In Despair

December 21, 2007

I am totally in despair with my Toyota Lucida M reg 1995 2.2. This may be a long post but if I don't start from the beginning you may get confused.

I bought the car in April 2005 it had a engine management light on when I bought it but the guy told me that it was a light saying it needed servicing and I didn't know any different it was a private sale by the way so no warranty.

It ran ok for about three months then it started overheating I had the thermostat replaced that cured that problem. In the November I went out to it and it wouldn't start so I called out breakdown they couldn't get it started so the next day I sent it to a garage they said it was the STD pump I think diesel pump anyway. They done that and timing belt which cost me £1,100.

All ok for a short while then trouble again water started leaking dripping at 1st but then over time got a bit worse but was OK as long as I topped it up. Then it started overheating again so I had another thermostat fitted also a new radiator costing another £100 as I was told this could be blocked. And no this did not cure the problem. So two weeks ago I sent the car into a garage to have it looked at and three core plugs had come out owing to the fact it was losing water all the time the Anti-freeze kept coming out. Also I had to have a new Water Pump as this wasn't working either total cost this time £674.

Now just as I thought all was good on Monday when I went out in it there was a whistling noise coming from the engine or thereabouts and a loss of Power not to mention Oil can light coming on and off. Thinking it was the Turbo I took it straight back to a garage and they checked it and it appears that there is a box where the Turbo pipe goes into and then the exhaust fits onto that well that has now cracked. Also the couplings are so worn the engine is making a dreadful clanking noise so need replacing along with front shocks as I done the back ones in the summer.

Uhhhmmm well I went out today to get my little one to the dentist and the box went altogether so I got it welded to tide me over whilst I wait for parts to come in went down the road and within two miles the box blew again also had a Low Level warning light come on and the car began running like a pig got to a Petrol station and car stalled on me. I filled up went to get back in and nothing it wouldn't even turnover. Thing is my car through all it's faults and there are many off them has never used any oil so why on earth have I suddenly got these lights suddenly coming on now. Anyway it is back at the garage up until today when it broke down I have been given an estimate of £800 to repair it so I am in the territory of the car being worth less than all the repair bills I am having to pay out.

The Battery appears to be completely dead but I really don't know why it is only 8 months old and only the other day I put a Battery charger on it to give it a top up charge as I do weekly in the winter for good measures. Does any-one have any kind of idea what on earth I am going to do with this car as it is costing too much money to keep but spent to much on it also. Can anything else really go wrong.

January 12, 2008

I am wondering if it could be the head gasket?

January 19, 2008

I am wondering if it could be the head gasket?

Now, I don't want to upset you, but I think you're spending far to much money on this car and you are right saying that its value is now less than the cost of all repairs.

If I was you I will definitely look at getting another car but be careful this time what you get !

I had similar problems with the car I had before and it's only getting worse.

I had also to replace the head gasket, then the water pump and radiator and I also found a hose that had a crack which will only expand when the water was getting realy hot and so it was losing water all the time!