With Hora's name change I actually started listening to him… 🙄

Don't know if this is of any use to you but we recently had a '97 Polo 1.4CL with 51k miles written off in a rear end crash.

Insurance payout was £1150.
Kept the car and sold on Ebay £225

I think the value of £200 he offered you is a bit low. But Ebay prices are less £300 for knackered engines so he's not a million miles out.

He is trying to make a profit from you.

Your car is worth at least £1500 is the body work is half decent.

Get him to source and fit a second hand engine exactly the same as the current one and then sell the car immediately. You'll have no history for the engine he gets you and could have issues down the line.

Why would anyone notify the dvla of a engine change?
And even if you did, unless you tell people how will they find out?

For insurance and tax purposes I guess. If you replace that 1.1l engine with a 2.0l turbo and then write your car off, your insurance will be invalidated if they come and inspect it.

dooosuk's right. New engine could have been run low on oil/misfuelled, coolant problems/overheating etc etc etc.

Get him to source and fit a second hand engine exactly the same as the current one and then sell the car immediately.

Precisely my plan

I await your "VW Polo for sale, 1 careful owner, recently serviced" ad in the classified. 🙂

You know. Its not too late to source either a G60 or VAG 1.8T engine and fit…

Just had a call off him. Has offered me either

me to pay £400 (min) for new head

OR

£400 plus the refund of the work for my car

OR

a newer, lower milage Clio for £200.

Going to have a look at the clio but I think that might be the way to go

Clio sounds possible- service history, etc etc. Plus has it got any sort of comeback to him?

Haven't gone through the finer details yet. Will be asking for some sort of guarantee on it, plus maybe the next MOT done by him or something.

Anything particular I should be looking for on a Clio?

Plus he rang back to say it was £200, sounded like a straight swap in the first conversation. 🙄

What year is it? IF it is good I'd say waver the £200 and through in a guarantee. After all, the Polo was worth 2k if you sold it. I doubt the Clio would be 2k to buy.

From memory you can buy a 172 Clio Sport/2002 for circa 2k.

2001 I think, 78k.

To be honest, sounds like the best resolution for all involved. I come out with a working car, provided it's in better nick than mine was, then i'm about evens

What engine size, spec, how many owners? Will do a private sale search..

If it comes out at £1200, and hes willing to give you a 3month warranty on any mechanicals (ie he fixes) then I'd personally take it.

Bare in mind that at 78k its probably due its second cambelt change. Clios have to be changed before manufacturers recommendations at 40k intervals? Also ALL electrics work.

Im assuming its the 98-01 Gen:
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=1289

Edit:
1.2 16vs seem to be suffering a lot of timing belt failures at mileages as low as 36,000. Best to change the belts at 5 years or 40k miles max. On 1,149cc D4F 16v and D7F 8v engines it is essential to change the timing belt, tensioners and the water pump every 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first). Early timing belt failures not unknown on RenaultSport Clio 172s, so best to change belt, tensioner and all pulleys at 4 years of 40k miles whichever comes first.

It's an X plate so yeah will be that. 1.2. Don't know what the spec is or owners yet.

Will check when it last had the belt changed.

Cheers Mark

Don't feel brow-beaten into accepting the car. Have a good look round it, ask questions then say you'd like to have a think.

How much was the work that you paid for the alternator?

We replaced the polo that was written off with another one.

N reg (so older than the one written off but in better condition) with 71k miles but had a years MOT and tax for £700.

You can buy cheap reliable cars.

£400 he'll give you + refund + £200 to buy clio = same budget as just buying the clio off him

How much does that give you to play with? Then we can see what you can get instead of a clio.

Clio will be next to worthless when you want to sell it at somepoint down the line.

Alternator work was £160 so £760, though I'm not sure it should be worked out that way.

dooosuk again is right. Bloody eck, must try harder

Alternator work was £160 so £760, though I'm not sure it should be worked out that way.

You're right, it shouldn't be worked out that way but thats what it effectively boils down to. Anyway you look at it at the moment you're going to be down to the tune of £500 – £1k potentially.

Only way not to be is to get the repair free of charge but that doesn't look like it's going to happen.

Sorry fella, not sure what else to say. You've been very unlucky/misfortunate.

Clio isn't quite as nice a spec as mine but a comparable price on autotrader it seems. If he'll give me a guarantee on it and for less than £200 think I'll take it

In that case- a good check over mechanically (dont sign anything that says sold as seen/trade sale), then SELL IT!!

Nah think it's sound – he drives to work in it at the moment (I did see him pull up in it on Monday when I first went). Got a guarantee on it too and I do enough miles in a week to see if it's going to go pop or not. So, not the fairytale ending I was looking for but I'm reasonably happy.

Cheers all

Nay problem 🙂

Glad you're happy.

Glad to see everything turned out ok.