WWYD broken car...buy another

[Bloodycar]

Name change due to details.

2010 diesel 170k miles. Cost £2k a few years ago. Leather interior, heated seats, blue tooth...top spec. Clean tidy car, no rust etc. Fits our needs perfectly.
Needs over £2k of repairs, timing chain, cams, oil pump.

I have £3k in savings....that's it nothing else. Don't want anymore monthly outgoings, mortgage due for renewal next year.

Would you repair the car or buy something else? Even though the used car market is crazy right now.

@Rollercoaster1920 the timing chain hasn't broken. Possibly stretched/tensioners knackered. Still driving, although slipping and can lose power.

There is a knocking from the front - probably cams.

Currently won't pass MOT as dpf light on, due to timing chain, and last week the engine management light came on. Code reader said turbo issue - although possibly incorrect and caused by cam and timing chain.

If it's already slipped then you've probably already driven past the service interval!

I'd not put more money into a high mileage car with a slipped timing chain.

An old motorbike I had slipped it's timing chain. The piston had hit the valves and bent them, also a chip from somewhere got into the piston rings and wrecked the cylinder lining and pistons. Of course that was a few hours labour to get to that point.

The key with bangernomics is knowing when to accept the end.

There should be quite a few cheap non-ULEZ compliant vehicles around as people off-load them

@Rollercoaster1920 I would love a motorbike again. Not practical with a little one, dog, and our love for camping. But mostly....little one can't reach the footpegs yet!!

I'd say get the repairs done and you'll still have a grand left. They're major, long interval replacements, so you should be able to keep on running. Save up again to have a deposit for a newer one in two or three years.

All cars end up being money pits in the end.

My Mazda has passed with dpf light on - twice 😂