Advice please.

[bigjl2]

Ok, I am going to ask for advice on the thorney subject of whether or not it is worth keeping my xantia.
The car is a 1994 M, SX TD, 103k every old mot,has working aircon, all windows work, sunroof works, passed the MOT no problem, but when I got it the clutch was a bit juddery, no probs really, but now it is slipping, the offside rear wheel is starting to lean in at the top, now last week the ABS light has come on and this week, there is a water leak of biblical proportions for the vicinity of the water pump, about three years ago, when the last owner bought it, it had a new cambelt a water pump due to a leak, I reckon maybe it was bodged because it has only done 10000 miles since then. Just spent £80 on two michelins for the front and it drives pretty well apart from these problems noted above, I am not in a position to do any big jobs so would have to use a garage, even though the engine a gearbox are good and the cars runs on veg easily, can the expense really be justified.
Any advice would be gratefully recieved, but I reckon it may be time for us to part ways...............

[andmcit]

Sounds like a decent car; AC and sunroof!!

IF you buy another car (pick any price) and there's a real chance you're
buying someone else's put off jobs...

I'd persevere with the devil you know!!

Andrew

[CitroJim]

I'd persevere with the devil you know!!

Andrew, I could not agree more with your words of advice. I've learned the hard way several times in my life.

Besides, the list of jobs needing doing are hardly of biblical proportions even if the leak is...

[elma]

I agree, the car sounds about normal for its age and the 1994 sx is one of the nicest xantias they ever made.
Clutch is horrible but will last the rest of the life of the car if you have it done.
Water pump is just a service item and three years is too long any way its overdue in my opinion as is the cambelt whatever mileage you've done.
ABS not a problem, might just need a clean might need a sensor, I think that is trivial.
Shame about the rear arms, but all the parts are cheap.
I'd buy a clutch, rear arm kit and cambelt kit + water pump and find a garage to do it for cash as a foreign job so it won't cost the earth.

Nows the right time of year for them to take on cheap work as overheating seasons over and most problems at the minute will be crashes due to the weather which usually bypass the garage and go to the scrap yard.
If your thrifty I reckon £275 on parts and probably £450 on labour.
If you can afford it do it, you won't find a better car for £700.

You could even put off the rear arms and abs for 6 months to stagger the costs and just buy new rear tyres when you get them done.
Then you'd be looking at about £160 for parts and £250-300 on labour.
If you only do the belt (not tensioners) and water pump the parts bill gets even cheaper by about £50

The labour charges are absolute guesses though based on that I paid £90 to have a cambelt kit water pump and alternator belt fitted a while back and that the clutch probably takes a garage 3 hours. Ask around, you'll be able to find a quiet garage you can negotiate with at the minute. Promise them you'll be back in a few months when your more wealthy for a service, the rear arms and an abs sensor and that they can supply the parts for that but you're broke at the minute so this time you'll have to supply you're own parts.

[MikeT]

I'm not sure what you're actually asking. If it's do I sell this known car to buy an unknown car then the answer is above. Keep it. All cars cost money to maintain, end of.

[RichardW]

My guess is the water leak will turn out not to be the water pump, but the pump inlet housing on the back of the block. Not all that much easier to change mind you....