww mate. Horrible time for you with your partner passing and your grandfather. I am so sorry. Awful for you, just awful.

There aren't many garages around now with the attitude to help for a decent price. Another money extraction busines. The 7 days allowance to DIY or for free MOT recharge is a bugbear of mine, absolute rip off guided by the induistry so you have to pay them. All industries are tied up to extract more money buy lobbying the rules.

I compare my 2001 collins DIY maunaul with a 2020 version with refrence to swapping out a consumer unit, 2001 you can 2020 pay a pro.

Log burners; scotland, fit your own, UK pay ££££ for a pro. BMW Bnetley manual manual - get a pro to do it. It's getting silly.

I have a neice whom at 17 has had the extraction method used on her, she just doesn't know and neither should she . £1500 to change front pads and discs. Plus the £2k they'd extroterd from her for a £1500 car in the first place. Boils my blood. You'd think these days things yet more regulated, but I call BS. the rules are made for the big companies to close out the small business.

Post up what the last MOT said for advisories or failures.

51 weeks man - how much you pay him in total to not fix the issue?

 

[Woodsta888]

Double post

 

[S4MYC]

Double post

Aaah thank you Woodsta. I can safely say this has been the worst year of my life but weirdly I'm feeling OK at the moment.

Double post?

I agree. It literally took me threatening this chap with legal action and tearing into him about how he shouldn't even be in business to get the car back. Lee (my partner) would come with me. Thank heavens he did as without a man I'm sure I didn't stand a chance of getting it back.

I will look at the last advisories on the MOT and dig out. I remember it was to do with emissions though, though how much of it was this idiot's incompetence I don't know but it did get sorted and she ran fine for a bit. Because of the bad experience with him and some sort of instinct I took her into the garage I usually use and they tested whatever it is they test that turns yellow (I'm sure you know what I mean!) and told me it was a head gasket problem. This was about 40 miles after I'd picked her up from the con man!! The reg, if anyone wanted to look the car up, is W423 XGN.

 

[colb]

The test the latest garage carried out must have been a coolant check to check for exhaust gasses in the coolant. Turning yellow as they report would indicate a blown head gasket and be the cause of the loss of coolant you experienced. This is not the end of the wortld it is fixable by a competant DIY mechanic. The engine head will have to come off and be sent in to an engineering shop for the head to be skimmed flat before its replaced on the engine with a new gasket. Parts wise its not that expensive it will be the labour that is going to raise the cost. Maybe someonbe on here will be local to you and be able to offer assistance in getting you back on the road.

 

[Althulas]

Hi so sorry for your loss and hope you are along that healing process.
I’ve had a look on line and this company in Warwickshire has good reviews online
http://engine-centre.co.uk/ and there another in Coventry https://coventryclassicengines.co.uk/ might be worth a call for a quote.