94 sentra xe, worth getting fixed?

sisterevil · Nov 24th, 2005, 03:45 PM

I have a 94 nissan xe that I bought 2 years ago at an auction for 1200 (cdn). I have had to replace the front tie rod last year and recently had a total tune-up and rad flush. Apparently there is gunk in my rad overflow and I need a new headgasket. I have been quoted about $700 +/-.

How do I know if the car is worth fixing? It has 149,000 km and no other major problems.

Is there a website that can tell me or any one of the gearheads on here perhaps????

Thanks for any and all help!!

Slacky · Nov 24th, 2005, 03:59 PM

if done yourself a whole head gasket set plus belts and a new water pump while your at it will total roughly.. 200 american including all little odds and ends like rad fluid, gasket scrapers etc

sisterevil · Nov 25th, 2005, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slacky

if done yourself a whole head gasket set plus belts and a new water pump while your at it will total roughly.. 200 american including all little odds and ends like rad fluid, gasket scrapers etc

That is the probably I am not mechanical at all, so have to go to professional. Is there a way to tell when it is time to give up your car????

DominickGT · Dec 3rd, 2005, 02:29 PM

Hows the car driving right now? There may be some easy things you can do to help your car. And to me its never a good time to sell your car.

nastynissan · Dec 3rd, 2005, 09:39 PM

1st Thing!!!! Take it to another shop for a 2nd opinion. NEVER have that large of a job done without getting at least 2 shops to look at it. (Unless its somewhere youve dealt with alot and TRUST). Having been in a shop Ive seen SEVERAL times that another shop was trying to sell a Head Job when the vehichle didnt really need it.

Is the vehichle running properly????
Does your oil look like a choclate milkshake?
Have the shop pull the Spark Plugs and check for Anti-freeze deposits..
While they're at it run a compression test.
IF they're a Competent shop they can run whats called a block test. It tests to see if Exhaust gasses are getting into the coolant. (I work out of my driveway and have the equipment to do it.)

If its running fine, and they cant VISUALLY show you that is got a blown gasket, by one of the ways above..... You most Likely dont need it. You May need a cooling system FLUSH. But thats a whole other Ball Game.

IF it does need it $700 is about right. And personally these cars are worth it. Ive had Several Nissan's over 200K and 1 that I sold with 275,000. Its carbeurator died recently, but was still on the original engine and 2nd Auto Trans at 425,000.