What should I do with my car?

[Azurehawker]

Sorry not much of an aibu more of a wwyd, and also hoping someone who knows about cars can offer advice.

my car has developed a major fault that need a specialist repair (automatic transmission) the only garage I can find who are able to offer this kind of repair is is 200 miles away. I don’t think the car would make it there without being transported. Repair is likely to cost anything between 800-2000 depending on what they find. I still have 3000 outstanding finance on the car and the extended warranty I paid for has now expired.

The issue is complicated by the fact that the car has some quite severe damage to the bodywork as a result of a slight accident with my own garden wall 😬 it would also cost 1000+ to fix and I was resigned to just driving it into the ground with the damage unfixed, it also has around 90,000 miles on it so all in all it’s definitely worth less than the outstanding finance even without the transmission issues but I was hoping it would last the next 18 months so the finance was at least paid off.

I’m so stressed about it all as I can’t work without my car (self employed) I have no idea what to do for the best. I also feel like a complete failure as this was the car I bought after separating from my husband and it was a massive step for me, now it’s all gone wrong and I’m finding it hard to keep things in perspective and not just spiral into anxiety depression about it. Especially as I’m still having to drive the car for work everyday and it’s getting worse and worse, i know it’s just going to pack in any day now.

I could really do with some suggestions for the best thing to do in this situation.

Dsg is VW group? You don't have VW dealer within 200km?

Don't throw good money on a car that's not worth it.

My local mechanic sent my gearbox away to be rebuilt is that not an option?

This happened to us years ago. If you really can’t get say a recon box in from somewhere I would spend the £1k on a banger. Run it for a year while paying off the £3k (if you can) then part ex the banger in for a new one once your old loan is clear.

Or pay for it and run it into the ground if you’re not bothered, how old is it? Could it potentially have years left or are there other problems? The scrape isn’t really that relevant if it works. I spent £1k on work to my Land Rover but got another 4 years so overall it ended up way cheaper than a loan.

The other option could be get a loan for your new car plus a bit extra to pay off the old one.

It’d awful I know, but it’s only a car 🙂

Check how much a recon gearbox would cost and then get quotes for fitting it. May or may not work out cheaper than 2 grand.

I'd be amazed if there aren't businesses closer that could fit it.

The DSG is hardly a rarity, I find it very unlikely you can’t find a garage who works on them within 200 miles, unless you live in the outer hebrides.

Most, if not all garages can do DSG transmissions, they arent that special and fairly common in some cars for a great number of years now. DP is a mechanic at a small independent and has done loads.

DSG gearboxes are common. VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat. Where on earth do you live?

Sell or part ex it and get a cheap car that will do for a couple of years while you're paying off the existing finance

Your options look like:

#1: spend potentially £3k fixing up a car with 90k miles on it

#2: spend £3k buying another car with full service history, 12 months mot, lower mileage etc which may be less likely to break down (eg Honda Jazz, which tend to have had older own ers who look after their cars well) & see what money you can get back for yours on webuyanycar or similar

The £3k finance is a write off either way.

Hoping I’m not too late to the thread.

I feel you OP. Did you make a decision yet? If so how’s that been?

I’m in the exact same situation, so found this when googling😬 my auto gearbox went and I have 3k left on my loan, for now I’m getting a lift to work but it’s not forever

Nissan quoted me 3.6k
so we tried someone we knew, that was 3k

it’s really a gamble, we could get the new gearbox have a few more years in my car but then I’ve got basically 6k to pay off

or I could scrap it for next to nothing, get a car which could have the same issue and I’m back to square one.

ive looked into leasing but higher mileage is more expensive and I wouldn’t like to be constantly worried about little dinks in it as I work up a remote area up a country lane etc

It is really shit I completely feel you,