The Cough-up or Get-Rid Dilema

My x1/9 (1988 SE, 90K) went in for its MoT today, and it needs a lot of welding (mainly underneath, sills and inner wings), along with an overhaul of brakes, new exhaust, and a tyre. Previous years, I've just paid to get the what ever is needed for the MoT. Even if paying for all that work to be done, it will still be a very very long way from the gleaming toys I see pictures of posted on this forum - the bodywork has rust bubbles coming through in many places (nose cone, wheel arches, etc.), and also host of more minor things wrong with it that need sorting (ripped seats, stuck heater valve).

To any sane person it sounds like a nightmare, and a no-brainer that it should just be got rid off. I know I could get another exxy in reasonable condition for probably less than it would cost to put everthing right. So what do I do - Cough-up or Get-Rid ??

I guess many of you have been in this situation, turning your once pride and joy into a donor car, or seeing it off to the scrapyard.

I've had the car about eight years now, so there is a lot of emotional ties, spent hours cursing when trying to fix something, had broad grins with the roof off and tooling round corners. Its took us camping in Skye, Colonsay and Ireland. But having moved house last year - I no longer use it for my daily commute, and it is no longer the only car in the household (my wife having passed her test recently and her normal car is the households preferred mode of getting from A-to-, it does seem a bit of a waste. It will be very sad to see it go - but surely there is a time when it is best to say goodbye.

I also have problem of lack of spare time to properly fix all of the things that need fixing, and also the daft notion that one day I will. I do have a nice dry garage now - so that's a good thing - but I also have a house/wife both in need of attention.

So this has been a cathartic experience for me - maybe I should just call time on the car ..... or maybe not .....


For those of you still reading, here's what I am talking about, and that's after I had just washed it :roll: :




Cheers for listening

Andy

Hi Andy.

I don't know whether you were looking for responses or not but here's one anyway...........

It is a toughie isn't it and having owned the car for 8 years, can be difficult to seperate emotion from common sense. I have had my red 1500 for 2 years now and the green 1300 for a year or so. Peapod (1300) looks great and has had £1000+ spent on it (mainly upgrades, electronic ignition, carb, coil etc etc) to make it more reliable and it looks great. However, the 1500 is a different story.

Over the winter just gone it has deteriorated quite a bit and the MOT has now run out. Having spent twice as much on the car as I had paid for it, I fear there will be more expense if I try and get it through the MOT. I will put it in and see. If it passes I will be overjoyed. If not, then I am not spending any more money on it. Either way, it is being sold.

I know its slightly different in my case as I have a 'back up' and the 1300 is in far better condition, but I like my 1500. Stereo, good engine and immaculate interior but there are niggles like a sticking drivers window. Heater knob broken off. Exhaust needs fitting etc etc and I don't have the time or the money. So it has to go to someone who will get it back to glory. It won't take much and if the purchase price is good (and it will be a bargain for someone, all the usual stuff has been fitted etc) will be worth it.

There comes a time I think when enough is enough and I think that the time has come for you. There are plenty out there to get back into it if you want to and everyone I know has a new car at some point or another, especially if going on a club outing !! You will never get back what you paid but don't scrap it. Let someone else get it on the road and let the exxy live on.

Whether this helps or not I don't know. Whatever decision you take, make it for you and not the exxy. You can always get another one!

Session over........ thats £45 please :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I've rebuilt a few of them now,and know what you mean,I've had 2 that were beyond saving,and it was difficult to come to the decision to let them go,but my current car was made up of parts from these.Time is the major factor,as,if you are not in a hurry,you could do it bit by bit.Every little job gets you closer to an MOT and gives you self satisfaction that you did it yourself. You can pick up a secondhand MIG welder for maybe a hundred pounds,scour ebay and club members for other parts,and get the car back on the road.Or buy another good example which may turn out to be just as ropey under the surface as the one you plan to scrap.Seen this a few times...
After 8 years a car becomes part of the family,and its only you that can make the decision...

Sorry to here that there might be another scrapper. Is it true that quite a lot of the later models rust badly from below? Shouldn't say it but it looks like a lick of paint might have delayed the inevitable. If it was my car I would get the MIG and angle grinder out and have a go. I'm sure with a bit of graft you could get it passed and you would have gained experience and lost nothing for having a go. If the worst comes to the worst you could probably get enough to buy another one by breaking it and selling the parts on ebay. If I look back at my Ebaying for X1/9 parts it's frightening how much I've spent. But then better the devil you know and all that

Thanks for the replies guys - it is helpful.

Doing the big stuff myself to get it on the road is not really viable in terms of time - but I can potter about with the minor stuff when the mood takes. Thankfully the garage I take it to is reasonably sympathetic and isn't a rip off merchant. I remember having the same dilema last year - and I took the easy option of delaying the do-up or dump decision, and got the work done to get through the MoT. But this year a lot more work is needed.

Unfortunately it was the living outside through seven Scottish winters and being our only car for that time that really put it in the state it is in. I don't feel too gulity about not putting in the hours to keep in nice looking, as I have spent plenty of time on it just keeping it running.

One of the things that started my thinking about whether or not it is futile exercise was when Tiff commented (sometime ago) about how all the later cars all succumb to the rust and are made of "poorer quality metal".

I wouldn't just scrap it - and it would be used as a donor, either by me or whoever else wanted bits.

I'll keep you informed of any decision .... Cheers for listening.

If you do decide to break for spares then I may be interested in a look.

Sorry to hear of your situation Andy - we've all been there sometime or other!

If you do break it I know my mate in Edinburgh will want first dibs on the spoiler wing tips, the door side trim strips and the rear brake calipers....

my 2p's worth is that the gleaming ones on here are that way because they have a lot time and attention on them. I think whatever you will buy will look a far lot better than they really are.
I think the best bet is to buy an enthusiasts car that has been kept up to scratch. The worst ones are the GF that have been left alone and are often shockingly rusty.
Mind you mine had hardly any rust and how now spent twice its market value and its far from perfect.

I would say, keep it if you can store it for nothing .. stop it going more rotten, relax for a few months, then you'll either find you have a go at restoring it, or, if you get another, it will be worth its weight in bits .. don't panic now and get rid of it for £50

Spot on,John. sit on it for a while,and decide on a plan.It's not eating a piece after 8 years,is it!

Whilst flicking through the TV channels last night I found the answer to my dilema ..... Pimp My Ride .... do you think the would go for it. :shock: :shock: :shock:

Seriously the jury is still out on this one .... I'll keep you posted and thanks for your comments

When they're gone they're gone....................

I now have a barn which inside has 3 little X1/9's and a barchetta sleeping soundly. The environment is warm and dry and they sleep dreaming of the day they are called for duty Another 2 exies to keep them company on their way from another farm. Mmmmmmmm, there is always space for another .........

Before you scrap or go near the car with an angle grinder, think about Nuch sitting on his cloud up the sky, shaking his head when you do the evil deed. Think of the twisting Alpine pass, sunshine beaming down and a wee Italian stalion burbling away making you smile from ear to ear..................

when they're gone...................the world will have lost something special

Amen......... :shock:

Hey,
My opinion would be the same as the others - if you have the space to store it then definitely do it. Put it in the garage and put a vcover over it. That way when you do get enthusiastic about it again - be it in 6 months time or in 10 years time, the car will stil be there in a similar condition to now. The thing about x1/9s is that they are still around but becoming rarer. It is worth hanging on to cars if for no other reason than they will be worth a small bit more in a few years time by virtue of the fact that there are less around. I got my x1/9 in similar condition to yours for free off this website about 4-5 years ago and sold my previous xee. That car has just finished the Ireland trip twice this year and lived in Aberdeen for 18 months! I now live in Dublin and the car had to do over 1000 miles to get there and back. It owes me nothing at this stage and I would say that the car is a keeper. I got the inner arches front and back and the floors done on the car(a 1981 car) and the engine has 130000 miles on it. Anyway thats just my opinion. Also, as was said earlier, the devil you know is better than the devil you dont know and having just bought my first car on ebay - they are always over described and a lot worse in reality!
Cheers,
Paul.

Ooooooh its all getting a bit sentimental on here :shock: (cat amongst pigeons time)

Andy........ have you got the time??? REALLY got the time? Have you got the space for it? I have 2 cars both of which were off ebay, both of which have served me very well. Peapod especially. The 1500 is ready to go because of the time and space factor. No other reason. Its driveable and ready to go. But yours isn't. It would serve well as a donor car or being sold to be restored. Either way, you will help others as well as your own situation. I know its a sad moment to break an exxy but mechanical things don't last forever unless you are willing to MAKE it last forever. There's the dilemma. MONEY and TIME is the reality.

It is a possession (albeit a great one) but there are still more out there. In the words of Big Brother............

"You decide......................."

Well decision time has been made - I went an collected my exxy from the garage without any work getting done. He had just taken the seats, wheels and petrol tank out to start the marathon welding session when I called. I will not be putting it back on the road.

I will probably buy another exxy, in which case F73HMX will stay in the garage for now and wait for it to serve as a donor for any bits needed. After that I will give somebody (either very brave, very good at welding, and with lots of cash/time) the chance to do it up, and it may turn a wheel again. But I suspect it will be best plundered for any parts people need.

A tough decision - but basically was made by my wife saying that I can afford a nicer one, so why not get one. The voice of reason .... mmmm.

Did you know that the smallest standard size gyproc board (4'x2') fits perfect behind the seats. But only with the windows down - that the sort of thing mine has had to endure.

I'll be keeping an eye on here, so you won't have got rid of me totally.

Cheers,

Andy