Another one bites the dust.....

[Roberto]

Well, it was almost inevitable. At a point where I have no money to spend on doing a service and cambelt change, the cambelt decides to give up.

Coming back from town, the car just expired on the nastiest corner of a back road, about 2 miles from home. Then the heavens open and a thunderstorm starts!! Thank feck for the breakdown cover I picked up a month ago! Got the car home after an hour or so.

If the belt has gone, and the valves are fooked, then I'm screwed. I'm going to get a mate to look at it, but it's probably not even worth it. If it can be fixed, I can't afford it. If it can't be fixed, I can't afford a new car.

So watch this space for news of a Marea Weekend breaking for spares.



Rob
Mk.2 Marea Weekend 1.8 16v 115 ELX - Bigger IS better !

 

[Mike]

sorry to hear mate,bit of a ****ter when ya not got the funds to fix it or buy a new car.
i was in the same sit few month back,was outa work and my bgottom end gave up,was unsure wether to sell it on or try get new engine which at the time due to funds, was on bottom of my list :s

But luckily i got offered a full recon engine with 76k for £70!
My engine bay is stripped now so need to rent a crane out when i got the cash spare to get my engine out.

But good luck whatever you decide to do

Mike

A Fiat Marea in a Bravo Shell
My Vid:
http://s329.photobucket.com/player.swf?
filehttp://vid329.photobucket.com/albums/l362/mikedenney/MyVid_0001.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1
Car Status - Off Rd - Crane needed

 

[Joske]

Tis a shame, hope your have luck sorting it out one way or another.

:
Fiat Marea Chrome Front Grille. Fiat Bravo MK2 Front Grille.
ePER V4.0 2008 DVD, Bravo & Marea Workshop Manuals, Fiat Bravo Haynes Manual &, Fiat Bravo Owners Manual on CD etc...

 

[stephen01]

i'll take the............

only joking fella! lets hope it can be fixed on the cheap for you fella, still i bet you have had some use out of it rob?!?

Rat is back on the road ... New bits coming soon!

 

[Will]

That really does suck hope it isn't too terminal and can get fixed! Good luck

 

[Carroll]

Bad luck there fella - I take it the cambelt has'nt been changed for a long while then?
Bit worrying for other 1.8 owners on here if it has...

 

[Tommy K]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1999-T-REG-FIAT-MAREA-ELX-WEEKEND-ESTATE-BLUE-1-8-16V_W0QQitemZ260447027208QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item3ca3da4008&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A2136|293%3A1|294%3A50



Could be an option.....

....

....

 

[Robin]

Not good news matey, after my one and now this, well if you are gonna break it and need any advice on how to ge certain bits off, give me a shout as i now know how to strip one of these down to the bear bones.

cheers

robin

 

[Insomnia]

Sorry to hear of this Rob. Not very nice

Longest Serving BOO Member

Stilo (3dr): Mar 06 1.4 16V Active Sport / 28,500 miles
Coupe: Feb 97 20V N/A / 136,000 miles

 

[Roberto]

Thanks guys.

Well, I'll know more when my mechanic mate looks at it. He doesn't think there's much hope, but he'll give it a go.

Either way, I have no cash to repair or replace, which is the really depressing thing. The cam belt was due and I knew that. But with no funds to have the work done, I had no choice but to carry on in the hope I got lucky. Sadly, my luck ran out.

Thanks to the wonders of VPN, I can work from home and I'm off for 2 weeks next week, so that gives me some time to rob a bank or steal a car Borrowing money is pretty much a no-no, given the amount of debt I already have but work have said they'd consider a salary advance with me paying it back over a few months interest free, which was cool.

I'd hate to have to break it, because she's a solid car that does everything I need a family car to do right now. However, I have to say that this may be the impetus I need to seek out a cheaper diesel alternative which will save me on fuel and tax, albeit a small saving.

Either way, it's been a very depressing weekend so far. Jackie has been stricken with an infection in her jaw bone which is causing her lots of grief, we've both lost lots of sleep because of it and the kids are being mega hyper too. Work is not great, with me being bandied about between projects whilst still at risk of redundancy.

But we'll get through this like we've gotten through every other piece of crap that's been thrown at us.

So, if anyone knows of some decent bargain vehicles, let me know

Rob
Mk.2 Marea Weekend 1.8 16v 115 ELX - Bigger IS better !

 

[Robin]

Sounds like you are having a pretty rough ride. But every cloud and all that. As recently (3 weeks ago) bought a xsara Picasso hdi good price and yesterday the fuel pump gave way and lost all power, I nursed it home and has it confirmed by the as today looks like my bargain is now gonna be expensive.

But hay ho, chin up rob it will always work itself out in the end it always does.

And if you do break your car you will get somewhere in the region of £750 I reckon I got £1055 so far with still Some more bits to sell!

Hope you can see the light bud

Cheers

Robin

 

[Ozric-Al]

Unlucky mate.
Will keep an eye out for cheapies for you.

"Doctor said to give up Keee-Babs. I said 'No, no-no'"

My Members Page
OI! Road safety nutters!! George Orwell ment '1984' to be a warning, NOT a template!

 

[Roberto]

Well, she went to my mate's garage yesterday. Quite sad to see her being towed

Anyway, he's going to have a look and see what is what and whilst there's a faint glimmer of hope that it isn't terminal or financially crippling, I'm being realistic and thinking that may be it.

Also, just want to say thanks to all those that have contacted me off the forum with links to cars and other such things, including other Weekend's to be donor vehicles.

Does anyone know what, if any, differences there are between a Mk.1 1.8 and a Mk.2 1.8? I'm not sure if there are any but I seem to recall reading somewhere that there was. Confirmation either way would be very helpful

Well, I'll keep you posted on her progress, whether she gets back on the road or becomes another donor of parts to the BOO fraternity

Rob
Mk.2 Marea Weekend 1.8 16v 115 ELX - Bigger IS better !

 

[Anonymous]

hope it all gets sorted on the cheap for you, Good luck

stephend

 

[Anonymous]

What was the mileage when the belt "went" amd when was it last done, out of interest?

 

[Roberto]

The mileage was 114,000 and the last belt was done at 55,000 so it was due. I just pushed my luck as far as I could because money is so tight. My luck just ran out!

As it happens, I've just been talking to my mate who owns his own garage and has had a look at it today. And it's not good news I'm afraid.

At least 8 exhaust valves are bent, obviously a new belt and pulley are required, head will need to come off, therefore new gaskets required, rest of valves need to be checked, head will need to go away to have valve guides checked, and on it goes. Even at mates rates, I'm looking at upwards of £800

The car can only be worth between that and £1000 if I'm lucky.

So it looks like a new motor. And unless I can find a JTD Bravo/Brava/Marea, I will probably be leaving the fold

It's a chance for me to reduce my motoring costs anyway. I need something that is more economical and comes in the £35 a year tax bracket. Now the kids are a bit bigger, an estate is not essential.

It also means that I will be getting rid of the Marea for spares or repair. I don't have the facilities to break it slowly so would entertain offers for the complete vehicle if someone wanted to break it and make a profit themselves. Where's Scotty when you need him!?!? LOL

Anyway, it's my birthday tomorrow, so I'm going to worry about all this on Thursday instead. If anyone fancies sending me a card stuffed with £1000, I'd be eternally grateful. Actually, I did have an idea....

If I put together a little 3 track EP of my own, original music, and sold it for £1.50 per download, with all donations going to my new car fund, would anybody buy that??

Well, thanks to everyone for their help and support.

The Marea is dead. Long live the Marea

Rob
Mk.2 Marea Weekend 1.8 16v 115 ELX - Bigger IS better !

 

[Will]

I'd download it

 

[Roberto]

Thanks

Rob
Mk.2 Marea Weekend 1.8 16v 115 ELX - Bigger IS better !

 

[marko]

Rob - first of all Buon Compleanno.
Secondly - if you did me a copy of the album you got a while back from the states (can't remember the name) i'd donate £5 to the fund. Even if it didn't go towards repairs it might help.
Have you considered asking Gillian if he could fit the 1.8 he ditched to your car?

 

[Roberto]

Grazie!

I spoke to my friend about getting a donor vehicle and his overall view is that it wouldn't be significantly cheaper to go down that route. And to be honest, I need to get my other costs down, like tax. £200 a year to £35 a year would be significant.

I think it might be right to move on, but I won't rule out any worthwhile option

Rob
Mk.2 Marea Weekend 1.8 16v 115 ELX - Bigger IS better !